Milan - San Remo 2021 ***Spoilers***

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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,207

    Do we have a view if MvdP is good going downhill? I know we think JA will commit and WvA can go down faster than him - how does MvdP stack up?

    That was my thinking in picking WVA on PTP. His descent last year was incredible.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    Seven hours and ten miles of racing. The sheer quixotic nature of the thing is cycling in a nutshell.
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,581
    I love this race.

    Yes, it's a slow burner, but the build up of excitement - reaching its crescendo as they hit the Poggio - is like no other.

    The genius of the parcours is the range of possible winners that it brings in, surely wider than any other race. Pure sprinters, climbers, one day specialists.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Thr crackerjack finale is Bennett & WVA getting onto MVDPs wheel at the bottom of the poggio with Sagan in a group 10 seconds behind
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,218

    Thr crackerjack finale is Bennett & WVA getting onto MVDPs wheel at the bottom of the poggio with Sagan in a group 10 seconds behind

    Bennett getting on MvdP's wheel on the Poggio :#:#

    In other news, I saw this pig fly across the sky
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Dare to dream
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,508

    Dare to dream

    Bennett in a group behind whilst JA sits on the front group slowing them down is a more realistic dream presumably.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878

    Dare to dream

    Bennett in a group behind whilst JA sits on the front group slowing them down is a more realistic dream presumably.
    If Bennett is in a group behind then that group is effectively out of it.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,508

    Dare to dream

    Bennett in a group behind whilst JA sits on the front group slowing them down is a more realistic dream presumably.
    If Bennett is in a group behind then that group is effectively out of it.

  • JA may be tired tomorrow, as it seems he's running in the 2.30 at Cheltenham today
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,581

    JA may be tired tomorrow, as it seems he's running in the 2.30 at Cheltenham today

    Might be worth a fiver on the double, would pay out about 675 quid.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,123
    Had a fiver on the horse. Think it's a better shout.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137

    JA may be tired tomorrow, as it seems he's running in the 2.30 at Cheltenham today


    Up against Streets of Doyen. Let's hope he doesn't celebrate too early like the last time they met.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    edited March 2021
    (can someone exlpain this joke for the Horsenostic of us..? 😶 )
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,123
    La Doyenne.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    edited March 2021
    ddraver said:

    (can someone exlpain this joke for the Horsenostic of us..? 😶 )


    There's a horse called Alaphilippe running in the 2.30 at Cheltenham this afternoon.


    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Yeah see I googled that and still didn't come up with that list...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • david37
    david37 Posts: 1,313

    phreak said:

    The rest of the peloton can't just wait until the Poggio though, can they? It will be interesting to see if the presence of the big three prompts others to try and shake things up from further out.

    So if you're a DS of any team that isn't MvdP, you don't want it to be a particularly punchy final hour or so, as that's the MvdP sweet spot. He can just outride anyone over an hour or so. So you're happy to keep it together, unless maybe you're backing WvA, JA or possibly Gilbert or Nibali, for as long as possible.

    Even then, if I was WvA, I would role the dice and just follow and ride with MvdP and chance the sprint.

    If you're QS you play both sides, have JA go big on the poggio and hope Bennet and or Ballerini can hang onto the peloton up the Poggio.

    if you're someone like a GvA or Naesen you go with the MvdP move and just hope there are enough numbers clear at the back end of the poggio to make it a tactical run in.

    But there are still plenty of sprinters in the peloton so there will still be a lot of interest to keep it together for a sprint > you would definitely urge them to really gun it hard after the Poggio regardless as it would not be totally unforeseen that MvdP and WvA mark themselves out or blow it tactically.
    its the first time ive actually been interested in this race and they'll be just before the two climbs as im waiting in line for a jab. could be a belter
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Pre Race Gruber

    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,195

    MvDP is the popular PTP pick, but isn't he going to get bored by the Cipressa and attack?

    Ahem...


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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,195

    Do we have a view if MvdP is good going downhill? I know we think JA will commit and WvA can go down faster than him - how does MvdP stack up?

    Really poor choice of phrasing there @rick_chasey Can we avoid the stack word re Poggio descents please?
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    edited March 2021
    My main concern for MvDP is that he has shown a propensity for crap positioning at the pointy end of affairs.
    If he's in his usual, layoff spot towards the top of Poggio, he'll be toast when the other two light the afterburners.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • 📺 #MSR tomorrow. @daniellloyd1 introduces on @gcntweet GCN+ from 0810GMT, before @Maggy_PR, @RealStephens & @BriSmithy join me in the commentary box. LIVE all day on digital worldwide (except LATAM & NZ), with @Eurosport_UK TV joining around lunchtime (UK & EU). #MilanoSanremo

    From Rob Hatch on Twitter
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892

    Do we have a view if MvdP is good going downhill? I know we think JA will commit and WvA can go down faster than him - how does MvdP stack up?

    Really poor choice of phrasing there @rick_chasey Can we avoid the stack word re Poggio descents please?
    It's hard to tell how people's legs will fare after such a long way. A lot of riders could really hit the wall in that finale.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,218
    Quite excited for this.

    Can we all pray to the nap gods that the little one will go down tomorrow afternoon?

    Thanks
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,123
    I'm sure you'll find 20 minutes to watch the whole race "as live" if necessary.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,628

    Quite excited for this.

    Can we all pray to the nap gods that the little one will go down tomorrow afternoon?

    Thanks

    Just get them watching. Start em young....
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,581
    Alaphilippe (the nag) outside the top 3...
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    Can we have a moment for Kwiato, whose season is going so badly he's not even mentioned as a super-duper outside bet?
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,123
    mrb123 said:

    Alaphilippe (the nag) outside the top 3...

    Stayed on well for 5th, but well beaten by a horse whose name starts with van.