Milan-San Remo boasts one of the most iconic and thrilling final 60 minutes of racing in the sport. The fight for position begins before the riders hit the Cipressa. As the Poggio draws ever closer, riders prepare for the inevitable attacks to come.

At nearly 300 kilometers in length, it can be hard to predict what anyone's legs will be capable of in the closing kilometers.

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La Primavera has its fair share of surprise winners. In 2013, Peter Sagan learned the name of Gerald Ciolek the hard way, after Ciolek pulled one over on him and Cancellara in the finale.

Here we present five dark horses taking to the line on Saturday.

Toms Skujins

Since his debut in the World Tour, Skujins has shown little hesitation about going toe-to-toe with the veterans of the sport. The Latvian time trial champion is eager to attack when the racing gets hard. His aggressive tactics have paid off in multiple victories over the past few years. An attack on the Poggio would be very characteristic of the Trek Segafredo rider.

Dylan Groenewegen

The Dutch sprinter for Jumbo Visma has more than solidified his pedigree in bunch kicks over the last few seasons. Groenewegen has notched up multiple Tour de France stage wins and the victory at the 2018 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, however, he remains relatively unproven at the finish of a monument. The Poggio will be a major obstacle to the Dutchman on Saturday, but if he makes it onto Via Roma with the leaders, he will have a genuine shot at a career-changing victory.

Sam Bennett

The Irish sprint talent for Bora Hansgrohe will certainly play second fiddle to Peter Sagan on Saturday. However, watching Sagan lead out Bennett in early season races has become a familiar sight over the past few years. If Bennett remains in contention over the Poggio, he and Sagan may have some talking to do in the closing kilometers.

Matej Mohoric

There is perhaps nobody better at piloting a bicycle down a technical descent than the former U23 world champion. The peloton will have to keep a close eye on the young Slovenian over the top of the Poggio. If he is given an inch on that terrain, he is likely to take a mile.

Alejandro Valverde

The world champion likely deserves more credit than to be listed as a dark horse pick for La Primavera. Valverde is, of course, one of the most versatile and one of the winningest riders in the peloton. However, a result at Milan-San Remo has eluded him thus far. In his six starts, he has not managed to crack the top 10. However, just like his rainbow stripes, one can assume a result at La Primavera is only a matter of time.