Cycling Reports

The Milan San Remo

 Report by Cian Lynch

22nd March 2003

National Champion, Mark Scanlon, competing for his French AG2r outfit, competed in the Milan San Remo Classic this weekend. At 294kms, the race known as La Primavera, this is the longest and one of the most prestigious races of the World Cup Series. Ireland has a great tradition in this race, and Sean Kelly has won this race no less than twice, in 1986 and 1992, the latter following a daredevil descent off the Poggio, where he caught, and then outsprinted, former World Champion, Moreno Argentin.

The last time Milan San Remo resulted in a lone breakaway was Laurent Jalaberts’ win in 1995. German Eric Zabel has won this race 4 of the 5 times, and last year the sprinter known as the Lion King, Mario Cippolini took the honours. After a brief spell of retirement last year, Cippolini decided to race the World Championships in Zolder, Belgium, where he took the rainbow jersey in fine style. This was by no means unexpected, but the manner in which the Italian team united to set up the sprint was the culmination of protracted negotiations and background diplomacy on the part of team manager, Francesco Ballerini. The new breed of sprinters, such as Friere, Mc Ewen, Baden Cooke, Pozzato, along with Australian National Champion Stuart O’ Grady, Brochard and Rebellin were also placed as pre race favourites.

At the start area, and for the first time in the season ahead, there is a great sense of expectation. All the top teams in the world are represented, and the World Cup series is one stage that teams with aspirations of promotion to Division 1, let alone all important invitations to world ranking races, must feature prominently and get a result. For the domestiques, there is the inevitable hard work ahead. Fetching bottles, taking excess clothing back to the car, sheltering the team leaders in cross winds and ultimately ensuring that the team leader is properly positioned ahead of the days’ serious action. Bradley Wiggins knows what to expect. “I’ve had good form recently. Paris-Nice gave me great confidence with placings in the time-trials, but today is a different story”, he said. “ We have a possible winner in Baden Cooke, so my job will be to watch him. We’ll have to bring him up before the Cipressa, that’ll be my job done.” Ordinarily, that’s difficult enough in a professional race, yet with 260 kms of racing before the Cipressa, and countless other teams with the same intention of getting the leader into contention at the head of the race, he knows his work will be cut out.

A veteran at this stage of his career, Udo Bolts has made a move to the German Gerolsteiner squad this year. It’s a significant change for Bolts, especially from his heyday all the work involved in controlling the bunch for Ulrich and Zabel, whom he rode for as loyal lieutenant in the then dominant Telekom team. When I asked him who he favoured for today, he points out to the fact that David Rebellin has been showing form during Paris Nice, where he finished up 2nd overall. “If it comes down to a sprint, Marcus Zberg will be the team sprinter” he says, only too aware of the team work that prospect might involve. Bolts missed out on a stage opportunity during the second last day of the 8-day Paris Nice, having ridden across to the break on the Col de Tanneron. “ I made it across with Brochard (AG2r), who was very strong during the week. On the descent, a Portuguese rider with the Mori team over shot a corner. I tried to avoid him, and ended up in the ditch off the road. By the time I had remounted, a split had occurred, and we never got back on to the leading five.” Happy to talk on, I asked him what prospects he thought Mark Scanlon had. Noting that the transition to professional racing from the amateur ranks is a difficult one, he feels that it always takes a while to establish yourself at this level, also the fact that racing on a team which is not under too great a pressure to qualify for every race is a bonus. “ If he takes his time, and gets through the season injury free, he will do well. You have to learn how to race at this level before you do anything else!”.

The relaxed mood that has embraced the start area for the preceeding hour or so is suddenly non-existent as the race announcer whets the appetite of the tifosi – Mario Cipploni has arrived to the sign on… Revered before his World Championship win, its nigh impossible to describe the adulation he receives. He retires to his team car, but ever the crowd pleaser, continues to sign autographs through the window.

What strikes me at the start, some 5 minutes to departure, is how similar the occasion is to races all around the world on that day, in some respects. Some are nervous, and stand by the bike, or rest on the crossbar – one foot in the cleat, other out – others congregate in little pockets and laugh about possibilities for the day. And this scene is repeated on the start line all around the world.

STOP. This is the Milan San Remo. No other race in the world has this quality of a field. Maybe this explains why we can match a few names to the scenario above. Robbie McEwen, Stuart O’Grady and Baden Cooke, amongst others, are having that laugh – all gathered in a circle. Bradley Wiggins, sits just behind his team leader for the day, Baden Cooke, and has already assumed the role of domestique. Mark Scanlon remains focused at the start line. He hasn’t been long enough at this game to fit easily into the various clicks. Word is that it might go from the gun, and that can create its’ own problems. Not for him though. He has his sights set, and the Milan San Remo is (just) another stepping stone, an experience which has to be, well, experienced.

On the off, and the usual car horns blowing, with a sort of respectful applause from the tifosi.

Action from the gun, and its not long before race radio is informing us that a group has, as predicted, gone from the gun. No surprises in Jacky Durand being in the break, and with team mate Daeruz, there is Stephan Auge (Credit Agricole), Vansevenant (Domo), Nicky Abbersold (Team Coast), Wrolich (Gerolsteiner), Van Hyffte (CSC), Gil (Banesto) and Kellys’ favourite – Gutterez (Kelme). Kellys’ favourite, insofar as Kellys’ pronunciation of the word…..

Over the gradual ascent of the Tuchino Pass, at 15km its long enough to hurt, and Gil is dropped. By the top of the climb, the break still had 3’15” on the chasing bunch. Over the top, and the Telekom team started riding. Helped along by a tailwind, the peleton were gearing up for a fast finish, indeed, to this stage they had averaged 43kph. Approaching the final 90kms, the sprinters were all relying on their teams to keep things together, thus the presence of DominaVacanze, Rabobank, Simitec and Fasso on the front. With 70kms to go, the 8 leaders have a lead of only 1 minute, and Cipollini is riding near the front. This is a dramatic change from the rider, who, only on the morning of the race decided to participate, feeling ill. The Quickstep Davitamon team decided to do their turn, in an effort to draw in the leaders, and set up Bettini for the Cipressa. Suddenly, all the favourites appear, weary of the approaching ascent. O’Grady, Friere, Bettini are all staying alert. Within a few kilometres, a couple of crashes bring weary riders tumbling to the ground, a cruel end to such a dramatic race.

As the race nears the Cipressa, the lead break had whittled down to only 4 riders at Capo Berta, a last minute diversion for the race due to mudslides. Gone are Durand and CSC rider Vansevenant. By the time the crest of Capo Berta is reached, only Gerolsteiners’ Wrolich and Nicky Abersold of Team Coast are ahead. While being in the lead at this stage is a bonus, and vital publicity for the ill-fated Team Coast, the chances of staying out in front are negligible. Shortly afterwards, Rabobank reel in the hardy leaders, and the drive the united peleton at 55kph towards the foot of the Cipressa.

The speed picks up nearing the Cipressa, in anticipation of the attacks to come – 60/70kph and sweeping around to the foot of the climb, first to attack is Mirko Celestino of Saeco. Scanlon had worked to place Botcharov for the climb, and that vital work pays off, as the pocket sized rider sets off in pursuit. Not long after, the race explodes, as Bettini, Vinikourov and Rebellin set off in pursuit. The race radio crackles as word filters through that Cippolini is sliding back through the bunch. I can only imagine how delighted the Domina Vacanze team were to hear that news, maybe they expected it, who knows? Up ahead, Friere is still in the bunch, which reels in Botcharov and Pettachi. Shortly afterwards, Pettachi is dropped. His form coming into the race was questionable. Friere then launches a last gasp attack out of the bunch, and tries to cross the gap to the leaders…

Over the crest of the Cipressa, and the group of four had a slight advantage – Rebellin, Bettini, Vinikourov and Friere. No doubt their respective director sportif’s were screaming orders into their earpieces. Cipo had been tailed off, and the work required by the Domina Vacanze team to get him back into contention only served to increase the slight advantage to the four leaders – Ride! – the balance of the teams, Domo, AG2r and Fasso amongst them, seemed satisfied to let the Domina Vacanze team do their thing – reel in the leaders and lead out the sprint. News comes through that Michele Bartoli has been dropped, but its not a great surprise, given his early season mishap whilst out training, he’s playing catchup. Not long after, the Cipressa claimed its’ first victim, as Pozzato, the young Fasso Bortolo rider crashed on the descent, and is retired from the race. This will be devastating for the 22 year old. As a pre race favourite, he had indicated that the Milan San Remo and the World Championships are the two races he would most like to win. Mark Scanlon commented earlier that Pozzato is more than aware as to how close he came, that drizzly morning in Valkenberg in 1998. Close, but no cigar. He had to settle for second behind the young Irishman in a 12 man sprint to the line.

With the leaders rallying on the coast road, Via Aurelia and the bunch bearing down on them, Oscar Friere began to suffer, and missed turns on the front. Eager to keep the group going, Bettini jumped off the front of the break, but was followed by Rebellin and Friere. This time, Vinikourov is tailed off. Race tactics would certainly have dictacted that the group should have continued working, but Bettini sensed that Friere would gladly settle for the gallop, and Rebellin is too much of a threat with the Poggio looming. Mirko Celestino, who was active at the base of the Cipressa, but was reeled in, has shown determination in bridging the gap to the leaders, who now numbered five. Domina Vacanze reamined on the front, having reinstated sprinter Cipollini back towards the head of the peleton.

The five man break are worked cohesively, although race radio informed us that with 14kms to go, the gap is down to 19 seconds. Not impressed with the work rate, Bettini attacked once again. Sweeping towards the base of the Poggio, Bettini’s attack is nuetralised, not by his breakaway companions, but the bunch! Grouppo Compatto – its all together again. This was going to make for a spectacular finish to the race, as the sprinters licked their lips with the prospect of a chance to take La Primavera on Via Roma in Milan.

The Saeco team rallied at the front on the lower roads of the Poggio, and Danilo Di Luca accelerated from the lead out, around the bends, off the front. Its battle stations, as he is joined by Shefer, and with 8k to go, they had a slight gap. Di Luca, sensing that the gap might be worth working on, winds it up, riding apparently effortlessly up the climb turning the big gears, 53.14…. Cippolini is in 15th position, inspired by his team-mates, and his ambition of winning the Milan San Remo in the World Champions jersey as few have done before. Andera Peron of CSC launchs an attack from the strung out bunch, but it comes to nothing. Di Luca crests the Poggio on his own, and with only 6 kms to go, must be thinking of victory. Behind, Paolini and Bettini have start to chase on the descent, and have Celestino as company. Shortly afterwards, the four are joined together, and this demonstrates the strength of the Division 1 squads. Two riders from Saeco and two from Quickstep – both wanting a win, and both needing to ride to stay away and retain that prospect.

That awful sensation of “so close, so far” must have gone through Di Luca’s head, as he was tailed off the leaders with less than 5kms to go. His team-mate, the less experienced Celestino was up ahead, where Bettini had instructed Paolini to ride his heart out. Their lead is was 11 seconds on the peleton, which had accelerated with the leaders, and the finish, in sight.

The threesome of Bettini, Paolini and Celestino knew that to hesitate was to err, and rode consistently through, towards the finish. Di Luca, trying in vain to contain the gap between himself and the leaders, was soon joined by Robbie Mc Ewen. Perhaps McEwen felt that a final assault on the Milan San Remo might bear fruit. Not today. In the end, Paolini led out the pocket sized Bettini for the win. His roar in jubilation could be heard right down the finishing straight, as Celestino had to settle for second, and Paolini, the loyal servant in third.

Cippolini won the bunch sprint alright, the fact that three riders had filled the podium places was little consolation. Ever the champion, Cippolini was one of the first over to Bettini, and embraced him warmly, respectful of his fellow Italians’ achievement.

Digressing, or rather, on a more interesting note, Mark Scanlon finished in 158th position, some 12’52” down on the victor, Bettini. Having ridden in the peleton for 260kms, Scanlon was tailed off at the base of the Cipressa, indicating the step up to that very top level in the World Cup races. “There is certainly a difference between this and any other race I’ve ridden so far”, he tells me. ” We were racing flat out at 55kph for 2 hours, and then the speed picked up before the Cipressa!”. Scanlon came in in good company, Jacky Durand amongst them. Some consolation for young Scanlon is the 10 UCI points, (World Ranking Points)for finishing the race. His programme now is to rest ahead of a midweek race, possibly the GP E3 Harelbeke, before the weekend programme.

Even though Scanlon has been racing for 2 months already this year, some 34 days in total, his programme still accounts for the equivalent again, that's 4 months racing without a break. Its tough going for the first year professional, but Scanlon remains unphased. “I am here to learn, improve. If I can get through this year healthily, with no injuries, I can focus on the following year and getting some good results.” Carrying the hopes and aspirations of a new generation of Irish cyclists, Mark Scanlon knows what it takes to participate, let alone compete, at this level. His spirits remain high, and his sights are set. The great Sean Kelly, King of the Classics, is convinced that Scanlon can win a couple of good races this year – if I were a betting man, and I’m not, watch out for results in the summertime.

Cian Lynch. Asst. D.S., North Kildare CC