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

[Swede1]

I think Cancellara actually had good team support today though. popo was really strong in particular. Its looking good for him for the rest of the classics. (as long as he doesnt bring other riders to the line)

 

[Benotti69]

Sky wasted riders that could have potentially kept the race together/caught the Poggio attackers.

That's what Sky could have done.

could have, would have, should have...why since no other team did. Their 5 riders couldn't catch the peloton.

 

[roundabout]

could have, would have, should have...why since no other team did. Their 5 riders couldn't catch the peloton.

Too bad EBH didn't finish 4th

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

Cancellara is just like Cavendish: one trick pony. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't work anywhere near as often. The best place for him is the cobbles.

If Fabian's a one trick pony, his trick is making the rest of the peloton look like they need to collectively downgrade to UCI Continental status

 

[Benotti69]

Aren't knocking TeamSky. Knocking Cav. On Le Manie he should've known. He was pedaling backwards through the field faster than *** through a goose. Unfortunately EBH chose to stay with Sky. Major mistake. The dual approach-strategy was worth diddlysquat when all their resources were hogged by Cav.

Liquigas had a dual approach too. Worked well didn't it

BMC dual approach. This is cycling, stuff happens. Sky were not gonna change this race. EBH did not have it to win today, he finished 25th. I suggest if finished in the top 10 then there may be a case for deciding if Cav gets dropped on Le Maine, leave 2/3 with Cav rest go for EBH. What would his team have done for EBH that he couldn't have done for himself using other teams?

 

[roundabout]

If Cavendish gets dropped so early leave him there. It just means he is clearly not in the shape to contest the finish even if by some miracle he got back.

Edit: also the idea that a team doesn't matter is simply laughable. It's a lot easier to keep position/move up the field by following team mates for starters.

Edit 2: Why send the team back for Cavendish, maybe he would get back "using other teams", right?

 

[The Hitch]

Every very good classics rider has to have something that sets him apart from the others.

Cancellara has his ITT
Gilbert has his Acceleration
Boonen has his Sprint

What do subpar guys like Leukemans, etc... have?

Really? This is a very very basic and inaccurate way of looking at it. Boonen has won both RVV and PR solo. Cancellara wins on cobbles because he is the strongest on cobbles. Thats where he drops them. Gilbert is just the best on hills full stop.

These guys have won by being the best at hills/ cobbles, not by being the same as others and using outside skills to beat them.

If what you were saying was true, how comes Canc and boonen dropped everyone like stones on a climb in Flanders (using neither tting nor sprinting) and then Gilbert solod in for 3rd (not using acceleration).

 

[Benotti69]

If Cavendish gets dropped so early leave him there. It just means he is clearly not in the shape to contest the finish even if by some miracle he got back.

Edit: also the idea that a team doesn't matter is simply laughable. It's a lot easier to keep position/move up the field by following team mates for starters.

Some teams dont believe in dumping their world champion at the first rise. Sean Kelly said that it can happen that a rider does not feel so strong but can recover and ride a strong race.

Smart riders with not such strong teams stay in position and dont need a team to get to the front. Others follow the stronger teams when they are moving to the front.

 

[El Pistolero]

Boeckmans crashed in the descent of the Poggio which is the reason why Boonen only finished 22th.

There seems to be a curse on Milan-San Remo for the Belgians.

Luckily Boonen didn't get 22th because he sucked, that would have been worse than this reason.

Bring on the cobbled classics!

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

Wouldn't it make sense for Fabian to work on his acting skills? Maybe even employ a teacher to give him some pointers? So when he is caught in these situations, he can fake a leg spasm/cramp (shriek of pain, clutching leg, cursing), or if he could have faked a flat tire and tricked Nibs and Gerrans to abandoning him for a few seconds, then he shot past them on the other side of the road, maybe he'd have a better chance??

Is it legal for riders to carry frame pumps with them?? Maybe he could pull a little Cinzano counter measure on Gerrans next time..

 

[Panda Claws]

Really? This is a very very basic and inaccurate way of looking at it. Boonen has won both RVV and PR solo. Cancellara wins on cobbles because he is the strongest on cobbles. Thats where he drops them. Gilbert is just the best on hills full stop.

These guys have won by being the best at hills/ cobbles, not by being the same as others and using outside skills to beat them.

If what you were saying was true, how comes Canc and boonen dropped everyone like stones on a climb in Flanders (using neither tting nor sprinting) and then Gilbert solod in for 3rd (not using acceleration).

Yeah that was basically my point. A lot of people seem to think that Gilbert only wins because of his hill sprint and Cancellara because of his ITT. But they also win because of their great stamina, recuperation and so on.

 

[roundabout]

Some teams dont believe in dumping their world champion at the first rise. Sean Kelly said that it can happen that a rider does not feel so strong but can recover and ride a strong race.

Smart riders with not such strong teams stay in position and dont need a team to get to the front. Others follow the stronger teams when they are moving to the front.

I am sure many people recovered from being dropped by most of the peloton.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Every very good classics rider has to have something that sets him apart from the others.

Cancellara has his ITT
Gilbert has his Acceleration
Boonen has his Sprint

What do subpar guys like Leukemans, etc... have?

an overactive sex life.

 

[Froome19]

If Cavendish gets dropped so early leave him there. It just means he is clearly not in the shape to contest the finish even if by some miracle he got back.

Edit: also the idea that a team doesn't matter is simply laughable. It's a lot easier to keep position/move up the field by following team mates for starters.

Edit 2: Why send the team back for Cavendish, maybe he would get back "using other teams", right?

Many riders dont feel good at first and then develop good legs, indeed Cav in KBK told Sutton to go for it halfway through because he was feeling terrible and then felt better and went for it himself..

 

[roundabout]

Many riders dont feel good at first and then develop good legs, indeed Cav in KBK told Sutton to go for it halfway through because he was feeling terrible and then felt better and went for it himself..

Did he get dropped when he was "feeling terrible"?

 

[hrotha]

Many riders dont feel good at first and then develop good legs, indeed Cav in KBK told Sutton to go for it halfway through because he was feeling terrible and then felt better and went for it himself..

Yeah, if you don't feel that good "at first", that doesn't mean you won't feel good later. However, we're talking about being crap after some 200 km. Bit of a difference if you ask me.

 

[Sciatic]

Many riders dont feel good at first and then develop good legs, indeed Cav in KBK told Sutton to go for it halfway through because he was feeling terrible and then felt better and went for it himself..

Ya, but there's a difference between feeling terrible while in the bunch and BEING terrible when you're dropped by the entire peloton on a climb

Hrotha, you beat me to the punch with the same idea.

 

[El Pistolero]

I dont think following Canc makes someone smart. It is the obvious choice.

and Cancellara wasnt necessarily being dumb. That was probably the best position he could get this year in MSR which is ironic considering he is twice the rider of the guy that actually won.

But since you are so smart, tell me what you would have done in his position, smart guy.

I would have forced Gerrans to the front. You know play some poker I wouldn't care if I got second or 50th in San Remo with a palmares like Cancellara. I would only want to win and I would be smart enough to realize I wasn't going to win with someone wheel-sucking me for 6km. I'd rather make someone lose than letting someone win. Gerrans didn't follow Cancellara's attack by the way. He was in the best position at the Poggio and followed Nibali's attack.

It's not like Cancellara uses different tactics for the Ronde and Roubaix. He uses the same tactics and the peloton just don't get surprised anymore by his attacks. There's always someone that is able to get on his wheel in time during the big classics.

 

[Froome19]

Did he get dropped when he was "feeling terrible"?

KBK is easier than MSR

 

[Froome19]

I would have forced Gerrans to the front. You know play some poker I wouldn't care if I got second or 50th in San Remo with a palmares like Cancellara. I would only want to win and I would be smart enough to realize I wasn't going to win with someone wheel-sucking me for 6km. I'd rather make someone lose than letting someone win.

It's not like Cancellara uses different tactics for the Ronde and Roubaix. He uses the same tactics and the peloton just don't get surprised anymore by his attacks. There's always someone that is able to get on his wheel in time during the big classics.

Self beilef is how Canc has become the rider he is now so it is understandable that he was a bit over confident and thought he could win the sprint, yeh it was a mistake but he must have realised that he had to keep going or otherwise he would be caught as Gerrans and Nibali either did not want to or could not take an effective turn on the front to keep the peloton away.

In short if canc hadnt worked he would have been caught and thus have 0chance of winning whilst if he did he would have a bit of a chance which is more than 0 chance.

 

[El Pistolero]

At least let Gerrans start his sprint from the front position then

 

[roundabout]

KBK is easier than MSR

Yes and do you think Cavendish would have flown up the Poggio after getting dropped before?

 

[Swede1]

I also think that even though he didnt win, Sagan made another big step in his progress. He showed that he is competitive in even the longest of classics. Something he had struggled with before. I see him as being able to dominate in pretty much all of the classics and monuments. He can win on really hilly races like Chieti or flatter races and is always fast in the sprints. He may even win something like AGR this year.

 

[Benotti69]

According to Sky site, Cav was in a crash with Eisel early on. Although Eisel says it was nothing and did not effect today's race. Eisel said Cav was lacking power and they tried to catch the peloton not for Cav but to help EBH but couldn't because of crosswinds.

EBH got dropped just before the top of Poggio.

Last World Champ to win MSR in rainbow jersey. Saronni 1983.

 

[Froome19]

At least let Gerrans start his sprint from the front position then

Canc must be pretty scary in a monument finale wanting the other guys to work...... But i dont know if even a gun to the head would have made Gerrans go from the front

Yes and do you think Cavendish would have flown up the Poggio after getting dropped before?

No, but that is besides the point, Sky couldnt have known how the race would pan out.