The Cobbled Classics thread – spoilers!

And sure enough, Pogacar goes!

Peloton looks to have pretty much sat up now. Mind-boggling.

battering the crap out of each other behind! now UAE on the front slowing it down!

That’s some mental crowds now as well!

Pidcock putting a dig in now. He’s got his work cut out to make the podium though.

I think the race is just too hard now, there’s hardly anyone left and there’re all wrecked.

they all look like they are pedaling squares

Just finished watching Strade on catch up – what was under Pog’s saddle? Was it just the transponder as it looked awfully like a tool wrap!

No commentary, from 93km to go if any one wants to watch.

Amazing ride by Pog. Felt at first that the reason he got away was everyone looking at each other and not wanting to risk blowing up, but agree that the rest just seemed knackered. Appreciated Pidcock’s honesty in his interview!

Impressive but dull.

Impressive but dull.

👆

most notable bit of the last 80k was that bloke slapping pog square on the forehead

The race and the course looked amazing but I never like results like this, just makes it all look a bit amateur if one person can rock up and put that sort of time into people.

What has Pog been up to all winter, just mad amounts of Z2?

he is really suited to this kind of racing, his seated power is just so good he doesn’t have to risk losing traction out of the saddle and he can hold his own with the sketchy stuff on the downs (also it’s a very difficult to chase down a lone rider in this kind of terrain if his team has already smashed the race wide open, there’s only a few places where through and off can be utilized and most of the riders left consider themselves contenders so are unwilling to burn their chances on the front). Wouldn’t bet against him repeating his tour of flanders win in a similar fashion (if he rides it).

Toms Skujiņš up there again. One of the riders of the classics so far.

The womens race was (as usual) excellent today. I know SD worx winning is a bit samey, but seeing the other teams getting closer and closer is fascinating. Also got to give kudos to Kpecky for playing that to perfection.

Yep, the women’s race was more dynamic, more constantly changing. Great ride from Lotte Kopecky.

Impressive but dull.

It was simply too hard, there were maybe 8 riders left in it at the end. It didn’t need the extra loop in it at all.

Anyway, onto Milan – San Remo in 2 weeks time where MvdP will be making his road racing season opener!

Always love a Tom Pidcock interview.

Almost as good as “he was just playing with our balls really”

Not sure the extra loop was really needed, it seems to have become more of a climbers course; the race was fine as it was enabling classics riders, climbers, GT winners to be all in the mix.

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.  Can’t help but think they organisers have been persuaded by all the ‘Monument’ talk…..

Those 5 races are all of their time; late 19th/early 20th century…so over 100 years of history; stop trying to make this race something it’s not…..186km & 3500m of climbing is more than enough for a great race.

You might be right @wipperman95 but I think it’s hard to judge the course based on yesterday’s race. Just about any race at the moment can be rendered dull with the presence of one of the superhumans if they’re unopposed. Without Pog there yesterday (or with, say an in form WvA) it could have been quite the punch-up.

(or with, say an in form WvA)

Nah, WvA plays by the rules too much, one of the reasons I think he has sadly been eclipsed by MvdP/Pog etc. in big monuments and one-day races

He would not have attacked there and at best would just have ridden himself into the ground chasing. Particularly during the big monuments WvA always seems to be on the wrong side of heroic yet doomed chases

I think only an inform MVdP would have stood a chance of following that attack.

Particularly during the big monuments WvA always seems to be on the wrong side of heroic yet doomed chases

Actually I’m going to amend that statement to ‘often’ seems to be on the wrong side, not forgetting his own S.B. victory or sprint finish defeat against MvdP in RvV

Interesting, looking at it, it seems like future desires in terms of Tours etc has somewhat killed off the WvA we used to see, he seemed to have more power previously and would destroy a field and attack. He’s now far more of a tempo and a sitting kind of racer. Pogacar and VdP are still animals and just hit the bunch whenever and however they feel ‘right’.

you do get the feeling that WvA looks at the Tom Dumoulin 2017 Giro win and thinks yeah I could do that.

The point I was trying to make is that if someone who could follow pogs moves was there it could have been a good watch. WvA has been in the finale with pog a bunch of times (last years classics, Glasgow worlds) – although granted he’s usually in 2nd place at the end of the day. But yeah, sub in a MvdP (or maybe a Remco, even Roglič at a stretch) to go toe to toe with Pog then we probably wouldn’t criticise the course for being too hard.

It’s the same with any of the races at the moment. If one of the superstars is there unopposed the race is usually dull but throw a few of them in the mix and we get awesome racing.

Taking my own thread off topic cos it’s obviously not a cobbled classic but Paris-Nice – the Race to the Sun – is looking really **** grim at the moment!

Shortened stage due to the snow on the mountains but it’s chucking it down, spray going everywhere and everyone is looking thoroughly miserable.

Back to the Classics this next weekend with Milan – San Remo.

was’nt very nice @ Tirreno-Adriatico either 😕 Both Cav and Froome timed out on stage 5 by about 8 mins as Vinggegggaaaarrrddd rip everyone a new one.

OK it’s not cobbled but it is a Classic – a Monument even!

After a couple of weeks off for some stage race stuff, we’re back in Classics territory with Milan-San Remo and Cyclist have kindly done a bit of a guide to it (with further links in the article to the route, timings etc)

https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/milan-san-remo-predictions-2024

Personally my guide to it is to ignore the first 220km and tune in for the last 80km but what do I know?!

can the Pog  smash the poggio fast enough to gap the likes of MvdP  & Mohoric and the descend like the hounds of hell are on his tail 😕 it would be nice cos then he has to ride Roubaix one day for the full set.

has a team ever smashed it on the Cipressa to force a win ?

looking very pleasant weather wise.

In short, yup.

I suspect the UAE plan will be to do whatever they can to thin things out before the cipressa then try and get over the top of that with as few people as possible. Will be interesting to see if it’s possible or not.

Failing that I’d like to see a total outsider win. Throwing my hat in the ring for Benoît Cosnefroy.

Milan-Sanremo Preview

Good preview from Inner Ring.

rocking all white with stripes and a mullet….. MdvP leads them out

lot of talk of UAE going up the Cipressa in a sub nine minutes

must be a nightmare of a race to ride – 27 hours in the saddle and a seaside town every few hundred yards, so nowhere to take a piss without a cheering crowd lurking round a corner

lot of talk of UAE going up the Cipressa in a sub nine minutes

That didn’t seem to work, the peloton seemed well prepared for that.

Poggio just coming up, everything looking frantic.

Actually really tense! That was one hell of a descent too.

Really quite pleased that one of the big 2 didn’t win

Lance won’t be happy with all the backslapping and hugs after the finish line 😂

Great descent off the Poggio by Pidders but no way he could live with those fast guys.