Milan - San Remo

nickobec wrote:

OK for those to lazy to research DSs for the Milan San Remo by using:
Cycling Fever
CyclingNews
Cycling Archive

Here is a look at the current popular DSs (ie rode Paris Nice and now riding MSR)
S. Spilak KAT 5.7 two top 5 finishes in Paris Nice + 4th on GC. He can climb but can not finish fast. He rode for Lampre for 4 years and this is his 1st MSR. Job on Saturday is to get Freire and/or Paolini over the Poggio in the 1st group.
X. Florencio KAT 2.8 also two top 5 finishes in Paris Nice unlike Spilak can sprint, has ridden MSR 8 times before, has finished 21st, 24th twice and 25th. Probably No. 3 rider for KAT, but worth considering.
F. Gavazzi AST 9.7 3 top 10 finished in PN, unlike Spilak, 3 years with Lampre 3 MSR starts, 2009 17th, 2010 70th 2011 DNF.
A. Kristoff KAT 8.2 5 top 10 finishes this year, PN form not as good as teamate Florencio, still outside chance on a team with talented MSR riders.
S. Vandenbergh OPQ 2.7 no real form this year, never ridden MSR, prefer others.
K. Lodewyck BMC 9.6 if he starts (only showing on offical list not others) I expect he will attack, like in Qatar. Do not expect him to get over the Poggio in the 1st group in his 1st MSR. If he does though, can sprint a little.
L. Bak Lot 15.7 3 MSR starts for DNF, 121, 59. See the pattern, I expect around 30th, I would recomend investing your 15.7 elsewhere.
K. Boeckmans VCD 3.1 young rider starting he 1st MSR, always a risk. Though recent form including 2nd at Nokere Koerse behind Chicchi tell you he can finish well. A gamblers choice.
M. Bouet ALM 6.2 1 start in MSR 2010 finished 152nd, will improvem but not the type of race I see him doing that well in.

So what about the pro continetal teams and riders that you might of never heard off.
C. Betancurt ASA 6.9 impressed me in Giro Lombardi last year finished 9th alongside Gilbert and Visconti. Did a great break away on stage 6 of TA. Likely to be aggresive but the course if not lumpy enough for him, plus it is his 1st MSR.
COL other than Duarte (KM) most of the riders have not riden in Europe till this season, it showed in TA and there is more to learn in MSR, can not recommend anybody.
E. Battaglin COG 3.0 big things are expected of this young man who with young Moser (two very famous surnames) utterly dominate U23 racing in Italy last year. TA form was not exciting and at 22 probably not read for 300kms+ of racing, one for the future.
F. Failli FAR 6.0 & E. Favilli FAR 6.4 TA form on this pair nothing to get excited about. Failli did get over the Poggio in the leading group last year and finished 24th. Favilli finished 9th in the Strade Bianche two weeks back and can sprint.
P Bailetti UTE 2.9 The best contender on a weak team, this is not an "LPR Brakes" of old team. Still with the team working for him and a little luck a top 20 finish for Bailetti is not out of the question.
D Colli TT1 3.1 Ex Geox rider, riding the MSR for 1st time, decent form and sprint on him. Much more likely than Bailetti IMHO for top 20 finish.

Don't give away all the best web sites!!!!!
Got one of those but there are 3 other Italians worth considering, not too expensive and with a bit of form!!
Would like an Italian star rider but none on great form at the moment as at least one Italian has been top 5 for the last few years but who will it be this year? Modolo, I think, but I'm not brave enough to put him in. There's also a Frenchman who's done well recently but he's a bit expensive and I've put him in recently and got nothing from him.

chrisdstripes wrote:

Mikeh789 wrote:

Nickobec, great post.

I second that. I've gone big up top with EBH, Boonen, Sagan and Freire (happy to disclose that as I'm doing rubbish so if anyone wants to copy me, be my guest!), so its encouraging that 3 of my DS are in the group Nickobec mentioned. Its a steep learning curve for a fantasy virgin!

Sure it was a good post but would have been better after the transfer deadline. Mind you I reckon there are only 3 decent possibilities mentioned there, the rest are red herrings!

Squiggle wrote:

Sure it was a good post but would have been better after the transfer deadline. Mind you I reckon there are only 3 decent possibilities mentioned there, the rest are red herrings!

Surely no harm done! As you say quite a few red herrings - actually just the hangover from P-N as the DS selected from that race.

Squiggle wrote:

Sure it was a good post but would have been better after the transfer deadline. Mind you I reckon there are only 3 decent possibilities mentioned there, the rest are red herrings!

It was a hurried post, written to encouraged people to do a little research. Given the talent pool I was working with popular PN DSs and the unfamilar pro continental teams DSs I thought I picked the best available (though I admit during my research I found Fransesco Ginanni (ASA)
DS Value: 2.5 and added him to my squad) and you needed to read between the lines a little.

Top DS recommendation from the post:
L. Paolini KAT 10.5 (read what I said about other KAT riders)
X. Florencio KAT 2.8
F. Failli FAR 6.0
E. Favilli FAR 6.4

The comment on Bouet should of read prefer others from his team (hint the designated team leader who is a 7.9 DS )

Outside chances
A. Kristoff KAT 8.2 (two other KAT riders already picked, 3 if you have Fierre)
K. Boeckmans VCD 3.1 (he is on my short list for the cobbles and ardennes)
D Colli TT1 3.1

If I added a couple of guys from FDJ who performed well in the last couple of years and an Astana rider who did well in 2010, there would be no need to do any basic research like following the links to Cycling News to find out who performed well in the 2009, 2010 and 2011. Check their other race results of Cycling Archive and previous MSR results on Cycling Fever)

Simon_MacMichael wrote:

Breaking news - Wiggo in for Knees, according to IG Markets.

Well that opens up two possibilities, Cav is feeling well enough, but needs a drag up the climbs OR Wiggo fancies it himself

Yes FDJ

Squad
BONNET William
CHAINEL Steve
GERARD Arnaud
GESLIN Anthony
LADAGNOUS Matthieu
RASCH Gabriel
ROLLIN Dominique
VICHOT Arthur

nickobec wrote:

Another issue... [is] the bracket creep of riders who were DS last year to star riders...

I wish we could get that issue fixed... It's a little disheartening...

meninblack wrote:

... I'm... choosing 4 sprinters (Cavendish, Greipel, Farrar, Sagan, Petacchi, Boonen, Bennati, Haussler,...) or 4 allrounders (Cancellara, Gilbert, Ballan, Breschel, Van Avermaet, Boom, Nibali, Pozzato...) but... I will not combine sprinters and allrounders, so, white or black, 200 points or 0 points...

Brave man! I think I'll go for a mix! I like Greipel and Farrar but I just don't know if they'll hang till the end!

Cipollini won this, right? And Cavendish, but I have little faith that these two might make the final selection... Have Greipel or Farrar raced this before?...

lucas wrote:

Cipollini won this, right?

2002

lucas wrote:

And Cavendish,

2010

lucas wrote:

but I have little faith that these two might make the final selection... Have Greipel or Farrar raced this before?...

2011, Griepel was with the leading group, but got dropped on one final climbs and finished 4 minutes down.

2011, Farrar main bunch 5 minutes back, 2010 again main bunch this time 1:40 back

lucas wrote:

Brave man! I think I'll go for a mix! I like Greipel and Farrar but I just don't know if they'll hang till the end!

If Farrar's not there at the end, who's going to lead out Cav...?

meninblack wrote:

I will not combine sprinters and allrounders, so, white or black, 200 points or 0 points haha

Let me know which way you go so I can stack my team in the opposite strategy!

Squiggle wrote:

meninblack wrote:

I will not combine sprinters and allrounders, so, white or black, 200 points or 0 points haha

Let me know which way you go so I can stack my team in the opposite strategy!

I've decided and I'll go with 4 sprinters. I don't know which 4 sprinters yet, but there will not be any allrounder in my team.

I hope the race will decide with a massive sprint