After 298 kilometers riding in mixed weather Australian Team HTC-Highroad sprinter Matthew Goss outsprinted a group of eight riders in the streets of San Remo to claim the victory ahead of Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland and Team Leopard-Trek and Belgium's Philippe Gilbert of Team Omega Pharma-Lotto.

Goss breaking away from an eight-rider group to finish the 298 kilometer (184-mile) race in 6 hours, 51 minutes, 10 seconds.

The eight-rider group was formed with just over a mile to go, after Cancellara had chased down Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium. Italian rider Michele Scarponi was the first to break from the group but was soon caught by Goss.

"I knew I'd been going well, I knew I could get a good result, but actually to get the win is incredible." Goss told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi after crossing the finish line in San Remo.

"I knew Gilbert was dangerous and would try for an attack on the Poggio [climb], so I rode across to that front group just as we reached the top, and once I was with them I knew I was in with a chance," Goss added.

"It was an advantage knowing the route. I live nearby and I've trained over the Poggio a few times in the last few days just to check it again."

"The descent was fast, but it wasn't too tricky because fortunately it wasn't wet, and with 500 meters to go I just gave it everything I had and hoped for the best."

Goss has had a spectacular 2011 season so far, with stage victories in the 2011 Tour Down Under, the Tour of Oman, and most recently in Paris-Nice. Milan-San Remo is his eighth win of the year so far.

"It's been absolutely incredible," Goss said, "I couldn't have dreamed up a better start to the year.

Race favorite and World Champion Thor Hushovd of Castelli-sponsored Team Garmin-Cervelo crashed in today's race, but is reportedly ok.

"Literally 200 meters before the start of the La Manie (climb), Thor went down on a crash and that was it, that was his race," Team Garmin-Cervélo sports director Jonathan Vaughters commented and added "He spent the entire climb trying to get back to the peloton. By that point, the peloton had split into two parts, so by the time he got back, the race was pretty much over for him."

Last year's winner Oscar Freire of Team Rabobank was also implicated in a crash today. One of today's biggest crashes is included in today's video highlights in our videos section (US access only).

Team BMC Racing's Alessandro Ballan finished 4th in today's sprint to the finish line. "I watched (Filippo) Pozzato in the sprint, but he didn't have the legs," Ballan told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi and continued "I'm happy because the team worked really well. Greg (van Avermaet) was strong and Karsten (Kroon) and Michi (Michael Schär) did a lot of work in front to set me up."

Click here for complete results and more photos from the 2011 Milan-San Remo classic.

Watch 2011 Milano-San Remo video highlights here on Roadcycling.com after the race.

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