la classica di Primavera (the Spring Classic), is the longest professional one day race of the season, at 298 km plus about 10k of neutral, bring the total to around 308k!
Last year's winner, CSC's (now Team Saxo-Bank) Fabian Cancellara will not be defending his title this year citing "the best decision based on form" and "family reasons".
Other notable no-shows are World Champion Alassandro Ballan (illness), David Millar (broken clavicle), Frank Schleck (crashed in training),
No worries. There will be plenty of star-studded-sprinter power lining up at
La Classicissima. Alessandro Petacchi (2005 winner), Daniele Bennati, Tom Boonen (2009 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne winner), Thor Hushovd (2009 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner), and Danilo Di Luca (2007 Giro d'Italia and Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner).
But...it's not always the super-freak-fast-sprinters that win this ultimate endurance race. Known as the "Sprinters Classic", the race often ends in 40-60 guys sprinting to the finish. But just as often the powerful sprinter teams cannot hold the peleton together and attackers win the day; so watch out for sprinters on team that can rip the peloton apart on Le Mànie (at 94k to go), I Tre Capi– Capo Mele (52.4km), Capo Cervo (47.1km) and Capo Berta (39.6). The steep Capo Berta leaves only 17.5 kilometres before the Cipressa, where the race will be exploding with nervousness. Contenders will need to be in the top thirty of the group to avoid mishaps on the tight roads. After I Tre Capi the Cipressa (22.1km) and Poggio (6.2km) are the traditional race ending climbs.
Cycling TV will air Milano-Sanremo, but you need to subscribe to the Giro package or the Gold North American package to benefit. If you don't have one of those packages, check out cyclingfans for free LIVE streaming video from RAI Sports, free LIVE streaming audio, and LIVE tickers.
Tip: bring up RAI's LIVE video coverage and turn the sound down. Then, bring up Eurosport's LIVE straming audio to listen in English. Perfecto!
My pick? Well, with a team right on form and a semi-classic already under his belt: Cervelo's Thor Hushovd!!
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