Milano - Sanremo 2025, one day monument, March 22

[Samamba]

Yes, but others perform well in the rain too. There are less contenders in total, but more than enough who still have a shot at the win.

Yes but it makes it harder in general, which is good for him.

 

[Lequack]

Pantani's famous attack on the Cipressa

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC8bvS0QU1c

 

[kn0s]

Pantani's famous attack on the Cipressa

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC8bvS0QU1c

Holy moto pace batman.

 

[Didinho]

Pantani's famous attack on the Cipressa

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC8bvS0QU1c

He even caught the motor race in front of him.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Thanks for posting that, just watched that replay. A couple of things stood out. I didn't remember the chase group did so much d*cking around in the last 2 km--they could easily have caught Stuyven--but none were willing to commit (understandable to not want to drag someone else to the win but disappointing to watch nonetheless).

Also, for those suggesting Pidcock can win via attack on the descent, in that edition he went hard from the front during the bottom half of the descent around the sharpest corners. But couldn't create a gap to Van Aert on his wheel. Even less likely he could get away from MVDP that way.

On dry roads, not wet.

 

[jamesblonde]

Squads are out. https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/milano-sanremo/2025/startlist
UAE have

• POGAČAR Tadej
• 212LAENGEN Vegard Stake
• 213MCNULTY Brandon
• 214NARVÁEZ Jhonatan
• 215NOVAK Domen
• 216POLITT Nils
• 217WELLENS Tim
  
  2 rouleurs. I am surprised. I guess it means they want control from Capo Berta to the Cipresa....

 

[Lequack]

Holy moto pace batman.

Yeah those were the good old times.

 

[E_F_]

Pantani's famous attack on the Cipressa

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC8bvS0QU1c

Why is a cyclist competing in MotoGP?

 

[Boes]

Rain, wind and cold.
If UAE doesn't nuke the Cipressa, nobody is going to drop Pedersen on the Poggio if he's in a decent position. And even if Poggy goes all out MVP will close down.

Either Pedersen wins a reduced sprint or late breakaway after the descent (my bet is on Pidcock or Stuyven).

On a sidenote: I get WVA wanting to go for bigger races but tbh this is the race that might suit him the best. A pitty he's not here.

 

[hayneplane]

An interesting outsider for me who could sneak away with little reaction until too late is Roger Adria.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Rain, wind and cold.
If UAE doesn't nuke the Cipressa, nobody is going to drop Pedersen on the Poggio if he's in a decent position. And even if Poggy goes all out MVP will close down.

Either Pedersen wins a reduced sprint

I don’t think Pedersen is nailed on to beat VdP and Pogacar in a sprint of a small group. He was insanely strong in Paris-Nice but it doesn’t necessarily means he’s still got an extremely strong sprint finish.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I don’t think Pedersen is nailed on to beat VdP and Pogacar in a sprint of a small group. He was insanely strong in Paris-Nice but it doesn’t necessarily means he’s still got an extremely strong sprint finish.

Actually Pedersen lost some important sprints to Pogacar recently (including last MSR and WC in 2023). Philipsen and Matthews are much faster nowadays.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Who was the last “clearly strongest rider” who didn't win?

Alaphilippe in 2020 has a much stronger case to be that rider than Sagan in 2017. Unlike Sagan he had a gap atop the Poggio, and also unlike Sagan he was always the underdog in the ensuing sprint.

Alaphilippe won the group sprint two years later, Kwiatkowski won Amstel in a group sprint two years before. Remind me of Terpstra's group sprint victories.

Are we counting full bunch sprints in Dutch NCs?

In all seriousness I agree it's not the perfect example.

 

[armchairclimber]

Pog and Pidcock to go off the front again (on Cipressa?) and work together until Pidcock loses Pog on the Poggio descent.

 

[topcat]

Alaphilippe in 2020 has a much stronger case to be that rider than Sagan in 2017. Unlike Sagan he had a gap atop the Poggio, and also unlike Sagan he was always the underdog in the ensuing sprint.

Are we counting full bunch sprints in Dutch NCs?

In all seriousness I agree it's not the perfect example.

It still bugs me that Ala had chain problems on the descent which allowed van Aert to catch him. 2020 msr - the one that got away.

 

[topcat]

View: https://youtu.be/9qWVGvr-x9Y?feature=shared

This was posted by the goat @Ilmaestro99 on Sunday, but I think we should have the link on every page.

 

[jamesblonde]

Pog and Pidcock to go off the front again (on Cipressa?) and work together until Pidcock loses Pog on the Poggio descent.

Not unlikely scenario, tbh. Pidcock is probably the only one who can hold Pog's wheel if UAE nuke the Poggio. However, Pogacar could catch him on the run-in. He's a much better time trialler and sprinter.

 

[Sciatic]

Not unlikely scenario, tbh. Pidcock is probably the only one who can hold Pog's wheel if UAE nuke the Poggio. However, Pogacar could catch him on the run-in. He's a much better time trialler and sprinter.

You think Pidcock could hold his wheel but MVDP can’t???

 

[Berniece]

Not unlikely scenario, tbh. Pidcock is probably the only one who can hold Pog's wheel if UAE nuke the Poggio. However, Pogacar could catch him on the run-in. He's a much better time trialler and sprinter.

UAE has been nuking Poggio multiple times now. MVDP was always able to follow, and when he won also WVA and Ganna were able to follow.

 

[pelotonIQ]

Holy moto pace batman.

And so many of them too. You'd think this is a presidential convoy and not a bike race.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Yeah those were the good old times.

I was like "There's a lot of juice in that video."

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Pog and Pidcock to go off the front again (on Cipressa?) and work together until Pidcock loses Pog on the Poggio descent.

100% the best possible scenario.

 

[Gratemans]

100% the best possible scenario.

Funny how we can see things differently.
I just hope to see a completely eclectic group storming towards the finish, Pog, Mathieu, Ganna, Pedersen, Pidcock, Bling..

I also love how in the Pog thread people seem obsessed with what exact team UAE show up with. It's funny to me because come on, they're not sending a "B-team". Politt and Wellens are top notch riders. The rest is filler. It's just bs trying to pre-emptively create an explanation why your favourite rider didn't win.

Of course Pog has a chance. He's just not even nearly the 100% clear favourite here. But that's got nothing to do with the riders supporting him. He's a phenomenon, a legendary rider, but he can't win everything. Deal with it.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Funny how we can see things differently.
I just hope to see a completely eclectic group storming towards the finish, Pog, Mathieu, Ganna, Pedersen, Pidcock, Bling..

I also love how in the Pog thread people seem obsessed with what exact team UAE show up with. It's funny to me because come on, they're not sending a "B-team". Politt and Wellens are top notch riders. The rest is filler. It's just bs trying to pre-emptively create an explanation why your favourite rider didn't win.

Of course Pog has a chance. He's just not even nearly the 100% clear favourite here. But that's got nothing to do with the riders supporting him. He's a phenomenon, a legendary rider, but he can't win everything. Deal with it.

I'm a huge Pidcock fan, so that's my want with my comment. I would also be really happy if Pedersen won. I also would have loved to see UAE take Del Toro, for no other reason than I'd like to see how Del Toro does riding that length of a race.

 

[scribers]

Funny how we can see things differently.
I just hope to see a completely eclectic group storming towards the finish, Pog, Mathieu, Ganna, Pedersen, Pidcock, Bling..

I also love how in the Pog thread people seem obsessed with what exact team UAE show up with. It's funny to me because come on, they're not sending a "B-team". Politt and Wellens are top notch riders. The rest is filler. It's just bs trying to pre-emptively create an explanation why your favourite rider didn't win.

Of course Pog has a chance. He's just not even nearly the 100% clear favourite here. But that's got nothing to do with the riders supporting him. He's a phenomenon, a legendary rider, but he can't win everything. Deal with it.

That’s because @mou is going on about the lineup as though it’s a conspiracy against pogi. Mou farts, we chirp