Who will win 2015 Milan - San Remo?

[Jancouver]

Who will win 2015 Milan - San Remo?

 

[Asero831]

Who will look after Kristoff on the Poggio San Remo? Otherwise I see Stybar or Lobato having a go at this. GVA for 2nd

 

[Sasquatch]

Michael Matthews

 

[Jancouver]

Sorry guys, seems like the poll functionality is not working

1. Stybar (wishful thinking, more so some surprise like Haussler etc)
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Cancellara will podium. Kristoff for the win. For an outsider I pick Navardauskas.

 

[bala v]

Peter Sagan to start the string of monuments!

 

[lemon cheese cake]

1. Kristoff
2. Sagan
3. Cancellara

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Who will look after Kristoff on the Poggio San Remo? Otherwise I see Stybar or Lobato having a go at this. GVA for 2nd

I think Kristoff will make it over the Poggio fairly comfortably. It's too gentle for the others to distance him - especially bearing in mind how much power he always seems to have available late in long races.

I think it's between him and Degenkolb for the win. I doubt Stybar could beat either in a sprint and don't think he has the course to drop them before - same for GVA. Sagan is a bit more interesting now that he has won and will have more confidence, but he has faded in all tough/long races in the last year or so - difficult to see him beating Kristoff or Degenkolb in a sprint after 300km.

 

[Asero831]

If here are more than six guys with 10+ secs on top of Poggio, i do not think the sprint teams can catch them.

GVA, Kwiat, Sagan, Costa and Cance can hold on to that lead

 

[greenedge]

Cav
Sagan
Matthews/Cancellara

Hoping for Gallopin and Stybar to also feature, hopefully in a late move.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

If here are more than six guys with 10+ secs on top of Poggio, i do not think the sprint teams can catch them.

GVA, Kwiat, Sagan, Costa and Cance can hold on to that lead

I'm not sure 10 seconds would be enough for a group like that. Costa and Kwiat certainly wouldn't be working for a sprint and probably not Cance either. The peloton would probably reel them in unless they all worked together pretty much until the line. I don't really see how a group like that would get away on the climb anyway, it's just not difficult enough and some teams - Giant, Katusha, possibly even Etixx - will drive such a high, steady pace at the front to keep everyone together.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re:

If here are more than six guys with 10+ secs on top of Poggio, i do not think the sprint teams can catch them.

GVA, Kwiat, Sagan, Costa and Cance can hold on to that lead

If Sagan is there, no one will work in the break. His best chance to win is to stay in peloton.

 

[jens_attacks]

gilbert will win this bike race.

 

[King Boonen]

If Sagan is in any break no-one's going to work just to drag him to the line and get second, same if Kristoff is there. I think it'll either be someone we wouldn't expect or one of the real sprinters (including Degenkolb, Sagan and Kristoff). I'd ideally like to see Cav of Sagan take it.

 

[rei_da_montanha]

For me, Degenkolb, Sagan and GVA are de main contenders, with Kristoff, Cancellara and Stybar right behind.

 

[eljimberino]

Is Stannard showing up?

 

[Netserk]

Kristoff, Degenkolb, Sagan or Cav will win.

 

[King Boonen]

Can't see GVA getting this at all unless he gets very lucky in the final selection.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

With the finish moved back to Via Roma I guess there's a bit more chance for attackers. Kwiatkowski maybe?

 

[Asero831]

Etixx would not help the chase if Stybar or Kwiat are on the break. Renshaw is not even sure if he will race.
Giant may not be full force after 290 kms and they will be the one to work whole day to neutralize the early break

 

[Netserk]

I think both Stybar and Kwiatkowski will work 100% for Cav to win. It's their best chance to win. Throw in Trentin and perhaps Terpstra as well and you have a very strong team to control it post-Poggio.

 

[Asero831]

^^ If Renshaw will not race then we are 100% sure that Etixx is not 100% behind Cav

 

[Netserk]

Re:

^^ If Renshaw will not race then we are 100% sure that Etixx is not 100% behind Cav

Why? Has Renshaw ever made it over Poggio in the first bunch?

Stybar and Trentin should be more than enough of a lead-out. Guys controlling it and getting him to the front are far more important.

 

[King Boonen]

Agreed. At the end of MSR the leadout man needs to be someone who can last the distance and still deliver their man, not sure Renshaw is the right choice there.

 

[Carstenbf]

Viviani ftw. Blue and black train to keep things together for the sprint, and he and Guardini shall pip the rest of the contenders!

(wishful thinking perhaps, but my fantasy team would approve)