Milan-San Remo 2020 SPOILER ALERT.

[BryanE]

Oops.

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by gavingould

...at least someone on that team can sprint straight.

ha!

also, in the WvA-vs-MvdP career-palmares tally, i'd say that WvA has slightly edged ahead at the moment! lets see how MvdP responds in the coming events.

[Stainomo]

Glad to see WvA win....again...after his injury! I had Gilbert on 1 but I knew WvA was a more realistic #1. A Belgian won, i'm happy .

[nooneline]

Wow, that was a nail-biter!

A bit more action on the Cipressa and between, what with smaller teams and fewer tune-up races. I really loved Trek's aggression, seeing Bennet struggling to stay in contact, and then seeing Ala, Wout, Kwiatko, and Nibali all go up the road near the top of the Poggio.

I took a look at Wout's data on strava and that attack was 30mph uphill, sustained - no slouch! Ala's second dig to ditch Wout was really incredible, as was their descent - I was rooting for Wout to get back on for sure and he was the far superior descender - Alaphilippe took some bad lines around a few turns. I also thought that Alaphilippe was a bold poker player sitting on from about 1.7km to go with the gap so tantalizingly small, and was VERY surprised to see Wout pull back Ala's initial jump.

But when it came down, wow, what a show of strength by Wout - and I got the impression that he could have won from the bunch, too. Shades of Vos with the huge smile right as he crossed the line - true joy erupting there. What a ride!

[flying]

Nice 18 minute clip here final 12km

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7vgsex

[Spoker]

Belgian with Dutch father on Dutch team. What a week for Jumbo with all that sadness in the middle.

[72gmc]

My friend might say Alaphilippe made a dog's breakfast of the descent off the Poggio. Is he not known as a strong descender?

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by 72gmc

My friend might say Alaphilippe made a dog's breakfast of the descent off the Poggio. Is he not known as a strong descender?

Alaphilippe was an excellent descender in last years TDF, I think he even kept the jersey an extra day or two because he was so good coming off those big sweeping descents in the Alps.

He overcooked one hairpin early off the Poggio yesterday and it seemed like that threw him off his game. And we all know that Wout (and every other CXer) are really good at maintaining speed through hairpins.

[weisan]

It's apparent that Alaphilippe has the form. If he gets two or three more races in his legs before MSR, he will probably beat Wout handily. He did not show the usual "burst" in his sprint.

[ddtn]

Alaphilippe had looked like the winner until like 5 meters before the line. Just had nothing left in the legs. MvA was cool as a cucumber and deserved the win. I think the summer heat destroyed race strategy for quite a few teams.

[trener1]

Originally Posted by weisan

It's apparent that Alaphilippe has the form. If he gets two or three more races in his legs before MSR, he will probably beat Wout handily. He did not show the usual "burst" in his sprint.

Alapahalipe had as many races in his legs as Van Art, so why would he be better then VA in 2-3 weeks?.
VA is a top level sprinter he won a full bunch sprint in the Daupehne last year so I would say that quite the contrary, WvA would almost always beat Ala in a 2 up sprint.

[trener1]

Nice article about another up and coming American that hasn't garnered much hype (I guess he isn't from Boulder : )
https://www.velonews.com/news/road/m...0-at-san-remo/

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by trener1

Not only rim brakes for the win, but he closed down JA on the descent while on said rim brakes.

Disc brakes are so yesterday...why not have a lighter, more simple, easier to change wheels, bici on this dry day of racing...

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by ddtn

Alaphilippe had looked like the winner until like 5 meters before the line. Just had nothing left in the legs. MvA was cool as a cucumber and deserved the win. I think the summer heat destroyed race strategy for quite a few teams.

Flatting and chasing back on right before the cipressa will take the snap right out of your legs. As much as I like WvA, absent that flat...alaphilippe wins easily.

[jpw]

Ala burned his legs a bit chasing back on after his puncture. WvA looked cooked at the back of the peloton at one point in the last 50km.

I did like WvA's sprinting style. Very efficient. Power.