108th Milano - Sanremo, 18th March 2017, 291 km, WT

[Netserk]

According to Google:

So a weak tailwind on the climb.

 

[vladimir]

A cross/tailwind should certainly be good news, and makes the race even more unpredictable.

 

[SKSemtex]

“It’s also nice that if I don’t win, I can somehow decide who wins,” Of course I can’t do everything, but I can play with the others a bit.”
"Why didn't you attack Sep ?"

So Sagan is starting to play the small mind games too. Cance used to play with him like this.

King is dead, long live the king!

 

[Vroome.exe]

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

Really or another mind game ?

 

[vladimir]

Re: Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

Really or another mind game ?

Don't know if it's related but yesterday Betfair had both Sagan and Gaviria at 5,50 to win .
Now Sagan is at 5,0 and Gaviria is at 6,0...

 

[Vroome.exe]

Re: Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

Really or another mind game ?

Really as he isn't training with team today.

 

[Flamin]

Stuyven also crashed yesterday, though he's not really hurt.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

Really or another mind game ?

Really as he isn't training with team today.

I am sorry for that. I hope he is not injured seriously. However, Steppers without Gav and only Trentin as the best sprinter option could give this race another dimension.

 

[Tonton]

I hope that Gaviria will be 100%. Yes, he's over-hyped, but what a talent, and he'll pop a big one really soon: how soon? MSR suits him well, as we all know.

Sagan waiting for a bunch sprint? Then he'll lose: there're quite a few guys faster than him.

I agree with the Krystof, Demare, Gaviria prediction, in no particular order.

 

[Alexandre B.]

My top favorite has to be Degenkolb.

 

[manolo57]

Re: Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

Really or another mind game ?

Really as he isn't training with team today.

How do you know that ?

 

[Pantani_lives]

This race has the same scenario every year. Somebody I like attacks on the Poggio, a group comes back, somebody I don't like wins the sprint.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re:

This race has the same scenario every year. Somebody I like attacks on the Poggio, a group comes back, somebody I don't like wins the sprint.

Yes. Exactly. Plus. We all waiting that teams that have no sprinter start riding hard on Cipressa and then again on Poggio but it never happens.

 

[Akuryo]

Re: Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

Really or another mind game ?

Really as he isn't training with team today.

How do you know that ?

Alaphilippe posted a picture of the team and there were only 7 riders ...

 

[Arredondo]

Pippo resurrection coming up!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Cav or Bouhanni will take it.

 

[Forever The Best]

Turchino:

Capo Berta:

Hopefully Gaviria is not injured. If he is fine, he is my pick to win the race. Though Sagan and Demare look in superrb form too. Degenkolb should be very good as well. Kristoff I have more doubts since he started the season pretty slow. Matthews, Colbrelli, and Bouhanni are dark horses in a sprint. Boasson Hagen was pretty good in Strade but he will probably not survive the long distance.

Van Avermaet, Kwiatkowski, Felline, and Wellens should be pretty aggressive in the race, would love to see those 4 going on the attack (with Alaphilippe and Gilbert following but they will probably just mark the moves if Gaviria is fine). Sagan will probably mark the moves as well or maybe he will just wait for the strong teams to close the gap.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

My top favorite has to be Degenkolb.

I agree with you. A few weeks ago I'd have Kristoff as favourite, but he seems to be struggling a bit with his leadouts recently. Degenkolb is next in line in terms of guys who can put out a huge sprint after a long time in the saddle. That brutal Paris-Nice (which Degenkolb rode every single stage of, unlike some of the other sprinters), will have set him up very nicely.

 

[Vroome.exe]

I wouldn't bet on Gaviria right now:
"He was bleeding from his nose, had a wound to his mouth and was hit on both wrists. He has also been a couple of hours in shock."
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2924070

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I wouldn't bet on Gaviria right now:
"He was bleeding from his nose, had a wound to his mouth and was hit on both wrists. He has also been a couple of hours in shock."
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2924070

Unless this is some kind of elaborate mind game, that's a real shame. Would be surprised if he even starts tomorrow, or at best you have to think he'll withdraw before the finish. Those wrists will only hurt more overnight when adrenaline wears off, and surely he won't be able to sprint properly anyway.

 

[Akuryo]

Would be a real shame but that would up the chances of unleashing Gilbert and/or Alaphilippe. This would make the race more interesting for the neutral viewer and also the Sagan-fans, cause then he could just follow those Quickstep guys. I doubt they would go for a sprint with Boonen at the end ...

 

[the asian]

Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

The lad better learn to stay on his bike

What's it with his poor bike handling skills? Is it the trackie background?

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

Gaviria crashed (surprise surprise) during training yesterday and has injured his wrist. Team confirmed he will start tomorrow though.

The lad better learn to stay on his bike

What's it with his poor bike handling skills? Is it the trackie background?

Stuyven also crashed this last week. I'm pretty sure AC crashed this year as well. Boonen has crashed several times this year. GVA did late last year. I'm sure I'm missing some.

A crash doesn't automatically mean your a bad bike handler.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

This race has the same scenario every year. Somebody I like attacks on the Poggio, a group comes back, somebody I don't like wins the sprint.

So true. Last winner of this race I liked was Freire