T-Bob Posted March 19, 2015 Author Posted March 19, 2015 So MSR this weekend. Awesome. Bit of Sean Kelly giving it a massive chase. Legend.
T-Bob Posted March 19, 2015 Author Posted March 19, 2015 How do you beat them on the finish line? By letting them know from the start chute that you've got this nailed. Kelly, bored with how much he is about to school the fools around him. He even throws in the reverse hat to prompt some serious hostility. http://www.praquempedala.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/pic92142520_600.jpg
Pure Savage Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 Milan San Remo this weekend... Humm, any predictions now that Sagan has remembered how to win?Who is this Sagan chap, heard he has been reading SA cricket history and taking some pointers.
Cav' Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 WTF Cycling Weekly, they pick Nibs as a MSR favourite http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/milan-san-remo-2015-who-will-win-162805
Cav' Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 WTF Cycling Weekly, they pick Nibs as a MSR favourite http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/milan-san-remo-2015-who-will-win-162805Well not the favourite, but he's on the list
T-Bob Posted March 19, 2015 Author Posted March 19, 2015 I actually dunno... it's looking wide open at the moment. With some climbs removed and the finish back on Via Roma every team with a decent sprinter is throwing them at the race while GVA, Gilbert, Stybar, Sagan, Gallopin etc are leading the Poggio break away crew. You'd think that Tinkoff won't have the kind of firepower that they had at Tirreno at the end of this length race to drive the pace and shell the pure fast men out the back. What about Stannard and Sky, they are showing promise in the classics. I'm going with... Arrrgggg... I'm actually pretty lost on this one. In no order: - Cav- Sagan- Kristoff- Matthews- Degenklob
tombeej Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 The traditional finish at Via Roma is way too far for an individual (except maybe a 30-year old Cancellara) to stay away esp. after 300km in the legs. The only way any breakaway is going to succeed from the Poggio is if enough strong guys go away together and work 100% for each other to the finish. So who could this group be? Well, the field will be marking Cancellara and Sagan on the Poggio - they won't be allowed to go. Stybar will have to look after Cav for the sprint along with everyone else in the team - I'll be very surprised if Patrick Lefevere allows any of his riders to stray from the script (unless Cav is having a bad day and tells his team he's not feeling good for the sprint). BMC (GVA and Gilbert) will have to try and recruit other breakaway specialists if they have any chance for a win. They'll have to attack together and then work together - a challenge considering the much publicised ego-driven rivalry between the two. Gallopin could be a good recruit if he hasn't been kept back by his DS for Greipel's sprint. The Sky boys could be called in to have a go with the BMC okes. Or even OGE with Matthews. I'm sure the Ozzies would rather have Michael get to the finish in a small select group than have him duke it out among the organised sprint trains of Quickstep, Lotto-Soudal, Katusha and Giant. The only way I see a breakaway going away (and staying away) over the Poggio is if team managements come to a quiet little agreement with each other before the race. Otherwise, it's going to come down to a sprint lead-out.
tombeej Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 The weather report for Sunday looks very similar to last year: cold, cloudy and dim with rain. The wind is 15 km/h NNE, which means a R-L cross wind for the 50km run-in along the coast to San Remo. Might not be strong enough to force any echelons.
tombeej Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 OK I've just spent a little time on Google Maps to check my facts. I see that this years finish is actually just 2 km from the bottom of the Poggio, which means 1 km shorter than in 2014. So actually a slightly better chance for a late break to stick this year.
T-Bob Posted March 19, 2015 Author Posted March 19, 2015 OK I've just spent a little time on Google Maps to check my facts. I see that this years finish is actually just 2 km from the bottom of the Poggio, which means 1 km shorter than in 2014. So actually a slightly better chance for a late break to stick this year. Yeah, it's the 'old' route that gave some of the best, maddest and boldest descents to the Via Roma. That fact is the thing that's making it uncertain how it's going to pan out this year in my mind. Cav is (or is bluffing) that he's still carrying a bug from his 47km fun ride at the Argus so that makes Stybar great plan B plus weather should be interesting again. Is the world champ riding? He's won out a good descent. Sagan is pretty handy when it goes down as well.
tombeej Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 Coppi, Coffee, The Past and The Present As races go Milan-Sanremo has created many legends and myths. There are far too many moments to list. So let’s take 1946 and the story of Fausto Coppi and his coffee break. “When Fausto won and you wanted to check the time gap to the man in second place, you didn’t need a Swiss stopwatch. The bell of the church clock tower would do the job just as well. Paris–Roubaix? Milan – San Remo? Lombardy? We’re talking 10 minutes to a quarter of an hour. That’s how Fausto Coppi was”– Raphaël Géminiani, CycleSport Magazine, 1996 For the full article by the Inner Ring, read it here.
tombeej Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 One of my favourite cycling photos of all time. Eddy Merckx celebrating victory at the 1976 Milan-San Remo.
tombeej Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 Eddy, the greatest legend of this race. 7 times Milan - San Remo champion (1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976). Honouring the rainbow stripes with a solo break to win the 1975 edition:
T-Bob Posted March 19, 2015 Author Posted March 19, 2015 One of my favourite cycling photos of all time. Eddy Merckx celebrating victory at the 1976 Milan-San Remo. That is the face of a man who knows he's murdered that race.
'Dale Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 So MSR this weekend. Awesome. Bit of Sean Kelly giving it a massive chase. Legend. Haven't seen that for while.Magnifique!
T-Bob Posted March 19, 2015 Author Posted March 19, 2015 Haven't seen that for while.Magnifique! Last man to claim La Primavera in toe clips and straps.
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