Sat 5th of March: Montepaschi Strade Bianche (was Monte Paschi Eroica) 1.1

[Ryo Hazuki]

yep, they should have invited more than 14 teams , I think Sky, Rabo or Katusha could bring the stronger lineup than any of those Italian pro continental teams
edit: and Astana as well. The team of a current winner ain't invited, shame on RCS

this race is not about the best teams but about the best italian teams. this is italian tradition you appearntly don't understand. if the giro had zero foreign teams just as many people in italy would watch it.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Fine, have more Italian teams in so that it's more of a national race and in tune with its history

this is italian tradition you appearntly don't understand.

tradition

history

You do realise the race is just four years old, right?

 

[joe1265]

Sagan - FTW!

 

[jens_attacks]

this race is not about the best teams but about the best italian teams. this is italian tradition you appearntly don't understand. if the giro had zero foreign teams just as many people in italy would watch it.

yes but it's wrong.i hate this traditionalism bullshiit and above all,the nationalism.

not inviting iglinsky's team was just pure stupidity.beautiful race yeah but i'll never forgive them for this.

and now the news that matter:

the weather forecast for siena on saturday is light rain.let's hope for some showers.

 

[The Hitch]

If a race isnt live it loses half the fun.

Maybe we should make a deal to all start watching it at the same time (maybe 15 minutes after TSF puts it up) or something

 

[ingsve]

You do realise the race is just four years old, right?

The pro race is young but it has a longer history as a recreational race before that.

 

[Kvinto]

this race is not about the best teams but about the best italian teams. this is italian tradition you appearntly don't understand. if the giro had zero foreign teams just as many people in italy would watch it.

You're wrong, I have nothing against their domestic teams. The only question is the amount of invited teams at all.
They have to decide what do they really want (or what could be profitable for their races, of course if they want them to be profitable). Maybe they do not need the worldwide promotion, but where is Coppa Placci or Milano–Torino now?

 

[El Pistolero]

It still has Gilbert, Cancellara and Cavendish, bigger names than last year.

 

[search]

Wegmann for the win

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

The pro race is young but it has a longer history as a recreational race before that.

So if they care about tradition of that previous race why they broke it to pieces and turned into a pro competition?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Wegmann for the win

I thought about that too. The likes of Cancellara and Gilbert won't want to be quite peaking then. And one thing we know about Fabian is he will try, try and try again.

Looking forward to see him try to triple up in Frankfurt in May too.

 

[search]

yes, Wegmann was ill last week, but 6th place at Boucles du Sud Ardèche wasn't that bad - at least if you look at the number of foreigners in the top 20...

Strade Bianchi is his favourite race, don't know if he will be the protected rider at Leopard, but they'll give him free rein I think.

 

[El Pistolero]

I thought about that too. The likes of Cancellara and Gilbert won't want to be quite peaking then. And one thing we know about Fabian is he will try, try and try again.

Looking forward to see him try to triple up in Frankfurt in May too.

Cancellara won San Remo in the same year as he won Monte Paschi Strade Bianche. He also was second in Paris-Roubaix, losing only to Tom Boonen. After that he got Olympic gold in the time trial and silver in the road race.

 

[Michele]

So if they care about tradition of that previous race why they broke it to pieces and turned into a pro competition?

The other one still exist.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

The other one still exist.

Ah okay then.







Oh wait, it's not okay.

It that race does not replace that other race what kind of traditions and history are we talking aboot here, eh?

What i really mean is one should not justify race organisers. They had their own quite obvious reasons.

Justifying their decisions with things that don't exist is just laughable.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

You do realise the race is just four years old, right?

I said italian tradition, not this race. this race is all about italian tradition you mst be completely out of cycling to not see that with this course.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

You're wrong, I have nothing against their domestic teams. The only question is the amount of invited teams at all.
They have to decide what do they really want (or what could be profitable for their races, of course if they want them to be profitable). Maybe they do not need the worldwide promotion, but where is Coppa Placci or Milano–Torino now?

I;m not wrong. they invite 14 teams because tradition italian cycling races had no more than 14 teams including the giro.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Ah okay then.







Oh wait, it's not okay.

It that race does not replace that other race what kind of traditions and history are we talking aboot here, eh?

What i really mean is one should not justify race organisers. They had their own quite obvious reasons.

Justifying their decisions with things that don't exist is just laughable.

they do exist. these are sentimens within people very alive. like it or not italian people rather have a race with just italian teams and this race is for italian viewers and italian cycling tradition.

 

[Kvinto]

I;m not wrong. they invite 14 teams because tradition italian cycling races had no more than 14 teams including the giro.

Well, so this years edition will be more traditional than year ago, because there were 15 teams in 2010:
1.SKY
2.ACQUA & SAPONE
3.AG2R
4.ANDRONI
5.ASTANA
6.BMC
7.CERVELO
8.GARMIN
9.ISD
10.LAMPRE
11.LIQUIGAS
12.LOTTO
13.COLUMBIA
14.KATUSHA
15.SAXO BANK
Don't you find it strange?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

14, 15 doesn't really matter too much. maybe surprising they didn't invite sky as number 15 but must have had a reason I think.

 

[Christian]

Strade Bianchi is his favourite race, don't know if he will be the protected rider at Leopard, but they'll give him free rein I think.

It looks that way, as Luca Guercilena (DS) says on their website:

“The team is absolutely competitive for this kind of race. Fabian Wegmann is in a great shape and will do very well on the steep climbs. Daniele Bennati is probably our joker – he’s riding in his home area and even though he has been a bit sick this last week, he might just be our best card to play besides Wegmann.Obviously, we can’t forget former winner, Fabian Cancellara, but I think he has his sights more set on the following race: Tirreno-Adriatico. But I would never count him out, of course”

The nice thing about Wegman is that this time, he actually has a pretty good team to support him! Looking forward to his performances at Eroica and T-A as well

 

[Kvinto]

14, 15 doesn't really matter too much. maybe surprising they didn't invite sky as number 15 but must have had a reason I think.

2007 - 14 teams (10 Italian)
2008 - 16 (7)
2009 - 15 (8)
2010 - 15 (5)
2011 - 14 (8)
I really do like and respect the traditions, but it must be something constant because in my opinion when you have a tradition only from time to time, it can't be named a tradition...
But never mind, the more important thing is how to find the live stream because I'm sure the race will be great, as usual

 

[Orvieto]

He said that He can't miss Eroica for nothing in the world (Yes He called it Eroica) I saw the interview in cyclingfever...

Every time I risk getting cynical about cycling I can count on Ryder to change my mind. In that interview he's so obviously excited about just riding, comparing the strade bianche to Canadian gravel roads and talking about how funny it is to see guys who are used to tarmac.

"It’s such a spectacular setting at the end of the day. Coming into the historic piazza at Sienna is just epic. It’s bike racing in Italy, which doesn’t get any better than that."

He obviously loves the race, because he's jumping on a flight right after to make the start of Paris-Nice the next day.

 

[lucybears]

He said that He can't miss Eroica for nothing in the world (Yes He called it Eroica) I saw the interview in cyclingfever...

no, the interview is at Velonews, but cyclingfever does try to keep you informed...
http://www.cyclingfever.com/interview.html
.

 

[Matthijs]

Just Italian teams, 10 in total, it's all fine! I think people here are just frustrated there is no live coverage
Seriously, why should tradition mean every year since somewhere before 1940? Even the races we see as traditional change too, look at the discussion about Flandres for instance. It's good this race excists, but it's a 1.1 race. If you want more international attention go to the UCI and convince them to make it HC.

Maybe, just maybe, some international teams did not want to bring their stars and the organisers decided that they didn't want those teams. But instead of screaming everything out loud and offend those teams they didn't communicate their reasons?
Or maybe hope 14 teams provide more attacking racing instead of 16 or 20 teams?
Or maybe without ears it's safer too have only a small amount of riders on these roads?