Milan-San Remo *SPOILER*

[Flying_Monkey]

They just keep on coming! Another beautiful bastard of a one-dayer. Just too long to be comfortable, with a nasty couple of hills right near the end that can split a tired peloton and ruin the best laid plans of sprinters. In short, anything can happen! So as to who will win... your guess is as good as mine. if it comes down to a bunch sprint and Cav is still there, you'd have to put your money on him. But this is only one possible kind of finish. On recent form, I might be tempted to go with Lovkvist in a breakaway... But on the day, absolutely anyone could do it...

 

[Steve Austin]

One for the sprinters this year!!. I'd love to see Cav get it, but i think its petacchi this time

 

[Noodley]

I'll go for Gilbert.

 

[nilling]

Going to watch it on Eurosport

 

[Skip Madness]

I really love Milano-Sanremo. All of the season's classics are good to watch for varying reasons, but for me Milano-Sanremo has that something special that only the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix share.

It is nice to see Ian Stannard getting a spot on the start list for ISD, and in Oscar Gatto he has a teammate with an outside chance for the victory. I know I tipped Francesco Ginanni for success at the Eroica and he did not return the goods but he is better suited to this Saturday, and probably a wiser bet than his presumed leader Davide Rebellin. I also expect Mikhail Ignatiev to give it a good go late on.

One of the things I like about this race is the virtual impossibility of calling a bunch sprint or a small breakaway towards the end. Bearing everything in mind, if I have to call it here and now I will say one of the two Cervélo boys - whoever is feeling stronger out of Haussler and Hushovd. At the moment I am inclined towards the former.

The Cervélo situation is similar to the Quickstep one - Haussler to lead out Hushovd and Davis to lead out Boonen? Or will both teams double their odds and tell both of their sprinters to go for it?

Edit - similarly, Boasson Hagen to lead out Cavendish? (Assuming all of these riders are there at the business end.)

 

[rich p]

Bennati for me

 

[Steve Austin]

Thinking that Ciolek might have a chance

 

[Flying_Monkey]

The Cervélo situation is similar to the Quickstep one - Haussler to lead out Hushovd and Davis to lead out Boonen? Or will both teams double their odds and tell both of their sprinters to go for it?

Edit - similarly, Boasson Hagen to lead out Cavendish? (Assuming all of these riders are there at the business end.)

I think Haussler and Boasson Hagen (my season's tip for success, remember) will be in with a chance if the race breaks up, because they are the kind of people who could be in the breaks and doing the breaking. Hushovd, Boonen and especially Cavendish will suffer if there are significant breaks, although the first two will survive smaller ones. Mind you, Cavendish is improving in this regard, which is of course one of the reasons he is doing the race at all this year...

 

[Noodley]

Boasson Hagen (my season's tip for success, remember) ...

When is the Tour of Poland?

 

[Keith Oates]

This race is always a tough call and very often the winner can be a bit of a suprise but although I hope Cavendish gets the win I think Boonen will be the one watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chfp77]

Just read a Boonen interview,seems really up for this one!!

 

[yenrod]

I'd luv for a non-national to win this from a long break-away..

It'd floor the italians for years - the assailant would never win anyhting again in Italy !

 

[carlwyckman]

if it comes down to a bunch sprint and Cav is still there, you'd have to put your money on him. But this is only one possible kind of finish. On recent form, I might be tempted to go with Lovkvist in a breakaway... But on the day, absolutely anyone could do it...

I think you can be right, I hope so! I think Columbia is going for cav, but it would be nice seeing Lovkvist trying in the end.

Boonen could take a sprint in the end, if the peleton is going strong in the end I would say that Boonen and perhaps Hushovd is the two sprinters that can go with them

 

[mondobongo]

I fancy an attacking rider rather than a sprint and am stuck between Davide Rebellin or Stuart O'Grady.

 

[carlwyckman]

Anyone with a link to the startgrid?