Milan San Remo Predictions Thread

Funkyzeit

The first Monument of the year - an easy 294 km's....

Some betting odds here:
http://www.oddschecker.com/other-sports/cycling/one-day-classics/milan-san-remo

Lets have your predictions and an outside bet

First Choice: Going to go for Haussler - think he looks in very impressive form

Outside Choice : Wll have a pop at Ballan

sean_d

First choice Petacchi, as much as I hate to say it :-) Very much depends on whether his LPR team can deliver after 300km like Milram could though...
Outsider hmm, Chavanel takes a flier on the Poggio?

Raam

Anyone but Lance.
Sorry, I'll come back later with a proper prediction.

SACH Central

Contador, definitely. After his 'unbeliveable' ride in the Paris Nice prologue anything is possible! I can see him taking the bunch sprint ahead of Boonen etc. In his post race press conference he'll tell us that he's worked with Bruyneel all winter on his sprint finish bla bla bla

Meanwhile back on planet earth, I'm going for either 1. Hushovd 2. Pozatto or 3. Phillipe Gilbert
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ba

haussler looks good alright. but he wasnt up against the pure sprinters in PN. he's in top form tho, that turn of pace before his stage win was shocking!

he's my outside choice, and have yet to see the start list, anyone know where i can find it?

E@gle.

First choice: gonna go with chavanel or cancerela again

Second choice: Tom Boonen in a sprint finish dont think cavendish will be there after 300km

Armstrong's odds are 100/1

mr. pleasant

the map: http://www.gazzetta.it/grandeciclismo/milanosanremo/info_generali_planimetria.shtml

the profile: http://www.gazzetta.it/grandeciclismo/milanosanremo/info_generali_altimetria.shtml

i guess it will be a buch sprint. we had a breakaway group last year, but "moped" cancellara is not in form (recovering after injury) and gilbert looks like he aims for the april races.

boonen and petacchi are 2 guys to watch (looking at their history in this race.)

haussler is in with a good chance, impressive this season. don't forget lorenzetto he seems to be in very good form as well.

other top 10 candidates are van avermaet, pozzato and hushovd.

edit: top choice: lorenzetto.

Chips Lovell

Was thinking of writing a blog post on this, but in the mean time, I'll say that Bennati is my top pick at the moment. He looked really strong in the Eroica and was powering up the climbs in the leading bunch, whereas Cavendish was way back. He's really come of age in the past year or two and looks the ideal rider for this race, a sprinter who can horse it up the climbs.

Petacchi is one to watch too, but he's a very big guy. I remember saying a while back here that the year he won he got really skinny. He's looking lean again this year and I noticed he was doing a lot of work pulling his team on some of the climbs in Tirreno Adriatico, a clear indication that he's really going to go for this one. I'd say he's hungry too. He probably feels pretty hard done by about that suspension.

Hushovd isn't to bad on the hills and seems to be going well. I think Haussler is maybe a bit too young still to take on such a star studded field. He'll probably do better than two years ago when, if memory serves me correctly, he ended up wrapped around a telephone poll.

Boonen has the ability to win here, but he's Belgian, so he's got other fish to fry. His season depends on winning at Flanders or Roubaix. Ditto for Ballan, he tends to concentrate on the cobbles. Cancellera probably won't be in contention this year. He's been injured and anyway said he wanted a pop at Flanders this year. I'd be surprised if he started. Cavendish's arse is too big for this race. Pozatto is very inconsistent and I think he may not have the temperement to be regular winner of big races. Haven't seen Freire race this year? Is he injured again?

ba

E@gle. wrote: »

First choice: gonna go with chavanel or cancerela again

Second choice: Tom Boonen in a sprint finish dont think cavendish will be there after 300km

Armstrong's odds are 100/1

do you not know that Cancellara was sick and retired from the ToC, and that he has been barely making it round Tirreno Adriatico...? plus he's prob a marked man. but if you think he'll do it again, fair nuff.

reckon Pettachi could be the man on the day. nobody could hold his wheel the other day, and Bennati couldn't come round him either.

wouldn't be surprised if Cavendish does it too. the columbia highroad train usually pulls up for the win.

ba

freire crashed out in one of the opening stages of ToC. was the same crash that kim kirchen broke his collar bone.

Funkyzeit

el tonto wrote: »

Was thinking of writing a blog post on Cavendish's arse is too big for this race.

Would enjoy reading that Tonto.

el tonto wrote: »

Cavendish's arse is too big for this race.

ba wrote: »

wouldn't be surprised if Cavendish does it too. the columbia highroad train usually pulls up for the win.

I tend to agree with the latter - Just can't see him sticking the pace up the Poggio.

Chips Lovell

Let's not rule out the real classics riders too. Gilbert has had a go before and was looking strong a few weeks ago, but he pulled out of Paris - Nice last week. Also, being on a Belgian team, they may want him to save his legs for Flanders.

I reckon Rebellin will definitely have a pop. He's with Serramenti Diquigiovanni Whatever now and I doubt if they'll get invited to all of the Ardennes races, if any, so he'll take his chances where he'll get them. He looked strong in Tirreno Adriatico this week.

scottreynolds

Thor Hushovd and Tom Boonen have to be my picks. Cervelo Test Team are one of my favs for their ethos.

TinyExplosions

I'm going with Cav in a bunch sprint... ok, he'll have to do some amount of work to last up the poggio, but after seeing the last stage of T-A, he was untouchable in the sprint, and is looking mighty impressive

Chips Lovell

Start list here now. Confirmed that Cancellara isn't starting. Nor is Ballan.

Roche is racing.

Slideshowbob

Must be Ruby Walsh

He is having a great run at the moment

Diarmuid

I feel it's time for some nostalgia!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL3jQmkj3uI

Billy Whizz

Going to go for Gilbert after an attack on the Cipressa/Poggio. Think the sprinters' teams will be caught out again this year.

Funkyzeit

el tonto wrote: »

Confirmed that Cancellara isn't starting. Nor is Ballan

Will change my second pick so - Joaquim Rodríguez..

jdt101

scottreynolds wrote: »

Thor Hushovd and Tom Boonen have to be my picks. Cervelo Test Team are one of my favs for their ethos.

+1 My money is on Thor Hushovd. The new Cervelo Team are my top pick for this season because I like their new fresh approach. Also they don't have as much pressure on them as established teams to perform.

Funkyzeit

Looking at the schedule tomorrow cvge doesn't start till 2.50 - pity as we'll miss some of the early action -should be fnished in plenty of time to watch the egg chasers...

Caroline_ie

I am cr*p at predictions so I will be controversial:

Basso
L.A.
Boonen

Go on .. hate me

Chips Lovell

Going away for the weekend so I'll miss it for the second year in a row. Hopefully won't hear the result before I get to see the tape on Sunday night.

And if anyone texts me with the result they can forget sheltering behind me in the wind for at least a year.

sy

Billy Whizz wrote: »

Going to go for Gilbert after an attack on the Cipressa/Poggio. Think the sprinters' teams will be caught out again this year.

+1
I do think Rebellin might initiate this attack and Gilbert will go with him. Love to see Rebellin end his career on a high note as he was so close in quite a few big races last year. He has just lost that zipp to his finishes in the last few seasons. Know how he feels!:rolleyes: Head says Gilbert heart says Rebellin

sy

Oh forgot to mention Di Luca who looks suspiciously strong. Not sure if he is riding but dark horse.

xz

I fancy Chavanel in a breakaway

Chips Lovell

Funkyzeit wrote: »

Would enjoy reading that Tonto.

Got around to writing it finally. If I'd waited any longer the bloody race would be over.

RobFowl

sy wrote: »

Oh forgot to mention Di Luca who looks suspiciously strong. Not sure if he is riding but dark horse.

If Danielo "oil for drugs" DiLuca wins , I'm taking up golf :eek:

zzzzzzzz

For those of you living in the dark ages (without eurosport) like myself, there's some links for live streams here.

http://www.steephill.tv/classics/milan-san-remo/

Slideshowbob

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

For those of you living in the dark ages (without eurosport) like myself, there's some links for live streams here.

http://www.steephill.tv/classics/milan-san-remo/

where can it be watched live on internet - anyone got link

The one above doesn't seem to provide link

TinyExplosions

Spoiler:

Oh yeah, I'm on form with the predictions.... didn't see it, but glad Cav won... what a hero!

RobFowl

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Spoiler:

Oh yeah, I'm on form with the predictions.... didn't see it, but glad Cav won... what a hero!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mRFwULr-c0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cyclingweekly.co.uk%2Fnews%2FMilanSan_Remo_final_kilometre_in_video_article_279141.html&feature=player_embedded

F**K that was a close finish !
Well done Cav.

Love his comments about Boonen, “Crossing the line first was the sweetest thing but the second sweetest thing was seeing Tom Boonen go past me backwards on the climbs.”

Funkyzeit

Funkyzeit wrote: »

Going to go for Haussler - think he looks in very impressive form

Funkyzeit wrote: »

Just can't see him (Cav) sticking the pace up the Poggio.

Oh there is such a fine line between victory and humiliation...:o
Some finish - the 2 of them must have put 10/15 meters into some pretty big names in the blink of an eye

scottreynolds

Does anyone know if there's a ihatecav website ? :-) Just kidding I guess we are just to exposed to the UK media here.

I am gutted that cervelo tt didn't win. I picked Thor H and according the cervelo tt news they said Haussler was just a lead out man and went with 200m to go and no one could catch his wheel. Haussler slowed down and stopped going 100m from the line and by the time he realised that CAV was there is was too late.

Diarmuid

From Haussler himself
“I saw Cavendish coming. If I sprinted for myself, I wouldn’t have gone so early. I was leading out for Thor. I wanted to get off with 100 meters, but I had to keep going,” Haussler said at the line. “I looked behind and I saw bloody Cavendish coming, really fast. My legs were just dying. It’s disappointing. Second place is the first loser. No, no, no, I cannot be satisfied. I know my form is good — (expletive).”

Caroline_ie

Ah the joy in Cav's face, he can't contain his excitement ... what a day ...



Thank F* these guys can:

ba

has thor husovd said anything relating to haussler stealing his thunder? i cant imagine he's too happy about his team mate dropping his captain to go for glory.

Diarmuid

ba wrote: »

has thor husovd said anything relating to haussler stealing his thunder? i cant imagine he's too happy about his team mate dropping his captain to go for glory.

I doubt it was intentional. Haussler hardly decided to sprint from 400m!

scottreynolds

Diarmuid wrote: »

I doubt it was intentional. Haussler hardly decided to sprint from 400m!

From Cervelo.....

Jean-Paul van Poppel, one of the Sports Director's for todays race commented, "Heinrich started out early to bring Thor into the best position, but he actually went so hard that nobody could hold his wheel at that moment. He slowed down at 100 m and Cavendish was on his way in and just nailed him down within the last 50 m.

I agree totally Diarmund besides if a sprinter can't stay with the lead out man then whats the point of leading him out.

Anyone else think the cervelo test team has done so well to get where they are in world of racing. I was honestly not expecting this season one at all. I though that they went well in the toQatar but thought its just pre-season ... but perhaps they are just a really good team.

There's too much distrust of old teams and old riders surrounding the drugs issue so I think a new team with mostly new riders is a great thing. Certain teams, e.g. Saxobank (Riis Racing), are purporting to be clean but.... you know

sy

This was an awesome display from such a young rider. I never thought he would last the distance in such a prestigious classic and make it over the Poggio with the main group. I felt he had to get a few more years in the legs before he was a contender for this race. He is the youngest winner for quite a few years ( anybody dig up the stats?), and what a display of power, speed and timing. We will see a lot more classic wins from this talented chappie Did feel sorry for Haussler as his finish was incredible too

Raam

http://www.velonews.com/photo/89421

Some good pictures from the race over the years.