Sacha Modolo will lead EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale at Milan-San Remo and the Italian has said he’s feeling confident ahead of the first Monument of the season.
Matti Breschel, Simon Clarke, Mitch Docker, Sebastian Langeveld, Dan McLay and Taylor Phinney will also line up for the team.
Milan-San Remo is always a difficult race to predict. Its length coupled with its short climbs near the finish and a harrowing descent that whittles the final group combine to produce a special race with varied winners.
“It’s special because it’s uncertain,” said EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale Directeur Sportif Fabrizio Guidi. “Every year we’re asking what’s going to happen on the uphill, the downhill of the Cipressa, how to manage the Poggio. Who will attack and when? There are all these questions. Nobody is really able to say what will happen. Until we see the final, then everything seems easy to predict.”
Modolo has recovered from his crash at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and is ready to captain the team.
“I feel tense, but it is a good tension. Being a leader give me responsibility, a sense of duty and a desire to repay trust,” Modolo said. “It is the first Monument race of the year, and being an Italian race, for us Italians, it’s everything.”
In a seven-hour race, staying efficient is key, Modolo notes.
“Wasting as little as possible throughout the race and get on the Poggio fresh. Then the sprint itself is a different sprint from the others, as it comes after 300 kilometres. The rider who wins has retained that little bit more energy throughout the race,” said Modolo. “I feel good. I’m pedaling well. I’m very confident of doing a good performance on Saturday and also the week after in Belgium.”
Taylor Phinney is also looking forward to one of his favourite races of the season.
“Sacha is going really well. And I think we’re all motivated as a group to help him out,” Phinney said. “It’s nice to get some fresh blood in with Dan McLay, and I’m looking forward to racing with Mitch Docker for the first time this year. We have a stout squad. Personally, Milan-San Remo is one of my favourite races. Top two in my Monuments list. So I’m always just ready to race it. It’s long but it goes by pretty fast. It’s a special race. The last time I got beat up by Tirreno was in 2012, and I got seventh in Milan San Remo that year.”
EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale for 2018 Milan-San Remo:
Matti Breschel (DEN)
Simon Clarke (AUS)
Mitch Docker (AUS)
Sebastian Langeveld (NLD)
Taylor Phinney (USA)
Dan McLay (GBR)
Sacha Modolo (ITA)
