The debate that precedes and often follows the Milan-Sanremo concerns the alleged ease of the Classicissima. A peaceful journey from Milan (Pavia in 2024) to the Ligurian Riviera seaThen after 220 kilometers the race heats up and from the Capi you arrive in Sanremo in a blink of an eyeOn March 16, while the group was cycling, various television channels reported the simplicity of this race was being discussed.
Agnoli's voice
On social media, however, there were those who openly went against the grain like Valerio Agnoli, who Sanremo He ran it many times, all in support of his captains. The Lazio rider shared videos of the 2012 edition on his Instagram profile. A race in which he was often the protagonist, up until the Poggio.
«Clearly – he admits – the tactical interpretation is not that of the Tour of Flanders or the Roubaix. Everyone knows that Cipressa and Poggio are the key points of the Sanremo, but it is not easy to catch them in the best conditions. There are 190 riders and from the 22 team cars following them all the sports directors are shouting to keep going.To do this you need to have the best team, structured for that type of work."
The companions count
We saw it last Saturday with pogacar and teammates, the team is important, perhaps more than in other races. You can't go wrong, Sanremo is the race that is decided with a single sprint, but it must be done at the right time.
"Strengths," Agnoli explains, "must be rationed for everyone, but especially for captains. Every moment is important, but from the Bosses you start to settle accounts with the innkeeperAs soon as the road climbs to Capo Cervo you understand how much energy you have left in your legs. Tactically the race is simple, but after 250 kilometers you need to have companions who carry you forward and who know how to take the wind in their facesLeaving the Tirreno made everything easier, the accustoming you to the effort that race gives you is unmatched for me.
«At Sanremo – he continues – you understand who knows how to run and who doesn't. During the race you have to have a thousand eyes, the two in front to watch the road and four behind to see if the captains were following you. In 2012, I had to carry Vincenzo forward, and the trust between us was such that I knew he would follow me anywhere. He, on the other hand, knew that thanks to me he would be able to climb back to the front of the group without getting caught in a breeze.».
Anticipate
From Turchino onwards, it's a sprint towards Cipressa and Poggio, with everyone wanting to stay ahead. There's plenty of space, so you need to know the route and anticipate the next move.
"Experience counts for a lot," says Agnoli. "The path is always the same, true, but we must recognize the important moments. The roadway on the coast is wide, yes, but near the inhabited centers there is no shortage of obstacles: roundabouts, traffic islands and bottlenecks.
"La Cipressa," he recalls, "hasn't just become important now, it's always been important. In 2012, I was tasked with getting it up front, along with Oss. I pulled halfway up the hill, then there was a sudden jerk and I pulled away, my legs were already hurting thereI managed to get back before the descent, but even then I had to make a huge effort to get back ahead and pass Vincenzo behind me. The road down from Cipressa has to be taken in front; that's when you see who knows how to ride a bike and who doesn't. The difficulties are not only technical, because tiredness increases and vision blurs.. Being able to get into the top three is a good thing, if you're lucky use the motorcycles as a reference. All the corners close, so you grab your bike and throw it in: it's all a question of feeling between bike, athlete and materials».
Dominate? It's not enough
The 2024 edition of Sanremo saw the UAE Emirates take control of the race, call the shots, but don't follow through. What links Agnoli's story, linked to 2012, and this year's race is right here.
«That year – he explains again – we at Liquigas dominated from Cipressa to halfway up Poggio, yet we didn't capitalise. In 2012 I did something similar to what you saw done in Milan last week, a run up to the Poggio. But I spoke to Vincenzo, we looked at each other and he said, “Attack, let's make the race tough.” So I pushed forward, imagine the sore legs after 270 kilometers constantly in the lead. As soon as the group caught up with me I let go and finished the race at my own pace, without sinking.».
Heart in throat
Agnoli's memories then become clearer and resurface with importance, right after the white finish line.
«An anecdote – he concludes – about that edition, is that the team had rented three rooms at the Hotel Napoleon, to take showers. Once the race was over, we had to pedal for 700 meters to get to our room. I remember my legs hurting., they were endless. To get to the hotel there was a marble staircase, once in the room I sat down and sweated coldly for a few minutes. I unplugged the cycle computer from the bike, looked at the data, with the sprint on the Poggio, after 280 kilometers, I had recorded 197 maximum heart beatsSanremo isn't easy, trust me..."
