March 17th 2012 Milan-Sanremo - The Primavera - 298km

[Sciatic]

Well done to Gerrans, he is having a great year and proving himself to be a great cyclist. There is no point complaining about Cancellara, he had plenty of opportunity to drop the other two but couldn't. This talk about sitting up and losing the race is nonsense. If you're not happy about the wheelsuckers you attack.

Agreed. I especially don't get folks criticizing Canc's tactics at the top of the Poggio: he went all in after Nibs and only one guy managed to follow. And he came a hairs breath from dropping Gerrans in a couple of the downhill turns, a few more meters and he could have been gone. Didn't work, but seems like a pretty good risk to take.

Likewise, Gerrans deserves much credit for being strong enough to be well positioned on the climb. If he was 2 wheel lengths farther back, don't think he would have gotten to Canc.

Exciting race. was rooting hard for Canc, but really fun to watch the last 10 k unfold

 

[Lexman]

What would you have done? Sat back and finished 15th?

Canc could indeed gamble and bluff, if Gerrans doesn't ride he loses as well...

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

what news of mansilla??

Luis Mansilla 2012 = Marco Arriagada 2011

 

[max_powers]

stupid ride by Cancelara, great wheelsucking by Gerrans

Wheelsucking is strong term, Simon did take a pull in the last 2k.

Fabian, if he cannot escape, becomes the great Enabler.

 

[mewmewmew13]

stupid ride by Cancelara, great wheelsucking by Gerrans

I don't think so now...at first I was ticked about everyone riding in on Cancellara's effort, but reread Armchaircylists' viewpoint and as I was thinking it over I agree.

Not every time can all the front riders trade pulls or want to, maybe Fabu should have dropped back slightly for a bit...unless you were riding in there with them I don't think it is that easily criticized.

The effort that Gerrans had to pull out to keep in the mix as well as come out and pull in front of the Canc freight train is still impressive. You can't call every rider who doesn't lead the train a wheelsucker. It's not that black & white.

I think Cancellara looked awesome and did an amazing ride---no one will take that away from him at all. I have to give Gerrans some props too, that was a good win.

 

[Panda Claws]

Anyway, we can conclude that Gilbert will definitely be there in the Ronde van Vlaanderen. By Liége he will of course be levitating again.

 

[Lexman]

There's your Milano-San-Remo post analysis..

Jesus christ..

well then give me yours...

it's just sport, no need to philosphy about it longer than it needs

If Cancellarra keeps on riding like this he will lose a whole lot of other races as well...

 

[AntonioRossi]

Wheelsucking is strong term, Simon did take a pull in the last 2k.

Fabian, if he cannot escape, becomes the great Enabler.

A 3 second pull max. He just followed wheels when Nibali attacked. Canc deserved it

 

[El Pistolero]

A 3 second pull max. He just followed wheels when Nibali attacked. Canc deserved it

Gerrans deserved it. Smart riders deserve to win over strong riders. Being smart is something you have to learn, being strong is something you're born with. These guys all train as hard... Well maybe not Cavendish and Andy Schleck, but you get what I'm saying.

 

[jens_attacks]

Gerrans' sprinting probably would have got him a top5 from the group that was left, but he was good enough to follow Nibali on the climb and Cancellara on the descent/flat. Gerrans is no less worthy than any other possible winner today bar Cancellara.

absolutely.i was saying after the nationals that he looks very fit.
he will be there in the ardennes too and if he keeps it with this rebellin,valverde attitude and be smart,he can win something big again this year

and what about johnny guys?he said "did anyone win if he attacked on other climb than poggio?" before the race.and what did he today?attack on cipressa,than again on poggio.our hoogerland must be the worst tactican in the history of cycling.love him

 

[Lexman]

A 3 second pull max. He just followed wheels when Nibali attacked. Canc deserved it

totally agree

 

[Ferminal]

absolutely.i was saying after the nationals that he looks very fit.
he will be there in the ardennes too and if he keeps it with this rebellin,valverde attitude and be smart,he can win something big again this year

Agreed, Gerrans looked a lot more imposing than his former self this January, it's surprising that he won, but not a surprise that he is at this level (if that makes sense).

Last two M-SR winners peaked in January, hmm...

 

[DominicDecoco]

well then give me yours...

it's just sport, no need to philosphy about it longer than it needs

If Cancellarra keeps on riding like this he will lose a whole lot of other races as well...

Ok. I'll give you my thoughts. I thought 'Nipples' did a smart move, Sagan failed a bit since he should have followed Fabi's wheel over Poggio. Sagan showed his descending abilities once again after Poggio with Freire to get a chance for a comeback in the race. Fabian is the strongest rider in the peloton. He's an engine. Had he stayed in the peloton he would have gained nothing.

He could perhaps have asked Gerrans to do more in the lead group but they both knew that if that group should survive a well-organised Katusha peloton, Fabi had to do the hard work. Gerrans knew who to stay with and he was strong enough - unlike others - to do so. Also, remember that staying behind Fabians wheel is not easy - even on the flat. Fabi almost won the sprint which is remarkable since Gerrans is quite the faster sprinter of those two.

 

[Frosty]

Thought a couple of times that Cancellara was going to drop Gerrans on the descent with Canc going a lot faster through the corners.

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

I don't think anyone would have tried to go to the front and slow it down in the final kilometers, that'd be sooo rude and disrespectful, Fabian would probably smack them upside the head for good measure...

Fabian needed to play some dirty tactics, take a bend too fast, hop a curb, something seriously drastic to shake that wheel sucker off of him... Anything that would require Gerrans to give a full kick, near sprint effort to get back on, then see if he can pull off a decent sprint again 2km later at the finish... ah well.

Well, Fabian is only at 90% so I can't be too sad...

 

[Lexman]

Ok. I'll give you my thoughts. I thought 'Nipples' did a smart move, Sagan failed a bit since he should have followed Fabi's wheel over Poggio. Sagan showed his descending abilities once again after Poggio with Freire to get a chance for a comeback in the race. Fabian is the strongest rider in the peloton. He's an engine. Had he stayed in the peloton he would have gained nothing.

He could perhaps have asked Gerrans to do more in the lead group but they both knew that if that group should survive a well-organised Katusha peloton, Fabi had to do the hard work. Gerrans knew who to stay with and he was strong enough - unlike others - to do so. Also, remember that staying behind Fabians wheel is not easy - even on the flat. Fabi almost won the sprint which is remarkable since Gerrans is quite the faster sprinter of those two.

don't agree totally, Sagan did good to stay in the bunch rest i agree with

Cancellara shoud have gambled and forced Gerrans to the head of the lead, he won MSR already, Gerrans not yet so he could have played it away more cool than Gerrans ...Canc must have known that Gerrans is faster so stupid ride by him...

 

[Benotti69]

For all the posters who ***** about wheelsucking, i have never heard any seasoned pro go on like some of the posters here who get so upset about it.

Sitting on a wheel, as is the correct term, is part of the sport.

Gerrans went after Niabli and then Canc joined to make it 3. Where were the others from the same group?

For me the biggest fail today is Sagan. He should have seen Canc go and realised that Canc would beat Nibali, but you cannot cover all the attacks.

I am glad it wasn't a bunch sprint. I like it when trains fail to bring their rider to the last 300 metres and when an attack wins.

For me the biggest fails today should be judged by who was on the Poggio.

Boonen
Freire
Sagan
EBH
Visoconti

etc...these are the guys imo who should be looking at themselves and say they should have done better.

 

[hatcher]

Cancellara is the strongest rider in just about any race he wants to win, but his tactic of drilling it drilling it drilling it and never sitting up clearly isn't working. That awful cliché of "to win you must first be willing to lose" seems apt. Why would anyone else go to the front when they know Cance won't sit up if they don't? One time he's gonna have to sit up.

Also, tactically there was no reason for Sagan to not go with the Nibali group if he could have.

 

[Caruut]

he is just calling it wheelsucking. he isn't blaming gerrans. yes gerrans did the right thing but he was still a wheelsucker. fact

I was disagreeing with saying it was a stupid ride by Canc. It didn't come off, but the guy didn't do a lot wrong. He nearly won it, and got on the podium to boot. How else was Canc supposed to ride it?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Luis Mansilla 2012 = Marco Arriagada 2011

I just read. although arriagada wasn;t epo and was more political thing as he also wasn't caught in san luis.

 

[amatoer]

sky

After today we can safely say that EBH can't handle the length of the classics and Sagan can

Bad tactics from sky today ,1 man to serve Boasson Hagen. Sagan have a hole team. But for sure Sagan is good to climb.

 

[killswitch]

Also, tactically there was no reason for Sagan to not go with the Nibali group if he could have.

That was the Liqui tactic apparently.

 

[roundabout]

Well, I wouldn't blame Sagan. I didn't really believe that the front 3 would make it. Unfortunately for him Cancellara was just too strong and not calculating enough.

 

[Sciatic]

"One time he's gonna have to sit up."

I think that was called Paris Roubaix '11

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I was disagreeing with saying it was a stupid ride by Canc. It didn't come off, but the guy didn't do a lot wrong. He nearly won it, and got on the podium to boot. How else was Canc supposed to ride it?

yes cancellara wasn't riding dumb at all. he nearly won. just as last year he nealry won flanders instead of dropping back and finishign 9th in the bunch. he is used to everyone riding on his wheel but he doesn't care he still ride for the win. I can't wait for flanders and roubaix. he will be unstopabble as he won'd ride like last year and stop just before he reaches the first grpup. remember last year cancellara?? if he close dthe gap top vansummeren group he would've won roubaix as he still nearly won roubaix and he dropped hushovd in the flat.