Milano - Sanremo changes route!

[Bushman]

Unfortunately for Sagan that's always going to be the case for him in any break he gets in during the classics. It's the same for Cav in the GT's, Argos (Giant) and Lotto (and the rest) know OPQS will work so they don't have to do as much.

I'm worried Sagan could become the next EBH. He can sprint but not well enough to beat the pure sprinters, and he can climb the short sharp hills but not well enough to beat guys like Cancellara.

But lets be fair, he's a young guy. Even if he doesn't win one this year he has a long road ahead of him.

Sagan the new EBH? I dont need to post Their palmares here, do I? First of all, Sagan has proved to have a winner's instinct, EBH has not.

Secondly, I dont understand all this negativity surrounding Sagan at the moment. I agree that he failed last year in MSR, but he was still 20 cm from winning it. The guy is 24 and has been 2nd and 4th at MSR and 2nd and 5th at RVV, and with a little more luck/coolness/experience or whatever he could have won MSR twice already.

 

[thehog]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/03/gallery/photo-essay-faces-milano-sanremo_321060

Some very good b&w photos from MSR.

 

[karlboss]

Number one, I really don't think the route needs changing. If and it does, not by adding a small steep climb close to the line, which makes it the same gamble, but with different names. I'd put something in between 100 to go and about 60 to go that is large, very large, genuine Cat 1, HC grand tour large. The further out the larger it needs to be.
I think Le Manie is supposed to do something similar but really is too small and will only ever eliminate sprinters off form, unless there is a crash ala 2011.
The idea would be a climb large enough that if Nibali lights it up a select group is formed made of multiple teams may form on the other side, no more than 15 guys. After the decent we'd see probably 3 groups, the lead, the classics (sagan, Gilbert, Cancellara) and sprinters (Cavendish Greipel). All of which then have to work out how to maximise their chances of winning.
Best case you end up with groups all over the road, a large sprinters group at the back with the domestiques from multiple teams at the back chasing back the smaller groups infront of them, the smaller groups making the call to push for the front or wait and be swallowed by the groups behind. The front group working out the usual front group dynamics.
Worst case noone takes the opportunity, and everyone races like this year, and we see some really really tired riders getting to the line, but most likely fewer make the Cipressa, and use it as a better launching pad, likewise with the Poggio.
Now if only the earth would play ball and kick that up. From a map maybe a foray inland at Finale Ligure? 10.6km at 8.7%, but I have no idea if that road is sealed, it's pretty much 100km on the nose to the finish from the top, and 83km once off the decent. Too hard?

 

[pastronef]

Number one, I really don't think the route needs changing. If and it does, not by adding a small steep climb close to the line, which makes it the same gamble, but with different names. I'd put something in between 100 to go and about 60 to go that is large, very large, genuine Cat 1, HC grand tour large. The further out the larger it needs to be.
I think Le Manie is supposed to do something similar but really is too small and will only ever eliminate sprinters off form, unless there is a crash ala 2011.
The idea would be a climb large enough that if Nibali lights it up a select group is formed made of multiple teams may form on the other side, no more than 15 guys. After the decent we'd see probably 3 groups, the lead, the classics (sagan, Gilbert, Cancellara) and sprinters (Cavendish Greipel). All of which then have to work out how to maximise their chances of winning.
Best case you end up with groups all over the road, a large sprinters group at the back with the domestiques from multiple teams at the back chasing back the smaller groups infront of them, the smaller groups making the call to push for the front or wait and be swallowed by the groups behind. The front group working out the usual front group dynamics.
Worst case noone takes the opportunity, and everyone races like this year, and we see some really really tired riders getting to the line, but most likely fewer make the Cipressa, and use it as a better launching pad, likewise with the Poggio.
Now if only the earth would play ball and kick that up. From a map maybe a foray inland at Finale Ligure? 10.6km at 8.7%, but I have no idea if that road is sealed, it's pretty much 100km on the nose to the finish from the top, and 83km once off the decent. Too hard?

I guess that should be the Colle Melogno, through Calizzano-Garessio and down to Albenga (there are 17 km from Finale to Albenga)

that would be too much of a climb. Milano-Sanremo does not need that.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

10km @8% is way too much. It would annihilate the concept of the race imo. Very few hardman sprinters will join the party.

 

[karlboss]

I was looking for gaps between 5 and 10 minutes. Depending on how hard climbers attack. I was pretty sure over 10km at almost 9% was too much. It's rare you see how a sprinter climbs when motivated. I wonder what it would take, where's libertine?
I was honestly thinking 10km at 5% or so.

 

[Viskovitz]

In our blog, we wanted to gather all the basic information about the MSR and its route together, just to have historic contest on how the race was won and how it has chaged its parcours and results.

Also, we wanted to show the possible alternative profiles the race can have in the future, becouse Pompeiana isn't the only option.

Here's the main graph, but in the link below you can also see some alternative profiles for the race.

Here's the link, it's in spanish but pics are pics, if you don't undestand something just ask - http://plataformarecorridosciclista...storia-evolucion-y-alternativas-al-recorrido/

I think this information is just basic if someone wants to debate what route the MSR should have.

So, with that in mind, what route would you prefer? Only Cipressa+Poggio? Le Manie+Cipressa+Poggio? Cipressa+Pompeiana+Poggio? Or other alternatives like Civezza before Cipressa, or Castello+Bande di La instead of Mele+Cervo?

 

[rghysens]

I was looking for gaps between 5 and 10 minutes. Depending on how hard climbers attack. I was pretty sure over 10km at almost 9% was too much. It's rare you see how a sprinter climbs when motivated. I wonder what it would take, where's libertine?
I was honestly thinking 10km at 5% or so.

Including the climb to Testico would fit that description, but would lengthen the race with a bit more than 20km.

Other options are including the Civezza climb right before the Cipressa, or (and this has my preference, if they want to change the parcours) swapping the Cipressa for the Pompeiana. That way the two climb final remains untouched, but instead of 9 flat km between Cipressa and Poggio, there are only 1 or 2.

 

[Cimber]

Good and fun blog by Juul Jensen. This time with focus on San Remo

http://rouleur.cc/journal/riders/ice-cold-sanremo

 

[Netserk]

In our blog, we wanted to gather all the basic information about the MSR and its route together, just to have historic contest on how the race was won and how it has chaged its parcours and results.

Also, we wanted to show the possible alternative profiles the race can have in the future, becouse Pompeiana isn't the only option.

Here's the main graph, but in the link below you can also see some alternative profiles for the race.

Here's the link, it's in spanish but pics are pics, if you don't undestand something just ask - http://plataformarecorridosciclista...storia-evolucion-y-alternativas-al-recorrido/

I think this information is just basic if someone wants to debate what route the MSR should have.

So, with that in mind, what route would you prefer? Only Cipressa+Poggio? Le Manie+Cipressa+Poggio? Cipressa+Pompeiana+Poggio? Or other alternatives like Civezza before Cipressa, or Castello+Bande di La instead of Mele+Cervo?

Hi, first of all thanks for the link, it's very nice

Would it be possible to show on a map the exact place of the finish line of pre-96 and 96-07?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

This is the exact location of the Via Roma finish line:
https://www.google.it/maps/@43.8159...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1saJvpTViOpuetueV2jTCeEw!2e0

I think it stayed like that until 2008, tbh. I am not sure how the Poggio came to be 1,6 km further away, but I guess they made a detour somewhere.

Edit: looking at pictures from 1997-2007, it seems the finish line did move, with about 15 meters, closer to the poggio.

 

[Netserk]

Thanks!

 

[fauniera]

Hi, first of all thanks for the link, it's very nice

Would it be possible to show on a map the exact place of the finish line of pre-96 and 96-07?

If i understand this correctly, the finish was at Corso Cavallotti from 1987 to 1993. That's much closer to the Poggio than Via Roma.

Fignon 1988:

Fondriest 1993:

Chiappucci 1991: http://www.milansanremo.co.uk/1991story.htm

Chiappucci wanted to start 1991 with a winning ride. He had spent twelve days in January training on the Italian Riviera; in particular, the five critical climbs that pepper the final 60 km of Milan-San Remo and usually determine the outcome of the race. Certainly, Chiappucci was entitled to the hysterical applause of the tifosi and the winner's laurels at San Remo's Corsa Cavallotti.

 

[Netserk]

Thanks

So the three different finishes are Corso Cavallotti (~1.25km from the bottom of Poggio), Via Roma (~2.3km) and Lungomare Italo Cavino (~3km).

 

[Viskovitz]

Thanks

So the three different finishes are Corso Cavallotti (~1.25km from the bottom of Poggio), Via Roma (~2.3km) and Lungomare Italo Cavino (~3km).

That seems right. I was never able to locate the Corso Cavallotti finish, so thanks! I just new the line was moved from youtube videos, for example in kelly's victory the 1km flag comes just after they finish the poggio descent.