The "Odd Couple"

Once in a while a cycling article will come out, and its too either sweet or too funny to forget. This is one of them.

What happens when the oldest, or most "mature", rider on a team rooms with the youngest? I wish I could say there is a punchline to that, but I can't think of any.

I mean I can turn this into a "what happens when the oldest and youngest walk into a bar" joke. Oh wait, the youngest can't drink in the USA yet...

Voigt and Jungels: RadioShack's Tour of California Odd Couple

Chris Horner's last-minute withdrawal from RadioShack Leopard's Amgen Tour of California roster may have helped create cycling's own version of the "Odd Couple", as 41-year-old Jens Voigt will now be rooming with 20-year-old neo pro Bob Jungels throughout the eight-day race.

"Together we're 31," Voigt told Cyclingnews Friday after the opening press conference. "So that's a good age for a cyclist. It's funny how he sometimes reminds me of my son, because my son is turning 18 this year. [Jungels] is only like 2 ½ years older. He's actually closer to my son than to myself, so I want to believe it keeps me young."

As far as Jungels is concerned, the two teammates may be separated by more than two decades, but Voigt's often-times playful attitude helps bring them together.

"I feel pretty comfortable with him because he's over 40 years old, but in his head he's like 25," Jungels said. "So it's pretty cool. We talk a lot together, and if I have any questions he's always there answering everything you ask him, and that's just great to have someone with you who has so much experience. It's kind of relaxing. You feel comfortable and secure, and I think it helps you for the races also. You have no stress or no pressure, and he confirms that."

Jungels comes to California for the first time after having already won his first pro race this year, the UCI 1.1 GP Nobili Rubinetterie in Italy. He also ran second during the time trial stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe in France, finished sixth during the stage 6 time trial at the Tour of the Med and was seventh during stage 2 of the Criterium International.

"For the whole year I have no pressure at all," Jungels said of his position within the team. "At the beginning of the year I said, 'OK, my big goal is just to get as much experience as possible'. Now I already have one win and a second place, so I'm really happy. For the rest it's just a bonus if I can get more results."

The promising rider from Luxembourg came to the WorldTour this year from Radioshack Leopard's development program, the Continental-ranked Leopard-Trek team. As a 19-year-old development rider last season, Jungels won the Paris-Roubaix espoirs race and claimed the overall win at le Triptyque Monts et Chateau. He won the individual time trial and the overall at the 63rd Fleche du Sud, as well as the Luxembourg national time trial championship. He was also second in the time trial at the European Cycling Championships.

The power rider who excels at the race against the clock would like to collect some "bonus" results in California this week, but he's also realistic about the competition.

"I will try to follow in the mountains, and maybe in the time trial I can make a good result," he said. "We had a similar [time trial course] at the beginning of the year in France, so I know a little bit where I am standing, but I have no pressure. I just go.

"But I think there are a lot of strong riders from strong teams here," Jungels continued. "So I think first of all, we have no real leader for the team, so it's pretty open for us and we can try something. Everybody can do something. Of course, I would be really happy [to get a good result], but I'm there for the team also. For me, it's not just the victory that counts, but if I can show myself a little bit and show my skills a little bit, that would be nice for me."

Voigt, winner of multiple stages in California and one of only a handful of riders who will have competed in all eight editions of the race, is also hoping his young protege can show himself and grab some spotlight this week.

"He's a pretty good time trialer," Voigt said. "He's young and he's hungry, so I believe he's going to create some attention."

Starting Sunday, Jungels will have eight days to do just that. In the meantime, he's simply trying to relax and enjoy his first trip to the US.

"California is a different mentality," he said from the team hotel in Escondido. "It's so much more relaxed than in Europe, and now with the good weather, it's amazing. The landscapes when we went training are just awesome. We rode the first stage, and in the hills it's really beautiful. I like the lifestyle, even if it's really different than Europe."

And what is the Luxembourger's first impression of the Golden State?

"Everything is a lot bigger," he said. "If you go from the cups in McDonald's or Starbucks and until the roads. Everything is just bigger. And the people have been just so friendly and great, we're having a good time."

"Swiss Newspaper Claims..."

Do you notice anything about the title? If a newspaper is 'claiming' something, they better have evidence to back it up. In this case, not so much.

I read the headline "Swiss newspaper claims Cancellara will miss 2013 Tour de France" on the Radioshack Leopard Trek Fansite, and had a gut feeling that this was an inaccurate article. There are no direct quotes from Cancellara or RSLT, just quotes that the newspaper Blick "reports him saying".

In one part of the article, Cancellara allegedly says he "doesn’t believe that [Andy Schleck] can win this year’s [Tour de France]." In my opinion, why would a well-respected rider come out and be so pessimistic about his teammate? Cancellara wouldn't do that, and RSLT would never allow for that either.

At the bottom of the webpage that this story is on, there are links for related articles. One of the links if for a follow-up article: "Cancellara denies any decision is made concerning Tour de France participation". Thankfully, this article uses direct quotes from Cancellara, including what he posted on this Twitter account: “Dont belive what you read global regarding my raceprogramm. #Full fokus for the #classics after that i will rest, and decide with the team.”
Here are the complete articles for you to read:

Swiss newspaper claims Cancellara will miss 2013 Tour de France

He’s shone in the race in the past, winning five prologues, eight stages in all and holding the record of yellow jerseys [28] amongst the riders who never won the race, but Swiss publication Blick has claimed that Fabian Cancellara won’t line out in this year’s Tour de France.

If accurate, the surprising news denies his RadioShack Leopard team of one of its star riders for the race.

However Cancellara has said that he believes his chances of shining in the race have been limited by the parcours.

“The start in Corsica features neither a prologue nor a time trial,” Blick reports him as saying while explaining his decision.

The 2013 edition will instead feature the first sprinter-friendly stage one finish in over four decades, with the early race against the clock being the team time trial on stage four rather than an individual effort.

The race does also feature two solo TT tests, namely stage eleven’s 33 kilometre race to Mont St. Michel and stage 17’s Chorges TT, but these are not enough to entice him to take part.

Apart from his passing up on the chance to chase a stage win, Cancellara’s absence would also be a blow to the team as he could have done vital work for his team-mate Andy Schleck. However according to Blick, the Swiss rider doesn’t believe that the Luxembourg rider can win this year’s race.

While the route is undoubtedly better than the 2012 course would have been for Schleck, he is still trying to regain his form after a bad crash in last year’s Criterium du Dauphiné.

While Blick doesn't elaborate on Cancellara’s pessimism about Schleck’s chances, the 2010 race winner has himself said that it is conceivable that it could take him until 2014 before he is as strong as he was before.

Cancellara will begin his season in the Tour of Qatar and then continue in the Tour of Oman prior to tackling his big goals, the Classic trio of Milan-Sanremo, the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. The world championship is likely to be a target in the second half of the year.

Cancellara denies any decision is made concerning Tour de France participation
Contradicting an earlier report in the Swiss publication Blick stating that Fabian Cancellara has decided to miss this year’s Tour de France, both the rider and his RadioShack Leopard team have moved to deny that this is the case.

“Dont belive what you read global regarding my raceprogramm. #Full fokus for the #classics after that i will rest, and decide with the team,” Cancellara stated via Twitter, writing in his distinctive manner.

Team spokesman Tim Vanderjeugd also underlined that the story was inaccurate. “Blick didn't have an interview with Fabian. His program until Paris-Roubaix is fixed; from there on, it's all open,”

The earlier article said that Cancellara noted that there is neither a prologue nor a time trial at next year’s start in Corsica, saying that a decision not to ride the Tour had been taken based on that.

It also said that Cancellara didn’t believe that he needed to go for team support, because he didn’t believe Andy Schleck could win the 2013 race.

Vanderjeugd said that this too is inaccurate.

Cancellara has excelled in previous editions of the race, winning eight stages in all and holding the record of the most yellow jerseys [28] by a rider who hasn’t won the race.

The 2013 Tour will feature three stages in Corsica at the start, with stage one being the first sprinter-specific race in over four decades.

It complicates things if Cancellara wants to try to take yellow again, but he is nevertheless strong enough to be successful in the race.

Before then, and before any decision as to his summer race programme, he will focus on shining in Milan-Sanremo, the Ronde Van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix.

He will begin his season tomorrow in the Tour of Qatar and then continue with the Tour of Oman.

Cycling Avengers

I'vebeen playing with this in my head for a while, and I want to publish it now, so I can get feedback. Now that The Avengers has become a huge summer blockbuster, and an amazing movie too, I want to re-cast the superheroes with cyclists. Here's what I came up with, let me know what you would change:

Thor, God of Thunder

Thor's abilities include: "Superhuman strength, speed, agility, and endurance, healing factor, and longevity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_(Marvel_Comics)).

There is only one man known as The God of Thunder in the peloton:

Thor Hushovd:

This one was the easiest for me. As much as I don't think any explanation is needed, I will give you one anyway. Hushovd "...is known for sprinting and time trialing and is the 2010 Norwegian and world road champion. He is the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France, and first Scandinavian to win the road race in cycling world road championship. He is also the Scandinavian with the most stage wins in Grand Tours." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Hushovd)

The Incredible Hulk

The Hulk's abilities include: "Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, immunity to diseases & viruses, involuntary transformation, regenerative healing factor, resistance to mind control, underwater breathing, and vast leaping" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulk_(comics))

I was looking for a current rider to cast as The Hulk, but I couldn't think of anyone. So, thinking back a few years, I thought of the perfect cyclist:

Jan Ullrich:



Okay, so I had to go back quite a few years to find the perfect cyclist to be cast as The Hulk, but Ullrich really fits the role. Ullrich "...was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to take five second places and a fourth in 2004...He is considered the best time-trialist in the history of the sport...Ullrich won a gold and a silver in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also won the 1999 Vuelta a España." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Ullrich)

Captain America

Captain America's abilities include: "peak physical & mental conditioning, expert acrobat, tactician, marksman, master martial artist, excellent field commander, wields his vibranium-steel alloy shield with hyperkinectic-senses." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_America)

Captain America has to be cast as an American (duh!), and although I don't pay too much attention to American cyclists, one man stands out in my head:

David Zabriskie:

Zabriskie's "...main strength is individual time trials and his career highlights include stage wins in all three Grand Tour stage races and winning the US National Time Trial Championship seven times" including this year! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Zabriskie) Heck, he even had a Captain America bike:

Ironman



Ironman's abilities include: "genius-level intellect, cyberpathic link with a prior version of his powered armored suit, superhuman strength, supersonic flight at Mach 3, energy repulsors, missiles, durability and regenerative life support" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Man)

I was trying to stay with the current peloton in choosing the Avengers, so I picked the overall best rider I could think of:

Fabian Cancellara:

Cancellara is "a time trial specialist...a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist. He is also a winner of Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix (twice), Milan – San Remo, Tirreno–Adriatico, Tour de Suisse, Strade Bianche (twice), and four prologues of the Tour de France." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Cancellara)

However, since I went back a few years with Jan Ullrich as The Incredible Hulk, if I were to do that again, then there is another man who I would cast as Ironman - hands down!

Lance Armstrong:

With SEVEN Tour de France titles, Armstrong is the true Ironman, especially after winning a fight with testicular cancer! I may not be a big American cyclist fan, but Armstrong wins the overall Ironman title in my opinion. (I don't need Wikipedia for those facts!)

Hawkeye

Hawkeye's abilities include: "Master archer, uses a variety of trick arrows, superb athlete, martial artist, and acrobat." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkeye_(comics))

There is are quite a few cyclists that always hit their target when ever they aim, but there is only one I think of right away:

Mark Cavendish:

Cavendish was "originally a track cyclist specialising in the madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines...competed on the road since 2006, rising to prominence as a sprinter. He is the 2011 Road World Champion and winner of the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. On the track Cavendish won gold in the madison at the 2005 and 2008 World Championshps, with Rob Hayles and Bradley Wiggins respectively and in the scratch race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games riding for Isle of Man. As a road cyclist he achieved eleven wins in his first professional season, equalling the record held by Alessandro Petacchi. Cavendish has won a total 20 Tour de France stages putting him joint 6th on the all-time list with Nicolas Frantz and 10th on the all-time list of Grand Tour stage winners with 33 victories. Other notable wins include the 2009 Milan – San Remo classic and the points classification in both the 2010 Vuelta a España and the 2011 Tour de France." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cavendish)

I'm going to skip Black Widow since I don't follow Female Cycling.

Loki

Loki's abilities include: "superhuman strength & durability, genius-level intelligence, mystical powers, telepathy, flight, shapeshifting, teleportation, longevity" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki_(comics))

I know Loki isn't in fact one of the Avengers, but every good guy (or guys in this case) needs an arch nemesis, so I choose to include Loki. Villians never win, they always come in second, no matter how hard they try. So, who is the best choice for Loki?

Andy Schleck:

Schleck has "been the runner-up at the Tour de France three times - in 2009, 2010 and 2011." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Schleck) Need I say more?



Hushovd vs. Rainbow Jersey Curse

Hushovd rode out Paris-Roubaix “in pure defiance”

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hushovd-rode-out-paris-roubaix-in-pure-defiance)

Thor Hushovd was in good position in Paris-Roubaix, but a crash at nearly the same time Tom Boonen launched his ultimately successful attack once again crushed the BMC Racing Team rider's dreams of winning this race. Nevertheless, he didn't let that stop him and rode “in pure defiance” to finish 14th, over four minutes down.

Hushovd was behind Juan Antonio Flecha of Sky, who “was about to run into a police officer, so he turned away suddenly. Then I had to jump over a traffic island, but I landed crooked and with low pressure in the tires I just slipped away.

“I knew right away that the race was over for me,” he told aftenposten.no. “So I rode in pure defiance.”

The tall Norwegian irritatedly rejected the idea of a curse against him winning the race. “It's time to stop harping on the damn curse. There is no curse of the World Champion jersey, and there is no curse here in Roubaix.”

Paris-Roubaix 2012

I know I've been gone awhile, missed a few races. Between work and my personal life, I haven't had much time. So much has gone on these past few weeks, but hopefully I'll be around more.

Anyway, here is the results for the 2012 Paris-Roubaix:

Boonen triumphs at Paris-Roubaix

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/paris-roubaix/results)

Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) rode into the record books with a dominant solo victory at Paris-Roubaix. The 31-year-old Belgian rode the final 52km alone to win by 1:39 over a five-man chase group led across the finish line in the Roubaix velodrome by Sébastien Turgot (Europcar). Alessandro Ballan (BMC) rounded out the podium for third place in a photo-finish with the Frenchman.

With the victory Boonen equals Roger De Vlaeminck's all-time win record of four victories in the Hell of the North, and for the second time in Boonen's career he's claimed the Tour of Flanders/Paris-Roubaix double in the same season.

"I was not really thinking about the winning race or doing a record," Boonen said. "I was just fighting myself. I was taking it step by step, cobblestone by cobblestone, kilometer by kilometer. I think if you start thinking about the 60 or 57 km, which is when I left, it's nearly impossible. It is all in your mind. I was really thinking about my lead. With the gap at 30 seconds I was trying to take it second by second. I was trying not to push it right away to one minute, tried not to force myself. It was the best way to save my strength and put all my strength into the 50km in front of me. I think it was the best option.

"The velodrome finish line, it's the only one where you can do two laps where all the people are," continued Boonen. "It's the only finish line where you have one kilometre where you can bond with the people that are there. It's just just such a special race. Paris-Roubaix, only one race like it in the world. A race like this needs a special finish. I think changing this finish line would be very stupid. It's almost more Paris-Roubaix — finishing here — than the cobblestones. I was really enjoying my two laps."

Runner-up Turgot was delighted with the result as he realised that Boonen was out of reach on Easter Sunday. "I don't realise yet how huge the performance is that I achieved," Turgot said. "I did some track and that certainly helped me in the sprint. Boonen was too strong. It was almost a miracle what he did, it was super nice," Turgot said.

A sunny, dry day for Paris-Roubaix

Right after rolling out of sunny Compiègne the attacks came thick and fast as riders sought to make the early escape. A huge group of 25 rider wasn’t allowed much distance as the peloton kept riding at high speed. Finally, after 70km of fast-paced, aggressive racing, a group of 12 riders rolled off the front and the peloton let them go. The group consisted of Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Yaroslav Popovych (RadioShack-Nissan), Kenny De Haes (Lotto-Belisol), Frederik Veuchelen and Bert Jan Lindeman (Vacansoleil-DCM). David Boucher (FDJ-Big Mat). Michael Morkov (Team Saxo Bank), David Veilleux (Team Europcar), Dominic Klemme (Argos-Shimano), Laurent Mangel (Saur-Sojasun), Aleksejs Saramotins (Cofidis) and Grischa Janorschke (Team NetApp).

The pace in the peloton dropped off after covering the first two hours at a rapid 48km/h clip and as a result the 12 escapees gained a lead of four minutes in no time. Sky and BMC worked in the peloton to keep the gap under five minutes as they didn’t have a man in the lead group.

The break's advantage over the peloton remained the same until the riders hit pavé section 21, Aulny-lez-Valenciennes – Famars. In front Saramotins flatted but near the front of the peloton there was a crash. Many riders were held up by those who hit the deck and blocked the road. The biggest casualties were Dutchmen Tom Stamsnijder and Tom Leezer. French veteran Fréderic Guesdon (FDJ-Big Mat) and young prospect Tony Gallopin (RadioShack-Nissan) were also hindered by the crash and they failed to come back to the peloton.

Arenberg forest looms large

The Sky team led the peloton at high speed towards the Arenberg forest with its notorious, grueling pavé sector. The passage started dramatically as in front Janorschke crashed hard, taking Popovych and Van Keirsbulck down with him. In the peloton top favorite Tom Boonen set the pace, soon to be helped by teammate and French champion Sylvain Chavanel.

At the back of the peloton outsiders like Grégory Rast (RadioShack-Nissan) and George Hincapie (BMC) suffered flats. Once out of the forest eight riders remained in the lead with less than two minutes on the peloton. The eight surviving riders from the early break included Boucher, Veuchelen, Lindemann, Morkov, Veilleux, Klemme, Mangel and Saramotins.

After the Arenberg forest several attacks were launched from the peloton and suddenly Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) was up the road together with Alessandro Ballan (BMC), Jimmy Casper (AG2R-La Mondiale), Mathieu Ladagnous (FDJ-Big Mat), Sébastien Turgot (Europcar) and Maarten Wynants (Rabobank). The six collected half a minute on the peloton but on pavé section 14 Gert Steegmans (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) took a strong pull to lead the peloton back to the six in the chase group. With such aggressive racing from the peloton the breakaway group didn’t stand a chance and at the feed zone, with 68km to go, there was a complete regrouping in front.

Omega Pharma-QuickStep goes long

During this tactical moment in the race Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) profited to sneak away with fellow French riders Mangel, Ladagnous, Turgot plus Switzerland's Michael Schär (BMC) ahead of pavé section 12 in Orchies. Turgot blasted away on the cobbles from the lead group when Chavanel flatted. Meanwhile, in the peloton Boonen accelerated and only Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) was able to keep up. The duo caught up with Turgot at the end of pavé section 12. Soon afterwards Terpstra and Ballan bridged up as well, creating a five-man leader’s group.

Once back on asphalted roads there was no cooperation in this group and then the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team staged a coup as Boonen went up the road together with his lieutenant Terpstra. The situation initially looked awkward, though, as Terpstra was unable to keep up with his team leader on the 5-star pavé section 11 of Auchy-les-Orchies – Bersée. With approximately 52km to go Boonen was up the road on his own.

Behind him in the chase group co-favorite Pozzato misjudged a corner on the cobbles. The Italian star crashed into Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil-DCM) and both riders lost valuable time while Boonen collected half a minute on the first chase group.

Can Boonen do it?

The gap remained at nearly half a minute when reaching pavé section 10. Boonen made it through the unforgiving 3km-long stretch at Mons-en-Pévèle while the peloton split apart behind him. The Sky team had the numbers in this seven-man group, featuring Flecha, Boasson Hagen andHayman. The other riders in the group were Ballan, Ladagnous, Boom and Terpstra. They were caught by seven more riders with 40km to go while Boonen's lead had grown slightly to 40 seconds. The seven riders who bridged up were Ian Stannard (Sky), Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Barracuda), Luca Paolini (Katusha), Jacopo Guarnieri (Astana), Matteo Tosatto (Saxo Bank), Wynants and Turgot. Stannard did all he could to bring the gap down but instead Boonen hit pavé section 7 with a gap of 50 seconds on the chase group of 14 riders.

The Belgian struggled to get the gap over one minute but he eventually got it on the cobbles of Cysoing à Bourghelles (pavé section 6), with 27 km to go. At the same section there were a couple of accelerations in the chase group featuring Flecha, Boom, Ballan and Vansummeren but these were all neutralized by Terpstra.

Boom switched bikes on the asphalted roads towards the last important pavé sections of Camphin-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre where Boonen's lead had grown to 1:20 on the chase group. Boom bounced back from his mechanical and steamed passed the group to launch a solo counter-attack. Flecha, Ballan and Ladagnous followed the Dutchman a little further back. For the first time the gap dropped but once Boonen finished the cobbles of the Carrefour de l’Arbre he still had 1:10 on Boom.

The Flecha, Ballan and Ladagnous group regained contact with Boom to form a four-rider chase, but they now seemed resigned to racing for second. The group lost horsepower at 13km remaining as Ladagnous flatted, while in front Boonen looked as smooth as ever across the pave as the distance to the Roubaix velodrome grew ever shorter.

Boonen kept his three chasers at bay and with 4km to go his lead stood at 1:32. The Belgian powerhouse soon cracked a smile for the cameras inside of 3km to go and he soon had the velodrome in Roubaix all to himself as he soaked up the adulation from the crowd and savoured every second of his triumphant 1.5 laps of the track for his fourth Paris-Roubaix victory.

Full Results

1	Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep	5:55:22
2	Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar	0:01:39
3	Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team
4	Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling
5	Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
6	Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team	0:01:43
7	Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo Bank	0:03:31
8	Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling
9	Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda
10	Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team

To Sum Up Milan-San Remo

10 conclusions from Milan-San Remo

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/10-conclusions-from-milan-san-remo)

1. Fabian Cancellara's (RadioShack-Nissan) racing style has skirted the thin line between bravery and folly in the big classics over the past two seasons, and Milan-San Remo was no exception. Once again, he won hearts and minds with his wholehearted attacking, and once again, he found himself thwarted by a cannier rider at the death.

There was something Sisyphean about Cancellara's plunge into San Remo, with Simon Gerrans and Vincenzo Nibali scrambling for his back wheel. Even though he surely knew that his weakness in the sprint would be exposed, he persisted in his labours nonetheless. But was simply attempting to blast riders of the caliber of Gerrans and Nibali off his wheel a glorious failure or an act of arrogance?

Cancellara triumphed at San Remo in 2008 by patiently biding his time before making one decisive attack inside the final 2km. In contrast to that clinical display, on Saturday he seemed to try and bludgeon his way to victory with repeated blows, and the result was rather less tidy.

That said, one can never step in the same river twice, and the circumstances of this year's race were different to four years ago. Once Cancellara made the decision to bridge to Gerrans and Nibali, and once it was apparent that they would not collaborate, he perhaps had little option but to attempt to burn them off his wheel. Besides, had Cancellara held his fire on the Poggio, he may well have been forced to take up the reins of the pursuit behind in any case, such is his lofty reputation.

At the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, the Swiss rider will have tougher terrain at his disposal to make the difference in the finale, although it remains to be seen if he will show his hand as early and as often as he did in 2011.

2. Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge) didn't bat an eyelid when it was put to him in the winner's press conference that his had been a stolen victory, and with good reason. He had a cast-iron alibi in the chase group in the shape of last year's winner Matt Goss, and instead the Australian cleverly maintained the lead group's momentum with a fleeting turn on the front approaching the final kilometre.

Laudable though Cancellara's strength was, cycling would be an altogether poorer spectacle if victories were decided simply by watts produced. Tactical cunning and sheer sangfroid are just as important a part of a classic winner's make up as raw power, as Gerrans demonstrated on Saturday.

3. With Vincenzo Nibali and Peter Sagan in its ranks, Liquigas-Cannondale had two potential race-winners with contrasting styles at its disposal on Saturday, and the team set out its stall in three phases. Their first aim was to shed the peloton of the pure sprinters, and then Nibali was to go on the attack on the Poggio, while Sagan kept his powder dry for the sprint from a reduced group behind.

In the event, Liquigas succeeded in following the playbook but failed to come away with the win. Cavendish was duly shed on Le Manie, and Nibali forced the winning move on the Poggio, while Sagan took the sprint behind for fourth.
Given the ease with which Sagan held off John Degenkolb, it's tempting to suggest that Nibali should not have attacked and Liquigas should simply have ridden to set up Sagan for the sprint. However, after Valerio Agnoli swung off midway up the Poggio, Daniel Oss was the only other Liquigas rider in the front group. Would that have been enough to pull back a rampant Cancallara?

4. Marcel Kittel may be the marquee young German sprint talent at Project 1t4i, but he has some high quality company in the shape of John Degenkolb. The former HTC-Highroad rider enjoyed a fine Milan-San Remo debut. Just 23 years of age and in only his second season at the top level, Degenkolb dealt admirably with the 300km of racing and finished second in the group sprint just behind the winning break. His victor, of course, was the even more precocious Peter Sagan. Expect to see both men back at the business end of La Primavera in the years to come.

5. While the likes of Liquigas-Cannondale were always going to try and make life difficult for Mark Cavendish (Sky), it was a surprise to see the world champion eliminated from contention on Le Manie with over 90km still to race. As ever, there will be much conjecture over the true state of Cavendish's early-season fitness, but given his solid start to life in the rainbow jersey, it may simply be that he endured an off day at the most inopportune time. Certainly, it would be no surprise if he were to make a forceful response at Gent-Wevelgem next weekend – Cavendish is rarely more dangerous than when stung by perceived slights.

6. Bubbling under in the lead-up to Milan-San Remo after early season wins in Australia and Spain, Oscar Freire was quietly fancied by a number of observers to take his fourth win at La Classicissima, and when Katusha led the charge behind Cancellara, it looked as though he would conjure up a big win from nothing all over again. Instead, the chasers fell just shy of making the juncture, while Freire himself had to give best to Sagan, Degenkolb and Pippo Pozzato in the sprint for fourth. In what may be his final season as a professional, one wonders if Freire will manage to work the oracle one more time before his exits the stage.

7. Filippo Pozzato brooked his share of criticism during his final season at Katusha, but the man from Vicenza has carried himself with a renewed verve since he signed with Farnese Vini-Selle Italia ahead of the 2012 season. Training under the watchful gaze of Luca Scinto all winter, Pozzato set himself the target of slugging it out with the big hitters at San Remo, Flanders and Roubaix.

A broken collarbone at the Tour of Qatar threatened to derail his campaign, but remarkably he was back racing within a week of his operation, so desperate was he not to miss out on racing miles ahead of the classics. The gamble looked to have paid dividends on Saturday as he rode to a solid 6th place in San Remo. While it's worth noting that he finished 5th last year before the wheels came off his Katusha career in Belgium, Pozzato seems altogether more assured under Scinto's guidance, and it will be fascinating to see if he can recover his form of 2009 on the cobbles this April.

8. BMC's travails continued at Milan-San Remo, and remarkably the expensively-assembled outfit has yet to pick up a single win in 2012. Their Classicissima challenge was dented early in the week when Thor Hushovd was forced out of the race with illness, and the Norwegian was perhaps always likely to be their best chance of success. Philippe Gilbert, too, was stricken by fever and dental problems in the week before the race, and a crash over the top of the Cipressa ended his challenge before it was possible to draw any real conclusions as to his actual state of form.

Greg Van Avermaet was also a faller and it was left to Alessandro Ballan to keep their end up with an 8th place finish. While there were mitigating circumstances aplenty for their low-key showing on the road to San Remo, the galacticos will be expected to start making a telling impact on races at the very least as the focus switches to the cobbles.

9. Given his twin talents of endurance and speed, it seems almost an aberration that Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) has never triumphed at Milan-San Remo. In fine form at Paris-Nice last week, no less a figure than Michele Bartoli had tipped Boonen for the win on Saturday and the Belgian appeared comfortable throughout. Caught behind a crash on the descent of the Poggio, however, Boonen lost sight of the leaders and his challenge ended. Still, his season is as ever defined by the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, where the signs are he will renew his rivalry with Fabian Cancellara.

10. A 300km classic from Milan to San Remo is perhaps something of an anachronism, a throwback to the early years of organised racing. Certainly, one does not envisage that any new additions to the WorldTour calendar would ever feature such a lengthy point-to-point race. That said, throughout its history, the organisers have often updated the race by tweaking its format slightly, adding the Poggio (1960), Cipressa (1982) and Le Manie (2009).

Change may be afoot again as soon as next year, with rumours of a steeper route to the top of the Cipressa and a finish line closer to the Poggio. The idea to give attackers more of a chance to finish alone, but as has been the case since 1907, it's the riders rather than the route that will be the making of the race.

Milan - San Remo: Gerrans vs. Cancellara

Cancellara pipped at Milan-San Remo

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-pipped-at-milan-san-remo)

Another classic, another pyrrhic victory for Fabian Cancellara. The RadioShack-Nissan rider made all the running in the final, frantic kilometres of Milan-San Remo on Saturday, but he comes away from the Riviera laden with compliments rather than prizes after he finished second behind Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge).

Second in Milan-San Remo last year, third in the Tour of Flanders, second in Paris-Roubaix and now second again in La Classicissima, Cancellara’s recent run of classics results has been as frustrating as it has been remarkable. From monument to monument, the sequence of events has seemed to follow a set formula: Cancellara wins the strongest man contest but somebody else rides off with the race itself.

On this occasion it was Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) who sparked the winning move when he forged clear on the Poggio with Gerrans for company, but approaching the summit, it was Cancellara who muscled his way to the front and powered the trio down into San Remo.

Such was the intensity of his effort that Gerrans later admitted that he was struggling to keep up as Cancellara accelerated out of the corners that litter the famous descent of the Poggio. Indeed, at times Cancellara seemed to ride as though he were utterly unaware that he had two such high-quality rivals sitting (albeit not always comfortably) on his back wheel.

He eventually waved Gerrans through to take a rather cursory turn on the front in the streets of San Remo, but Cancellara again took up sole responsibility in the final kilometre, fearful of the chase group behind. A Milan-San Remo victor must know how to gamble; perhaps mindful of his weakness in the sprint, Cancellara opted to play the percentages and ensure at least a podium place for his troubles.

“In the end I took the risk,” he said afterwards. “I don’t have eyes in the back of my head. I felt that they were coming behind quickly, so for that reason I said to myself: ‘all in.’

“In the end, I risked it, but I still took a second place at Milan-San Remo, which is of great value. It’s a great race. I wanted to do well today, I had it in mind to try something on the Poggio today and make the difference. In the end I did what I could. The others were on my wheel.

Gerrans gave me two turns. I had to launch the sprint too as they were coming up behind us.”

The chasers included the precocious Peter Sagan, who comfortably took the sprint for fourth place. His presence behind meant that Cancellara could understood why Sagan’s teammate Nibali did not contribute to the lead group’s efforts.

“I spoke with Vincenzo. He said it was clear that he couldn’t pull as he had Sagan behind. I knew that in theory Vincenzo and Gerrans are quicker than me, but after 300km things can be different, so I gave my all.”

Ultimately, however, there was an almost disarming familiarity about the way Gerrans came around Cancellara, and one was reminded of his defeat in Flanders last season. Cancellara admitted that he was running close to empty by the time he reached the Lungomare Italo Calvino.

“I had lactic acid coming out my ears too,” he said with a rueful smile. “If you go from the top of the Poggio to the finish full on, it’s clear that at the end the gas runs out.”

Turning to the cobbles

Cancellara has had more practice in the role of gracious classics runner-up than he could ever have wished for in recent times, and he did his best to put a positive spin on what must have been a bitterly disappointing afternoon. Moral victors have been the subject of some of the richest chapters of cycling lore, but the record books do not note their achievements.

“In the end I’m still going home from Italy with some nice things in my pocket. I won Strade Bianche and the time trial at Tirreno,” Cancellara pointed out, and he now turns his attentions to the northern classics, where his rear wheel will be both a precious commodity and feared sight.

“The second place today will give me a lot of satisfaction and morale and the certainty that I’m going well. That gives me confidence for what is to come.”

Throughout its history, the vanquished at Milan-San Remo have called for additional climbs to be added to the route, and Cancellara wryly joined the chorus as he pondered what might have been.

“It would have been better if there had been another climb,” he said. “The race was fast but in the end it wasn’t hard as there wasn’t a lot of intensity. Everybody knew 300km was a lot, and everybody wanted their legs for the end. I hope that the northern classics will be a little bit more intense so I can make the difference a little bit more.”

Gerrans: I can’t deny Cancellara was the strongest

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gerrans-i-cant-deny-cancellara-was-the-strongest)

It takes the head and the legs to win bike races, and never was the old adage more pertinent than on the Lungomare Italo Calvino on Saturday afternoon, as Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge) zipped past Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) to win Milan-San Remo.

It was Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) who sparked the winning break with an attack on the Poggio, but it was Cancellara who grabbed a firm hold of the reins on the descent, and his efforts on the sinuous plunge down into San Remo ensured that the trio stayed just clear of the chasers to divide the spoils among them.

But in an echo of last spring’s monuments, while Cancellara’s show of force produced plenty of shock and awe, the winner’s bouquet went to the rider who best engaged his grey matter in the finale.

Gerrans took two turns on the front. The first, before the top of the Poggio, added momentum to Nibali’s attack. The second, in the streets of San Remo, seemed merely a token effort to appease Cancellara’s signal for help.

“Without question Fabian was the strongest, I can’t deny him that. He was going like a motorbike,” Gerrans admitted in the post-race press conference. “Really, he followed Nibali and myself on the Poggio and then he drove it across the top. He’s one of the best descenders in the peloton and he drove it down the descent. I was losing the wheel coming out of the corners each time.”

Last year, Cancellara famously warned his classics rivals that they would have to fasten their seatbelts such was the ferocity of his attacking. Gerrans and Nibali duly buckled up as the road flattened out over the top of the Poggio, but the Australian already had designs on nudging Cancellara out of the driving seat at the last.

“He was really committed to driving the break to the finish line. I was able to give him one short turn with a little over a kilometre to go and then he came past me again like a motorbike,” Gerrans said. “I was confident the break was going to go but to the finish and I knew what I had to do to finish the hard work off and just come past him in the final.”

A stolen win?

One journalist wondered aloud if Gerrans had stolen Cancellara’s victory, but the frenetic finale of a La Classicissima was hardly the place to ponder such moral dilemmas. In any case, with teammate and defending champion Matt Goss sitting in the chase group behind, Gerrans had a strong alibi, as did Nibali, whose teammate Sagan won the sprint for fourth.

“That was my role in the team. We had the defending champion in Matt Goss and if it came back for a sprint, Goss was going to be the main guy. My position was to follow the breakaways,” Gerrans said. “Obviously I wasn’t as strong as Fabian, I’d be the first to admit that. But it’s not always the strongest guy who wins the race. You have to play a little smart and be there.”

Gerrans explained that he and Goss had scarcely spoken during the race, but such was the simplicity of the GreenEdge tactic that there was no need. While Goss kept his powder dry behind, Gerrans was assigned to follow the moves on the Cipressa and Poggio.

“I was quite surprised because we didn’t race the Cipressa or the beginning of the Poggio at a fast pace. So I thought there was a good chance the group would come back together if there were attacks. I was surprised we were able to go to the finish line, but that was courtesy of Fabian.”

Gerrans may not be the most prolific of winners, but there is little argument about the quality of a palmares that includes stage victories in each of the three grand tours.

“I’m pretty good at analysing the situation and making the most of what I have,” Gerrans said by way of explanation. “I know I’m not the biggest engine in the peloton, but I have some all round abilities and every now and then I get to race for the win and I try and make the most of that situation.”

And what of Cancellara? Did the Swiss locomotive overestimate its own capacity?

“He was very much racing for the victory, but maybe he underestimated me a bit in the final,” Gerrans said. “By driving and doing so much work on the front of the group, he was committed to get the break to the final but he also thought he had enough to get the win.”

This just isn't a good week for Team Sky

Flecha breaks hand in training accident

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/flecha-breaks-hand-in-training-accident)

Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky) has revealed that he had minor surgery on his hand last week after breaking it in a training accident near his home. The 34-year-old Spaniard, who has enjoyed a consistent start to 2012 after securing third place finishes at the Tour of Qatar and at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, is already looking ahead to getting back in the saddle and to making it to the start line of his favourite race – Paris-Roubaix on April 8.

“I broke a metacarpal in my hand while out training last week,” he told Team Sky’s official website. “The fracture was smooth and I was even able to ride home after I’d done it. I went into surgery on Thursday and they re-aligned the bone before fixing it with a couple of screws.

“In the time between picking up the injury and surgery I was able to keep working on the turbo and do core work in the gym, but since then I’ve not been able to do that as we didn’t want to risk stretching the wound, or getting it infected with sweat under the bandage. My bandage is coming off on Tuesday and I’ll be able to start my rehabilitation again straight after that.”

Flecha stated that his immediate race plans are up in the air and much will rest on his rehabilitation over the coming days. But in his own mind everything is still pointing towards Paris-Roubaix, where he has enjoyed consistent success over the years despite never actually winning the race. Flecha was a runner-up there in 2007, and has two third places to his name along with several other top ten finishes. Back in January he told Cyclingnews that it is the classic that he most wants to win before he hangs up his wheels.

"If everything goes well I should be able to make my return at Waregem [March 21], but obviously that’s dependent on what the doctor says," he said.

“I want to return there but it’s obviously dependent on my recovery. If things are not going well, riding the cobbles might not be the best idea right away, so we could even look at doing a race like the Criterium International [March 24-25] instead. I don’t think I will be at my peak condition at Flanders [April 1], but I will still give it my all, and then by the time Roubaix comes around I’ll be back to my best and able to give it a really good go.”

Froome hits pedestrian in Italian training accident

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-hits-pedestrian-in-italian-training-accident)

Chris Froome of Team Sky has hit and seriously injured a 72-year-old pedestrian in a training accident in Italy, according to the Italian media. Both were taken to hospital, with Froome found only to have scrapes and bruises.

The elderly man is said to have suffered head injuries as well as facial contusions and abrasions.  While his life is not endangered, he is expected to be helicopered to another hospital for further treatment.

Police are looking into the accident to determine what happened and whether either party is at fault. Froome was training alone on Sunday morning when he hit the man, accoridng to sanremonews.it. He immediately called emergency services, and both were taken to hospital.

Froome, 26, opened his season at the Volta ao Algarve but had to abandon with a chest infection after the third stage.  He had been scheduled to start Paris-Nice, but had to miss it due to continued illness. He is not scheduled to ride in Saturday's Milan-San Remo.



Paris-Roubaix Route in Question

The Paris-Roubaix is only two months away and the route has not been finalized. If the cobblestones get cleaned, then we are set. However, if they don't get cleaned, the directors are not sure what is going to happen. Then, of course, there is the oil warehouse that no one is allowed to be too close to. Do they have enough time to alter the route?

Paris-Roubaix's famous Arenberg cobblestones in doubt

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/paris-roubaixs-famous-arenberg-cobblestones-in-doubt)


Two sections of the Paris-Roubaix route are in question for the running of the race on April 8. The famous cobblestones in the Arenberg Forest must still be cleaned as they are still too dangerous to be ridden.


"We had a meeting with the General Council of the North,”Jean-Francois Pescheux, sports director of the race, said Friday, according to AFP.  “The General Council and the associations concerned have agreed to clean up.”


He added that “everything depends on the decision of the DREAL”, the Regional Directorate of Environment, Physical Planning and Housing. That is the local environmental agency, which must first approve the plan.


The cobblestones are covered with moss and other plant growth, which makes riding very dangerous. Peschaux had already announced in January that if the cobblestones are not cleaned, the race course would have to be changed.


Another change may have to be made, which may be more difficult. The race may not be allowed to ride on the CD 40, near the northern French town of Denain. The road goes too close to the Valenciennes oil warehouses, a large fuel storage depot. Organisers say that rearranging the route would add too many kilometers to the race, pushing it above the 260 km allowed by the UCI.


Last summer the local government banned all gatherings, demonstrations and events near the oil warehouses, including sports events. Peschaux said that he hopes to be granted an exception.


"We will await the final position of the prefecture. It's not a comfortable situation two months before the race.” He said at the CD 40 is an important passage  which would be difficult to replace.


“We studied many alternatives, but the entire route would be extended 7 km. And I can not afford it.” The race is currently 257.5km.


Peschaux said that his target date for an answer on this section of the route is next Tuesday.

Hushovd: Racing in Giro and Tour!!!

YES!!!! Even though his child is due at the end of July, Thor Hushovd has been confirmed for both Giro and Tour! So happy!!!! Just hope he can prove the sprinter/all-rounder he is instead of working for Gilbert and Evans.

Hushovd confirmed for both Giro d'Italia and Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hushovd-confirmed-for-both-giro-ditalia-and-tour-de-france)

Thor Hushovd's participation in the Giro d'Italia this year does not mean he will skip the Tour de France. BMC Racing Team sporting director John Lelangue has confirmed that the Norwegian is part of the team's plans for both races.

“Of course. He is one of our main pieces for the Tour,” Lelangue told tv2.no.

It will be a busy year for the former world champion, with many highlights. “He wants to rest after Paris-Roubaix before the Giro. After the Giro he will prepare for the Tour,” Lelangue said. The Tour is followed almost immediately by the 2012 London Olympic Games and after that Lelangue says that BMC “must ensure that Thor is in shape for the world championships.”

Hushovd last rode the Giro in 2007. “He does not go to the Giro to win overall. For Thor, it is the perfect start in Denmark and a prologue that he is good at, and the opening stages suit him. So we'll see, but we will make sure he gets a few days of rest to recover,” Lelangue said.

The Norwegian made his BMC debut this month in Qatar, where “he was unlucky with crashes, punctures and bike trouble,” but Lelangue is satisfied and thinks he will be well prepared for the spring classics.

“We know that Thor is most focused on Flanders, Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix. These are three of his main goals for the season. Gilbert, for example, is more focused on the Liege-Baston-Liege and Amstel Gold Race. There will be opportunities for everyone,” said Lelangue.