Milan San-Remo

TheBlaaMan

So the first of the 2019 monuments is this Saturday, 23rd. It will be closely contested as usual with plenty of guys building up to it over recent weeks. Local interest will be on Sam Bennett and it will be intriguing to see how Bora work things out between himself and Sagan. Logic says that what Sagan wants, Sagan gets, so perhaps Sams role will be as a lead-out if he is there in the finale, but it could get, eh, interesting, if Sam is in a position to win it. I think his team player role will come to the fore, and despite being contract a year, he'll do what is asked of him, we'll see on Saturday.

Alaphillipe and Viviani is another interesting intra-team tussle; was it really planned for Alaphillipe to win that sprint in TA on Monday? Not so sure...He tasted the MSR podium in 2017 so he certainly has it in him.

Looks like Cavendish wont start, but Groenewegen will and so too will both Landa and Valverde, so there will be lots to watch out for......IF (big IF) they can last the pace on the years longest race - it will be a 7hrs+ day in the saddle. Coverage on Eurosport begins around 12:30.

Nibali's win last year was very sweet and shows that the sprinters occasionally let this race go away from them. The course is very traditional again this year, with the final 50km seeing the three Capo's followed by the Cipressa and Poggio and then the sprint onto Via Roma in San Remo.

Lots of stuff to browse on sites such as the Official Race Site, Cyclingfans and cyclingnews

As a teaser to the race, those interested (despite it mostly being in Belgian) might want to catch a VRT.NU broadcast "The dressing room" featuring some old dudes talking about the 80's, including some guy from Kerry and another one from Canada.....https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/de-kleedkamer/4/de-kleedkamer-s4a1-milaan-sanremo-1985/

The Kelly part of it is available separately at https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/de-kleedkamer-portretten/4/de-kleedkamer-portretten-extra-interview-met-sean-kelly/

and there's lots of other cycling content, including the Matt Rendall Pantani documentary from the same broadcaster at https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/categorieen/sport/

all above are free to view



I fookin love this race !

harringtonp

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/0/milan-sanremo-2019-first-monument-year-tv-channel-favourites/

dahat

Europsport showing 2018 race just now, cracking win from Nibali.

koutoubia

Alaphillipe (or the whole DQS squad the way they are riding) or any Astana rider(or the whole Astana squad they way they are riding) with Bennet to get a podium.

TheBlaaMan

dahat wrote: »

Europsport showing 2018 race just now, cracking win from Nibali.

What an amazing finish that was............Nibalissimo says Rob Hatch. What an effort after 7:18, eh?

That was off the back of a quality win at lombardia at the end of the previous season. Two very memorable victories.

EC1000

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

The Kelly part of it is available separately at https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/de-kleedkamer-portretten/4/de-kleedkamer-portretten-extra-interview-met-sean-kelly/

"Deze video kan je enkel bekijken als je in Belgioont.

Meer info vind je op onze helppagina."

Which Google translate reliably informs me means:

"You can only watch this video if you live in Belgium.

You can find more info on our help page."

TheBlaaMan

?? Dunno what is going on with that..... I watched them all yesterday. You do need to 'login with Google' or whatever, but once completed, I could watch them

Brian?

I’d place a decent wager on Sam finishing top 3. He’s in unreal form. If it comes to a sprint from a big group he has a much better chance than Sagan right now.

Any idea what the weather will be? It’s always better when it’s pissing down.

neris

https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/status/1108427825416151040?s=19

Eamonnator

Brian? wrote: »

I’d place a decent wager on Sam finishing top 3. He’s in unreal form. If it comes to a sprint from a big group he has a much better chance than Sagan right now.

Any idea what the weather will be? It’s always better when it’s pissing down.

Julian, Alan and Philip are favourites to be 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
You should get a get price on Sam

TheBlaaMan

Saturday will be a dry. sunny day in Liguria

silver campaign

I got a tenner on Sam at 25/1 to win it.
He's 10/1 now

neris

https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/status/1108989538918121477?s=19

odyssey06

He would definitely win it if he makes it to San Marino as everyone else will be going to San Remo.

Eamonnator

silver campaign wrote: »

I got a tenner on Sam at 25/1 to win it.
He's 10/1 now

9/1 now on Paddy Power.
I think team orders could play a big part in the race.
Sam may well be delegated to domestiques duties if Sagan (5/1) is going well.

dastardly00

I had completely forgotten that Nibali won it last year!

According to this piece Sagan dropped 4kg recently. I know it was mentioned he couldn't train for 5 days recently due to illness.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/10-riders-to-watch-at-the-2019-milan-san-remo/

Nico is also riding in support of Matthews who hasn't had great luck so far this year with crashes and illness.

Oh just noticed Connor Dunne is also riding this, long day in the break for him maybe.

griffin100

The man from Carrick wins

One of my favourite cycling clips ever.

Lets hope another Carrick man does it tomorrow.

EDIT: Commentator mentioning 52/44 made my legs hurt.

cunavalos

Coverage has just started on Eurosport 2/ player.
100km to go so expecting a finish close to 4pm.

Nothing much to report so far, small breakaway containing most of the wildcard teams 5minutes up the road

dahat

I've started watching this now but I know the first 60-90mins of coverage will be uneventful.

Had to cover my little girls eyes there when the camera cut to the jumbo visma rider with his lad in his hand

funnights74

Savage descending there 80 km an hour.

coco0981

What number is Bennett does anyone know?

Eamonnator

coco0981 wrote: »

What number is Bennett does anyone know?

52

neris

Where is Sam. Sagan's up front

coco0981

Alaphilippe, best all round rider in the world at the moment?

Eamonnator

Eamonnator wrote: »

Julian, Alan and Philip are favourites to be 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
You should get a get price on Sam

Told you so.

Inquitus

Alaphilippe handy in the end!

neris

Fu***ng valverde up there aswell

neris

Eamonnator wrote: »

Told you so.

Think alan got it by a nose

Eamonnator

neris wrote: »

Think alan got it by a nose

chateau

28th place for Bennett, he was in the chasing group 27'' back with the other sprinters. Nico was also in that group.

harringtonp

He can't really have any complaints with the speed they went up the Poggio, not a day for the pure sprinters

fat bloke

Good ol Roywobo Haiyiatchio managed to find some extra syllables in MelannOH SanRREYmOH!!

harringtonp

Even though I sort of expect it, it continually surprises me how the Irish/UK sports media report cycling. Attached screenshot taken at 19:30 today

And as Sam was winning Giro stages last year I was watching out in the Sunday Times during and after it but nothing ever appeared... plenty of stuff on Sky and substance abuse though

coco0981

harringtonp wrote: »

Even though I sort of expect it, it continually surprises me how the Irish/UK sports media report cycling. Attached screenshot taken at 19:30 today

And as Sam was winning Giro stages last year I was watching out in the Sunday Times during and after it but nothing ever appeared... plenty of stuff on Sky and substance abuse though

Unfortunately the reality is that pro-cycling is a niche sport nowadays. To the average person it only exists for the 3 weeks of the Tour Dear France

I definitely recall the BBC reporting on Paris Nice last weekend, a Yates brother was in the running so might have been why. Didn't catch the sports news on there this evening so not sure if they covered todays race.