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2017 Il Lombardia route

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Same last 2 climbs as in 2015. Muro di Sormano. I'm a fan
 
Re:

Sestriere said:
Vincenzo Nibali to become the first rider to win both, a Grand Tour and a Monument Classic in the same season since Danilo di Luca.

In what year will that be then? ;)

I love the route (again). The Shark will certainly have a chance, since there will be very few riders coming off strong form from the end of the Vuelta. Possibly Woods?

As for the chances of GvA, Gilbert, Flowers and Balaphilippe. For the first two, just no. Bala, probably not, but I wouldn't rule it out. I'd say Flowers would have the best chance, but he hasn't ridden in real hill country for a while (since San Sebastian).

p.s. What state is Danny boy in after his injury from the tour?
 
What state is Danny boy in after his injury from the tour?

"3 weeks off the bike" was the supposed timeline when the 2 fractured vertebrae were diagnosed. That would have had him ready for the Vuelta, but obviously he didn't start there, or the Tour of Britain. Would QS bring him since he's changing teams next year? Or put all their resources behind Alaphilippe and PhilGil? Too many chiefs could be a problem.
 
Re: Re:

Escarabajo said:
jsem94 said:
Sky will have 7 men left in the final 10km as usual probably. Bots controlling the race for Michal/Rosa/Moscon all the way.
This is a Classic. Race dymanic is different.
I know that Sky has actually had some success in classics since then, but when I think of the "Sky Train" approach to classics, I always think of the 2013 GP Quebec, in which Sky killed themselves setting up a Froome attack on the last hill (https://youtu.be/NPHPkBLfYpw?t=4222), resulting in the lamest abortive attack by Froome I have ever seen (https://youtu.be/NPHPkBLfYpw?t=4381).
 
I think Sky learned after the 2015 Ronde that just controlling the front all day, like they do in GTs, doesn't work in classics. Because there's always someone who can follow the pace over classics terrain, and you just end up burning off your own guys over the longer distance, and you've nobody left for the finale.
 
Re:

Leinster said:
What state is Danny boy in after his injury from the tour?

"3 weeks off the bike" was the supposed timeline when the 2 fractured vertebrae were diagnosed. That would have had him ready for the Vuelta, but obviously he didn't start there, or the Tour of Britain. Would QS bring him since he's changing teams next year? Or put all their resources behind Alaphilippe and PhilGil? Too many chiefs could be a problem.

Ummm, this is kinda embarrassing, but I just found out Dan is actually currently riding the ToB. So he'll presumably be ok for Lombardy and the Worlds.