Milan San Remo

[andygates]

Spare a thought for the poor sods thrashing out the MSR today.  It's so foul they're introducing a bus transfer for one of the passes. 

[Ewan Houzami]

Only a couple of minutes and then we find out which riders have the cojones to restart. It's looking a bit nippy out there.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

They are being a bit wussy. I prefer the legendary rides done by real racers. For example

[Hot Flatus]

Well that was exciting! Great attack from Stannard, but total win tactics by Ciolek, capitalising on Sagan and Canc being too wary of each other

[Rhys W]

Too many people watching Sagan. I'd love to know what Sky's plan was - I've been saying for a while that Geraint Thomas is due a big Classics win this year, shame he came off just as it started hotting up.

[Nuncio]

It looked very like the Sky plan for a mountain stage, except that they didn't feel obliged to work to chase down the escape.  So massing on the front for the Cipressa.  Then plan A dashed when Thomas fell, plan B dashed when EBH couldn't keep up, and an impromptu plan C with Stannard falling just short.  But looking promising for the cobbles.

[Pip]

Fantastic rides from both Ian Stannard and Sylvain Chavanel they both showed tremendous strength

[David Martin]

Awesome rides, Cav was up there in 9th. Taylor Phinney rode a good race too. Stannard lost the plot tactically at the end, or he played the only cards he could.

[andrew_s]

They are being a bit wussy. I prefer the legendary rides done by real racers. For example

Eugene Christophe's Sanremo win was tougher. 20cm of snow over the Turchino, 3 finishers, and a month in hospital recovering from frostbite.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

No doubt you are right but I don't remember Christophe's win. I expect that Hampsten and Hinault are grumbling about how soft the kids are nowadays...

[Nuncio]

And if the Christophe story is true, he spent 25 minutes out of the race being looked after with warm water and rum in a roadside inn, then won by over an hour.   7 finishers but 3 disqualified for a variety of offences. Some of the story here: http://www.milansanremo.co.uk/1910story.htm

[giropaul]

Awesome rides, Cav was up there in 9th. Taylor Phinney rode a good race too. Stannard lost the plot tactically at the end, or he played the only cards he could.

The latter - the only chance was to go and hope Cancellara, Sagan and, as it turned out Ciolek, would all do the "I'm not closing the gap for you to jump me" act. He was never going to get a podium if he arrived at 200 metres with those 3. Strong ride though - all he needed was a Sky sprinter to lead out!

[Salvatore]

On the Eurosport podcast they said that Stannard's gear cable had broken and that he was stuck in his 11 sprocket. If true (and I've just watched the RAI highlights, and the commentator remarks on his low cadence). that would further restrict the cards he had at his disposal.

[David Martin]

Gear cable? Electronic shifting not working?

[Salvatore]

Yep, the phrase used was "I've heard rumours that in fact he was on mechanical gears and his cable snapped". Perhaps they didn't trust electronic shifting in the cold and wet?