Team Novo Nordisk back where it counts at Milan-Sanremo

Team Novo Nordisk returns to the biggest stage in one-day racing this Saturday, lining up at the start of Milan-Sanremo for the seventh time in the team’s history. Confirmed as one of four wildcards for the 117th edition of La Classicissima, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team makes its long-awaited return to the race and they intend to make every kilometre count.

“We’re extremely proud to retrun to Milan-Sanremo this year,” said General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “It’s one of the oldest and most iconic races in the world. This will be our 7th appearance at Milan-Sanremo as Team Novo Nordisk and it’s a big opportunity for us to make an impact and share our inspirational message.”

First held in 1907 and one of cycling’s five monuments, the 2026 edition starts in Pavia, just outside of Milan, covering 298km west to the Ligurian coast.  The race heads north towards Milan, the historic starting point, before reaching the Certosa where it rejoins the traditional course and heads west towards the Passo Del Turchino, the halfway point.

The decisive action, as ever, comes in the closing kilometres, first with the ‘Tre Capi’, Cipressa and Poggio di Sanremo all coming before the finale on Via Roma in downtown Sanremo.

“It will be a special day for all of us, but particularly for our young debutants, Antonio, Filippo and Hamish racing one of cycling’s monuments for the first time will be unforgettable,” continued Davidenko. “Our goal for the race is very simple – get in the breakaway. That’s the best way for us to be visible and share our message with the whole world. We’ve put the hard work in and it’s up to the riders on Saturday now.”

For a team of Team Novo Nordisk’s size, La Classicissima isn’t about contesting the finale against the sport’s biggest names, it’s about racing with heart, courage, and purpose. The last appearance came in 2021, when Andrea Peron and Charles Planet made the breakaway. That remains the goal; racing from the front and being out there for as long as possible to share the team’s mission to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes.

Peron will be back to lead the team on Staurday alongside fellow veteran David Lozano. This year there is an added dimension of pride. A new generation of TNN athletes is coming through, with younger Italian riders Filippo Ridolfo and Antonio Polga earning their opportunity to ride in their home monument alongside Scottish Climber Hamish Armitt another debutant and the line up completed by Italian Umberto Poli and Manxman Sam Brand.

For the Italian riders, competing in a race of this magnitude on home roads, in front of home crowds represents a deeply personal milestone.

“We have two of cycling’s monuments here in Italy, Il Giro di Lombardia and Milano-Sanremo,” said Peron. “So to be able to race at one of them again is just amazing. Especially as an Italian. One of the best moments of my career so far is being in the breakaway at Sanremo and I can’t wait to try and do that again.”

Team Novo Nordisk’s presence at Milan-Sanremo is about far more than results. Every rider on this team lives with type 1 diabetes, and every kilometre they race sends a powerful message to the millions of people around the world managing the same condition.

“The chance to race at Milano-Sanremo is massive for me,” concluded Ridolfo. “As an Italian rider having the chance to ride in one of our home monuments is unreal, but as a TNN rider and an athlete competing with diabetes, then it becomes more special and more inspirational.”

“The team has raced Milano-Sanremo many times before, but this will be my first time and to be racing alongside Andrea who was in the breakaway last time in 2021 will be very special. Keep an eye out because we’ll be looking to do the same again.!”

The partnership between Novo Nordisk and Team Novo Nordisk is rooted in a shared purpose: to demonstrate that living with diabetes does not limit ambition or performance.

Saturday’s race will be about showing the world what is possible and for that, Team Novo Nordisk will once again be one of the most meaningful teams on the start line.

Team Novo Nordisk at Milan-Sanremo, Saturday 21st March:

Hamish Armitt (GBR, 23)

Sam Brand (GBR, 35)

David Lozano (ESP, 37)

Andrea Peron (ITA, 37)

Antonio Polga (ITA, 26)

Umberto Poli (ITA, 29)

Filippo Ridolfo (ITA, 24)