Milano - Sanremo 2024, one day monument, March 16

[Sciatic]

Anyone heard what was up with LaPorte’s poor showing today?

 

[Oldermanish]

MvdP also said in the post race interview that Philipsen told him he had great legs (but that was after Poggio and everything came together) and MvdP siad he "knew what he had to do" - i.e. reeling in Pidcock.

He looked like he buried himself to make it happen, too.

 

[iBanesto]

 

[red_flanders]

Pog also made public on Strava his training session from Wednesday, where he was faster on both Cipressa and Poggio than on actual race.

He probably didn't have 280 k in his legs in the training ride...

 

[iBanesto]

Top of Poggio to the finish.

 

[scribers]

I don't know, no explanation, just the usual Strava "morning ride" template. But it's odd that he published it days later. I wouldn't be surprised if he's now really pissed off at some of his teammates.

He was saying something in his radio as his support was trying to put it all back together at the bottom of the cipressa. And I’m sure it wasn’t see you at the line. Del toro watt bombed to get back on and looked like the only one to do so. I feel like hirschl and ulissi were missing and likely of significant consequence and responsible for the poor position?

 

[Berniece]

Anyone heard what was up with LaPorte’s poor showing today?

He was sick

 

[proffate]

Van der Poel shut all doors, first Pog on mid part Poggio, then a second time at the end of the climb and then finally Piddles in the last kilometer. It would have been Pog or Piddles otherwise…

On the descent of the Poggio pidcock caught MVDP/Pog quickly but got stuck behind MVDP (crazy to say but it seems piddles is better even than MVDP downhill on pavement). Would have been interesting to see pidcock get a clear run at the descent...

 

[Berniece]

On the descent of the Poggio pidcock caught MVDP/Pog quickly but got stuck behind MVDP (crazy to say but it seems piddles is better even than MVDP downhill on pavement). Would have been interesting to see pidcock get a clear run at the descent...

But MVDP was stuck behind Pogacar

 

[proffate]

But MVDP was stuck behind Pogacar

Pidcock found a way to slip by MVDP towards the bottom of the descent when MVDP grabbed a bit of extra brake through a chicane. At the top, piddles closed the gap ahead of him faster than MVDP did. And when pidcock was behind Pog, zero daylight opened through the corners, unlike when MVDP was following.

We don't know for sure what would have happened if Pidcock led the descent and MVDP were forced to follow which is why I said it would be interesting. At the very least it seems those two would have a gap to the rest.

 

[red_flanders]

Not sure what else to say but that race always delivers. Really enjoyed that, very interesting tactics that course provides. Beautiful. I've come to appreciate it so much more in the last several years. I know I'm late to the game on that...

 

[woodburn]

His deviation was fine, but then he moved back to his right, creating more space for Philipsen. Imo that wasn't needed.

He lost his glasses in the sprint which was part of his bobble. That small factor probably meant the difference due to the narrow margin of victory. Sometimes *** happens.

 

[Berniece]

Pidcock found a way to slip by MVDP towards the bottom of the descent when MVDP grabbed a bit of extra brake through a chicane. At the top, piddles closed the gap ahead of him faster than MVDP did. And when pidcock was behind Pog, zero daylight opened through the corners, unlike when MVDP was following.

We don't know for sure what would have happened if Pidcock led the descent and MVDP were forced to follow which is why I said it would be interesting. At the very least it seems those two would have a gap to the rest.

Yeah I agree, if Pidcock would’ve started the descent I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished with the three of them.

 

[Blanco]

Pidcock found a way to slip by MVDP towards the bottom of the descent when MVDP grabbed a bit of extra brake through a chicane. At the top, piddles closed the gap ahead of him faster than MVDP did. And when pidcock was behind Pog, zero daylight opened through the corners, unlike when MVDP was following.

We don't know for sure what would have happened if Pidcock led the descent and MVDP were forced to follow which is why I said it would be interesting. At the very least it seems those two would have a gap to the rest.

Van Der Poel was holding back on the descent, it was evident. When Pidcock passed him, literally few seconds before that, Mathieu turned back and said something to him. I guess he said him to pass and opened the space.
Pidcock is maybe a better decender, but yesterday was not good example.

 

[Red Rick]

Van Gils uploaded his power data on Strava, he finished group one.

Cipressa was 6 W/kg in the draft, which is an absolute nothingburger for a climber for 9.5 minutes at sea level. Bigger guys will also be lower because it's such a rolling climb.

Poggio is 6.8 for under 6 minutes, which is again "easy" in terms of climbing numbers. He did around 8 W/kg for 1 minute in the final km of the Poggio, which is again not the highest numbers.

I think they're interesting to show how 'low' the numbers can be in the first group and how badly the deck is stacked against riders trying to get away

 

[Rob5091]

I think people are missing how well Alpecin played it, Dillier pulled all day, MVDP kept Pogacar on a leash and Philipsen followed it off. Sounds simple, but not easy to do.

 

[RedheadDane]

Not sure if this was already posted, but Bahrain had an interesting lead-in to the race.

Sonny Colbrelli helped foil attempt to steal Bahrain Victorious' bikes ahead of Milan-San Remo

2022 winner Matej Mohorič eschews dropper post to take advantage of Merida aero frame

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Salvarani]

Can we talk about the biggest travesty of yesteday... where was the phone booth at the end of Poggio?

How could you remove it.

What has the world come to.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Van Der Poel was holding back on the descent, it was evident. When Pidcock passed him, literally few seconds before that, Mathieu turned back and said something to him. I guess he said him to pass and opened the space.
Pidcock is maybe a better decender, but yesterday was not good example.

Yes, precisely that. It was very obvious that MVDP didn't go full gas on the Poggio descent. He also left some space while descending Cipressa to have space if someone messed up (which they did on C).

On Strava Sobrero and Mohoric set new Strava KOM on the Poggio descent with 3:09 and 57,3 km/h. In addition Stuyven, Bettiol and Philipsen were only 3 seconds slower at 3:12 (56,7 km/h).

Pog, MVDP and Pidcock's times are missing but only Piddles couldv'e gone faster than Mohoric and Sobrero and if so not by very much.

Ps, I couldn't find Mohoric's time from 2022 when he was flying like a daredevil. Potentially that was even faster?

 

[Slavique Nuke]

Yes, precisely that. It was very obvious that MVDP didn't go full gas on the Poggio descent. He also left some space while descending Cipressa to have space if someone messed up (which they did on C).

On Strava Sobrero and Mohoric set new Strava KOM on the Poggio descent with 3:09 and 57,3 km/h. In addition Stuyven, Bettiol and Philipsen were only 3 seconds slower at 3:12 (56,7 km/h).

Pog, MVDP and Pidcock's times are missing but only Piddles couldv'e gone faster than Mohoric and Sobrero and if so not by very much.

Ps, I couldn't find Mohoric's time from 2022 when he was flying like a daredevil. Potentially that was even faster?

Pog's time is not missing, it was 3:14. In 2022 Mohoric's time was 3:30.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Pog's time is not missing, it was 3:14. In 2022 Mohoric's time was 3:30.

Interesting! In 2022, Mohoric’s ride seemed crazy. Now almost all went substantially faster…

 

[frisenfruitig]

Yes, precisely that. It was very obvious that MVDP didn't go full gas on the Poggio descent. He also left some space while descending Cipressa to have space if someone messed up (which they did on C).

On Strava Sobrero and Mohoric set new Strava KOM on the Poggio descent with 3:09 and 57,3 km/h. In addition Stuyven, Bettiol and Philipsen were only 3 seconds slower at 3:12 (56,7 km/h).

Pog, MVDP and Pidcock's times are missing but only Piddles couldv'e gone faster than Mohoric and Sobrero and if so not by very much.

Ps, I couldn't find Mohoric's time from 2022 when he was flying like a daredevil. Potentially that was even faster?

MVDP said in the post race interview that he had to dig very deep for Pogacar's second attack and wasn't able to take turns on the decent. So not really holding back but rather being on the limit.

Pogacar could have won if it wasn't for MVDP I think. No one else bothered to respond. Same for Mohoric, he also could have won if not for Mathieu reeling him back in.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

4 minor, but unaddressed, issues from yesterday:

1) Was there ever an explanation of why Gemani dropped out of the breakaway? Kung couldn't cope without him? Rest of the break thought they wouldn't be given a chance with such a big threat up the road and bullied him into dropping?

2) Should RCS/RAI not hire somebody who actually speaks English to translate their tourist information at the bottom of the screen: they used a trained and very old fashioned tone.

3) How decisive was Pidcock's relieving himself at 17km to go?

4) Has any rider ever received such a disproportionate number of commentary mentions to impact on race as Luke Plapp? Was the TV producer a family member?

 

[RedheadDane]

1) Was there ever an explanation of why Gemani dropped out of the breakaway? Kung couldn't cope without him? Rest of the break thought they wouldn't be given a chance with such a big threat up the road and bullied him into dropping?

I think the theory the Danish commentators had was that he simply thought it would be hopeless to be in a break with such a short gap.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I think the theory the Danish commentators had was that he simply thought it would be hopeless to be in a break with such a short gap.

As opposed the the well founded hope that the breakaway has had in this race every other year?