2020 Milan-Sanremo - 305k - August 8th

[Oldermanish]

The race for best monument is on. That finish was quite entertaining. Chapeau Wout!

Wout was one chill Dude when it counted. His descending and his sprint after 7 hrs was textbook. Love that subtle style.

 

[Brumdog66]

That’s for sure.... I am totally new to watching cycling races and understanding gaps . Breakaways etc. I was wondering if Milan san remo is just a negative race as Nobady can get away too far? Like Sagan and Bettiol in Flanders? And the Poggio is just a springboard to attack make a gap and hold it to via Rome? Why is the point the same when allaphillipe Attacked last year? Is that just the point off balance between a climber and sprinter? The decent also?

It always makes for a great Watching like Nibali 2018. If anybody could give me any answers to some who loves the Milan san remo history. But doesn’t quite understand the racing moves yet. What size chainrings you they use for san remo since it’s so flat?

Thanks.

You are spot on Milan San Remo is essentially a race balanced between the sprinters and the attackers all hinging on the Poggio.

 

[Red Rick]

Poggio > Alpe d'Huez.

And early action is not anything. Milano Sanremo is a supposed to be a loooong slow burner culminating in the last 7 k. Not appreciating the slow build up is like not liking one of the greatest aspect of cycling.

I prefer it being raced on the Ligurian coast with the Passo del Turchino but I love the idea of it being always 300km+ long. It worked well and the new climbs were a great addition to the race.

Yeah I am completely fine with Milano Sanremo as it is. I only wouldn't be if the Poggio were too easy and it's a sprint every damn time.

 

[Red Rick]

You are spot on Milan San Remo is essentially a race balanced between the sprinters and the attackers all hinging on the Poggio.

I do think though the days of the pure sprinters are largely over. Some riders are just that suited to the Poggio. Alaphilippe broke the 6 minute barrier a 3rd time this year.

 

[Leinster]

I do think though the days of the pure sprinters are largely over. Some riders are just that suited to the Poggio. Alaphilippe broke the 6 minute barrier a 3rd time this year.

Obviously the last couple of years have shown that if teams are prepared to commit, then it is possible to launch a winning attack on the Poggio. But I have to also think that with the right conditions, the right sprinter with the right support can still win the race. Maybe a headwind, a team without a puncheur option, a coordinated effort by the full team etc

 

[Red Rick]

Obviously the last couple of years have shown that if teams are prepared to commit, then it is possible to launch a winning attack on the Poggio. But I have to also think that with the right conditions, the right sprinter with the right support can still win the race. Maybe a headwind, a team without a puncheur option, a coordinated effort by the full team etc

The obvious 'durable' sprinter candidates got destroyed this year. The sprinters that remain are basically those that be near the best on the Poggio anyway.

It is near impossible to get an organised chase going after the Poggio. You'd need a team to fully commit to a sprinter, basically do no work at all to try to get like 4/5 guys over the Poggio and still they'd need to close like 8 seconds in roughly 2km on riders who were simply stronger on the Poggio.

 

[Thomson]

The Poggio is basically a springboard for puncheurs to attack to hold on to a gap? Sprinters are bigger guys that Try hold on and catch up in the decent with a lead out to out-sprint them at the end?

Team sky had about five riders working for Viviani on Poggio When Sagan attacked in 2017.

I can’t find it at Milne but it’s been a while since the final sprint was between two riders?

 

[Pantani_lives]

I can’t find it at Milne but it’s been a while since the final sprint was between two riders?

In 1995 Jalabert beat Fondriest. Zanini and co were only four seconds behind.

In 1992 Sean Kelly came back in the descent to beat Argentin. Museeuw and co were only three seconds behind.

 

[Gigs_98]

Deserves a bump.

Haha, yeah, couldn't watch any races this weekend but came to write that the comment of someone ridiculing this forum for favoring van aert tastes even sweeter now ^^

 

[Red Rick]

Haha, yeah, couldn't watch any races this weekend but came to write that the comment of someone ridiculing this forum for favoring van aert tastes even sweeter now ^^

Wait

So you don't have a really fixed schedule where you watch the first 7 hours of Milano Sanremo then you have to take an important phone call just as they turn onto the Poggio?

 

[Oldermanish]

In 1995 Jalabert beat Fondriest. Zanini and co were only four seconds behind.

In 1992 Sean Kelly came back in the descent to beat Argentin. Museeuw and co were only three seconds behind.

Kelly's descent was insane.

 

[42x16ss]

Another podium for Matthews but struggling to get that monument win. Seems like he hit a wall wall at some point towards the end of the race. VA is in great form and will probably be in better form by late September and the other classics.

Matthews was flicked into the wall trying to follow the Alaphillipe move, had blood all over his bars by the finish and had to get a bunch of stitches in his hand.

 

[Leinster]

The Poggio is basically a springboard for puncheurs to attack to hold on to a gap? Sprinters are bigger guys that Try hold on and catch up in the decent with a lead out to out-sprint them at the end?

Team sky had about five riders working for Viviani on Poggio When Sagan attacked in 2017.

I can’t find it at Milne but it’s been a while since the final sprint was between two riders?

And one of those 5 followed Sagan, sat on his wheel, and beat him in the sprint.

And the 50-rider group that came in 5 seconds behind them contained not only Viviani, but also Kristoff, Gaviria, Demarre, Degenkolb, Bouhanni, Ewan etc etc.

The puncheurs can drop the sprinters on the Poggio, but they can't do it alone. In 2017, Dumoulin had stretched the whole field out up the Poggio, last year Quickstep did it, this year Trek, and that all had the effect of helping Sagan, Alaf, Nibali etc snap the elastic near the top.

In 2018, Orica arguably screwed up the chase when Trentin took a flier at the bottom of the descent to try and bridge to Nibali solo, instead of taking a pull and helping get Ewan closer to launch the sprint.

 

[Leinster]

Arge

Kelly's descent was insane.

Argentin’s was cautious...

In 91, Chiapucci dropped Rolf Sorensen descending the Poggio and won solo.

In 92, Kelly got to the front on the Poggio descent chasing Argentin, and Argentin’s Ariostea teammate who let the gap open to Kelly was... Sorensen.

 

[yaco]

And one of those 5 followed Sagan, sat on his wheel, and beat him in the sprint.

And the 50-rider group that came in 5 seconds behind them contained not only Viviani, but also Kristoff, Gaviria, Demarre, Degenkolb, Bouhanni, Ewan etc etc.

The puncheurs can drop the sprinters on the Poggio, but they can't do it alone. In 2017, Dumoulin had stretched the whole field out up the Poggio, last year Quickstep did it, this year Trek, and that all had the effect of helping Sagan, Alaf, Nibali etc snap the elastic near the top.

In 2018, Orica arguably screwed up the chase when Trentin took a flier at the bottom of the descent to try and bridge to Nibali solo, instead of taking a pull and helping get Ewan closer to launch the sprint.

Nah - Trentin did the right thing trying to catch Nibali who he would beat in a sprint, especially seeing teams had multiple teams behind to try to bring back Nibali - Trentin in the peleton would not have brought Nibali back.

 

[Red Rick]

And one of those 5 followed Sagan, sat on his wheel, and beat him in the sprint.

And the 50-rider group that came in 5 seconds behind them contained not only Viviani, but also Kristoff, Gaviria, Demarre, Degenkolb, Bouhanni, Ewan etc etc.

The puncheurs can drop the sprinters on the Poggio, but they can't do it alone. In 2017, Dumoulin had stretched the whole field out up the Poggio, last year Quickstep did it, this year Trek, and that all had the effect of helping Sagan, Alaf, Nibali etc snap the elastic near the top.

In 2018, Orica arguably screwed up the chase when Trentin took a flier at the bottom of the descent to try and bridge to Nibali solo, instead of taking a pull and helping get Ewan closer to launch the sprint.

2017 had Dumoulin pacing the peloton super effectively cause the Sky rider behind wasn't following his tempo. 2018 had a big time headwind.

 

[memyselfandI]

He Who Must Not Be Named and some fellows of the ring (oura..) analyzing, and some proper views around case Gronewegen-Jakobsen:

View: https://youtu.be/krnS-1lUJTE


(first 5:28 mostly business side of things)