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.
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…
View Comments
Dude won Milan San Remo. From a select bunch. In the Aussie National Champs jersey. It doesn't get any more PANACHE-TASTIC than that fucktards.
Fabian thought he was stronger than everyone else. Either that or he's forgotten his entire 2011 Spring campaign after E3 Prijs. He was wrong. Chapeau for trying. In fairness, Radio Leopard Shack (or whatever they are called) probably didn't have any other bullets to fire (vs Liquigas and Green Edge who had Sagan and Goss if the bunch came back together) so maybe that explains the one dimensional approach to tactics. I like Faboo, and maybe the truth is he is still 2 weeks away from top form. But either he needs to develop some tactical nous, or he needs to pick races where brute strength is enough (these are pretty hard to find - even Flanders and Roubaix benefit from tactical nous) or Leopard Shack Radio need to maybe get another classics threat so as to give Faboo some options.
@Oli
If I've got a gift for that, you've got a gift for either not reading what people say before jumping to your conclusions, or missing the point. I haven't figured out which it is yet.
Hurk.*
*What the fuck does that mean?
@ChrisO
I think it has a lot to do with the quality of the field - races with a great history still seem to be considered prep races - like Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. I'm not sure what puts the riders in the mindset that its a big race - timing, parcours, romanticism doesn't hurt...But there seems to be some thread that connects them all that I'm not quite able to grasp.
Its a fascinating question.
Let's try again:
Before, after and bonus.
PS Goss is a Gentle Rider and there are not so many of his kind.
@harminator
I hadn't realized that Gerrains could descend like that - I kept thinking Nibbles would be much happier to be one wheel up when Gerro let the gap go, but nothin' doing. Amazing descent.
@Pedale.Forchetta
Amazing shots, Pedale - can't wait to see more!
@frank
Oop! And there they are!
@Pedale.Forchetta
Great photos as usual - and I love seeing a (relatively) big frame with a slammed -17 degree stem!
While I've defended his win in my posts here, I'm going to have to disagree here that his win was "panache-tastic". Smart, crafty, and well earned, yes. If Cancellara dropped everyone on the climb, decended beautifully, and held off the sprinters, that would have been "panache-tastic".
Panache from MW Dictionary: Dash of flamboyance in style and action.
Panache from Cambridge Dictionary: a stylish, original and very confident way of doing things that makes people admire you
There is nothing flamboyant or stylish about his well calculated move. It lacked reckless abandon and sense of power. Cancellara's work showed more panache then Gerrans. It was a good move and a great kick, but everyone knows who was the stronger man of the group.
Its ok to win a race and lack panache, its just going to be disappointing to some people, as we've seen in the comments.
@Nof Landrien
Forgot to click reply before ranting...