Finally, we have Milan-Sanremo. I hope pedale.forcetta is ready to shoot some pictures, especially black and white because it will be cold and possibly wet. Throw in a little wind and a race of this distance will weed out the less hardy. Recently, but not too recently, this race would be won out of a decent size field sprint. And yet, besides Fabs winning in 2008 it does come down to a sprint finish of some size. That race was setting up for a field sprint when Cancellara bolted and no one could catch him. The solo charge to the finish just doesn’t seem to work here. It is such an interesting race because the finish is unlike any of the other monuments. Moreno Argentin lost the race because he was not as good as descender as Kelly. Getting down the Cipressa and Poggio well is not easy. The descents are tight narrow Italian roads, hairpin turns, madness. Fabs and Sagan are two excellent descenders and Sagan has a killer sprint. NIbali just won Terreno. Thor has recovered. Boonen is back with Cavendish, on the same team! Gilbert is wearing the rainbow jersey. Andy Schleck has pre-dropped out. God Damnit, if you are going to get up at some weird hour of the night to watch a race this year, this is it people.
An American has never won one of cycling’s monuments and Sunday’s race does not seem to be where it is going to happen. Tyler Farrar would have to latch onto a special train and surely Cancellara will not be towing people to the line this year. The odds of Australian riders winning the last two editions were very long but it demonstrates how exciting and unpredictable this race is.
Here is the incomplete start list, it will be updated when available. No Delgados, no whining, the betting window is now open. Get you picks in before the countdown timer goes to zero at midnight Pacific Time. The winner of this event is awarded the MSR comment badge for the remainder of the season.
Here is a little video from last year, interesting more for the behind the scenes action and the amount of bleeped out cursing.
[vsp_results id=”22700″/]
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
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@Mikael Liddy True. But Cobo won a Vuelta and I suspect he won't feature in the tipping this year.
Henrich hasn't been any good at anything except falling off and whining for a while now.
VSP PICKS:
1. Niballi
2. Boonen
3. Cancellara
4. Sagan
5. Mick Rogers
@Daccordi Rider from memory he did a pretty good line of 2nd place finishes last year at the Tour of Cali when Mr Sagan was having his fun, but yeah can't remember him gracing the top step since his Tour stage win
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sagan
3. Greippel
4. G. Thomas
5. Pozzato
VSP PICKS:
1. P Sagan
2. F Pozzato
3. F Cancellara
4. M Santabrogrio
5. M Goss
@paolo
You are the grand poo bah - heyy-oh!
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Philippe Gilbert
3. Fabian Cancellara
4. Filippo Pozzato
5. Jack Bauer
Everyone is saying that this race will be impossible to predict but I beg to differ. I think of the three options: a breakaway, a select group, or mass gallop, the mass gallop is straight out this year. Between the weather, the wind (likely a gusty but not disturbingly strong cross wind, most likely felt at the coast), and the likely pace up the climbs, there is simply no way Cav, Ciolek, Greipel, etc make it to the finish first.
I think the final will be a slightly larger select group then last years 3, with a few more punchy types mixing it up. For the skinny folks Nibali's form is spot on to last years, and Santambrogio carries form reminicent, if not better then Gatto's last year, and should be present on the Poggio. The guy is really coming into his own this year, and has gone up the road with Nibali before.
But I think despite their best efforts, a few of the guys with a fast kick will make it over the top. Sagan and Hushovd have shown their climbing legs are alive and well (T-A stage 6, probably race day of the year, damn have the Italians put on good races this year and last). Pozzato thought he won Maxima-Roma, while sick, and assuming he gets over the climb with help, he will be up there as well.
Now that I have analyzed this race this far, a break will win from 30 k out or a sprinter hangs tough. But I seriously doubt it. To many well rounded strong men here.
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Filippo Pozzato
4. Mauro Santambrogio
5. Vincenzo Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. FabCan
3. Nibali
4. Gilbert
5. Boasson Hagen
@King Clydesdale
oF course it's possible to predict. Getting it right, that's the tricky bit.
@Tobin
Ermmm...ok. I thought Frank holds that title but then what do I know.