March 19: Milan - San Remo 2011 298km

[sublimit]

I would say Thor is more of a wheel sucker then Pozatto.

You have a point. Hushovd's second position at Paris Roubaix 2010 when he sat on and then jumped Flecha at the end. That was too much.

He could of worked and still go round Flecha easily but no go and got an armchair ride to end.

 

[El Pistolero]

You have a point. Hushovd's second position at Paris Roubaix 2010 when he sat on and then jumped Flecha at the end. That was too much.

He could of worked and still go round Flecha easily but no go and got an armchair ride to end.

Something tells me he's going to win Roubaix like that.

 

[goggalor]

Well, between Cancellara's and his own attack, Flecha did nothing but slipstream. All Hushovd did was return the favor.

 

[Ferminal]

can anyone enlighten me as to why ballan was wholeheartely involved in the chase for vanAvermat?
surely he should have been at the back of that chase group instead of in the first two or three most of the time...

I thought he was getting on the front to soft pedal (on the Poggio at least, by the time they got to the bottom everyone knew Greg was gone)... at least he should have been

 

[Wallace]

Something tells me he's going to win Roubaix like that.

Something tells me he's never going to win Roubaix.

 

[Kwibus]

You guys only get excited if Lance comes to town. Hardly a cycling nation.

Dream on.

1. I'm not Australian.
2. Where did I say Australia is a cycling nation?

I say Australia is rapidly becoming 1 of the big cycling nations. What I meant with that is that they got a lot of very good riders. Actually they got plenty at the top rigth now which makes them 1 of the best cyclign nations.
The nation itself though... isn't a cycling nation.

I hope you understand what I'm saying.

 

[Polyarmour]

I've been critical of Pozzato in past races, but I had no issue with his race today. He chased down a move that could have ended his chances. I understand that Gilbert doesn't appreciate that move, but too bad. Pozzato wasn't there to support Gilbert and he figured he had no chance if he let the move go. It turned out he didn't have the gas to push on and all he accomplished was to bring the others up to Gilbert. Well that sucks for Gilbert but that's racing. If Pozzato had attacked after reaching Gilbert we'd probably be applauding his effort.

Yes it sucks and yes it's racing, but Pozzato has done nothing to redeem his tattered reputation. Pozzato had zero hope of attacking after bridging that gap. Gilbert has been complaining about Pozzato shadowing his every move for at least a year. Pozzato's spectacularly unsuccessful race strategy has been to follow someone's wheel (usually Gilbert's) and ruin both their chances for the win. Pozzato clearly doesn't have the engine to break away himself. So Gilbert would be right in wondering what was going through Pozzato's head when he decided to bridge a gap himself and drag 6 other contenders up to Gilbert who had already broken away. A strategy that guaranteed Pozzato's loss of a possible podium position. There was absolutely nothing in it for Pozzato. He bridges the gap, he loses. He waits and maybe he has a shot at a podium position. And of course in bridging the gap he took the win away from Gilbert. Yeah why wouldn't Gilbert be wondering?

 

[M Sport]

Pozatto clearly doesn't have the engine to break away himself.

True.

So Gilbert would be right in wondering what was going through Pozatto's head when he decided to bridge a gap himself and drag 6 other contenders up to Gilbert who had already broken away. A strategy that guaranteed Pozatto's loss of a possible podium position. There was absolutely nothing in it for Pozzato. He bridges the gap, he loses. He waits and maybe he has a shot at a podium position. And of course in bridging the gap he took the win away from Gilbert. Yeah why wouldn't Gilbert be wondering?

I think you are being a little harsh on Pozatto to be honest. I would not respect any rider that conciously decided not to chase a solo break down that had a real chance of winning, to ensure a chance at a podium spot.

I would much rather a rider sacrifice any chance of placing for a remote chance at a win. Pozatto did exactly the right thing in chasing Gilbert down, he would be forever wondering 'what if' if Gilbert had solo'd away ftw and he hadn't chased.

 

[flicker]

Yes it sucks and yes it's racing, but Pozzato has done nothing to redeem his tattered reputation. Pozzato had zero hope of attacking after bridging that gap. Gilbert has been complaining about Pozzato shadowing his every move for at least a year. Pozzato's spectacularly unsuccessful race strategy has been to follow someone's wheel (usually Gilbert's) and ruin both their chances for the win. Pozatto clearly doesn't have the engine to break away himself. So Gilbert would be right in wondering what was going through Pozatto's head when he decided to bridge a gap himself and drag 6 other contenders up to Gilbert who had already broken away. A strategy that guaranteed Pozatto's loss of a possible podium position. There was absolutely nothing in it for Pozzato. He bridges the gap, he loses. He waits and maybe he has a shot at a podium position. And of course in bridging the gap he took the win away from Gilbert. Yeah why wouldn't Gilbert be wondering?

Pozzato most likely hates Gilbert, thus if he cannot beat Gilbert, he will make sure another rider does.

 

[Polyarmour]

True.



I think you are being a little harsh on Pozatto to be honest. I would not respect any rider that conciously decided not to chase a solo break down that had a real chance of winning, to ensure a chance at a podium spot.

I would much rather a rider sacrifice any chance of placing for a remote chance at a win. Pozatto did exactly the right thing in chasing Gilbert down, he would be forever wondering 'what if' if Gilbert had solo'd away ftw and he hadn't chased.

He had Cancellara right beside him, the break destroyer. Wouldn't you at least wait to see what he would do?
As it is Pozzato will now be forever wondering "what if" he hadn't attacked.

Pozzato most likely hates Gilbert, thus if he cannot beat Gilbert, he will make sure another rider does.

Now at least that makes sense.

 

[auscyclefan94]

can anyone enlighten me as to why ballan was wholeheartely involved in the chase for vanAvermat?
surely he should have been at the back of that chase group instead of in the first two or three most of the time...

he wasn't, he was trying to slow it down and cover moves.

You australians really don't deserve all this success when you clearly don't even care about cycling. Let someone who cares win once in a while, please?

Probably true! Goss' win was mentioned in the 20th page of the sport section in the paper of which there was about 5 lines on it. Disgrace...

 

[Archibald]

I thought he was getting on the front to soft pedal (on the Poggio at least, by the time they got to the bottom everyone knew Greg was gone)... at least he should have been

he wasn't, he was trying to slow it down and cover moves.

he didn't look to be soft pedalling too much at second wheel. then again, I suppose there's only one better position in which to attempt to slow folks down - that is as long as they don't just pass you by...

 

[Tuarts]

Goss managed to get on the back page of the sports here.

 

[NickBVK]

Full page by Rupey Guinness in todays Sydney Morning Herald, nice write up.

There was another article on Bobridge where he claimed that the Tour of Qatar was his first stage race of the year... Not even Aussie writers claiming the TDU as a major stage race???

It doesn't bother me the limited coverage that cycling receives. If people want to follow a sport it's now so easy with the internet, ACF posting 10 000 times on a sport that some people in his area would have no clue about.

The rise and rise of Aussie cycling will eventually become more mainstream in the media and SBS is picking up more and more races each year. Until then we can more than suffice and there's something nice about an unspoiled garden.

It won't be as mainstream as AFL or NRL, not ever (prob) but then again AFL or NRL wouldn't be mainstream in France or Belgium if you gave it 50 years.

ForzAustralia

 

[The Hitch]

Goss managed to get on the back page of the sports here.

What paper? Sounds like good news.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Full page by Rupey Guinness in todays Sydney Morning Herald, nice write up.

There was another article on Bobridge where he claimed that the Tour of Qatar was his first stage race of the year... Not even Aussie writers claiming the TDU as a major stage race???

It doesn't bother me the limited coverage that cycling receives. If people want to follow a sport it's now so easy with the internet, ACF posting 10 000 times on a sport that some people in his area would have no clue about.

The rise and rise of Aussie cycling will eventually become more mainstream in the media and SBS is picking up more and more races each year. Until then we can more than suffice and there's something nice about an unspoiled garden.

It won't be as mainstream as AFL or NRL, not ever (prob) but then again AFL or NRL wouldn't be mainstream in France or Belgium if you gave it 50 years.

ForzAustralia

to be fair rugby is pretty huge in france

but yeah I agree with what you are saying

 

[Echoes]

Interesting interview of Nibali here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/nibali-looked-to-eliminate-sprinters-on-le-manie-at-milan-san-remo

What triggered my attention is this:

“Agnoli pulled on the Cipressa as well,” he said. “I had the idea of attacking there, but I was also afraid of being left alone and wearing myself out. I thought of staking everything on the Poggio.”

It's a shame he didn't try on the Cipressa since Agnoli paved the way for it.

We've often seen strong men attack on the Cipressa and then still have enough tank for an attack on the Poggio. Normally if he's that strong, the weaker men should be exhausted more easily than him.

 

[roundabout]

I don't about that. Unless a rider is head and shoulders above the rest attacking on the Cipressa means that there's nothing left to get a gap on the Poggio.

 

[Tuarts]

What paper? Sounds like good news.

The West Australian. Articled was sourced as The Associated Press. Actually I know why they're published it and give it a prominent page, there's meant to be some UCI road event in Perth soon, so they're trying to drum up interest in cycling so people are more inclined to go watch that.

 

[Echoes]

I don't about that. Unless a rider is head and shoulders above the rest attacking on the Cipressa means that there's nothing left to get a gap on the Poggio.

I actually had 2003 in mind.

Mirko Celestino and Bettini were already attacking on the Cipressa.

 

[fatsprintking]

Tim Krabbe in "The Rider" has a great quote, that goes something like "cycling is about licking your opponents plate clean before you start on your own meal". Matt Goss rode a tactically perfect race. He was a hard **** when he needed to be and worked when he needed to work and did not waste one ounce of energy.

It was an old school win. He reminds me of Kelly, but also a lot of Eddy Planckaert. I hate the way that being aggressive in races is seen as being a wonderful virtue even if tactically flawed. I just hope that people can recognise tactical genius when they see it. Goss managed to bend two of the most imposing figures of this generation of cyclists to his own will, he was not wheelsucking but he picked the right wheel every time, allowing Pozatto to chase and his reaction to Cancellara was unbelievable - zero hesitation when any would have lost the race, but then to be cool enough to drift onto Gilbert's wheel for the sprint.....Some people will not make as many good decsions in a whole career as Goss made in 45km. People who simplify things down to "he was always going to win because he was the fastest sprinter" just make me smile.

Look at the section where it all comes back with a couple of k's to go after he has reacted to Cancellara and Goss swings to the right of the road eyeing everyone off, they all knew they were stuffed then, not because he was the fastest - cause he was the smartest.

 

[El Pistolero]

Lol, in no way is Goss a tactical genius.

 

[theyoungest]

Lol, in no way is Goss a tactical genius.

Except in the way he won this race.

 

[Archibald]

tactical genius, or attentive on his radio

 

[El Pistolero]

Except in the way he won this race.

Because he was the best. Hardly any tactic involved in following the puncheurs an then outsprinting them.

OMG HE COUNTERED CANCELLARA

What a genius!

If you're a genius for that then I want to know what makes you an idiot. Hmm, not countering Cancellara perhaps? Yes, I think it does