Australia's Simon Gerrans wins Milan-Sanremo

Australia's Simon Gerrans on Saturday won the 103rd edition of the Milan-Sanremo, the first classic of the season over 298 kilometres (185 miles). The TeamEdge rider beat Switzerland's Fabian Cancellera and Italy's Vincenzo Nibali in a sprint for the line after nearly seven hours in the saddle. The chasing pack, headed by Slovakia's Peter Sagan, failed to catch the trio, who sped out in front some seven kilometres from the finish. Britain's world champion Mark Cavendish slipped back in the field after the Liquigas team stepped up the pace on the La Monie ascent, 97 kilometres from the line. The TeamSky rider, who won the race in 2009, managed to get back to the second group, clawing back about 40 seconds with the help of his teammates but was unable to get into the main peloton led at a fast pace by the BMC and Omega Pharma teams. The race, in sunny but cold conditions, was opened up after the riders left Milan when nine cyclists broke away and stretched their lead up to 14 minutes. The peloton caught them up 57 kilometres from the finish in a hilly section where Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert saw his challenge falter with a crash on the approach to the summit of the second-last ascent on La Cipressa. Last year's race was also won by an Australian, Matt Goss. At 31, the victory is Gerrans biggest of his career, although he has been a stage winner in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Spain.