Velominati Super Prestige: Milano San-Remo 2012
The Poggio. It’s probably one of the most famous easy climbs in the world; going through old cycling photographs, I rarely come across one where the leaders haven’t moved Sur La Plaque. It has a reputation, however, for being a real leg breaker, mostly because any climb is a big climb once you cross its summit after a paltry 291 kilometers. And the descent provides one of the twistiest, most exhilarating finales in the sport.
This race stands apart as the longest on the calendar, and represents the only of the five Monuments where the sprinters have a chance at final glory. But this can have it all: the long, solo break routinely makes it to the finish uncaught. The final attacks on the Poggio regularly stick. The attack that goes away on the climb often gets caught on the descent. And, sometimes the whole thing stays together for a bunch gallop. Essentially, any ride who is on form has a chance at glory. This is a unique race.
The question on everyone’s mind is wether Cavendish can get over the Poggio in position to make it to the finish in the first group. If he does, then you can jot down the winner right now. He’s lost some significant weight in the last few weeks, so his climbing should be good; we also have it on good authority from our eyes and ears on the roads in Italy that the Manx Mouth has been spotted training in the hills of Italy with the express intention of making it over the last bump. If, on the other hand, he gets spat out the back like a rainbow turd when the road points uphill, it will be a free-for-all. The fast semi-climbers with descending skills like Nibbles are talking big about their chances. And who in their right minds would ever discount Faboo with his brommer or Gilbert once he fires the howitzers.
So rub your lucky rabbit’s foot and throw some salt over your shoulder; you’re going to need some divine intervention on this one. This year’s VSP is also the first year where we’ll be offering a special badge to the winner of the monuments. We can’t unveil the MSR Badge yet, but the winner of this VSP event will have the honor of posting with the badge until next year’s event. The winner will also receive a free Symbol Pack. Check the start list and get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Saturday morning; if timezone arithmetic isn’t your strong suit, just watch the countdown timer in the banner at the top of the site. As usual, your points go towards the overall VSP as well.
Good luck.
Not gonna miss the cut-off for this VSP race.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Friar Oscar
5. Boomboom (Tom)
Err somehow I am logged in as CanuckChuck. I am not CanuckChuck.
Danger
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Friar Oscar
5. Boomboom (Tom)
Also logged in as CanuckChuck, even after logging out and logging back in. I am not he. I think this might be the year that an Italian wins a Monument, but I just couldn’t pull the trigger here. Cav and Sky will have this race under control. Only Spartacus might ruin the party. Of course, picking two Italians, I’ve basically damned them both, and Bennati or Oss or someone will win instead.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Viviani
3. Cancellara
4. Guardini
5. Hushovd
Oh, well it still says I am logged in as CanuckChuck but I am not.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Nibali
5. EBH
Frank – is the site ok? I’m trying to log in (Roadslave525) but my MSR page says I’m logged in as CanuckChuck, and it won’t let me log out… is it a ‘me’ thing, or a ‘site’ thing? In case it isn’t quick fix (and I’m off to bed, then Wales for a weekends training in the mountains), could you enter my picks (for Roadslave525, NOT CanuckChuck!): 1. Cavendish (yawn); 2. Sagan; 3. Haussler; 4. Boonen; 5. Cancellara I think the sprinters will keep together (marshalled by Sky), Cancellara will go on the descent, and caught by the pack on the finishing line…
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Friar Oscar
5. Boomboom (Tom)
Hmmm, this is Lukas a.k.a. RoseCityRolleur and the site has me logged in as CanuckChuck. While I often have several voices inside my head, I don’t remember having a Canadian accent with any of them. Can the site admin check what’s up?
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Friar Oscar
5. Boomboom (Tom)
Seems it’s not just me…. but Frank – can you still change to Roadslave525… not Roadslave… thanks.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Haussler
4. Boonen
5. Cancellara
Wow, we all bow to the power of CanuckChuck!
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Friar Oscar
5. Boomboom (Tom)
Damn,and now my picks are screwed up!
P.S. the VSP picks were already populated with his picks (good choices by the way)
I’ll change it, but I don’t want to mess with CanuckChuck’s pics.
Looks like this is happening to a number of us.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Cancellara
3. Freire
4. Boonen
5. Hushovd
I’ll follow the race on my car and I’ll send you some photos and news via e.mail.
I hope we are going to see an exciting race.
I rode the MSR Amateur 3 times, the first it took me 10 hours to finish, the second time was much better and the third for some reasons I prefer not to explain I was in a solo breakaway along the riviera shores!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Ballan
3. Cancellara
4. Cunego
5. Pozzato
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Boonen
3. Greipel
4. Thor
5. Spartacus
By the way, I read an interview with Big George where was talking about the Poggio. He said that “it’s a pretty easy climb normally but during Milan San-Remo it comes after 280k and you’re going 40kph up it.” Freakin’ 40 kph UPHILL!
VSP PICKS:
1. Colli
2. Cavendish
3. Cancellara
4. Boonen
5. Sagan
Whoah, all that rockhopping stuff is okay, but check out how fast these guys descend….. nauseating at times http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaOpOFm4yvQ&feature=g-all-u&context=G269f8daFAAAAAAAADAA
I wish Sky would send Gerry Thomas up the road and no-one bothers to chase him down – unlikely (probably isn’t racing??) but what the heck
VSP PICKS:
1. Gerry Thomas
2. Faboo
VSP PICKS:
1. cavendish
2. cancellara
3. sagan
4. boasson hagen
5. matt goss
@Cyclops
As an amateur I’d not call the Milano Sanremo: a race for sprinters. Il Passo del Turchino, le Manie, i Capi, la Cipressa e il Poggio are all real uphill roads.
@all
We had a caching problem and it looks like CanuckChuck’s picks were getting fed to everyone. Please make sure your picks are showing up under your name. If not, change them back. @CanuckChuck – you would go check yours again, too.
Bugger.
@Cyclops
Those are some coosh tires. Maybe I need to forget about my FMBs and get those for the cobbles.
Chapeau to @Simon for picking Nibbles to win from a long one.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
Try again!
Chapeau to @Simon for picking Nibbles to win from a long one.
Anyone noticed how Thor is holding on to his matches so far in 2012? Faboonen are happily igniting left, right and centre, but nothing from G.O.T. Can’t wait for Paris-Roubaix!
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Freire
4. Boonen
5. Cancellara
Okay…I’ll bite…
Here is to Cav burying his face in his team mates ass for the win. Nobody remembers the glorious losers, only those giant pussy winners.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sagan
3. Boonen
4. Cancellara
5. Thor
VSP PICKS:
1. Gerry Thomas
2. Faboo
3. Nibbles
4. Johnny Hoo
5. Sagan
I do dig the pic of the Professor from the French Tabloid L’Equpie.
That video of Kelly and Argentin is one of my all time favorites. The body language from Argentin when Kelly pulls along side under the red kite says it all.
VSP PICKS:
1. Mark Cavendish
2. Fabian Cancellara
3. Tom Boonen
4. Alessandro Ballan
5. Matt Goss
Hate to say it, but I think Gossy is a little light on his form this year – even with the team working for him
And @Bianchi_Bob ss for your continued attempts to denigrate drafting and now sprinters who do draft to great effectiveness, mate, you need to find a new sport or understand this one a bit better.
Yes, riders can attack from long ways out with great panache, but cycling is all about using one’s energy most effectively. Sprinters such as Cav and Cipo use teams to get them to the spot where they can unleash their extreme top-end speed. For a sprinter to do “his” turn at the front during a race, would be extremely stupid/selfish as he would be wasting his team’s efforts to preserve their sprinter. A sprinter’s job is to preserve himself as much as possible during the race so his speed is highest when it counts. So yes, for 99% of the race (or more in the case of la Primavera) his job is to be as far “up the backside” of his teammates as is humanly acceptable.
Have you ever raced a bike?
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Boonen
3. Freire
4. Sagan
5. Cancellara
Here we go… under my own name this time… Cav to win (yawn)… but I put The Modfather 2nd in Paris-Nice, and look where that got me for being unpatriotic. Come on Cav – do the hoops proud, and Tommy Simpson’s memory (like Brad did)
@Pedale.Forchetta
Hey what? I think you have to explain now!
Looking forward to your pics and reports mate…
No “Rainbow turds” this year, more likely a swiss or belgium “chocolate” being ejected out the back……
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Hushovd
3. Freire
4. Farrar
5. Cancellara
Hulloooo? Anyone there? where are my VSP picks?
1. Cavendish; 2. Sagan; 3. Haussler; 4. Boonen; 5. Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Goss
2. Sagan
3. Faboo
4. Boss Hog
5. Saussler
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sags
3. Heiny
4. Rickshaw
5. Davo
I don’t think faboo will get 4th .. but I can’t not have his name up there..
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Boonen
3. Haussler
4. Faboo
5. Gossy
@roadslave525
Stop panicking, and put the selections in the boxes… your picks haven’t showed up in the mapping, so have another go. If that doesn’t work, we’ll get Frank.
@roadslave525
We had a little problem, just try again with your picks…
Preliminary selection – I’m guessing that Cav keeps it together – last time he really focused on a race he won it. And the time before that. And before that. And before that.
Not my favorite scenario, but I think a break will go as usual on the Poggio and Nibbles will be at the front. I think Gobbles is off a bit this spring and won’t figure in the finale. Faboo will make a try – maybe pull a Kelly on the descent and almost make it before getting gobbled up by the field and therefor won’t make the top five.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Gossy
3. Boss Hog
4. Greipel
5. Boonen
Cav has been looking ominously quick so far, so hopefully EBH and the rest of Team Sky can get him over the Poggio and ready to do his thing.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Faboo
3. Boonen
4. Sagan
5. Renshaw
Hey! I actually have Internet in my hotel in Honduras! Hopefully I will be able to find the race on Saturday as well! Really hope my picks are wrong and Tomeke wins it, it I just do not see that happening. Cav has been so vocal about wanting to win this in the rainbow jersey and Sparticus is just too strong right now. Hopefully Tomeke gets it, but I doubt it.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sparticus
3. Boonen
4. Freire
5. Greipel
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Thor
3. Saggin’
4. Guardini
5. Oscar the Friar
Just can’t see Cav getting over the Poggio with the others despite his training based on the form they have been in. Reckon Sky might go each way & send Boss Hogg away with them if they realise it’s not happening for Cav early enough.
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. The Nibbler
3. Boss Hogg
4. Ale Ballet
5. Boom Boom
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Cavendish
3. Friere
4. Boonen
5. Sagan
This one is hard, please no Cavendouche.
VSP PICKS:
1. 191 CANCELLARA Fabian
2. 111 FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar
3. 161 BOONEN Tom
4. 132 SAGAN Peter
5. 1 GOSS Matthew Harley
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Hushovd
4. Goss
5. Cavendish
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Boonen
3. Hushovd
4. Cancellara
5. Sagan
Odd, but beautiful to see Delta brakes (1989).
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Spartacus
3. Boonen
4. Faboo
5. Thor
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav Boy Racer
2. Cancellara
3. Spartacus
4. Boonen
5. Thor
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Boonen
3. Haussler
4. EBH
5. Cancellara
The Professor showing perfect flying V form across the line (photo)