An early-season test on the Ligurian coast that previews Milan-San Remo terrain and rewards climbers who can time a late attack.
Trofeo Laigueglia is an Italian one-day 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.
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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.
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.
The race uses the hilly coastal terrain around Laigueglia on the Italian Riviera, with punchy climbs overlooking the Mediterranean.
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.
The same coastal headlands that feature in Milano-Sanremo appear in the Trofeo Laigueglia, providing the climbing and positioning tests.
Won in 2025, lending WorldTour star power to a February race that benefits from attracting riders testing early-season form.
The 2026 winner used Colombian climbing ability on the Ligurian hills to win one of the season first races.
The small Ligurian coastal town that gives the race its name. The surrounding hills and Mediterranean setting create a distinctive early-season atmosphere.
A climb shared with Milano-Sanremo. The headland above the sea tests positioning and provides the first selection opportunities.
