Sprinters to Watch in Milan-San Remo

Sprinters have taken 7 out of the last 10 MSRs, so it seems a good posibility that it can happen again tomorrow. And especially with nearly every top sprinter in the world in attendance. I've divided the main groups of fast men into 4 categories.

Powerhouse #1

Garmin-Cervelo spent the offseason fusing 2 solid programs into 1 super-power, but they paid a bit of extra attention to the sprint. Adding World Champion Thor Hushovd and crafty Heinrich Haussler to compliment rocketman Tyler Farrar, they are set to be a major factor in nearly every sprint this year.

They are so deep that's its hard to predict who gets which role on the team. If I had to make a guess, I would say that Tyler gets the nod with Haussler and Hushovd riding as his leadout. Thor and Tyler have hooked up well earlier this month in the Tirreno and Hushovd is also a solid ally to have on the climbs, but Haussler is the X factor.

He sure hasn't sounded like he plans to be in anybody's supporting cast, and he has experience at MSR before. Haussler is a clever rider, and he has a knack of getting himself into good position for the win.

At this point I'd say that Haussler takes a "backup" role in case Farrar struggles on the climbs (because Haussler is a bit better climber). Or maybe they give Tyler the leadout but also let Haussler have a go at it. It's a good dilemma to have.

Powerhouse #2

You must live under a rock if you didn't expect these guys to be here. HTC has been the dominant sprint squad for years, and they bring a "super-trio" of their own. The electrifying Mark Cavendish, his longtime sidekick Mark Renshaw (who is a good sprinter himself), and this year's whiz kid Matt Goss.

The Renshaw-Cav trio has been a long-established weapon, and they have won countless times that way but Goss also proved that he can be a solid leadout for Cavendish. Yes, I don't see it as too risky to say that Cav will be getting leadership of the team, but the only question is who will be assigned to bring him to the line.

Goss has been on a tear this year, and he could also give just about anyone a run for their money in a sprint. Perhaps they also let him give it a try if he finds his own leadout. Or how cool would it look if they put together a 2 man leadout to launch the Manx Missile together...

Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The Young Guns

Edvald Boasson-Hagen and Peter Sagan are two guys I talk about quite frequently. Both riders may be coming off injuries but this profile seems like it would suit them both very well. Michael Matthews and Andre Greipel are a few other youngsters to watch at the finish.

The Vets

Defending champion Oscar Freire, Tom Boonen, Alessandro Petacchi, and Robbie McEwen are among a list of veterans that know the lay of the land and can be dangerous. They may not have the speed as some of the guys above, but they have the experience.

But who knows if it even will finish in a sprint? Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Prediction: Tyler Farrar