Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03 the exception), there's not much reason to think this year will be any different. Boonen seems like an obvious choice, but I think he's probably aiming to win Paris - Roubaix again, so I doubt he'll put out that last bit of effort to win M-SR. Bettini's had a few too many crashes this year, some quite recently, so I doubt he'll be as fit as he needs to be. Pozzato had a nice win last year and already one good win this year, so he could be a good choice. There just aren't that many guys who can still power out a good sprint at the end of a 296km race. So I'll say... Oscar Freire.
Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03 the exception), there's not much reason to think this year will be any different.
dumbass,
that is not true. tchmil won with a late attack after the poggio descent and pozzato's win was not technically a bunch sprint. pozzato was able to sit in, since QS had boonen in the pack and he was basically the last survivor from the break.
pozzato is pretty canny, as a friend described it, he won het volk by "wanting to win the least".
Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03 the exception), there's not much reason to think this year will be any different. Boonen seems like an obvious choice, but I think he's probably aiming to win Paris - Roubaix again, so I doubt he'll put out that last bit of effort to win M-SR. Bettini's had a few too many crashes this year, some quite recently, so I doubt he'll be as fit as he needs to be. Pozzato had a nice win last year and already one good win this year, so he could be a good choice. There just aren't that many guys who can still power out a good sprint at the end of a 296km race. So I'll say... Oscar Freire.
Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03 the exception), there's not much reason to think this year will be any different. Boonen seems like an obvious choice, but I think he's probably aiming to win Paris - Roubaix again, so I doubt he'll put out that last bit of effort to win M-SR. Bettini's had a few too many crashes this year, some quite recently, so I doubt he'll be as fit as he needs to be. Pozzato had a nice win last year and already one good win this year, so he could be a good choice. There just aren't that many guys who can still power out a good sprint at the end of a 296km race. So I'll say... Oscar Freire.
On Mar 22, 12:40 pm, "Kurgan Gringioni" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
Howard Kveck said:
Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03 the exception), there's not much reason to think this year will be any different. Boonen seems like an obvious choice, but I think he's probably aiming to win Paris - Roubaix again, so I doubt he'll put out that last bit of effort to win M-SR. Bettini's had a few too many crashes this year, some quite recently, so I doubt he'll be as fit as he needs to be. Pozzato had a nice win last year and already one good win this year, so he could be a good choice. There just aren't that many guys who can still power out a good sprint at the end of a 296km race. So I'll say... Oscar Freire.
You guys are all a bunch of Dumbasses -
Boonen
Gee, you're really going out on a limb with that one.
If you give me some odds, I'll take Haedo in a mass sprint.
Booooooneeeennnnnnn! would sound too much like Goooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllll!!! and that's old.
Haaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Eeeeeeeedooooo! sounds vaguely samurai-ish and would be far more fun for viewer and announcer alike.
R
RBR Phonetically Chosen Betting Specialist, 1st Class
Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03
the exception),
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
there's not much reason to think this year will be any different.
dumbass,
that is not true. tchmil won with a late attack after the poggio descent and pozzato's win was not technically a bunch sprint. pozzato was able to sit in, since QS had boonen in the pack and he was basically the last survivor from the break.
You're correct, Amit. I forgot that Tchmil had broken away in the last kilometer for his win and that Pozzato was in a group that had about 8 seconds at the base of the Poggio and he almost got caught right at the line. That's a great way to win a race like this.
-- tanx, Howard Never take a tenant with a monkey. remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?
On Mar 22, 12:40 pm, "Kurgan Gringioni" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
On Mar 21, 10:44 pm, Howard Kveck <[email hidden]> wrote:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Since it's ended as a bunch sprint since '97 (Bettini's win in '03 the exception), there's not much reason to think this year will be any different. Boonen seems like an obvious choice, but I think he's probably aiming to win Paris - Roubaix again, so I doubt he'll put out that last bit of effort to win M-SR. Bettini's had a few too many crashes this year, some quite recently, so I doubt he'll be as fit as he needs to be. Pozzato had a nice win last year and already one good win this year, so he could be a good choice. There just aren't that many guys who can still power out a good sprint at the end of a 296km race. So I'll say... Oscar Freire.
Quoted message said:
You guys are all a bunch of Dumbasses -
Quoted message said:
Boonen
Gee, you're really going out on a limb with that one.
If you give me some odds, I'll take Haedo in a mass sprint.
Booooooneeeennnnnnn! would sound too much like Goooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllll!!! and that's old.
Haaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Eeeeeeeedooooo! sounds vaguely samurai-ish and would be far more fun for viewer and announcer alike.
R
RBR Phonetically Chosen Betting Specialist, 1st Class
I was going to say Ballan but he's hurting; I'll go with Alessandro Petacchi.
If not, one of the fast Lampre guys -- Bennatti or Ballan. -- JT **************************** Remove "remove" to reply Visit http://www.jt10000.com ****************************
i just watched the opening stage of tirreno and McEwen (led out by a teamate) broke away around 500m and two turns before the finish, opening up a lead of a few seconds. i didn't see if he was counter- steering though.
i just watched the opening stage of tirreno and McEwen (led out by a teamate) broke away around 500m and two turns before the finish, opening up a lead of a few seconds. i didn't see if he was counter- steering though.
Has Mackie Wen ever won a sprint at the end of a really long race? Long tour stages don't count (in my mind) unless they were going reasonably hard, which they often aren't in the long ones. I haven't checked but IIRC Milan-San Remo is rather longer than a long flat Tour stage. Not to disrespect McEwen, I just think it's a slightly different set of aptitudes.
