The 2013 Milan-San Remo was one of the greatest races of the modern era. Not so much for an epic battle between riders that culminated in a nail biting finish but for the biblical weather conditions that battered the peloton along the way.
Held in mid-March, San Remo is often susceptible to changeable conditions yet those of 2013 will live long in the memory.
As the peloton departed from Milan on the morning of 17th March 2013, cold and wet conditions quickly turned and rain froze into snow.
As the snow intensified, race organisers diverted the peloton away from the Passo del Turchino and La Manie climbs in the hope of escaping the weather.
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The organisers' hopes were short lived. With 112km raced, it was decided the race was to be neutralised. The howling snow impaired visibility until it was no longer safe to ride.
As for the riders, despite attempts to laugh off the cold, it was clear that they were in no state to continue racing.
As the show must go on, it was decided that the race would reconvene further up the course. Riders bundled into the back of team cars and on to buses escaping the bitter cold conditions.
Pictures of riders began to surface as they took cover from the weather. Icicles on helmets, snow-capped beards and frozen fingers told of the torment.
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Of course, for some this weather was an opportunity to prove their toughness. Take Aussie Heinrich Haussler who, while others were looking for any means to escape the cold, rode without any gloves in the sub zero conditions.
The race eventually restarted further down the road. Some like Tom Boonen protested at the fact riders who had already been dropped were allowed to continue the race within the bunch. Those complaining abandoned the race.
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For those who continued, the pace was fast with riders eager to finish the hellish day. Sylvain Chavanel and Ian Stannard led a charge over the final climb, the Poggio, bringing a select group of riders with them.
Hitting the finishing straight, the sprint launched with German underdog Gerard Ciolek grabbing the biggest victory of his career ahead of a young Peter Sagan and fast finishing Fabian Cancellara.
