Milan-Sanremo

[Race Radio]

Paolini was tenth. I know some people (lionel birnie) think garzelli was paid by lampre to discourage attacks on the poggio. I prefer to think he was working for paolini. Paolini will never be the favourite for MSR, but he was the best option for Aqua et Sapone, so what else should they do?

I would have thought that if he was working for Paolini that he would have attacked, making the other teams and sprinters chase. Instead it seemed like he put in a super hard tempo. Perhaps he was trying to thin the field?

 

[pmcg76]

Paolini was tenth. I know some people (lionel birnie) think garzelli was paid by lampre to discourage attacks on the poggio. I prefer to think he was working for paolini. Paolini will never be the favourite for MSR, but he was the best option for Aqua et Sapone, so what else should they do?

I dont think Paolini had shown the form to be designated leader. Garzelli was clearly the Aqua guy in form so he should have been riding for himself. All that work for Paolini to finish 10th. Dont make sense to me.

 

[auscyclefan94]

It's a shame, there's a lot of knowledge just too much angst. I used to enjoy you and dims light hearted banter (banter not angst) but too much is anti sky, anti Evans etc and it's got too much. It's an English speaking site what do you expect?

Don't worry, he's still on here but doesn't want to contribute as a poster like you or I but to just put up links.

 

[zapata]

I would have thought that if he was working for Paolini that he would have attacked, making the other teams and sprinters chase. Instead it seemed like he put in a super hard tempo. Perhaps he was trying to thin the field?

That's what I was thinking. Paolini is fast, but not like Petacchi or Bennati, I don't think? As for Garzelli trying for himself, I know he's in great form now, but can't imagine him finishing better than tenth, had he tried something.

 

[MrContador]

I only said Bos didnt do that intentional (with the intention of throwing Impey off the bike).

I doubt Hagen intended to try and knock Farrar and Petacchi off their bikes.

 

[Polish]

Did Not Finish

Quite a few DNF's today....did not realize Andy Schleck was riding:

DNF Michael Albasini (Swi) Team HTC - Columbia
DNF Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia
DNF Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia
DNF Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia
DNF Dario Andriotto (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
DNF Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
DNF Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Damiano Margutti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
DNF Sergey Renev (Kaz) Astana
DNF Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBox Bouygues Telecom
DNF Saïd Haddou (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom
DNF Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom
DNF Damien Gaudin (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom
DNF Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
DNF Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
DNF Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Caisse d'Epargne
DNF Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne
DNF Raffaele Ferrara (Ita) Carmiooro NGC
DNF Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervelo Test Team
DNF Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team
DNF Mattia Gavazzi (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
DNF Manuel Belletti (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
DNF Federico Canuti (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
DNF Simone Stortoni (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
DNF Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
DNF Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
DNF Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Transitions
DNF Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) Garmin - Transitions
DNF Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin - Transitions
DNF Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Transitions
DNF Carlo Scognamiglio (Ita) ISD - Neri
DNF Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) ISD - Neri
DNF Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
DNF Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
DNF Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
DNF Michiel Elijzen (Ned) Omega Pharma-Lotto
DNF Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto
DNF Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
DNF Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
DNF Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team
DNF Marco Bandiera (Ita) Team Katusha
DNF Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha
DNF Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Katusha
DNF Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Team Radioshack
DNF Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
DNF Baden Cooke (Aus) Team Saxo Bank

http://www.milansanremo.co.uk/2010/2010-result.htm

 

[blaxland]

Have you seen the course? At this point in time I will be shocked if a Sprinter wins it. My opinion may change later in the year but at this point in time, the win won't be from a sprinter.

+1 agree........been there and have ridden the course.......2 decent climbs.so not for the sprinters.........Freire or Davis are my tips.........i rode 3x laps and suffered more each lap..........

 

[blaxland]

Some interesting tweets

Armstrong seems to have something against the RCS. Radioshack is not bothering with the giro.

Maybe big george is riding himself into form for the cobbles..........and Burghardt too.........go bmc..

 

[karlboss]

Got up to watch the last 20 and was going for bennati, once pozzato was caught I knew he wouldn't win. 2 liqui guys leading with just under 2km to go, the final leadout was never going to be strong enough. Congratulations to oscar who saw it and picked the right wheel. He had the perfect leadout and the legs to use it.

 

[Nearly]

.....

Still, with him and Haussler both looking to take some prestigious scalps, we could see a Spring animated by some young faces.

It appears that Haussler may be in doubt for the classics or at least his preparation http://06.live-radsport.ch/ticker_9207/Radsport_Shortnews.html

 

[cyclopeon]

DNF Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi

http://www.milansanremo.co.uk/2010/2010-result.htm

Darn it!

 

[Sasquatch]

http://www.melbourne2010.com.au/default.aspx?s=geelong-road-race-flash

Ummm... This is what I have been able to find on the official site. And certainly any sprinter who is able to survive the Cipressa & Poggio should be able to get through this.

I have driven the course and I can tell you that those pictures are deceiving. The hills are very very steep. Factor in potential crosswinds and crap weather and they are even harder. Don't forget they are crossing those hills about 10 times. 12-14% in places. A sprinter won't be there at the end.

 

[Sasquatch]

+1 agree........been there and have ridden the course.......2 decent climbs.so not for the sprinters.........Freire or Davis are my tips.........i rode 3x laps and suffered more each lap..........

Yep. It's more difficult than people realise.

 

[laziali]

Or, if there is a bunch kick

1. Freire (wily little b@stard that he is)
2. Boonen
....
17. Pozzato

AND I DO BELIEVE I CALLED THE TOP TWO. Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much indeed.

 

[Moondance]

I have driven the course and I can tell you that those pictures are deceiving. The hills are very very steep. Factor in potential crosswinds and crap weather and they are even harder. Don't forget they are crossing those hills about 10 times. 12-14% in places. A sprinter won't be there at the end.

Agreed..... But the top of the hill isn't the finish line. There's 10kms left to go after the hilltop. A highly motivated nation working for a sprinter could shepard their man back, and still have 8kms or so left to whittle down any escapees. The was all the Aussies have been describing it it does seem like an excellent springboard for a climber, and certainly enough to shut down the pure sprinters right quick...... I'm going Peter Sagan

 

[ingsve]

While some people might pin their hopes in Flanders or Roubaix on EBH I'm more excited to see what he can do in for example E3 Prijs. I think that race might be more in line with his progression than being there in the end of the monuments just yet.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Maybe big george is riding himself into form for the cobbles..........and Burghardt too.........go bmc..

Agreed, i thnik they are hitting some form at the right time. Slowly progressing. ballan and hincapie got caught out whent hey missed the split but they were both riding close to the front on the cipressa.

 

[Sasquatch]

Agreed..... But the top of the hill isn't the finish line. There's 10kms left to go after the hilltop. A highly motivated nation working for a sprinter could shepard their man back, and still have 8kms or so left to whittle down any escapees. The was all the Aussies have been describing it it does seem like an excellent springboard for a climber, and certainly enough to shut down the pure sprinters right quick...... I'm going Peter Sagan

Cancellara or Kolobnev

But yes on the last lap the peloton will be split to pieces. It could be split to pieces before they do reach Geelong too. If say a group of four get across, then it's going to be hard to get organisation to bring them back.

 

[Sasquatch]

While some people might pin their hopes in Flanders or Roubaix on EBH I'm more excited to see what he can do in for example E3 Prijs. I think that race might be more in line with his progression than being there in the end of the monuments just yet.

I think EBH will defend Gent-Wevelgem.

E3 will be Pozzato's again I would think. It's a toss-up between him and Boonen IMO.

Dwars could go to Boonen too.

 

[craig1985]

What a ride to Sacha Modolo. He might have won if he if he was better positioned.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

nice win by friere, did a great sprint.
missed the race due to a team soccer camp, sigh

 

[reyan12]

Freire has done it again.Congratulations!

 

[Hammerhed]

I heard and saw Boonen's, Friere's, Thor's, and Cavendish's reactions after the race, and they were very interesting. Obviously, Oscar was very happy about the win, but he surprised me when he gave a lot of thanks to the LiquiGas team for the big turns they did: He said their high speed kept any potential attackers at bay so that the sprinters could sort themselves out after the climb. Rather than boo-hoo and make excuses like Thor did, Boonen seemed OK with his second place finish, his best so far at MSR. Even though it looked to me like he got kinda boxed in at the moment Oscar lit out, Boonen says he had no problems what-so-ever and was just beaten by a great sprinter having a great day. The Flemish interviewers wouldn't let go however and worried him like dogs with a new bone. Boonen is very good in an interview though, even better than Lance because Tomeke doesn't get too mad too often, and he refused to let these Sporza guys ruin his Saturday. He just kept smiling, shrugging his shoulders, and insisting that he had had a good day on the job, just not a great one. Thor was an idiot. All excuses and near finger pointing at his teammates, more by insinuation than anything. Finally though, he accepted "blame" for finishing in sixth place and said it was his fault that he hadn't done better, not Roger's, not Haedo's. Cav's reaction was sad though. The news guy framed every question as if it were freakin' September and Cav hadn't finished higher than fortieth all year, and that poor simpleton Cav just bought into the whole thing and accepted the beating that fool dished out. Cav seemed so defeated already: He's too young still and doesn't have the experience to know how to deal with losing. He doesn't understand yet that sometimes the bear does win and may even tear a big ole chunk of yer *** out in the process. I hope he catches on soon. It would be nice to see him win a stage at Catalunya this week, but I don't know if there is a flat sprinter's finish the whole week. Whatever...He'll grow, either up, old, or out!

 

[python]

pocket rocket

what i never understood is why mcewen is called pocket rocket and not freire

oscar is only 1m71 and weighs 63 kg for crying out loud. at least that's what i saw on l'equipe

 

[reyan12]

i'd seen a dog leading the peloton.did it finish the race?LOL!!!