Milan - San Remo

Looking at the results of races so far my money will have to go on Sagan for at least one classic victory this season.

Sagan been in my classic team since before Paris Nice!

I have a team ready, but may get tweeked when full line ups are announced. No Cav in it, but does contain a frenchman that i doubt many will have

Its gotta beEBH for me

Team picked. Likely to change at least 37 times before Saturday.

only 37 times? more like 370 times for me

Haha. Change no. 2 done. 14 transfers so far.

17 change of minds so far. Think I'm settled on my team for now.

provisional picked 4 expensive stars, 5 cheap DS, and 1 change made already.

Seems my secret weapon isnt racing

Its funny how you all pick your teams in advance.
I always pick mine the night before, half on research, half on what you guys have said, and a further half just winging it.

Hasn't worked yet, looking to repeat my sensational form of the classics last year.

I think I have solved your problem and why its not working

Because your splitting it into three halves, its always going to cause problems, then your also listening to people on the forum, I thought you would have learnt from last year

I've got a team picked at the moment, but is subject to change at the shortest of notice as I have picked it not knowing who is riding where or at all

You'll all be pleased to know, there is no current or former ROAD world champion in my team, thats as much as i'm saying at this early stage

But i did notice something while looking through riders

You have a typeo in one name Valentin Iglinsky - spelt in the game as Valentin Iglinksiy

Has anyone seen a better start list than this?

http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_...

Thats the most up to date Mike, Only Sky and Saxo have officially announced their teams

I'm guessing the Milan-Sanremo site proper will be updated tomorrow eve/Wed am once Tirreno finishes. Seems to be the way RCS does these things.

Cheers, thanks for that. Been to official MSR site, not very slick

I've got my first draft team ready but to be honest it's a bit wooly! Currently half sprinters and half puncheurs. I might just toss a coin and go all sprinters or all puncheurs!

Thor Hushovds prediction of San Remo:

"I've seen that Tom Boonen looks good. Then you have Team Sky with Cavendish and Edvald Boasson Hagen. There I think Edvald has the best opportunity. Heinrich Haussler has had a good season opening with Garmin, and lets not forget Peter Sagan."

So according to mr. Hushovd you should select:
Boonen
Boasson Hagen
Haussler
Sagan
Hushovd (He also said "he expects BMC to ride for him")

PS. I heard Team Type 1 will let Vegard Stake Laengen have a go in the Primavera in his first professional season. Deffo gonna be in my team - went to secondary school with him XD

I have 2 of Hushovd's guys but not him

Let me guess... Haussler and Boonen?

50% but I only have 1 waffle and he's a DS

The other one, i dont know if he's Aussie or Deutsch mark just now??

Until now, Milano San Remo is maybe the most difficult race to predict, above all, the DS riders. I can't find any interesting DS rider. I was thinking of choosing cheap DS like Bouhanni, Demare, Sutton, Meersman... but nobody is in the startlist!!!! maybe Guardini, but I'm afraid thatt it's too difficult race for him and probably he will not in the first group.

In leaders group I'm in doubt choosing 4 sprinters (Cavendish, Greipel, Farrar, Sagan, Petacchi, Boonen, Bennati, Haussler,...) or 4 allrounders (Cancellara, Gilbert, Ballan, Breschel, Van Avermaet, Boom, Nibali, Pozzato...) but I've one think clear, I will not combine sprinters and allrounders, so, white or black, 200 points or 0 points haha

@meninblack part of your DS problem is that only 120 of the 200 starters have been announced. Of those the bulk are the "names" ie the star riders. Only 5 teams FDJ, OPQ,SKY, SAX & VCD have named their full compliment of 8 riders. Once the other 20 teams, especially the DS heavy teams like EUS and Pro-Con ASA, COG, FAR announce their full compliment, the DS pool will double.

Another issues involved are the bracket creep of riders who were DS last year to star riders, particularly in certain teams, eg SKY, MOV, VCD (ie 30% of their riders).

Milan San Remo is as monument, so any rider who thinks he can win it (ie every PC or AR in the game) will want to ride it. Teams will enter their best riders for multiple chances. So it is a very "star" rider heavy race compared to any of the earlier races this season. This is reflected in the results from the past few years, 16 of last years top 20 are "star" riders.

That said, I don't think you are looking hard enough at the DSs, I have just found a 4th DS while researching this post in good form who has performed well at this distance and terrain in the past and only one is valued over 6 points.

As for Sprinters or ARs, look who has won the race in the past few years. One pure all rounder in Cancellera, a couple of pure sprinter in Cav, Petachhi, Cippolini most I would classify as hardy sprinters like Goss, Fierre, Pozatto, Bettini riders who are unlikely to win from mass bunch sprints, but will do from a group of 20 or so riders after a hard day in the saddle.

Is it on Eurosport? I've watched the TDF since childhood ("is it Roche? It IS Roche!") but am only this season getting into the full calendar, which is amazing. So I've never seen a Monument on telly (which I doubt will help my fantasy chances...)
It looks like not many DS riders will score, with all the big guns present, so do you just focus on your top 4, or do you work on the premise that if you do have the one DS that scores big points, you'll have the edge on everyone else? Hmm.

It's on Eurosport, 1340 British Eurosport 1, bit later on HD.

Coverage should kick in just before the climb of Le Manie, I think.

Coverage may start earlier on live stream on the Gazzetta dello Sport website.

Awesome, thanks!

In the last 25 years 18 winners have used Tirreno-Adriatico, 6 Paris-Nice and 1 Catalan Week as preparation for La Primavera

interesting stat 3 of my star guys (dont think the other raced at all) and 3 of my domestiques (not sure where the other 2 raced) raced Tirreno

1T4 riders for Milan San Remo
John Degenkolb, Simon Geschke, Roy Curvers & Koen de Kort have been riding the Poggio and other parts of the course today

Not a secret anymore, the starting list on cyclingfever has been updated for a full squads for 1T4, GRE, FAR & more

No FDJ

Yes FDJ

Squad
BONNET William
CHAINEL Steve
GERARD Arnaud
GESLIN Anthony
LADAGNOUS Matthieu
RASCH Gabriel
ROLLIN Dominique
VICHOT Arthur

Thing is, I need the Walloon, Spartacus, Manx Express, Tommeke, Eddy and Peter all in the same team.

But I can't

So I've only got a few of them.

Also need the Dutch Australian Canadese man.

I have no idea where he's from, but his first name is an anagram of Chin Heir

I wish we could get that issue fixed... It's a little disheartening...

Brave man! I think I'll go for a mix! I like Greipel and Farrar but I just don't know if they'll hang till the end!

Cipollini won this, right? And Cavendish, but I have little faith that these two might make the final selection... Have Greipel or Farrar raced this before?...

I wish offredo was riding he was my scret weapon

2011, Griepel was with the leading group, but got dropped on one final climbs and finished 4 minutes down.

2011, Farrar main bunch 5 minutes back, 2010 again main bunch this time 1:40 back

Let me know which way you go so I can stack my team in the opposite strategy!

3 of my DS would have scored 41 points in the past. The other 2 haven't raced but are on cracking form!

The RADIOSHACK NISSAN TREK line-up for Milan-Sanremo:

Milan-Sanremo (Italy) – UCI WorldTour (March 17)
Riders: Daniele Bennati, Fabian Cancellara, Tony Gallopin, Markel Irizar, Yaroslav Popovych, Gregory Rast, Hayden Roulston & Robert Wagner
Director: Luca Guercilena

If Farrar's not there at the end, who's going to lead out Cav...?

Looking at the profile the two lumps at the end might not seem to big for a pro cyclist but taking into account they have just raced over 250k it MIGHT be to much for a lot of the pure sprinters.

Might take the risk off loading up on the likes of Thor and Boonen and foregoing Cav etc.

Breaking news - Wiggo in for Knees, according to IG Markets.

Ah bugger ! thats really knacked my team now. Mind you he might be knackered after PAN.

Well that opens up two possibilities, Cav is feeling well enough, but needs a drag up the climbs OR Wiggo fancies it himself

Hmmm. Well Mrs Wiggins just tweeted that he's doing Catalunya and it's Mick Rogers who is doing MSR.

Wiggo *is* on the official start list though

Definitely Michael Rogers instead of Knees, according to Sky

Provisional start list...

http://www.milansanremo.co.uk/2012-startlist.html

Wegelius is on Garmin's list? Hasn't he retired?

8 man teams MSR, C Wegelius is Director Sportif for Garmin.

Ive gone with a bold team, definitely 1 star rider that most others wont have, and id say potentially 4 of my DS's again very few others will have. and i doubt my 3 other star riders that will be popular choices, will all be found in together in many teams

Did anyone go for Mehdi
Sohrabi?

He's pretty on form, having won a stage in Tirreno Adriatico.

Also, he's hyping himself up on Twitter

Gone for 5 very cheap ds's and 4 very strong star riders

Wiggins off the official start list .... so that will be 200 then.

Another Sky rider in ... Rogers?

Dave - why does it say 201 riders when there are only 200 on the list? Is it a bug or is there one hiding?!

Gone for 4 very strong riders which will be in most riders teams and a european set up of DS riders. No more fiddling as i'm at work

I've decided and I'll go with 4 sprinters. I don't know which 4 sprinters yet, but there will not be any allrounder in my team.

I hope the race will decide with a massive sprint

Looking at team Sky line on http://www.milansanremo.co.uk/2012-startlist.html Flecha is in for Hunt!
The rest being
SKY PROCYCLING
201 CAVENDISH Mark GBR
202 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NOR
203 FLECHA GIANNONI Juan Antonio ESP
204 EISEL Bernhard AUT
205 HAYMAN Mathew AUS
206 LÖVKVIST Thomas SWE
207 STANNARD Ian GBR
208 WIGGINS Bradley GBR
D.S. DE Jong Steven

Then comparing team line ups on cycle fever most have one rider different with San Remo lists!
Not helping at all!

Example; RAST and WAGNER on cycle fever for Radioshack but NIZZOLO and SERGENT on San Remo list!?

Just found that all of my DS are not riding and a bit surprised that Bouhanni,Kruopis and Navardauskas are not having a go.

Current team
Sagan
EBH
Freire
Oss
Bak
Hansen
Gallopin
Spilak
Vandenbergh

well navardauskas broke something but cant remember what

OK for those to lazy to research DSs for the Milan San Remo by using:
Cycling Fever
CyclingNews
Cycling Archive

Here is a look at the current popular DSs (ie rode Paris Nice and now riding MSR)
S. Spilak KAT 5.7 two top 5 finishes in Paris Nice + 4th on GC. He can climb but can not finish fast. He rode for Lampre for 4 years and this is his 1st MSR. Job on Saturday is to get Freire and/or Paolini over the Poggio in the 1st group.
X. Florencio KAT 2.8 also two top 5 finishes in Paris Nice unlike Spilak can sprint, has ridden MSR 8 times before, has finished 21st, 24th twice and 25th. Probably No. 3 rider for KAT, but worth considering.
F. Gavazzi AST 9.7 3 top 10 finished in PN, unlike Spilak, 3 years with Lampre 3 MSR starts, 2009 17th, 2010 70th 2011 DNF.
A. Kristoff KAT 8.2 5 top 10 finishes this year, PN form not as good as teamate Florencio, still outside chance on a team with talented MSR riders.
S. Vandenbergh OPQ 2.7 no real form this year, never ridden MSR, prefer others.
K. Lodewyck BMC 9.6 if he starts (only showing on offical list not others) I expect he will attack, like in Qatar. Do not expect him to get over the Poggio in the 1st group in his 1st MSR. If he does though, can sprint a little.
L. Bak Lot 15.7 3 MSR starts for DNF, 121, 59. See the pattern, I expect around 30th, I would recomend investing your 15.7 elsewhere.
K. Boeckmans VCD 3.1 young rider starting he 1st MSR, always a risk. Though recent form including 2nd at Nokere Koerse behind Chicchi tell you he can finish well. A gamblers choice.
M. Bouet ALM 6.2 1 start in MSR 2010 finished 152nd, will improvem but not the type of race I see him doing that well in.

So what about the pro continetal teams and riders that you might of never heard off.
C. Betancurt ASA 6.9 impressed me in Giro Lombardi last year finished 9th alongside Gilbert and Visconti. Did a great break away on stage 6 of TA. Likely to be aggresive but the course if not lumpy enough for him, plus it is his 1st MSR.
COL other than Duarte (KM) most of the riders have not riden in Europe till this season, it showed in TA and there is more to learn in MSR, can not recommend anybody.
E. Battaglin COG 3.0 big things are expected of this young man who with young Moser (two very famous surnames) utterly dominate U23 racing in Italy last year. TA form was not exciting and at 22 probably not read for 300kms+ of racing, one for the future.
F. Failli FAR 6.0 & E. Favilli FAR 6.4 TA form on this pair nothing to get excited about. Failli did get over the Poggio in the leading group last year and finished 24th. Favilli finished 9th in the Strade Bianche two weeks back and can sprint.
P Bailetti UTE 2.9 The best contender on a weak team, this is not an "LPR Brakes" of old team. Still with the team working for him and a little luck a top 20 finish for Bailetti is not out of the question.
D Colli TT1 3.1 Ex Geox rider, riding the MSR for 1st time, decent form and sprint on him. Much more likely than Bailetti IMHO for top 20 finish.

Well Nickobec I have 2 of those (and swapped another out this morning) plus 3 more who've top 10d in previous editions of the race. Think my key is the identification of a cracking PC star rider who dosn't cost the earth. I've got 1 more pure sprinter who will either win or be ill/crash. My last 2 stars are AR riders, one with a history and one who's on form. I think I'm all set now!

Nickobec, great post.

Chavanel is out with bronchitis.

Hushovd is also out with a fever.

Garmin confirmed

Tyler Farrar
Murilo Fischer
Heinrich Haussler
Robbie Hunter
Andreas Klier
David Millar
Johan Vansummeren
Fabian Wegmann

Cav and Bernie discuss MSR

http://youtu.be/sHeb2LYtY7U

Gonna go out on limb here and say Goss is not going to be the first person to win 2 MSR back to back since Zabel!!!

I'll second that and also add that Cav will not be the first since Giuseppe Saronni in 1993 to win in the world champs jersey

Unfortunately don't think Cav is gonna have the Year he thinks he's gonna!
Wiggo's turn to shine this time!

Unfortunately don't think Cav is gonna have the Year he thinks he's gonna!
Wiggo's turn to shine this year!

Hausslers such a big gamble, eithe e does really well, or he crashes out.

Wiggo probably ain't gonna win.

Ebh? Nah.

Don't fancy goss's chances either.

Nor Cav

Spartacus to launch an attack from 2k out, this time without goss on his wheel, but still Philippe Gilbert?

Now you're talking.

29 transfers and i'm still not happy!

I second that. I've gone big up top with EBH, Boonen, Sagan and Freire (happy to disclose that as I'm doing rubbish so if anyone wants to copy me, be my guest!), so its encouraging that 3 of my DS are in the group Nickobec mentioned. Its a steep learning curve for a fantasy virgin!

Well the team that Ive settled on for now looks pretty good on paper.....But there is not an Italian in sight...That cannot be right for M-SR....or can it...

All my riders seem to be italian and my team doesnt look to good on paper

In the quest to continue the discussion on changing the star/ds quota rule I have put together a team of cheaper riders (149.7pts).
Lloyd Mondory AR Ag2r-La Mondiale 18.1
George Hincapie AR BMC Racing Team 15.4
Sacha Modolo PC Colnago-CSF Inox 15.3
Filippo Pozzato AR Farnese Vini 20
Oscar Gatto PC Farnese Vini 13.1
Heinrich Haussler AR Garmin-Barracuda 20.3
Vladimir Gusev AR Katusha 14.4
Oscar Freire PC Katusha 22.2
Elia Viviani PC Liquigas-Cannondale 10.9
While you wouldn't use this team even if valid, it does highlight the possibilites of including a few more mid-cost riders.

teams picked , although after the paris - nice debacle im not wholly confident that ill be getting loads of points tommorow .. we'll soon see

Some hard decisions picking a suitable top 4, my selections seem to be 3 all rounders & 1 sprinter (Cav), although I'm struggling to decide on either Cav or Gilbert
Anybody want to join me in saying what they think the podium will be (in any order)?
I'd say Cancellara, Gilbert, Boonen.

My Heart?

was a broken collarbone

team picked,

5 italians
2 belgians
1 slovakian
1 frenchman.

Sure it was a good post but would have been better after the transfer deadline. Mind you I reckon there are only 3 decent possibilities mentioned there, the rest are red herrings!

Yup got one of those too!

mine is similar except its 2 spaniards and a swiss rather than the frenchman and belgians

Hmmm, I see a theme...

5 Italians
1 Frenchman
1 Kazak
1 Belgian
1 Slovakian

(at the minute)

Any idea what happened to Renshaw? Not seeing anything in the news or on Twitter.

My Saturday Breakfast Menu sorted

1 .. Fondue
1 .. Croissants
4 .. Colazione
1 .. Blini
1 .. Brettljause
1 .. Waffle

That's if they're all still on the menu

My dilemma is who to go for - Nibali or Sagan. Cant see both finishing top 10. Cav's still in my team, but most seem determined to spoil his plans, so may remove him last minute.

73 transfers and I'm done.

Surely no harm done! As you say quite a few red herrings - actually just the hangover from P-N as the DS selected from that race.

I have one of those riders....the only one i would class in the category of sprinter

Don't give away all the best web sites!!!!!
Got one of those but there are 3 other Italians worth considering, not too expensive and with a bit of form!!
Would like an Italian star rider but none on great form at the moment as at least one Italian has been top 5 for the last few years but who will it be this year? Modolo, I think, but I'm not brave enough to put him in. There's also a Frenchman who's done well recently but he's a bit expensive and I've put him in recently and got nothing from him.

Bonnet?

You're 4 points above me, be interesting to see your team tomorrow. Might still change if I wake up early enough as like most of us I'm unsure about Cav and might go Canc instead.

1 Swiss
2 Belgium
1 Slovakia
1 kiwi
1 Spain
2 Italy
1 France

35 Transfers and I'm done
going bed and won't be awake untill after deadline, so bugger!

So, after dithering all week whether to keep Cav or not, I've decided to show my faith in our British hero and keep him in the team. (It's another matter that I'm not British

The team so far -

2 SKY
2 KAT
2 LIQ
1 RSN
1 1T4
1 VCD

It's doubles or nothing for me. Given the woeful performance so far, I think I can afford it

It was a hurried post, written to encouraged people to do a little research. Given the talent pool I was working with popular PN DSs and the unfamilar pro continental teams DSs I thought I picked the best available (though I admit during my research I found Fransesco Ginanni (ASA)
DS Value: 2.5 and added him to my squad) and you needed to read between the lines a little.

Top DS recommendation from the post:
L. Paolini KAT 10.5 (read what I said about other KAT riders)
X. Florencio KAT 2.8
F. Failli FAR 6.0
E. Favilli FAR 6.4

The comment on Bouet should of read prefer others from his team (hint the designated team leader who is a 7.9 DS )

Outside chances
A. Kristoff KAT 8.2 (two other KAT riders already picked, 3 if you have Fierre)
K. Boeckmans VCD 3.1 (he is on my short list for the cobbles and ardennes)
D Colli TT1 3.1

If I added a couple of guys from FDJ who performed well in the last couple of years and an Astana rider who did well in 2010, there would be no need to do any basic research like following the links to Cycling News to find out who performed well in the 2009, 2010 and 2011. Check their other race results of Cycling Archive and previous MSR results on Cycling Fever)

ok, here's my team, i know i'm early but here goes;

Peter Sagan
Vicenzo Nibali
Tom Boonen
Damiano Cunego
Fransesco Ginanni
Simon Spilak
Danilo Napolitano
Marco Coledan
Steve Chainel...................!

Dilema!!! Should I or shouldn't I. Not convinced about one of my pics. ARghhhhh. If I take him out sods law says he'll find form today. Not much time left.

No longer have the frenchman as he is not racing. It was Offredo, had been in top 20 the past two years.

I defo doubt many will have my italian star rider

In fact i will say my team is a mess! well my DS's anyway

Made a couple of last minute changes and do have a frenchman now

Settled on

Boonen
Haussler
EBH
Freire
Belletti
Bak
Gavazzi
Hayman
Florencio

after 40 transfers since the Race to The Sun

We will not mention why he is not racing for the rest of the year shall we.

Could replace him with Steve Chainel who buried himself for Offredo last year, after being in the select group over the Cipressa last year.

Except he probably have to do the same for Geslin this year, who is also a french DS on FDJ (note check 2010 results)

And we're on...

Cavendish
Cancellara
Boonen
Modolo
Ginanni
Favilli
Iglinsky
Belletti
Colli

Here goes, went with the big guns
Sagan
Gilbert
Cancellara
Henderson
Colli
Florencio
Bouet
Bailetti
Boeckmans
My first spring classic, found FC mid season last year, so new ground for me

Right. Here goes. Hoping for a bunch sprint and for sky to nurse him through the 'hills' otherwise I may be stuffed.

Mark Cavendish (SKY)
Tom Boonen (OPQ)
Simon Gerrans (GRE)
Peter Sagan (LIQ)

Simon Spilak (KAT)
Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (SAX)
Maxim Iglinsky (AST)
Xavier Florencio (KAT)
Stijn Vandenbergh (OPQ)

In fact, probably am doomed

here we go, im playing a risky tactic with my team and rivals in the overall, but i wont make progress without going bold

Cancellra
Freire
Sagan
Marcato

Florencio
Bouet
Jon Izagirre
Napalontino
Brambilla

Am I right in thinking that DiLuca(ASA)did not start

Stuck at work on a PC with no flash player so relying on text updates

Init to win it. . .

Mark Cavendish (SKY)
Andre Greipel (LOT)
Peter Sagan (LIQ)
Alessandro Ballan (BMC)
Fransesco Ginanni (ASA)
Remi Cusin (TT1)
Mathew Hayman (SKY)
Manuel Belletti (ALM)
Xavier Florencio (KAT)

Damn picked the wrong Euskatel rider for the break

The break by the way is Cheng Ji (Project 1t4i), Juan Pablo Suarez (Colombia-Coldeportes), Dmitriy Gruzdev (Astana), Angelo Pagani (Colnago-CSF), Vergard Stake Laengen (Team Type 1), Juan Jose Oroz (Euskaltel), Pierpaolo De Negri (Farnese Vini), Michael Mørkøv (Saxo Bank), Oleg Berdos (UtensilNord)

I nearly went for De Negri rather than the Euskatel rider but then changed my mind

This game frustrates at times

34 transfers later...

Mark Cavendish SKY
Fabian Cancellara RSN
Alessandro Ballan BMC
Tom Boonen OPQ

Xavier Florencio KAT
Tom Leezer RAB
Dmitriy Muravyev AST
Gabriel Rasch FDJ
Carlos Alberto Betancurt ASA

Dont see Gilbert on many lists was caught between him & Cav & ended up with Cav, but now thinking with Hushovd not starting will BMC be working for Gilbert?

Only 17 transfers here

and no real surprises everybody is in someone else team

Peter Sagan (LIQ)
Fabian Cancellara (RSN)
Tom Boonen (OPQ)
Oscar Freire (KAT)
Manuel Belletti (ALM)
Maxim Iglinsky (AST)
Fransesco Ginanni (ASA)
Xavier Florencio (KAT)
Anthony Geslin (FDJ)

no riders in the break and to think I nearly picked de Negri
Break about 13mins up btw, sky at head of bunch with bmc and liquigas

I've got Vichot as he's my lucky rider (won stage 6 of TdF last year with him). Bonnet's probably the designated rider this year and he did pretty well in TA 2 & 3, but he's pricey so it was a choice between Vichot and Geslin, who's done well in the past. Went with superstition!! As good a reason as any in a race of this type.

Break riders: Angelo Pagani (Colnago), Juan Josè Oroz Ugalde (Euskaltel), Pierpaolo De Negri (Farnese), Chen Ji (Project 1t4i), Michel Morkov (SaxoBank), Oleg Berdos (UtensilNord), Vegard Stake Laengen (Team Type 1)

Had Stake Laengen due to a tip on here but took him out. Looked at De Negri as well.

Complete team.

Cavendish
Sagan
Cancellara
Freire

Fransesco Ginanni (ASA)
Gianluca Maggiore (UTE)
Arthur Vichot (FDJ)
Danilo Napolitano (ASA)
Xavier Florencio (KAT)

Couple of DSs others haven't got but doubt if they'll do anything now as they're not in the break. Only Vichot might be up there in the top 20.

Gone mainly with the big guns as that's the way the points are loaded. Would have liked Bonnet or Belletti but they're too pricey. It's the star riders that are going to make or break everyone's team.

Only 'at times'??

Swap Belletti for Nocentini & Iglinsky for Geschke, and that's exactly the same as my team.

Hope I don't regret leaving Friere out, kept transfering him out!

Sagan
Boasson Hagen
Modolo
Bennati

Favilli
Paolini
Belletti
Tosatto
Aaen Jorgensen

Hope for a hard race.

Well it was all going well untill the last stage of the TDU.....

I see we have 5 riders in common for the race

My big risk was marcato for star rider and the pricey Brambilla for a DS (rather than a Cav type sprinter)....that combo will make or break the race for me in many repects. If one or both finish i high up then i should have a good score

No great surprises in my team I'd describe it as a safe but interesting team, I've probably gone fr the wrong Oscar but you never know until the wheels cross the line.

Peter Sagan (LIQ)
Mark Cavendish (SKY)
Tom Boonen (OPQ)
Oscar Gatto (FAR)

Alexander Kristoff (KAT)
Diego Ulissi (LAM)
Kris Boeckmans (VCD)
Ian Stannard (SKY)
Simon Geschke (1T4)

My team is:

Mark Cavendish (SKY)
Daniel Oss (LIQ)
Peter Sagan (LIQ)
Tom Boonen (OPQ)
Fransesco Ginanni (ASA)
Luca Paolini (KAT)
Francesco Gavazzi (AST)
Danilo Napolitano (ASA)
Mathew Hayman (SKY)

Still I feel a little worried about taking Cancellara out for Cavendish.

Hoping for a bunch finish...

So,as they cross halfway everyone in the break gets a bonus I presume?

looks like I've got 10 points in the bag already from my selection of Cheng

Mar 17, 08:34 Arthur Vichot Manuel Belletti
Mar 17, 08:34 Gianluca Maggiore Elia Favilli
Mar 17, 08:34 Fabian Cancellara Tom Boonen

As you can see had a last minute change of mind about Boonen who seems to want to peak in about 2 weeks.

Brambilla 11th Stage 2 TA. Looked at a few riders from stage 2 & 3. There are cheaper ones who came higher up, but who knows? Those stages are the best indicator of form for MSR. Bonnet came 9th and is a fraction cheaper.
Marcato 6th in Omloop, could be interesting for the next couple of races. Not sure if MSR will suit him.

Out of your last minute changes i would have kept favilli ratehr than maggiore...but who knows

Yeh i just thought with it being in Italy he may want to push for it. As for bonnet being a fraction cheaper it wouldnt really have helped anyway has i had 1.3 or something left anyway, just couldnt many otehr riders i fancied. As for marcato he has come in the top 20 here before, and if some sprinters are eliminated he could well be up there.

Its all about risk vs reward. if my team comes in and does well, i will steal a march on most others as i havn't cone for some of the safer bets that i could have

I still think Cav will win if he is there at the end, but i do fancy sagan if he isnt

Maggiore was a last minute pick due to running out of points, got 0.2 left. Main decision was Cancellara instead of Boonen. Could have had Favelli instead of Vichot but fancied one FDJ rider.

Be glad to see some actual racing now.

Hope Cav wins but they'll all be trying to kill him on the last climb. Hoping Cancellara, Sagan and Freire are in the front group and then Cav pips them at the post with Vichot 5th!! Watched Kelly catch Argentin this morning; that was a good finish!

Never seen this race before, only remember the Classics from Cycling Weekly in the mid-70s. Started the fantasy at the beginning of the Giro and got hooked.

The other teacher who does it in my school won the 5th stage of PN. Hope I can win a stage at some point, won 1 last year and =1st as well. 2nd this year is my best.

Cavendish with problems at Le Manie!

30 seconds behind the bunch now!

Doubting Cav will win now....

so a Friere win, followed by sagan and fabian, then florencio up there and the 5 points for being friere's team mate. Then marcato, brambilla and napalotinio being in the top 20

that would be perfect....

Not looking good for Cav, but it's still some way to go. Let's hope for a miracle.

4 riders with Cav now. Maybe not all lost yet.

Rider down is conscious now.

cav going backwards!

Cav & Co call it a day...why oh why did I follow the sheep !

They've got the tactics to beat him every time now and any other sprinter like Farrar who can't climb well. Still, got 3 left in the front group.

Who do people think is going to win now. I'm going for EBH even though I don't have him.

Still can't figure out the Renshaw mystery. Road.cc greyed him out on my team yesterday, so I begrudgingly subbed in Greipel. Now it looks like Renshaw is racing after all?

hoping for Cancellara or Oss though

Gilbert down with some others.

Not loooking so good for my team, hope marcato and brambilla are in the lead group but i dont think they are

go spartacus! - dont mess it up like last time

think rabobank may pull then back for renshaw though

damn cancellara pipped! Gerrans wins, Cacellara second Nibali third

Wow Gerrans, gutted another messed up stage for me

gerrans!

Who had Gerrans? Got 3 in the top 10 I think.

another day then for me

BMC had a bad day! Gilbert and Van Avermaet down.

Provisional

Classicissima! (Top6)

1 Simon Gerrans
2 Fabian Cancellara
3 Vincenzo Nibali
4 Peter Sagan
5 John Degenkolb
6 Filippo Pozzato

2 and 4. Glad I swapped Boonen for Cancellara with 2 mins to go!

7 Óscar Freire
8 Alessandro Ballan
9 Daniel Osss
10 Daniele Bennati

5 Italians in the top 10.

Shame Boonen crashed.

Edit - It was Trentin.

Nicholas Roche:
"Helicopter caused that crash! Wast at the 250m barrier!! Very stupid to fly so low!!!! Feel very sory for those who hit the deck!"

2,4,7 dissapointed, chose marcato over ballan as my outsider for my 4th star rider

3 in the top 7! It's not that bad! Looks like we'll be hanging out together in the overall for a while yet! I'm quite happy with that, especially after the risk with Cav didn't work. Thank God he's not in any team for the next few weeks, although I doubt if I would have put in Nibali.

Although I would have preferred Cancellara to win I'm sure he's going to bag a classic or two this year.

Gerrans top of the World standings! Why do I keep on underestimating this guy and overestimating Cav. Patriotism and fantasy cycling don't mix!! Looks like leaving Sky has done him some good. EBH had no help. Cav'll have to stick to the Champs Elysee this year. He's not going to get Olympic Gold and he won't be in my team for that either.

1. GERRANS Simon GEC 06:59:24
2. CANCELLARA Fabian RNT 00:00:00
3. NIBALI Vincenzo LIQ 00:00:00
4. SAGAN Peter LIQ 00:00:02
5. DEGENKOLB John PRO 00:00:02
6. POZZATO Filippo FAR 00:00:02
7. FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar KAT 00:00:02
8. BALLAN Alessandro BMC 00:00:02
9. OSS Daniel LIQ 00:00:02
10. BENNATI Daniele RNT 00:00:02
11. FLORENCIO CABRE Xavier KAT 00:00:02
12. PAOLINI Luca KAT 00:00:02
13. GESCHKE Simon PRO 00:00:02
14. GATTO Oscar FAR 00:00:02
15. GOSS Matthew Harley GEC 00:00:02
16. VISCONTI Giovanni MOV 00:00:02
17. GUARNIERI Jacopo AST 00:00:02
18. VENTOSO ALBERDI Francisco José MOV 00:00:02
19. DE KORT Koen PRO 00:00:02
20. HOOGERLAND Johnny

Had guarnieri in all week (and geschke last night) then took him out this morning think it will cost me 4 points. All in all though there is only a select few DS's there so shouldnt be too bad

2,4,7,11 = 91 points

At least I did not pick Cav, Gilbert, Farrar, EBH, Griepel or Pettachi

Similar to others; 2,4,7,11,13. I make that 99 points.

91 as well. Not a bad start as I've never seen this race before. Don't think we'll be massively off the lead.

Anyone got the top 4!

Im gonna guess there will be alot of people with 91-100 points

Im just annoyed with marcato

im gonna go out on a limb and say barring someone having been slightly lucky with there selection, you could be close to the top Wig_Billy

Noone will have the top without being very lucky, cant see anyone having picked sagan and nibali

Not a bad day - 2, 3, 8 & 11
[Note to self, do not pick Eisel, being Cav's chaperone]

Ditto that!

What a nightmare, got Cancellara then...um... ...my next best guy last seen sitting on the roadside at the last corner with his head in his hands!

Oh dear, well I'm keeping Cav for Gent-Wevelgem because if I dropped him he'd only go and win it!

Defo won't have Cav even though it's much shorter but still some tough climbs. His 2009 win in MSR was a fluke really. Now all the teams know he can win in a sprint they burn him off. Not sure Sky'll be strong enough to help him win many flat stages of the TdF. It's looking like Wiggins' year.

my criticism of Marcato my be slightly unfair, he came 26th (although no points for this comp) its not awful considering the size of the field at the start

Full results here...

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/MilanoSanremo/download/2012/OrdineArrivo...

OK I totally missed the race, made some changes when i found wifi at 2am, so i went

Pablo Lastras (MOV)
Peter Sagan (LIQ)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY)
Daniel Oss (LIQ)
Johan Vansummeren (GRM)
Nikolas Maes (OPQ)
Simon Spilak (KAT)
Jon Izagirre (EUS)
Stijn Vandenbergh (OPQ)

Now sitting in a hotel room in Rome, was told that Rai Sport might be showing a replay, else i have it set to record on Eurosport for when i get home with my wooden spoon

Had #2 and #7 placings, plus 5pts for my compatriot Tuft.
The Sky DNF list is pretty wild !

Scores are up! Simon MacMichael in San Remo saying that the race organisers were giving him all sorts of grief for using the internet in the press room. Luckily he speaks Italian and can wave his arms around like the best of 'em

He did better than Cav!
Vichot came in with Gilbert so maybe he was in that crash. Not so lucky after all. FDJ not doing that great this year.

scores are up? can't see mine.....

1, 4, 11 for me. I dithered over swapping cancellera for cav. Should have so listened to my gut and did gone ahead and ditched cav. Now kicking myself. Hoping I caan maintain the advances I've made and even build on them

Shocking that Sky dropped all their riders to help cav..

Eddy needs to find himself a team that actually will help him, and not just pretend he is a captain..

I'm home again, saw bits and pieces of highlights, Sky tactics = HUGE FAIL