I really can’t get excited about Milan>San Remo like the other classics. I don’t know whether it’s the last 20km which are the telling moments but are just a bit too urban, being around San Remo.
I really hope that it is truly attritive and that there are maybe 10 riders in the last 20km in a couple of groups fighting it out having endured the weather but ending in bright sunshine poking through broken clouds, with a non-sprinter taking the finish.
Maybe even a young rider or a relatively unknown one… or Stannard because he looks like a MAMIL.

I guessed a slightly longer time than 6.44 as the weather forecast is a bit rubbish. Should be a good one though, so many possible winners of of that lot.

Thing is the worse the weather the better the Flemish/Walloons go 😆

I’d really like a bolshy Italian to go off the front, someone like Garztelli or Scarponi of old… But they all seem to had faded into the long Italian Sun. That’s why I chose a couple of Bardiani riders, those two have form as well…

Ciao Bella.

As we’re talking winners I’d like to see either a Ben Swift sprint victory (bloody close last year and talk is he’s been working insanely hard), a Cancellara power braaaaaaap (‘cos you know, it’s awesome!) or Nibali to attack on the last descent and shock everyone with not only his awesome skillz but some awesome form he’s been hiding for just this moment (because I’m a fan buoy and have a man crush on him…)! Erm that’ll do!

Another preview over at inrng. Can’t wait.

BBC sport had this with dates and info

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/31958848

Halfway for the break.

In many ways women’s cycling is so much better, turn up, rip the legs off each other then go home.

Yay, Pirazzi’s in the break..

At least I got something right.. Will they last out there ?

Nope.

Sprint finish I reckon.

I am slightly disappointed Cavandish didn’t have stronger legs after 300k in the rain.

Right 40km to go, game on.

Intresting tactics by sky there. Throwing one of their men down in front of the bunch.

To be fair they were practising quite a lot at Paris Nice

That descent looked lethal, a horrible “not-quite-dry” greasy dampness. Still surprised at 4th man in line going down, was that Andy Fenn? Interesting result anyway, let’s see if Sky can do a 3-up TTT to the finish…

Drying up nicely now.

Go G!
Doubt it’ll stay away but G has been amazing so far in this race.

Go indeed!

He’s got to drop like Kelly now!

Oh this is a good one, can G hold it on the descent? Should be easier for a lone rider. Peloton being blown to shreds now. Cav is a great descender too, let’s see what he can do. Nail biting!

I’m amazed that G has anything left at all!

Sagan’s still in that lead group.

ooh nasty

Is G looking for Swift?

Kristoff there too. Hard to see past him.

Wow! Kristoff went too soon. Paulini and G both seriously impressive.

wow didn’t have that one called at all.

pretty close on the winners time though

Erm… well that didn’t go to my Plan at all did it 😆

Hats off to Thomas for sticking it to them all and I’m still scratching my head as to why Van Avemart back peddled with 2 to go..

😕

Poalinin was excellent. But Kristof was too near the front too early. A bit much to ask of Poalini at the end of all that. Good race and I’m happy enough it was Degenkolb.

Great racing that. I was one second off the winner’s time for the Rapha comp. No email…yet 😕

What a team mate to have, G was outstanding

I enjoyed the Strade Bianche the other week – is that not counted as a spring classic? Just asking as I dont know what counts.

Strada Bianche is a relatively new race, all be it a bloody good one. The true classics are also referred to as the 5 monuments, four of which occur in the spring. The other one day races fight for getting described as semi classics, (of which there is no consensus).

There has been attempts by the UCI to group them into a season long series, but this concept has failed a few times.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_cycle_races

Calling your race a classic in the title does not count as it being one.

gutted that nothing stuck today and that it came down to the sprinters at the end – seemed like all the drama that had gone before was pretty pointless… but glad Kristoff got pipped by Degenkolb.
Sky look formidable, even on shonky tyres – shame that they got nothing out of it and I think Swift’s excuse of having no room at the end was a bit lame.

Quickstep lost another semi classic, Dwars door Vlaanderen, yesterday to the Pro Conti team Topsport Vlaanderen.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQC8e7Y3Be0[/video]

E3 on Friday, good race, despite the somewhat dodgy poster department

Looking forward to E3, its on Eurosport too.. Although Gent-Wevelgem isn’t …

Yes read about that. Can’t really complain about the Cannondale rider’s tactics if you’re in the strongest team, under the most pressure to win, and in the rainbow stripes! Nice to see Kwiatkowski get stuck in though.

Kwiatkowski’s showing a lot of respect for those stripes, really good to see.

Wonder if he’ll end up at Sky next year as the rumor mill suggests?

And no Sir Brad at E3, interesting.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-out-of-e3-harelbeke-but-may-race-gent-wevelgem

Interesting indeed. I’d love to be wrong on this but I really can’t see how Wiggins could win Paris Roubaix.

it’s either a massively tactical ploy to make the other teams think that he’s got no form and isn’t a threat so he isn’t a marked man, or he actually isn’t a threat…

Currently he’d be, at best, the third protected rider behind Stannard and Thomas, so he needs to prove himself to get even that status.

The tin hat brigade must be doing their nut now!