Milan – San Remo

livestrongnick wrote:Gonna go

livestrongnick wrote:

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 😀

Cav and Bernie discuss
Cav and Bernie discuss MSR

Hushovd is also out with a
Hushovd is also out with a fever.

Nickobec, great post.
Nickobec, great post.

OK for those to lazy to
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.

Just found that all of my DS
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

Looking at team Sky line on
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

😕