Early-season Italian one-day race on the Ligurian coast
Trofeo Laigueglia
An early-season test on the Ligurian coast that previews Milan-San Remo terrain and rewards climbers who can time a late attack.
- Location
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- When
- First Wednesday in March
- Course
- One Day
- Most recent winner
- 🇨🇴 Santiago Buitrago (2026)
- Category
- Men’s 1.Pro
About Trofeo Laigueglia
Trofeo Laigueglia is an Italian one-day bike race held in early March along the Ligurian coast. The route runs through the same coastal hills that feature in Milan-San Remo, making it both a seasonal opener and a rehearsal for the first Monument of the year.
First held in 1964, Trofeo Laigueglia became one of the traditional early Italian markers of spring form.
This is where the season begins to sharpen. Held on the Ligurian coast in early March, Laigueglia offers the first proper test on climbs like Capo Mele and Cipresso, the same roads that will matter at Milan-San Remo a few weeks later. The race rewards riders who can handle repeated accelerations and read the moment to go clear in the final kilometers, making it a useful gauge of early-season form and tactical sharpness.
Trofeo Laigueglia winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 🇨🇴Santiago Buitrago |
| 2025 | 🇪🇸Juan Ayuso |
| 2024 | 🇫🇷Lenny Martinez |
| 2023 | 🇫🇷Nans Peters |
| 2022 | 🇸🇮Jan Polanc |
2026 results
This edition is complete.
Trofeo Laigueglia route
The route follows the Ligurian coastline before repeated laps around the climbs that shape the finale, most notably Colla Micheri and Capo Mele. Those rises are not long enough for pure climbers to dominate, but they are hard enough to wear down the heavier sprinters and turn the last hour into a series of accelerations. The winner usually comes from a small group or a late solo move rather than a full peloton sprint. Positioning matters because the roads are narrow and technical in places, and a rider caught too far back on the final laps rarely gets a clean chance to move up. The race rewards punch, timing, and the willingness to attack before the coast road flattens out again.
What shapes the race
Ligurian coast climbing
The race uses the hilly coastal terrain around Laigueglia on the Italian Riviera, with punchy climbs overlooking the Mediterranean.
February season opener
One of the first European road races of the year. The mild Ligurian climate allows racing in February when much of Europe is still in winter.
Capo Mele and Capo Cervo
The same coastal headlands that feature in Milano-Sanremo appear in the Trofeo Laigueglia, providing the climbing and positioning tests.
Signature landmarks
- Host town
Laigueglia
The small Ligurian coastal town that gives the race its name. The surrounding hills and Mediterranean setting create a distinctive early-season atmosphere.
- Coastal headland
Capo Mele
A climb shared with Milano-Sanremo. The headland above the sea tests positioning and provides the first selection opportunities.
History
Iconic victories
Juan Ayuso
Won in 2025, lending WorldTour star power to a February race that benefits from attracting riders testing early-season form.
Santiago Buitrago
The 2026 winner used Colombian climbing ability on the Ligurian hills to win one of the season first races.
Eras and records
An early-season Ligurian classic on the same coastal roads that lead to Milano-Sanremo, the Trofeo Laigueglia has been testing riders in February sunshine since 1964.
First edition
First held in 1964. The Trofeo Laigueglia has anchored the early Italian season for six decades.
Milano-Sanremo connection
The race uses terrain shared with La Classicissima, making it a natural warm-up for riders targeting the first Monument of the season.