2013 Milan-San Remo, 17 March (298km)

[Ramira]

Sagan DID look for help once and it almost cost him a race. When Cancellara made his attack Sagan waited for a moment, because someone other was supposed to pull at this moment, but the gap immediately widened to a dangerous extent.
As some others, like Netserk are saying, Sagan did the right move by chasing everyone else. It's in the sprint where he lost

This, it's very easy to say he should've waited. But remember by waiting for someone else to chase (which they would almost certainly fail to do) the gap would only widen causing him to have to spend even more energy. As he has an amazing jump the most prudent thing for Sagan to do is to react as soon as possible and then sit in the wheel. That would cost him a lot less energy than having to close a real gap.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

Guys , i don't think Cancellara wanted to see Sagan loose... He just didn't have the legs to do any better.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Funny how Cancellara can't do anything right.

If he does the moto, people critisize him, if he doesn't, same..........he'll win his next monument soon.

It isn't his legs. It's his whiny, diva attitude. I've seen less drama in soap operas.

 

[Kwibus]

Cancellara you lost my respect from today.....Sagan should have won...what a huge disappointment

Ok, this must be silliest post I've seen today. Lolololol

 

[Ferminal]

Replace Ciolek with Goss and Sagan with Gilbert. Can't we get used to really strong fast guys winning?

 

[Lanark]

Ok, this must be silliest post I've seen today. Lolololol

Quite funny to see the Sagan fanboys act as if Cancellara stole his birthright. His face on the podium looked great, like he swallowed a worm. Sagan will win many classics, just not today.

 

[ultimobici]

At least Canc didn't win

Yep. Ever since his disparaging comments about Nuyens's win in RVV I lost any regard for him. He repeated it after last year's MSR about Gerrans. Poor loser.

 

[will10]

Replace Ciolek with Goss and Sagan with Gilbert. Can't we get used to really strong fast guys winning?

+1

No point being the strongest if you aren't smart.

 

[woodenswan]

2012 tour stage 1-------> 2013 MSR
Cause------->Effect

a niceass rivalry emerging!

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

It's Sagans own fault he didn't win. Not by pulling too much, but by starting the sprint too early (based on a supposed move by Chavanel).
Cancellara had nothing to do with that, although I was surprised he didn't try anything, since he knows sprinting against Sagan is useless for him

 

[Ferminal]

Ok, this must be silliest post I've seen today. Lolololol

There goes my sympathy for Sagan

 

[the asian]

Sagan was overconfident and opened up the sprint too soon. He probably thought he could easily beat Ciolek.
Ciolek was in pretty good form and it was stupid to underestimate him.

Sagan's youthful arrogance might cost him a few more wins.

Fabs was never going to win from that group, so don't mind him settling for third.

Amazing ride from Phinney too. It was earlier reported that he abandoned.

 

[williamp78]

Guys , i don't think Cancellara wanted to see Sagan loose... He just didn't have the legs to do any better.

He (canc) opened up a gap just as they started the descent of the poggia but he never pushed it. That was his time to go. If he had rode across to chavanel and stannard the three of them may have held off sagan who was pretty much working alone. (or perhaps not, but he was never wining the sprint)

 

[Martin]

HAHAHA Sagan taking the sprint early because he thought he could crush his break away companions! Sucks to under estimate your rivals today Sagan! Ciolek destroyed you!

Anyone else notice Sagan start crying on the line as he felt the lead slip away?

Best race ever.

ho did ciolek destroy sagan? i cannot remeber last time when someone destroyed anybody by wheelsucking, please remind me. LOOOL
you made my day.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

It's Sagans own fault he didn't win. Not by pulling too much, but by starting the sprint too early (based on a supposed move by Chavanel).
Cancellara had nothing to do with that, although I was surprised he didn't try anything, since he knows sprinting against Sagan is useless for him

As many others said, that was the moment he lost the race.

 

[Leadbelly]

Maybe it was just Sagan's big mouth

Maybe it was too much pizza.

 

[Zweistein]

I agree Cancellara just didn't want Sagan to win, and this will probably go on in RvV. But Cancellara, buddy, you sure you can afford this kind of shenanigans? You haven't won a monument in 3 years...

I think Cancellera is over the hill and will only podium from now on at the monuments. There are too many people wise to his tactics and nobody is going to let him get away to TT to the finish anymore. There are too many people with better sprints that he can't shake anymore. You can be crazy strong like he was a couple years ago but that doesn't mean squat if you just tow everyone to the finish.

Nobody wins for ever. There just has to be one person a little better than you. Sagan happens to be a little more than a little. This guy is a once in a generation kind of a rider.

 

[ultimobici]

+1

No point being the strongest if you aren't smart.

Exactly. Cancellara's brawn is not in doubt, his brain is.

 

[Descender]

Hi there! You guys don't happen to have seen Miburo around by any chance?

Sagan should win, but I have money on Ciolek.

How much did you lose?

Did? Don't tell me he's not starting...

I have two euros on him anyway. Would net me 130 if he wins, seemed worth a shot...

 

[phanatic]

Replace Ciolek with Goss and Sagan with Gilbert. Can't we get used to really strong fast guys winning?

No, it's too hard watching the strongest pull the fastest to victory.

 

[Kwibus]

What a great final, I think my heartbeat was higher than those of the cyclists in the last 10k

Ciolek, man, when he just came in the peloton I though he would be the next Zabel, now when he was all but written off, he suddenly wins the race of Herr Mailand. Just fantastic.

Sagan was great as well, looked like he suffered a bit on the Poggio, but he rode like a champion in the last 6k. He was heavily marked, but he'll have to get used to that. It's not going to get easier from here.

Cancellara rode tactical for once, but I don't think he had the strength to do anything in the end. Still, he looks more than ready for the classics.

Oh look! A post by someone without a grudge against a certain rider. It gets rare these days on this forum. Good post sir.

 

[spalco]

He had to do all the work because nobody else there was going to carry him to the finish.

And when Cancellara does the same he's a lazy, negative dumbass?

 

[DirtyWorks]

This, it's very easy to say he should've waited. But remember by waiting for someone else to chase (which they would almost certainly fail to do) the gap would only widen causing him to have to spend even more energy. As he has an amazing jump the most prudent thing for Sagan to do is to react as soon as possible and then sit in the wheel. That would cost him a lot less energy than having to close a real gap.

This is right. The post-race shoulda-coulda-woulda will waste some energy second-guessing what happened but Sagan played it well.

Like Cancellara, the guy is marked. UNlike Cancellara, he's got a strong burst of power to surprise and make that critical gap.

 

[Volderke]

Cancellara didn't do anything because he had nothing in the tank (only cramps). Get over him not wanting to cooperate with Sagan, even if he wanted, he couldn't. Enough said!

 

[Peccio89]

I wonder if Sagan knew that Ciolek was actually a sprinter .

Great thing about cycling is that it often happens that the strongest guy loses.