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.
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@Dr C
I would have done but my arm span is only about 6 feet
@LA Dave
Seriously, are those t-shirts available or are you messing with us? I'd buy the Spartacus one no probs.
@wiscot
tenspeedhero.com Google is your friend.
@wiscot
Here.
@frank
Fantastic! Is the kid shouting at them at the heart of the turn the Italian iteration of the young fella from Flanders, or is it the same kid grown up and displaced by changes to the Tour of Flanders route?
Awesome day!
What about the crash at the end? I just want to say that the way that the back of the rider's head hit the deck would have been very bad if he hadn't had a helmet on. Hope he's ok.
I was right and all of you were wrong. I knew the race would be too tough for Cav, I wondered to myself why all the noise from Haussler was getting traction, and honestly if Fab can't come up with some new tactics soon then he's going to be second a lot, he's getting easier to pick than a dirty nose.
Looks to be a stellar ride by Gerrans AND Nibbles, I was surprised to see both of them at the finish. I Don't understand how a rider who is National Champ, has already won a tour this season and duked out a hilltop finish with Valverde in the TDU can be considered unworthy of winning a monument. He beat the strongest in the race to win.
Bummer for Boonen and Freire, but at least Faboo looks like he's learnt to sprint in the drops.
When I first started racing seriously, a buddy of mine who was giving me guidance when I made Cat II, said "it's almost never the strongest guy in the field that wins the race, but the guy that's the smartest". Nibbles could't have helped if he wanted to on the flats, and Faboo tried a trick that I've used to success 1/100 times; try and bury the guys behind you with sheer willpower. While I'm not a big fan of Gerrans, he did what he had to do.
OK- I missed the race today with family activities (me and my twin girls were in a taekwondo tournament- some iron was brought home by them!) and I am pissed that I missed the race and only picked two of the top five, but fuck me, if Mr. George Hincapie wasn't in the thick of it till the finish. 20th... that guy is a stud!
At one point near the end Faboo managed to get a 10m gap but the other two managed to get back on. I was expecting the "motorbike" to disappear into the distance but did not happen. Gerrans win was maybe not the most beautiful but was definitely functional.
On a different note great to see old Johnny H put in another daring but fruitless attack. Got to love him, goes flat out every time!