Milan-Sanremo

[Sasquatch]

I just hope they don't leave it to a bunch sprint. What a waste of 297.5 kilometres if that's the case.

Plenty of room to shake it up on the penultimate, and ultimate climbs, and hopefully someone does.

I wanna see Gilbert win, and I think Hagen and Boonen will be rounding out the podium.

What's the stat? 9 of the last 13 have resulted in bunch sprints. You can be hoping for a while as Bennati has it this year if they get their train right.

 

[sublimit]

I'd say Boonen will do something here, but yes Bennati does look quite good for the win.

Im certain Pettaci,Hagen will contest any sprint. and Sagan cant be ruled out because he's going like a train. its hard to say with Cavendish, i have a feeling he'll get dropped on the last climb but you never know, maybe his team can nurse him over that.

if i was putting money down i would pick Bennati at the moment.

 

[Cosette]

In a way, Milan-San Remo is like Paris-Tours... Generally referred to as one for the sprinters... And for both, I'm always rooting for a break that lasts.. On that note, Paris-Tours has not disappointed in the last few years... Gotta love Gilbert..

This years Milan-San Remo is no different. I am still hoping for a break that will make it. But who will be the one to do it.. Possibly Gilbert.. Perhaps Sylvain Chavanel.. Maybe an unexpected surprise... It's hard to say, as it is still wishfull thinking...

 

[Race Radio]

Tom Boonen

 

[sublimit]

, I'm always rooting for a break that lasts.. On that note, Paris-Tours has not disappointed in the last few years... Gotta love Gilbert..

This years Milan-San Remo is no different. I am still hoping for a break that will make it. But who will be the one to do it.. Possibly Gilbert.. Perhaps Sylvain Chavanel.. Maybe an unexpected surprise... It's hard to say, as it is still wishfull thinking...

yes, i noticed many people have backed Gilbert for wins this year but he's yet to deliver, but i reckon he has his eye on Paris Roubaix.

as for Sagan he has shown he can sprint, TT, and jump away for a solo win recently so if he rides the MSR.. who knows.. he seems to have a lot of quality and talent and the sort of rider that should do well in this kind of race.

 

[philcrisp]

In a way, Milan-San Remo is like Paris-Tours... Generally referred to as one for the sprinters... And for both, I'm always rooting for a break that lasts.. On that note, Paris-Tours has not disappointed in the last few years.

I think the difference is that by Paris-Tours there is a hard season in the legs which makes it slightly easier to make a break stick.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gilbert does not has his eye out for Roubaix. In fact, his entire focus is on the ardennes classics, with LBL in particular.

Therefore, he is taking a slower build up than last year(s), where he was always good in februari already. Give him time, he'll be good when Amstel Gold Race starts. Possibly he'll already be very good in Flanders, a race in which he can finish top 3 even at only 95% of his top form (like last year)

 

[il_fiammingo]

Gilbert does not has his eye out for Roubaix. In fact, his entire focus is on the ardennes classics, with LBL in particular.

Therefore, he is taking a slower build up than last year(s), where he was always good in februari already. Give him time, he'll be good when Amstel Gold Race starts. Possibly he'll already be very good in Flanders, a race in which he can finish top 3 even at only 95% of his top form (like last year)

He'll have hist best shot at the Amstel IMO. Shorter climbs and more explosive than LBL.

 

[taiwan]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hausslers-milan-san-remo-thrown-into-jeopardy

Due to knee trouble, Haussler almost certain not to start Milan-San Remo. Theo Bos a possible late substitution.

So Petacchi, Haussler and Cavendish all potentially out of the running. Boonen must be the favourite for this by a way now.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

EBH put in a decent climbing performance today (13th - I assumed it was Lofkvist & Flecha up there when watching the live stream [because eurosport lied about their schedule again])

 

[maltiv]

EBH put in a decent climbing performance today (13th - I assumed it was Lofkvist & Flecha up there when watching the live stream [because eurosport lied about their schedule again])

Indeed, but so far in his career he has mostly struggled in the really long races (250 km+). He just seems to completely fade in the end, which probably isn't that weird given his age. So I'm not so sure he'll have any chance in MSR.

 

[tgsgirl]

He'll have hist best shot at the Amstel IMO. Shorter climbs and more explosive than LBL.

He really, really wants LBL though, and he knows it like the back of his hand. When he was a kid, his dad used to give riders who'd abandoned a ride to the finish line in the family car, with a young Gilbert in the backseat.

 

[SoLogy]

What I learned today

Yesterday I would have said that this race is wide open. Cavendish looks to be off of his form and there are quite a few other riders that look to be on form. Last year's runner up looks to be out of the race with a bad knee. Also this year there seem to be a number of teams that have made significant roster changes and as this is the first monument of the year it is hard to gauge their improvements until we see them go after such a coveted title.

Of course this all changed today. After watching the Versus recap of Paris-Nice, I now know that no team can beat Radio Shack and that the only pick for Milan Sanremo is Lance Armstrong.

Thank you Phil and Bob.

 

[usedtobefast]

my dark horse, very dark horse is Linus G. nothing but a hunch.

 

[blaxland]

With so many of the favopurites not riding or not having any real form.........my money is on Albi(Allan Davis)....he has podiumed before..

 

[auscyclefan94]

With so many of the favopurites not riding or not having any real form.........my money is on Albi(Allan Davis)....he has podiumed before..

With what form? he was struggling in algarve and down under and hasn't featured in TA yet.

 

[42x16ss]

With what form? he was struggling in algarve and down under and hasn't featured in TA yet.

Thats right. Lets not forget that Davis had an excellent TdU and solid Tirreno last year and was always targeting MSR where he finished 4th. Plus he had all of Quickstep (except Boonen who rode his own race) supporting him.

 

[Sasquatch]

With so many of the favopurites not riding or not having any real form.........my money is on Albi(Allan Davis)....he has podiumed before..

Boonen has good form and Bennati has good form. Farrar has good form but his team has screwed him over.

The winner is one of those three.

 

[Anonymous]

Boonen, Cancellara or Husovd.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Boonen has good form and Bennati has good form. Farrar has good form but his team has screwed him over.

The winner is one of those three.

I don't think Bennati is that great, he screwed up an excellent leadout on stage 2, but got it right the next day.. so he should, most good sprinters would. I doubt liqui will be allowed to set up bennati in a similar fashion at MSR.

Boonen FTW.

 

[undencem]

Boonen, Cancellara or Husovd.

An italian wins

 

[taiwan]

my dark horse, very dark horse is Linus G. nothing but a hunch.

Wow, that's dark. I could see him launching an attack off the Poggio (or before: have seen him do that before), but I don't think he'd be alone for that long. Gilbert, for instance could follow if the move looked good.

Sorry, you said just a hunch.

Is Freire riding? Hasn't been mentioned for a while.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's rumored Bos might replace the injured Haussler for MSR.
Don't know if that is a smart move. He won't survive La Manie, and if he survives that he won't survive Cipressa. Better stick someone in who can survive and help Hushovd.

 

[taiwan]

How about Greg Van Avermaet for an in form outsider? He's been flying up the hills in the Tirreno-Adriatico. He wouldn't be beating the likes of Boonen in a sprint under normal circumstances, but if he's the one with most left after the climb, that's different.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The thing is, it's been a while since Greg van Avermaet had a convincing sprint finish