Author Topic: Milan San-Remo 2012  (Read 10256 times)

Milan San-Remo 2012
« on: 14 March, 2012, 01:33:29 pm »
I'm looking forward to this.  Predictions anyone?  I think I'll plump for Cancellara.  He's won it before and has started the season strongly.  Then again, so has Cav.  Maybe Boassan Haagen as a Sky Plan B if Cav has an off-day.  Boonen's looking strong but it's a long way to carry that large body of his and haul it over the Cipressa and Poggio towards the end. Or will Liquigas' two-pronged attack of Nibali and Sagan have the home support cheering?  BMC need to get their season going and have no less than 4 potential winners in Hushovd, Gilbert, Van Avermaet and Ballan.  And Green Edge will have a strong team supporting last year's winner Goss and they'll be deperate to get their European season started.  Have I missed anyone?

Steve GT

  • Crediamo in te, bici!
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #1 on: 15 March, 2012, 12:05:22 pm »
Would like to see Cav win, but I think it will be Cancellara.
BTW here is a video clip of Jaun Antonio Fletcha descending the Cipressa.
http://michaelbarry.ca/category/video/page/2/
 

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #2 on: 15 March, 2012, 02:37:16 pm »
I suspect Cav wants it more than his rivals, which counts for a lot. I don't think Boonen's got it but Cancellara is always a good bet. Always difficult to predict what happens on the Poggio and Cipressa.

I'll miss this (at least live) because I'm marshalling at my club's open 10. However, we do have a Team Sky pro entered and I might witness his first professional victory!

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #3 on: 15 March, 2012, 02:45:24 pm »
Luke Rowe?
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #4 on: 15 March, 2012, 03:00:31 pm »
It's a difficult race to predict but Cav, Cancellara, Sagan, and Oscar Freire have all got decent form.

What I admire about Cav is that he's so open about wanting to win this race in the World Champ's jersey. It's almost as if he needs the extra pressure on himself to perform.
a great mind thinks alike

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #5 on: 15 March, 2012, 05:20:17 pm »
What I admire about Cav is that he's so open about wanting to win this race in the World Champ's jersey. It's almost as if he needs the extra pressure on himself to perform.

That's the remarkable thing about him. Everyone knew about his and GB's plans for the worlds in Copenhagen for about 3 years and there was still absolutely fuck all anybody could do to stop them!

I'll go for Cav on Sunday. He's as safe a bet as anyone....
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #6 on: 15 March, 2012, 08:20:45 pm »
An appetite whetter - the 1992 finale. Kelly's last hurrah, toe-clips and all.  You may want to turn the sound off if you can't stand Duffers. 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mL3jQmkj3uI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/mL3jQmkj3uI&rel=1</a>

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #7 on: 15 March, 2012, 08:34:06 pm »
I'm backing Cav just because, like bobb says, when he says he wants to win something, he usually does.

He's already shown that he has the beating of Freire and Boonen this season and, as in the Worlds, the team will probably do its utmost to quash any attempted breakaway, which is surely the only way Cancellara can win, right?

I'll miss the race, alas, as my son has a rugby tournament all day on Sunday, but I'll record it and try to avoid seeing the result, Likely Lads style...

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #8 on: 15 March, 2012, 09:21:29 pm »
Thor is out. Wiggo is in.

Cancellara for me. Maybe Sagan.

I think the peleton will just climb to fast for Cav to stay with them. Maybe Eddie Bos, Bozic, Degenkolb and Haussler better placed as sprinters ?

Looking forward to having a proper look at Betancur as well. Might go well with Garzelli.

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #9 on: 15 March, 2012, 09:22:36 pm »
I'm backing Cav just because, like bobb says, when he says he wants to win something, he usually does.

He's already shown that he has the beating of Freire and Boonen this season and, as in the Worlds, the team will probably do its utmost to quash any attempted breakaway, which is surely the only way Cancellara can win, right?

I'll miss the race, alas, as my son has a rugby tournament all day on Sunday, but I'll record it and try to avoid seeing the result, Likely Lads style...

d.

MSR is on Saturday.
a great mind thinks alike

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #10 on: 15 March, 2012, 09:23:09 pm »

I'll miss the race, alas, as my son has a rugby tournament all day on Sunday, but I'll record it and try to avoid seeing the result, Likely Lads style...

d.

You will miss it if you wait til Sunday, its on Saturday  :facepalm:

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #11 on: 15 March, 2012, 10:33:50 pm »
:facepalm:

Well, that's good news, I guess.  ;D

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #12 on: 15 March, 2012, 11:11:13 pm »
Luke Rowe?

Yes, I think his father is also entered, and his brother Matt won this event two years ago.

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #13 on: 16 March, 2012, 07:06:21 am »
It's a difficult race to predict but Cav, Cancellara, Sagan, and Oscar Freire have all got decent form.

And not forgetting Boonen and Nibali.

I would love to see Cav win in his rainbow jersey. 
Aero but not dynamic

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #14 on: 16 March, 2012, 10:32:31 am »

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #15 on: 17 March, 2012, 05:53:02 pm »
Are you a happy GruB?

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #16 on: 17 March, 2012, 06:51:30 pm »
Yep.  Saw the last 10km as well.   :thumbsup: I had been following it on Twitter.  Didn't see what went wrong with Sky though?

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #17 on: 17 March, 2012, 07:12:10 pm »
Cav was dropped on the Passo di Turchino, so plan B was put in operation.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #18 on: 17 March, 2012, 10:14:07 pm »
Cav was dropped on the Passo di Turchino, so plan B was put in operation.

Perhaps plan B needs a bit more work? They seemed to dither too too long before making the decision to ditch plan A.

Great win for Gerrans. Nibali is looking good too.
 
d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Simonb

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #19 on: 17 March, 2012, 10:28:42 pm »
Just amazing to watch Cancellara hold off the chasing group as they launched an all-out sprint -- what a superb rider he is! Good win for Gerrans too.

Nibali? Meh.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #20 on: 17 March, 2012, 11:34:27 pm »
Just amazing to watch Cancellara hold off the chasing group as they launched an all-out sprint -- what a superb rider he is! Good win for Gerrans too.

Nibali? Meh.

I would have loved to see Spartacus win, and that was an impressive finish.  What a pity he couldn't hold off Gerrans. 

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #21 on: 17 March, 2012, 11:43:36 pm »
I don't enjoy watching goalhangers win like that. The other two took advantage of Cancellara's ability to ride off the front yet refused to do any work themselves. That's racing I suppose but I prefer class and style to cynicism.

BTW, I did see a Team Sky rider take his first pro win today - local boy done good Luke Rowe is £25 richer having won the Cardiff Ajax CC open 10. He did a 20:07 on a rather damp and cold afternoon - the course record is a 19:48 jointly held by Magnus Backstedt (when he was riding for Liquigas) and Chris Shepard, fresh from the Commonwealth Games a few years earlier. He insisted on speaking up to thank the organiser and helpers for putting on the event - good man!

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #22 on: 17 March, 2012, 11:54:43 pm »
When racing is your job, winning is what is important. The rest is just something for the fans to argue about.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #23 on: 18 March, 2012, 05:54:46 am »
That is certainly true, and he had the the opportunity and he had to take it. But, there are wins and there are wins....not much class on this one.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Milan San-Remo 2012
« Reply #24 on: 18 March, 2012, 08:47:27 am »
I don't enjoy watching goalhangers win like that. The other two took advantage of Cancellara's ability to ride off the front yet refused to do any work themselves. That's racing I suppose but I prefer class and style to cynicism.

That is indeed bunch racing! C knows he will win most TTs, but the odds are against him in a "drafting allowed" event.

Karma was on his side at the Olympics, IIRC. He was the only rider prepared to chase down a breakaway, everyone else just wanted silver. So he just rode them all into the dust. Class  :thumbsup:
Has never ridden RAAM
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