MSR 2014 Route

135

Comments

  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Potentially good news:
    http://www.tuttobiciweb.it/index.php?pa ... 65344&tp=n
    Pompeiana may not be in MSR after all.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 73,044
    good news indeed.
    _
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    safety prevails thank goodness. Can't help thinking that they are cutting it fine if they haven't sorted the route yet.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    Maybe they were having second thoughts anyway?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    A bit late - a lot of sprinters will already have adapted their training programs
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    Could make it quite an interesting race then...
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Good news, Degenkolb for the win!
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Confirmed - Pompeiana out, back to the old route

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... emo-115090
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,755
    So is Cavendish still too fat / out of form?
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    TheBigBean wrote:
    So is Cavendish still too fat / out of form?

    Judging by the lack of interviews telling everyone that he's too fat and out of form, Cavendish probably doesn't fancy it this year (the rough rule of thumb is that the more he denies it, the more it's a target). If he suddenly starts talking about how he isn't a favourite and he's useless over the hills then you'll know he's changed his plans again, but originally I think he was planning to skip it this year due to the Pompeiana.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Or the other way round, Gilbert had made San Remo his first main target. Now it's much less suited to someone like him.
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    So, if Pompeiana is out, who does Lefévère put the team behind? Although there's Stybar, Meersman and Kwiatkowski you'd have to go with either:

    .......................'03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13
    Tom Boonen:.......78 75 8 4 3 29 15 2 28 22 DNF
    Mark Cavendish:..........................................1 89 52 WD 9
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    So, if Pompeiana is out, who does Lefévère put the team behind? Although there's Stybar, Meersman and Kwiatkowski you'd have to go with either:

    .......................'03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13
    Tom Boonen:.......78 75 8 4 3 29 15 2 28 22 DNF
    Mark Cavendish:..........................................1 89 52 WD 9



    Truth? I'd back Boonen

    Cav's season has started slowly as MSR had been out of the question + he'd ruled out G-W, and his goals are all geared towards the Tour.

    In contrast, Boonen is flying
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    I agree. Definitely a trophy missing in Tom's cupboard. Meersman, Petacchi and Martin are confirmed so far according to PCS. I'm fairly sure Boonen is scheduled too. Some team.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 73,044
    Why back either or? Both Tom and Mark need a bunch finish to win.

    If Cav is present for the bunch sprint, Tom can help Cav, if Cav isn't, back Tom.
    The team still needs to keep it together whatever .
    _
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Why back either or? Both Tom and Mark need a bunch finish to win.

    If Cav is present for the bunch sprint, Tom can help Cav, if Cav isn't, back Tom.
    The team still needs to keep it together whatever .

    C'mon - you can't put the whole team behind a Boonen OR Cav finish - completely different scenarios. Did they not hedge their bets in 2012? Result - 1st Quick Step rider finished in 22nd.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 73,044
    All they need to do is keep it together. Whichever is the second of the two to drop out of the peloton (if that happens) gets backed.
    _
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    I'm trying to work out from the reports whether the route was ever viable or whether recent weather has ruled it out. Some of the reporting seems to suggest that the road and associated guard rails have long been an issue but that the conditions have worsened in the last couple of months.
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    All they need to do is keep it together. Whichever is the second of the two to drop out of the peloton (if that happens) gets backed.

    Won't work like that. At what point does the team abandon Cav if he's struggling on the Poggio and then simply rejoin to help Boonen? And if it's a mass bunch finish without Cav I wouldn't fancy Boonen's chances.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    All they need to do is keep it together. Whichever is the second of the two to drop out of the peloton (if that happens) gets backed.

    Won't work like that. At what point does the team abandon Cav if he's struggling on the Poggio and then simply rejoin to help Boonen? And if it's a mass bunch finish without Cav I wouldn't fancy Boonen's chances.


    Or much earlier on - Le Manie - where he has previous for struggling when the hammer's gone down
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    To be fair though Boonen is probably much more capable of fending for himself on the climbs than Cav is, however, I don't see them being able to support two front men, or at least two such prominent front men that everyone else will know are the ones to watch, if that makes sense. Neither Cav or Boonen can ride under the radar.

    Edit - anyway I really doubt Cavendish will be riding his prep has been for later in the season.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 73,044
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    All they need to do is keep it together. Whichever is the second of the two to drop out of the peloton (if that happens) gets backed.

    Won't work like that. At what point does the team abandon Cav if he's struggling on the Poggio and then simply rejoin to help Boonen? And if it's a mass bunch finish without Cav I wouldn't fancy Boonen's chances.


    Or much earlier on - Le Manie - where he has previous for struggling when the hammer's gone down

    I'd back Boonen in a sprint after 300km tbh.

    Similarly, Cav will know if he's feeling good or not. He can make the call himself for the team. Worst you lose is him and maybe one other.
    _
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    Boonen looks fresh, and has a couple of sprint wins and good places in recent races. his form is good.
    Cav looks like he's using everything as training, or doesn't seem that bothered ( which is a little odd).
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Boonen: 'Milan-San Remo is not a small course and, a week in advance, it picks who are in shape'

    Right on, Tommeke
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,964
    the Inner Ring ‏@inrng · 8m
    Pompeiana road closure in Milan-Sanremo is turning into a dispute between two towns over who has to fix the road
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    Looks like we'll either have the classic route (without La Manie) or the Pompeiana will be in. I'd definitely prefer the latter. The classic route would be a snooze-fest till the Poggio and probably end in a bunch sprint.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    All they need to do is keep it together. Whichever is the second of the two to drop out of the peloton (if that happens) gets backed.

    Won't work like that. At what point does the team abandon Cav if he's struggling on the Poggio and then simply rejoin to help Boonen? And if it's a mass bunch finish without Cav I wouldn't fancy Boonen's chances.


    Or much earlier on - Le Manie - where he has previous for struggling when the hammer's gone down

    I'd back Boonen in a sprint after 300km tbh.

    Similarly, Cav will know if he's feeling good or not. He can make the call himself for the team. Worst you lose is him and maybe one other.

    Agreed. My money is on Boonen at present.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 73,044
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Art Vandelay wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    All they need to do is keep it together. Whichever is the second of the two to drop out of the peloton (if that happens) gets backed.

    Won't work like that. At what point does the team abandon Cav if he's struggling on the Poggio and then simply rejoin to help Boonen? And if it's a mass bunch finish without Cav I wouldn't fancy Boonen's chances.


    Or much earlier on - Le Manie - where he has previous for struggling when the hammer's gone down

    I'd back Boonen in a sprint after 300km tbh.

    Similarly, Cav will know if he's feeling good or not. He can make the call himself for the team. Worst you lose is him and maybe one other.

    Agreed. My money is on Boonen at present.

    Sagan.
    _
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Greipel has been getting over the hills well this season until now
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 73,044
    FJS wrote:
    Greipel has been getting over the hills well this season until now


    300km is a big ask for him.
    _

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