Orica-GreenEdge's Simon Gerrans, winner of Milan-San Remo in 2012, is out of tomorrow's 105th edition of the race due to illness.
The Australian UCI WorldTour team's sports director, Matt White, said: “Simon came down sick overnight. The decision was taken today that he would not start. He’s not in any state to race any race let alone our longest and one of our most difficult races of the year in 24 hours.”
“Today’s news comes as a big disappointment for Simon and the team, but we need to look ahead,” he went on. “Other riders will now get the chance to step up in the absence of our team’s most reliable athlete.”
White said: “Not too much will change in terms of our plans for tomorrow. Michael [Matthews] will stay our option for the sprint but now Simon Clarke will be given more freedom in the final.”
“Brett [Lancaster] adds a wealth of experience to the roster,” he added. “He will be a very valuable asset for Michael in his pursuit of a big ride tomorrow.”
Gerrans won the 2012 race, in the jersey of Australian national champion, a title he also won in January this year. His Milan-San Remo win came after he followed an attack on the Poggio by Vincenzo Nibali, Fabian Cancellara also getting across.
Earlier this month, allergies forced Gerrans to abandon Paris-Nice.
The other former Milan-San Remo winner in Orica-GreenEdge's squad, 2011 champion Matt Goss, has not been selected for tomorrow's race.
The biggest problem for the state of the UK's roads comes from lack of maintenance. There is a reason for this. Local councils have had their...
We tried my whippet in a trailer. He hated it. Even with a treat placed inside, he'd sneak in, eat it and then zoom out pronto.
The Baent tubes (also from aliexpress) have threaded metal valves reinforced where they join the tube. A little heavier than the ride now but I...
Yepp, I would much rather be looking at large car parks right in front of a beach, filled with oversized cars, which is the usual alternative. ...
Those calipers arent the prettiest. Makes them look like Post-mount.
I'm all for a much more socialist approach to the sorts of things you mention, where there are clear market failures and a need for decent...
Zorbing balls - if it saves just one life
12 corners in just over 2km is a terrifying prospect if it rains!
I think it's:...
As it's often said -'the way to justify the building of a bridge is not too count the number of people swimming the crocodile infested river!'