Milano - Sanremo 2023, one day monument, March 18

[hayneplane]

Break being held on an unusually short leash by MSR BOTD standards.

 

[Red Rick]

Kirby saying Nibali used to be considered Sicilian until he won Sanremo.

Is he telling me Vincenzo was just the Italian Andy Murray on wheels all along?

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

PCS liveticker says they're going 48kph average?

Well, that's a high pace. Fastest average speed so far was in 1990 with 45.8 km(h when Bugno won.

 

[RedheadDane]

Kirby saying Nibali used to be considered Sicilian until he won Sanremo.

I think Nibali would be quite sad to learn he's not considered Sicilian anymore.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Well, that's a high pace. Fastest average speed so far was in 1990 with 45.8 km(h when Bugno won.

Ah, the year where the peloton split early, with Fignon, Kelly et al assuming it would all come together, it never did.

 

[CyclistAbi]

What's the point of a long race if they're just going at a pensioner pace?

Benefits.

 

[Aimar16]

PCS liveticker says they're going 48kph average?

The first 40 kilometres were on a slight downhill slope, right?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Kirby talking about Pidcock as if he died and as if Van Aert was at fault.

 

[RedheadDane]

Kirby talking about Pidcock as if he died and as if Van Aert was at fault.

Well, here's my personal (silly) theory:
Van Aert deliberately took himself out of the finale, in order to force Roglic to go for the win, so he'd fix "that mess" (his hairy legs).

 

[tobydawq]

Van Aert: "For me, Pogacar is the biggest favourite, and I think he will attack somewhere uphill".

 

[RedheadDane]

Imagine sitting on a bench in a park, when a random helicopter flies overhead and... zooms in on your groceries.

 

[tobydawq]

Imagine sitting on a bench in a park, when a random helicopter flies overhead and... zooms in on your groceries.

I don't think you will realise that is what happens while sitting there...

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't think you will realise that is what happens while sitting there...

Of course not the "Zooming in on your groceries" bit, but you'll definitely notice a helicopter hovering overhead.

 

[SafeBet]

Perhaps it's been mentioned already but there are two stats about Pello Bilbao that suprised me.

This is his first Monument since Lombardia 2017.
He has been top15 in every single race (not stage) he's finished since Tirreno 2021

 

[awavey]

can someone grab that wheel change as a clip, so that next time someone complains disc wheel changes are soooo sloowwww, we can show them that

 

[Blanco]

Star ratings from the papers today:

Gazzetta
*** ** Pogacar, van Aert
**** van der Poel
*** Pedersen, Alaphilippe, Mohoric, Ewan
** Ganna, Philipsen
* Girmay

Het Nieuwsblad
*** ** Pogacar
**** van Aert, van der Poel
*** Pedersen, Philipsen, Mohoric
** Stuyven, Alaphilippe, Ewan, Cort
* Turgis, de Lie, Ganna, Laporte, Girmay

Ouest France
*** ** Pogacar
**** Van Aert, Van der Poel
*** Alaphilippe, Pedersen
** De Lie, Mohoric, Philipsen, Girmay
* Cort, Laporte, Powless, Demare, Turgis, Kwiatkowski

So it's:
Pogacar
Van Aert
Van Der Poel
Pedersen
Mohoric, Alaphilippe
Philipsen
Ewan
Girmay
Ganna, De Lie, Cort
Stuyven
Turgis, Laporte,
Powless, Demare, Kwiatkowski

 

[search]

in the interview yesterday, Mohoric mentioned that Bilbao and Arndt would have a shot to win as well. I really struggle to see how Arndt can get any freedom to go for it (as he normally will be needed for positioning before the Cipressa), but he looked super strong in the races so far this year - here's hope he will win

 

[RedheadDane]

No matter what helmet-design pogacar is using, the hair will escape!

He could probably wear a helmet like this:

and there'd still be a strand of hair poking out.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Where is Jonathan Harris-Bass, he would be perfect for such a broadcast.

 

[noob]

Did I just see Alaphilippe switching bikes because of a crash? :O

 

[Riek s]

Did I just see Alaphilippe switching bikes because of a crash? :O

. is he crashing again ?

 

[tobydawq]

Did I just see Alaphilippe switching bikes because of a crash? :O

Why would that be a surprising thing to do after a crash?

 

[Breezy1985]

Ffs Ala has no luck.

I know it's only a bike change but still

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I would have been killed nine times, if I had been a cat trying to navigate the descent like Ala.

 

[tobydawq]

I would have been killed nine times, if I had been a cat trying to navigate the descent like Ala.

A cat can't ride a bike.