Milan - San Remo *spoiler*

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  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    Is it asking too much for them to wear proper winter clothing ? It wasn't that cold that with a bit of thought they could have stayed relatively comfortable - winter shoes and multiple layers of overshoes, decent gloves not their standard team issue cool weather gloves. Boonen says the organisers knew it was going to snow - well in that case so did he. Most of the riders got on with it - if Boonen wanted to make a point about the organisation after the race fair enough but at least finish it.
    ^ in all probability written by someone who spent Sunday afternoon snoozing in an armchair with the central heating on.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    Quick to judge there, you need to find his post further up the thread.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    Pross wrote:
    Quick to judge there, you need to find his post further up the thread.
    Do people sat at home watching on telly or a dodgy internet feed really believe that competing in a race in this kind of weather for 5 hours is so easy?.

    20130317-AM3P1089-659x440.jpg

    "Hey kid, just wear a winter jacket and some lobster-claw gloves and feckin' gerronwivit, will ya. Wimp."

    Perhaps the desire to be entertained outweighs any other considerations. It seems that a rider's decision to abandon the race shows either weakness or an unwillingness to do the job properly.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Interesting that Cavendish was all for stopping until he found out that La Manie had been taken out.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefever ... n-san-remo
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Simon E wrote:
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    Is it asking too much for them to wear proper winter clothing ? It wasn't that cold that with a bit of thought they could have stayed relatively comfortable - winter shoes and multiple layers of overshoes, decent gloves not their standard team issue cool weather gloves. Boonen says the organisers knew it was going to snow - well in that case so did he. Most of the riders got on with it - if Boonen wanted to make a point about the organisation after the race fair enough but at least finish it.
    ^ in all probability written by someone who spent Sunday afternoon snoozing in an armchair with the central heating on.


    Actually written by someone who spent Sunday morning in a road race that was abandoned because of snow.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    LoL
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Simon E wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Quick to judge there, you need to find his post further up the thread.
    Do people sat at home watching on telly or a dodgy internet feed really believe that competing in a race in this kind of weather for 5 hours is so easy?.

    20130317-AM3P1089-659x440.jpg

    "Hey kid, just wear a winter jacket and some lobster-claw gloves and feckin' gerronwivit, will ya. Wimp."

    Perhaps the desire to be entertained outweighs any other considerations. It seems that a rider's decision to abandon the race shows either weakness or an unwillingness to do the job properly.


    No it's not "easy" - but there are gloves and overshoes that should stop you being painfully cold - seems to me if riders were in that state then either their team or them were partly to blame. Yeah lobsterclaw gloves - why not - you'd have as much control as you would with frozen fingers anyway ! Nobody, well not me anyway, is saying they should have been made to ride over the climbs covered in snow but having got on the bus and had a chance to put on dry kit and warm up a bit not getting back on the bike doesn't seem like doing the job right to me.

    The organisers probably could have handled it better - Cav's suggestion of starting the race where they restarted would probably have made more sense - but have that argument after don't refuse to restart and say it's making a point to the organisers. It is entertainment after all - that's why they get paid - if there weren't people watching to be entertained they'd be paying to race like the rest of us.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    edited March 2013
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    If the story's true of Stannard's rear mech cable snapping and him having to do last part of race including Poggio climb in his 11...i'll proudly have his MSR race face as my wallpaper

    This doesnt seem right, so I checked it and watched the Poggio a few times. Even though the Poggio is not overly steep, it isnt something that can be done in the 53 x 11.... In the video Ive seen, you can clearly see Stannard changing through the sprockets, particularly on the last two hairpins where the TV pics show him changing into an easier gear and spinning out of the corners...

    It may have been the case that the gears jammed on the way down, but once on the flat after the descent of the poggio, there are 3km that are flat and would be ridden in a heavy gear anyway. Whatever happened, Stannard had a super, fantastic ride and much kudos to him.
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  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    I watched the end of the race last night as well, and agree that Stannard definitely wasn't in 53 x 11 all the way up the Poggio, his cadence is clearly too high for that in several places.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    emadden wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    If the story's true of Stannard's rear mech cable snapping and him having to do last part of race including Poggio climb in his 11...i'll proudly have his MSR race face as my wallpaper

    This doesnt seem right, so I checked it and watched the Poggio a few times. Even though the Poggio is not overly steep, it isnt something that can be done in the 53 x 11.... In the video Ive seen, you can clearly see Stannard changing through the sprockets, particularly on the last two hairpins where the TV pics show him changing into an easier gear and spinning out of the corners...

    It may have been the case that the gears jammed on the way down, but once on the flat after the descent of the poggio, there are 3km that are flat and would be ridden in a heavy gear anyway. Whatever happened, Stannard had a super, fantastic ride and much kudos to him.

    Good work.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    It's easy to criticise riders, teams and organisers for their decision. And if you like to compete in your own time, even in the snow, that's your call. As far as I'm concerned organisers can shorten races and riders abandon or do whatever they feel is most prudent. It's their safety, health and livelihood (plus that of others involved such as police outriders, marshals etc) that is at stake, not mine.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Orica backstage pass for MSR:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... RDHdZQFUxo
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    Simon E wrote:
    It's easy to criticise riders, teams and organisers for their decision. And if you like to compete in your own time, even in the snow, that's your call. As far as I'm concerned organisers can shorten races and riders abandon or do whatever they feel is most prudent. It's their safety, health and livelihood (plus that of others involved such as police outriders, marshals etc) that is at stake, not mine.

    But surely the organisers did what was required to make the race safe by removing and detouring the highest parts of the route? I think the point Tom was making was that Boonen was complaining despite that and mainly because they were expected to race in the cold and wet. If that is the case then the point about wearing suitable clothing is surely valid? Plenty of riders finished and to the beat of my knowledge none were hypothermic whilst many were down to shorts and arm warmers by the end. It was a tough day but I suspect riders have raced in as bad or worse every year since bike racing started and often in far inferior clothing.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Jered's amazing photos:
    http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/03/f ... -san-remo/
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Jered's amazing photos:
    http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/03/f ... -san-remo/

    Awesome. A true surfer-fest :)
    8.jpg
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    Good pic of Stannard in his 53 x 20 or 19 over the top of the Poggio (he took off the black cape just before the Poggio) .... so there! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

    5.jpg
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    www.dotcycling.com
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  • Lightning
    Lightning Posts: 360
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Jered's amazing photos:
    http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/03/f ... -san-remo/
    Cheers for the link. Some amazing pictures there.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ciolek interview
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... j3feQ4W668
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ciolek interview
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... j3feQ4W668
    Contador is the Greatest
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,314
    emadden wrote:
    Good pic of Stannard in his 53 x 20 or 19 over the top of the Poggio (he took off the black cape just before the Poggio) .... so there! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

    5.jpg

    No - it IS actually the 11 sprocket: Stannard's cassette block is 3-13t.
  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    OCDuPalais wrote:

    No - it IS actually the 11 sprocket: Stannard's cassette block is 3-13t.
    Certified heavyweight :lol:
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  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    emadden wrote:
    OCDuPalais wrote:

    No - it IS actually the 11 sprocket: Stannard's cassette block is 3-13t.
    Certified heavyweight :lol:


    Completely
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    What did the top 3 all have in common???


    All were wearing shorts.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    What did the top 3 all have in common???

    All were wearing shorts.
    This is why Donald Duck will never win Milan-San Remo
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mtn-qhu ... -worldtour
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    63080_10152697778170501_709281939_n.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    253744_10151400804596843_1372124635_n.jpg


    (I'm assuming this is MSR)
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    You know it was a good race when a race like San Remo can get to 32 pages.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,811
    I was thinking this the other day, which single race or stage got the biggest response on BR?

    I'd imagine something from the 09 Tour or after Chaingate...
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    ThomThom wrote:
    You know it was a good race when a race like San Remo can get to 32 pages.

    Was it really that good?

    Just quite unusual with the snow etc.

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