Race organiser RCS has confirmed it is working towards adding a women's Milan-San Remo to the calendar in 2023, with CEO Paolo Bellino also suggesting RCS wants to become involved in the Giro d'Italia Donne.
RCS, who also organises races such as the Giro d'Italia, Il Lombarida, Milan-San Remo and the women's Strade Bianche, is planning to make the women's Milan-San Remo race the same day as the men's, meaning it could fall on the same weekend as the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, which is raced on the Saturday.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, RCS CEO Paolo Bellino said: “We are working this year to launch a Milan-San Remo for women, because I think that it’s a spring monument event that should be for the women.
"Of course, not such a long distance but we are working now to guarantee if for next year. It would be on the same day, so it would be in the same format as Strade Bianche."
Bellino also suggested RCS wants to help the Italian cycling federation in the organisation of the Giro d'Italia Donne, with a view to running the women's race directly after the men's event. In 2022, the Giro d'Italia Donne starts on June 30, a full month after the men's Giro finishes on May 29.
Referring to the Tour de France Femmes, which starts the same day the men's Tour ends, Bellino signals RCS' intention and ambition for working with the Italian cycling federation.
“We are discussing with the national federation to see if there are opportunities to work together," Bellino said.
"We would like to move it closer to the [men’s] Giro d’Italia, but the women’s calendar is very tough, which is good and it’s a good opportunity.
“I thought at the beginning that it would be much better to work together with them instead of creating a new race especially as the one belonging to the national federation is already on the WorldTour calendar.
"I would like to say that the Tour de France did an incredible thing. It was my intention to put together the Giro d’Italia men and women, not on the same days but one following the other.”
