Milan-San Remo - 23'rd March - *spoilers*

[raindog]

1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing
3 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
4 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
5 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
6 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
7 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
8 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida
9 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka
10 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale

 

[rliu]

Not surprised Cav didn't have the legs to follow Kristoff, the attacks up Cipressa and Poggio would have taken a lot out of the sprinters. I was a bit hasty earlier saying the segments taken out would have affected the excitement, the effort of doing near 300km in the rain is still hell in itself.

 

[rich p]

Impressive by Swift, although not as impressive as Kristoff!

 

[raindog]

I was a bit hasty earlier saying the segments taken out would have affected the excitement, the effort of doing near 300km in the rain is still hell in itself.

That's what's special about this race. In the post race interview Kristoff said sprinting after 300k isn't the same as sprinting after 200.
Fabulous ride from Ben Swift

 

[thom]

1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing
3 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
4 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
5 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
6 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani-CSF
7 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team
8 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida
9 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka
10 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale

Curious - Cav might have won with Stybar linking up better for a lead out.
Katusha certainly had good team work in the finale so hats off to them for sealing the deal.

 

[raindog]

Curious - Cav might have won with Stybar linking up better for a lead out.

Not sure that helps in M-SR. That last descent with everyone strung out in a long line, then the last kilometre which is just a sort of mad, every-man-for-himself scramble - almost a lottery in some ways.
I've always loved this race.

 

[Crackle]

Final k's



Didn't realize Greipel had made it into the group.

 

[dan_bo]

Well chuffed for Ben Swift.

 

[rliu]

Final k's



Didn't realize Greipel had made it into the group.

Good thing about one day races is that no one is keeping anything in reserve. If it had been a Grand Tour stage and a sprinter got dropped with 5k to go they would have just rolled in with a grupetto.

 

[zizou]

Exciting finish and great timing from Kristoff (he is really rocking the American Flyers look these days).

The finish is always a bit of a strange one - going up and then down the Poggio then the race through town is consistently one of the most exciting last few KMs in cycling...however despite that the final stretch into the sprint always feels a bit unsatisfying with the 90 degree corners.

 

[Hont]

Two days later with everyone saying how big a factor the cold was...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/col...hard-to-attack-at-milan-san-remo-says-gilbert
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/iam-cycling-wet-and-cold-at-milan-san-remo

Anyone else thinking that Stannard would have loved it?

 

[lay]

It didn't do anything for me, then again it never has.. - MSR is TOO long and needs to be shortened..! imo - it kicks off in the last 30kms prior to that they ride 250 odd kms...some warm-up ???

 

[smutchin]

it kicks off in the last 30kms

That could describe most bike races, really. It's the length and difficulty of the "warm-up" that make MSR what it is (see Kristoff quote upthread).

 

[lay]

Kristoff, Cancellara, Swift , xxx, Cavendish

That must be Ben Swift's best ever result

No, he won a stage on the tour of cali. back in 2011 i think...http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/6th-amgen-tour-of-california-2-hc/stage-2/results

 

[thom]

No, he won a stage on the tour of cali. back in 2011 i think...http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/6th-amgen-tour-of-california-2-hc/stage-2/results

True but stage race wins aren't comparable.

If you look at it from the point of view of UCI points, Swift gets 70 points for 3rd place at MSR.
A stage winner at the Tour de France gets 20. For smaller races like Cali, you get 6.

As regards the route, if you shorten it you won't get from Milan to San Remo, you lose a century worth of tradition and you fundamentally change a key part of it's character. Being the longest race of the year, it has a different dynamic at the end to any other race; any rider left at the end has to be truly strong and that is why it is epic.