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Milano-SanRemo 2013

11K views 116 replies 37 participants last post by  Cinelli 82220 
#1 · (Edited)

La Classicissima

A one-day Italian Classic, this year's 104th edition will host numerous former winners such as, Simon Gerrans, Matt Goss, Mark Cavendish, Fabian Cancellara, Filippo Pozzato and Alessandro Petacchi as well as numerous riders who could be seen as potential alternative winners this year, like
Cadel Evans, Philippe Gilbert, Moreno Moser, Peter Sagan, Andre Greipel, Tom Boonen, Michael Albasini and Thomas Geraint just to name a few.

Given his recent exploits, I feel I must tip Peter Sagan (Cannondale) for the win in San Remo.

From Cyclingnews et.al.:

Startlist Milano-Sanremo, Milano - Sanremo 2013 - CyclingFever - The International Cycling Social Network - Get the Cycling fever!

Milan-San Remo: Top 10 Contenders | Cyclingnews.com

Milano Sanremo

Live Coverage Of Milan-San Remo On Cyclingnews | Cyclingnews.com

Milan-San Remo: Iconic Images | Cyclingnews.com

inrng : milan-sanremo preview

Pozzato Wary Of Cavendish At Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

Blanco Hedging Their Bets For Milan-Sanremo | Cyclingnews.com

Orica GreenEdge Banking On Bunch Sprint For Milan-Sanremo | Cyclingnews.com

Cancellara, Boonen Headline Teams For Milan-Sanremo | Cyclingnews.com

MTN-Qhubeka Makes Classics Debut In Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

Roelandts And Greipel As Co-captains For Milan-Sanremo | Cyclingnews.com

Last Orders For Cavendish In Milan-San Remo Saloon? | Cyclingnews.com

Muscle Injury Not Ideal For Degenkolb Ahead Of Milan-Sanremo | Cyclingnews.com

Cancellara Ready For Milan-San Remo Showdown | Cyclingnews.com

Farrar Looks For Milan-San Remo Performance | Cyclingnews.com

Haussler Looks To Heavens For Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

Sagan Unperturbed By Cancellara Comments Ahead Of Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

Phinney Stronger, More Confident For Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

BMC?s Big Guns Ready To Fire At Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

Cavendish: It's Going To Take A Miracle To Beat Sagan | Cyclingnews.com

Moser To Support Sagan In Milan-San Remo | Cyclingnews.com

 
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#4 ·
Perhaps a Eurosport or Italian TV feed?
 
#5 ·
Looking at BMC, I doubt Evans will be a factor by the way he was riding at Tirreno... But Thor Hushovd finished 9th on the crazy hard day Sagan won with Nibali taking the GC, he's a bit under the radar these days but his form his getting good. I'd add Thor on the 'maybe' list, Nibali too although Nibz would need to attack so hard on the ascent and descent of the Poggio to get to the line alone. He'll try but I doubt he will succeed.

Weather could play a huge factor, the forecast calls for chances of snow early in the race and rain later... Crappy weather combined with 300km, I don't see a big group coming together.

All things considered, Sagan's my pick too.
 
#6 ·
Sagan is looking pretty devastating. Won the bunch sprint for 4th last year, and could just as easily make a move on the Poggio.

As far as BMC goes, I heard Gilbert wants to add MSR to his palmares, and seems in decent form. I agree that Hushovd could be a good dark horse.

I reckon it could be a (small'ish) bunch sprint. A lot of the top sprinters are up and about with good early season form, and their teams will work for them.
 
#15 ·
Not sure about Gilbert, he's not a Schleck that for sure but is he as good as Nibali? Sagan though is among the best descenders of the peloton... Remember Tour de Suisse 2011 stage 3? Commentators were stressed out by how fast and risky Cunego was descending... only to have Sagan catching him before the descent was over (then easily outsprinting him). I doubt anyone can drop Sagan on the descent but with rain, we're sure going to see some action there.



But I'm doubting Gilbert's form. He's much better than last year at this time of the season but he's not yet in top form, he's probably aiming to peak for the Ardennes again.

Nibali could take it but his margin is very small. Can he attack and drop everyone in the climb of the Poggio then keep his gap growing in the descent? That's the only scenario that can get him across the line first I think, if he's not alone for the line, he wont win (unless he's with teammates only).
 
#14 ·
Sagan is a clear favourite since he can cover all the attacks and win from almost any group. If not Sagan then a large bunch at the finish with the best chance going to Goss or Cavendish.

I like Nibali and Hushovd as dark horses, although against Sagan they are all dark horses.
 
#17 ·
I would love to see Gilbert win it and give him an outside chance. You guys are all big on Sagan, but he has had two easy years sitting in on guys. I think that card is played out now and he will have to use his team as everyone else does. Except for moser, his team doesn't have it. Teams aren't going to put up with his tactics any more. Cancellara already called him out on it, and I am sure he isn't alone, just the only favorite to openly say he will sit up if sagwagon isn't working in a break. He said he is done towing him to the line.
 
#24 ·
Finally read the Fabian article over at cyclingnews. He seems to be down on Sagan for always following his wheel. But everyone has done that as of late. Was it last year or the year before he refused to work and let a group catch him and his shadow? Was it Thor?

Anyway, Sagan is the clear favorite. Nibali is a great descender, but I think the finish line is too far.

With so many paranoid riders, this might be a year the early break wins it.
 
#25 ·
#42 ·
^This!
 
#27 ·
With all this talk of Sagan and Fabu - seems like Boonen is really under the radar at the moment. I wonder what form he has these days?
 
#30 · (Edited)
It's simple with Fabian. The whole peloton knows how strong he is and that if he does get away, it's likely he wont be seen again. He's not a good tactician, he's not a good sprinter, he's just a powerhouse. But everyone knows it and everyone knows it's the only way he can win. So now people now know how to beat him... so he gets beaten and complains all the time. I have a lot of respect for what he has done, an impressive rider but he's not the smartest and his whining about others not letting him win are a bit ridiculous, he's too much of a primadonna IMO.

Sagan is just the latest to have schooled Fabian and he's the moment's top guy so of course media will ask Fabian about him, try to create frictions... so of course he gets Fabu's whines... Cancellara has done that with Thor, Boonen, Pippo and others, complaining they were glued to his wheel, but why blame them? They're supposed to let him go away? No, they want to win. (when Thor was getting Fabu's mouth, it was the Paris-Roubaix Thor's teammate Vansummeren won, Fabian expected Thor to chase his own teammate?).

Fabian should complain about his teammates who are never there to help him, that's his real problem, not his opponents who are doing exactly what they should.

Must be frustrating to be stuck at RadioShak for a guy like him though.

As for Boonen, he's getting better but according to himself, he's not yet in a good enough form. He'll likely work for Chavanel and Cav, depending how it plays out. It's a good training ride though.
 
#38 ·
+1 Sagan is amazing but I don't think that he has this one in his pocket. Even if he is the strongest a lot of things can go wrong. There will be lots of attacks and Sagan with teammates will run out of steam trying to follow or cover them all. Or he will just miss the one that will stick.

It is always much harder to win when everyone knows how strong you are. Just ask Cancellara. I think that the best option for Sagan would be if he could get Moser or other teammate up the road before the action starts.
 
#40 ·
Strange - I get BeIN on DirecTV and no Milano-San Remo coverage was on - I did a search. E3 will be on, but no sign of Milano-San Remo.
 
#45 · (Edited)
restart this thread in: POLITICS ONLY



Just assign the win to Sagan and move/restart this thread on the other side of the Turchino in PO to argue about weather... I mean, whether climate change is real or in Doping to argue about whether Gilbert doped with cortisone during his miraculous season a few years back while at Loto. ;-/
 
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