March 19: Milan - San Remo 2011 298km

[Tornadin]

La classica di Primavera - Milan-San Remo

Well, it's a little more than a week to go, so I thought I'd start it off as it's also my favourite spring classic.

Its a very long 298K, some great winners in the past IE Eric Zabel,Tommy Simpson, Mario Cippolini, Oscar Freire, Eddy Merckx ,A Petacchi, Mark Cavendish, Fabian Cancellara, the list goes on.

Final Kilometre

weather forecast

Startlist

Thx @TeamSkyFans for the details.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I hope Tomke can finally pull it of, but the way Haussler is going in PN I'll be going for him

 

[Ferminal]

Petacchi v Haussler v Goss

Sticking with Ale for now.

 

[jaylew]

Haussler looks like the favorite to me as well.

 

[Ryaguas]

I'll go with AleJet all the way... Already showing his cards in Tirreno

 

[El Pistolero]

Philippe Gilbert.

 

[luckyboy]

Gilbert. If it's a sprint, Petacchi.

 

[Jamsque]

Very open race, as always. I'm not sure what Garmin's squad will be but if they Farrar, Hushovd and Haussler they have a great chance of winning. Boonen and Goss should be up there in the sprint, and old slow AleJet and Oscarcito can't be counted out. Cavendish probably can be, unless his form improves a lot during T-A.

Gilbert would be stupid not to have a go from far out, and who knows who else might try. That's why I love Milan - San Remo.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Cavendish probably can be, unless his form improves a lot during T-A.

Just remember 2009 when he pulled his no form stunt in Siena.

The reality is he now has more racing in his legs at this stage of the season than he ever has before - I'm not entirely convinced his base form will really be that ****.

 

[maltiv]

I would like to say Hushovd but I fear that he cannot beat his own teammate, Heinrich Haussler, who is both stronger in the hills and faster in the sprint. Can't really see anyone beating Haussler really.

 

[El Pistolero]

I would like to say Hushovd but I fear that he cannot beat his own teammate, Heinrich Haussler, who is both stronger in the hills and faster in the sprint. Can't really see anyone beating Haussler really.

Boonen, although I doubt he will this year because he has the flu.

And Cavendish can do it as well. He usually sucks at the beginning of a race.

 

[Anonymous]

well if you are going to start a race thread can you do..

Final Kilometre

weather forecast

Startlist

 

[Andy99]

Surprisingly good race to watch in the flesh....we drove down in 2009 and because the Autoroute basically follows the course, we managed to see it about 6 times, including the Poggio..

Well worth a trip to do a bit of riding down the Ligurian coast.

 

[dabaideschbi]

i would like to see riders like Cunego,Cancellara,Scarponi,Di Luca,Sagan and Gilbert attack the field , an aggressive ride by them! i would like to see a sanremo like when cancellara won! not a sprint!

 

[jens_attacks]

i would like to see riders like Cunego,Cancellara,Scarponi,Di Luca,Sagan and Gilbert attack the field , an aggressive ride by them! i would like to see a sanremo like when cancellara won! not a sprint!

i agree.

but if it won't happen....ALEEEEJEEEETTTT!

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

i would like to see riders like Cunego,Cancellara,Scarponi,Di Luca,Sagan and Gilbert attack the field , an aggressive ride by them! i would like to see a sanremo like when cancellara won! not a sprint!

No worries. Gilbert will attack.
He always does

 

[royalpig180]

I'm excited by the prospect of having Vacansoleil in the field. I imagine they'll be working for R. Feillu if it comes down to a sprint (though he won't win), but they always are attacking. Along with Gilbert and the others mentioned above, it should be an exciting finale, even if it does end up in a sprint.

If it does end in a sprint, I think Haussler is the favorite, but Cav shouldn't be written off. He should be on fine form by then as he's done a good amount of racing already this season (as someone noted above).

 

[c&cfan]

No worries. Gilbert will attack.
He always does

lol and? it's a monument against fresh (even if out-form) strong guys.. he will atack and then caught.

but cancellara is a different story. less atacks but letal when he does.

anyway, cav or canc.

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah Cav'd be good for my team.

 

[xmoonx]

I would like to say Hushovd but I fear that he cannot beat his own teammate, Heinrich Haussler, who is both stronger in the hills and faster in the sprint. Can't really see anyone beating Haussler really.

Yes Haussler is going strong but the way Hushovd led out Farrar at T-A today, he could have won it himself I think. He's looking totally domineering atm.

 

[Echoes]

some great winners in the past IE Eric Zabel,[...] Mario Cipollini, Oscar Freire, [...] A Petacchi, Mark Cavendish, [...] the list goes on.

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS !

These are no great winners. These are disgraces !! Sprinters and wheelsuckers.


Merckx made the legend of Milan Sanremo, the legend of the Poggio. The Via Roma was his garden !

 

[El Pistolero]

No worries. Gilbert will attack.
He always does

And Pozzato will wheelsuck.

He always does

 

[c&cfan]

And Pozzato will wheelsuck.

He always does

why would he atack when he can easily win against gilbert in the sprint? if gilbert isnt strong enough to win thats his problem.

 

[El Pistolero]

why would he atack when he can easily win against gilbert in the sprint? if gilbert isnt strong enough to win thats his problem.

To actually win something for a change?

I'm just stating what will happen.

Gilbert will attack on the Poggio and Pozzato will wheelsuck or at least try and do so. It's inevitable, MSR is THAT predictable.

 

[c&cfan]

To actually win something for a change?

I'm just stating what will happen.

Gilbert will attack on the Poggio and Pozzato will wheelsuck or at least try and do so. It's inevitable, MSR is THAT predictable.

yes. but not for the real guns. you dont know who is going to win. its just like sniper's +ss. widely open.