The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to
In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.
Thanks!
Msr is a nightmare for the big favourites. Mvdp gotta mark pog, chase every attack from secondary riders, and no-ones ever letting him go unnoticed. In comparison Ganna can either do a stuyven or have a fair chance to beat the top guys in a small group sprint. But he's never beating the real sprinters if they come back.If he ends up in the last run to the finish line with them, sure.
Thing is, there's a pretty big chance Mathieu has already crossed that line by then.
I actually agree with everything you're saying there. But I also believe MvdP can win even when he's having to counter a lot himself and is being marked by the rest.Msr is a nightmare for the big favourites. Mvdp gotta mark pog, chase every attack from secondary riders, and no-ones ever letting him go unnoticed. In comparison Ganna can either do a stuyven or have a fair chance to beat the top guys in a small group sprint. But he's never beating the real sprinters if they come back.
I wanna see him in RvV.
That said, I think his issue on the cobbles is just gonna be technicality and positioning. I don't know if he has the hard endurance for these kinds of races.
Endurance wise I think he's fine, came a strong 6th in 2023 in Paris-Roubaix. To prove your point, though, I remember in that race he would go so much slower round corners he probably needed to expend about 10% more energy per cobble sector than everyone else. I can imagine him going backwards quite fast on the KoppenbergI wanna see him in RvV.
That said, I think his issue on the cobbles is just gonna be technicality and positioning. I don't know if he has the hard endurance for these kinds of races.
True, and lost in the sprint to Mads and Kung.He already finished 6th in Roubaix back in 2023 so he has the endurance for these races.
While being in the drops vs the faster aero hoods position, no marginal gains there.Pippo y u have to pull on flat after getting dropped on Cipressa?
Doing the same amount of pulling after getting dropped a climb before is suicidal. Also letting Pogacar be on your wheel going into the Poggio was just silly IMO.I don't think you can criticise Ganna today, the kid faught like a lion. He spit out his soul several times on the Cipressa and Poggia to get back on terms or nearly (with his big frame that is almost a miracle in itself), then rode a super decent down the back side to come back on Via Roma. The only thing to take issue with is perhaps moving off MVDP's wheel to the other side of the road before the sprint. Evidently he was trying to keep an eye on both MVDP and Pogi, but he should only have been concerned about the former and so glued to his wheel. But this is looking for il pelo nell'uova (nitpicking).
If you don't pay attention to details you're not gonna beat the best.Pretty stunning to focus on irrelevant details after probably the best performance of his career. Pippo is a freaking monster. He rode like a champion. He is just unlucky he's competing against two of the very best classic riders in history.
There is no scenario where Ganna beats VdP today unless VdP crashes. And I think you know it.If you don't pay attention to details you're not gonna beat the best.
Milano Sanremo is many things, but it is not a race of absolute certainties. Just because events unfold a certain way doesn't mean they were always inevitable.There is no scenario where Ganna beats VdP today unless VdP crashes. And I think you know it.
Honestly, don't think the turns he was taking on the flat took it out of him too much. He was going to get dropped on the Poggio regardless, and would've at best caught the other two with 2.5km rather than 1km to go.Milano Sanremo is many things, but it is not a race of absolute certainties. Just because events unfold a certain way doesn't mean they were always inevitable.
I can absolutely admire the effort he put in today, but I can also question some of the tactical decisions that get were made.
Silly, they were three up before the Poggio, so each pulls though in that rat race. And what could he have saved, being droped a bit later?Doing the same amount of pulling after getting dropped a climb before is suicidal. Also letting Pogacar be on your wheel going into the Poggio was just silly IMO.
Yea, in hindsight, Ganna should have opened up the sprint and just gave it his all. Likely MVDP comes around him and maybe Pogacar too, but that was his only shot at winning. At any rate, second or third makes no difference, so there are times when you just have to throw caution to the wind and maybe get the big prize. Audentes Fortuna iuvat.Very impressed with Ganna. Rode with a lot of grinta. Was really rooting for him in the sprint, but MVDP knows how to win those small group sprints.
Ganna gains are great. His development becoming a better overall rider is obvious. Also obvious ( so far) his noticeable improvement in climbing has not appeared to compromise his stellar TT power and speed.Yea, in hindsight, Ganna should have opened up the sprint and just gave it his all. Likely MVDP comes around him and maybe Pogacar too, but that was his only shot at winning. At any rate, second or third makes no difference, so there are times when you just have to throw caution to the wind and maybe get the big prize. Audentes Fortuna iuvat.