March 19: Milan - San Remo 2011 298km

[El Pistolero]

Unless Boonen wins, then it's a great sprint

No, it wouldn't.

I rather have him win Flanders and Paris-Roubaix solo. He has done both. Tell me another sprinter who can do that.

Who went on the attack at Paris-Tours? Boonen.

He's way better than most other sprinters. If not all.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I rather have him win Flanders and Paris-Roubaix solo. He has done both. Tell me another sprinter who can do that.

Haussler, Hushovd, Maybe Farrar?

 

[El Pistolero]

Haussler, Hushovd, Maybe Farrar?

What have any of these guys ever proven in both cobbled classics? I'll give you Haussler.

And you can't win Roubaix solo if all you do is wheelsuck(Hushovd)

 

[Lanark]

What have any of these guys ever proven in both cobbled classics? I'll give you Haussler.

And you can't win Roubaix solo if all you do is wheelsuck(Hushovd)

You can if your competitors crash, the only reason Boonen won solo in 2009.

 

[hektoren]

What have any of these guys ever proven in both cobbled classics? I'll give you Haussler.

And you can't win Roubaix solo if all you do is wheelsuck(Hushovd)

Oh, you're such a sorry fücker. Hushovd hasn't sucked a wheel. Ever. If he isn't strong enough, OK, but he is an honest rider as there ever was. He's got cred to the umpteenth potency in the peloton. You're but a sorry doped-Piti-Pistolero-fan. Get real!
Hushovd'n Cadel are as close as you'll ever get to a clean performence. Most spanish riders have got a dubious past, Freire notwithstanding. If Hushovd's got the legs coming saturday, he'll show what scandinavian resolve is all about. But you'll probably have to wait until P-R to see what it's all about.

 

[El Pistolero]

You can if your competitors crash, the only reason Boonen won solo in 2009.

And why do you crash at that point in the race? Because he was about to crack, was already having trouble staying in his slipstream anyway.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

You can if your competitors crash, the only reason Boonen won solo in 2009.

not true. Boonen was soo strong that day

 

[El Pistolero]

Oh, you're such a sorry fücker. Hushovd hasn't sucked a wheel. Ever. If he isn't strong enough, OK, but he is an honest rider as there ever was. He's got cred to the umpteenth potency in the peloton. You're but a sorry doped-Piti-Pistolero-fan. Get real!
Hushovd'n Cadel are as close as you'll ever get to a clean performence. Most spanish riders have got a dubious past, Freire notwithstanding. If Hushovd's got the legs coming saturday, he'll show what scandinavian resolve is all about. But you'll probably have to wait until P-R to see what it's all about.

Let me guess, you're from a Scandanavian country

Tell me, when have you ever seen Hushovd do anything else except wheelsuck at Paris-Roubaix? He never attacks.

And I'm no Valverde fan.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

But what i true is that last 3 years there was no sprinter better in PR or RvV.
Better: in his whole career there was no sprinter better in PR ánd RvV.

But can you still call Boonen a sprinter in 2011?

 

[flicker]

Oh, you're such a sorry fücker. Hushovd hasn't sucked a wheel. Ever. If he isn't strong enough, OK, but he is an honest rider as there ever was. He's got cred to the umpteenth potency in the peloton. You're but a sorry doped-Piti-Pistolero-fan. Get real!
Hushovd'n Cadel are as close as you'll ever get to a clean performence. Most spanish riders have got a dubious past, Freire notwithstanding. If Hushovd's got the legs coming saturday, he'll show what scandinavian resolve is all about. But you'll probably have to wait until P-R to see what it's all about.

I respect Hushovd however, he crashed out of PR in 09 because he was wasted and he sucked wheel instead of chasing Cancellera in the 2010 PR.
If you crash because you make mistake, have bad luck, mechanical or have given it everything you have got and take a risk, that is admirable. Hushovds 2010 PR was dishonerable to himself, his country and the PR. Ask Boonen. Boonen gave it everything, he honored the race.

 

[kurtinsc]

And why do you crash at that point in the race? Because he was about to crack, was already having trouble staying in his slipstream anyway.

Well, be that as it may... if everyone else crashes behind you I don't think it qualifies as "attacking" to win the race.

In 2008 and 2005 he won small group sprints within the velodrome. He didn't attack and drop everyone like Cancellera did in both his wins.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Well, be that as it may... if everyone else crashes behind you I don't think it qualifies as "attacking" to win the race.

In 2008 and 2005 he won small group sprints within the velodrome. He didn't attack and drop everyone like Cancellera did in both his wins.

Have you counted his attacks that race?

 

[El Pistolero]

Well, be that as it may... if everyone else crashes behind you I don't think it qualifies as "attacking" to win the race.

In 2008 and 2005 he won small group sprints within the velodrome. He didn't attack and drop everyone like Cancellera did in both his wins.

Mind you, I never said anything about attacking. He doesn't need to attack if he's in small groups with people that can't sprint. When he was with Hushovd in 2009 he was riding at a ferocious pace and Hushovd was about to crack until he crashed(probably out of fatigue, the crash was entirely his own fault)

And Boonen attacked at every edition of P-R he won until only a small group remained. Hushovd doesn't do that.

Anyway some people really can't stand if you criticizes their idol. If I had to react like that on everyone that says something bad about Bertie lol. I would be glad if Thor wins Milan-San Remo this year however, that jersey looks good on him and we need a decent world champion for once

 

[maltiv]

I respect Hushovd however, he crashed out of PR in 09 because he was wasted and he sucked wheel instead of chasing Cancellera in the 2010 PR.
If you crash because you make mistake, have bad luck, mechanical or have given it everything you have got and take a risk, that is admirable. Hushovds 2010 PR was dishonerable to himself, his country and the PR. Ask Boonen. Boonen gave it everything, he honored the race.

You don't chase when you're at your limit and when it would only lead to cracking big time yourself. I realize that some guys in here don't race themselves but it shouldn't be too hard to comprehend the fact that the riders don't necessarily race defensively because they are "dishonorable" but because they might just be completely dead. He took a few kilometers to recover and was able to find some extra strength as the line approached.

 

[hektoren]

Let me guess, you're from a Scandanavian country

Tell me, when have you ever seen Hushovd do anything else except wheelsuck at Paris-Roubaix? He never attacks.

And I'm no Valverde fan.

You're dead wrong. I'm an Aussie, through-n-through!
Hushovd rides to his abilities, but always honest. I could regurtitate the mountainous stage where Thor got his last green jersey in TdF, just to prove that you're wrong, but that would be scoring a given goal. Suffice to say that Thor's no wheelsucker. Never has been, never will be. He does what he's able to do within his constraints, but he'll never dope, he'll never cheat, he'll give credit where credit's due. He'd pound Il Pistolero to dust given half a chance!

 

[Kvinto]

Taking into account the fact that Petacchi, Boonen and Greipel are/were ill/injured, imo it should be one of these 6 names: Heinrich Haussler, Thor Hushovd, Tyler Farrar, Matthew Goss, Oscar Freire and Juan Jose Haedo.

I think any of the Garmin guys can be up there in a final sprint on Lungomare I.Calvino, but all will depend on a team tactics. I don't believe in possibility of 3 captains in a 300km race, they can start in Milan with 3 captains, but during the race they should choose 2 of them. The logical choice is Haussler and Hushovd but I don't want to play down Farrar's chances, because if the team will believe he can suffer Cipressa and Poggio they can do what Columbia did in 2009.

I think HTC bosses understand that Cavendish won't win and they must seek some different options. Matthew Goss is one of those sprinters that won't have problems on the Cipressa and Poggio, he is in form, he is a contender despite he has no experience of finishing MSR.

As it was mentioned many times MSR sprint is not about the pure speed. Freire is no longer a sprinter, but he has a fantastic experience, he rode Tirreno exactly like a year ago and... he can do it again.

Juan Jose Haedo is a bit of a dark horse, I think we underrate this guy, his sprinting talent is hidden behind the awful inconstancy of his results but I do believe the saturday may became his Day

 

[kurtinsc]

Have you counted his attacks that race?

I guess it's a definition. To me, Boonen often rides to classics to get the other sprinters out of the group... then is content to go to the finish with a group he knows he can outsprint.

So yeah, he's accelerating and attacking... but the goal for him isn't to solo to a win, it's to narrow the lead group down.

Cancellera attacks to drop EVERYONE... probably because he knows Boonen will be the last to go and Boonen can outsprint him.

I don't see it as a problem... just the statement that he has attacked to win and sprinted to win P-R to be a little false. The only time he solo'd to the finish was due to a crash. The rest were 3 man sprints.

In 2009... I feel confident that had he dropped Hushovd and Pozzato, he would have been happy to go to the velodrome with Flecha, Van Summeren and Hoste then sprint for the win again.


It's not a negative... just good strategy. If you're easily the fastest sprinter left in the group, why would you attack?

 

[El Pistolero]

You're dead wrong. I'm an Aussie, through-n-through!
Hushovd rides to his abilities, but always honest. I could regurtitate the mountainous stage where Thor got his last green jersey in TdF, just to prove that you're wrong, but that would be scoring a given goal. Suffice to say that Thor's no wheelsucker. Never has been, never will be. He does what he's able to do within his constraints, but he'll never dope, he'll never cheat, he'll give credit where credit's due. He'd pound Il Pistolero to dust given half a chance!

Since when is the Tour the same as Paris-Roubaix? I understand fanboys like to see the third stage of this Tour as Paris-Roubaix(where he wheelsucked by the way), but lol.

And if you're an Aussie you shouldn't write "fücker" with an umlaut. Just sayin', seems like someone who speaks a Germanic language would do.

 

[El Pistolero]

I guess it's a definition. To me, Boonen often rides to classics to get the other sprinters out of the group... then is content to go to the finish with a group he knows he can outsprint.

So yeah, he's accelerating and attacking... but the goal for him isn't to solo to a win, it's to narrow the lead group down.

Cancellera attacks to drop EVERYONE... probably because he knows Boonen will be the last to go and Boonen can outsprint him.

I don't see it as a problem... just the statement that he has attacked to win and sprinted to win P-R to be a little false. The only time he solo'd to the finish was due to a crash. The rest were 3 man sprints.

In 2009... I feel confident that had he dropped Hushovd and Pozzato, he would have been happy to go to the velodrome with Flecha, Van Summeren and Hoste then sprint for the win again.


It's not a negative... just good strategy. If you're easily the fastest sprinter left in the group, why would you attack?

Watch 2005 Flanders by the way.

And I never said anything about attacking, just about finishing solo. I believe Hushovd was about to crack anyway at Paris-Roubaix 2009, but it doesn't matter.

 

[Lanark]

And why do you crash at that point in the race? Because he was about to crack, was already having trouble staying in his slipstream anyway.

Why do you crash at that point of the race? Could be tons of reasons, last time I checked Carrefour de L'arbre isn't in the best condition. Hoste for example fell because Flecha made a mistake in a turn, Pozzato lost ground because Hushovd fell in front of him. If it wasn't for those crashes, we would have had a couple of guys sprinting for victory, more than likely with Boonen as a winner as well, I don't want to offend your delicate sensibilities of course.

 

[El Pistolero]

Why do you crash at that point of the race? Could be tons of reasons, last time I checked Carrefour de L'arbre isn't in the best condition. Hoste for example fell because Flecha made a mistake in a turn, Pozzato lost ground because Hushovd fell in front of him. If it wasn't for those crashes, we would have had a couple of guys sprinting for victory, more than likely with Boonen as a winner as well, I don't want to offend your delicate sensibilities of course.

Hushovd just took a really bad corner, had little to do with the state of carrefour de l'arbre. Pozatto kept giving time away anyway, if he was stronger he would've at least come closer to him.

But hey, the wheelsuckers were behind Boonen who was setting the pace and that's why neither Pozatto or Hushovd won If Pozatto doesn't want to get stuck behind the crash then ride in front(isn't that the entire point of cobbled classics?).

It's just that Hushovd is always in someone's wheel at Paris-Roubaix. Hence he's a wheelsucker.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

^lol, flecha took out everyone -boonen and pozzato.

And why do you crash at that point in the race? Because he was about to crack, was already having trouble staying in his slipstream anyway.

Flecha (especially) and Hoste looked pretty strong that day, Hushovd didn't look that bad at all. Your assumption is not enough.

 

[hektoren]

Since when is the Tour the same as Paris-Roubaix? I understand fanboys like to see the third stage of this Tour as Paris-Roubaix(where he wheelsucked by the way), but lol.

And if you're an Aussie you shouldn't write "fücker" with an umlaut. Just sayin', seems like someone who speaks a Germanic language would do.

The Umlaut was courtesy of CN's banned-words-list. Try writing ****er, and you get my drift. Come saturday and you'll get the jist of what I've been trying to pass along as a friendly gesture. Thor, or maybe Heinrich, will be victorious this year. Judging from what I've seen of Thor at T-A this year, Thor's in great shape, and Heinrich just isn't there. Yet. Come P-R, Heinrich will be top-notch.

 

[eljimberino]

Got a gut feeling for mcEwen in this one

 

[El Pistolero]

The Umlaut was courtesy of CN's banned-words-list. Try writing ****er, and you get my drift. Come saturday and you'll get the jist of what I've been trying to pass along as a friendly gesture. Thor, or maybe Heinrich, will be victorious this year. Judging from what I've seen of Thor at T-A this year, Thor's in great shape, and Heinrich just isn't there. Yet. Come P-R, Heinrich will be top-notch.

If you read some of my posts here you would notice I'd be glad if the world champion won M-SR this year.

To outsmart the banned words list just do this: fucker