Niccolò Bonifazio warns amateur riders not to imitate his daredevil Milan-San Remo descent

Niccolò Bonifazio has warned amateur riders not to recreate his daredevil Milan-San Remo descent.

The Italian said people should not risk their lives by “launching themselves from the Cipressa” on open roads while chasing the Strava King of the Mountain.

Bonifazio (Direct Energie) unleashed a nail-biting descent from the penultimate climb during the Monument on Saturday (March 23), tucking himself into his handlebars and pushing to very edge.

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In a Facebook post on Tuesday (March 26), the 25-year-old said: “After a couple of days and with a cool head, seeing how [the attack] moved people on the web I’m relatively worried.

“I know of people who launch themselves from the Cipressa in training to try to imitate.

“I remind these geniuses that the road is open, do not risk your life for such nonsense.”

Bonifazio said he did not upload the ride data to Strava in case it encouraged others to copy his descending.

He added that despite taking those risks on a closed road, he still did not beat the KoM.

Bonifazio added: “Before you try to beat the time or do anything stupid, realise the risks that these actions carry.”

His huge attack in the tight and winding descent gave Bonifazio a 20-second advantage on the approach to the day’s final climb, the Poggio.

But he was unable to escape the driving peloton, being caught again before the start of the climb.

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Bonifazio told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that he hit 85km/h on the straight sections of the descent, barely touching the brakes on the way down.

The sprinter’s attack was fruitless however, as he finished 131^st on the Via Roma.

Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Julian Alaphilippe won the first Monument of the season, after tearing the race apart on the Poggio.

The Frenchman then beat an elite group of 10 in a sprint for the line.