Rollin, Barry named to Milan – San Remo rosters

Canadians Michael Barry and Dominique Rollin will line up for the Milan – San Remo Saturday.
Team Sky and the Cervélo TestTeam unveiled their rosters and the two Canadians were selected. For Cervélo, Rollin will race alongside Thor Hushovd (NOR), who was third in last year’s edition, Xavier Florencio (ESP), Roger Hammond (GBR), Jeremy Hunt (GBR), Andreas Klier (GER), Brett Lancaster (AUS) and Gabriel Rasch (NOR). Heinrich Haussler (GER), who finished second at Milan-San Remo last year, will not be participating in this year’s race after being been plagued this spring by a knee injury.

Barry, meanwhile, will race the one-day Spring Classic for Team Sky. Also named to the roster were Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor), Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa), Mathew Hayman (Aus), Thomas Löfkvist (Swe), Ian Stannard (GBr), Christopher Sutton (Aus) and Geraint Thomas (GBr).

Barry said the team will work for Boasson Hagen. “He is a favorite to win, so the team will ride for him. It will be important for three or four of us to be there with him until the finish.

Being that the race is 268 km long, Barry said positioning is key. “There are points in the race where it is crucial to be up front as the peloton fractures: The two final climbs up the Cipressa and the Poggio. In a long race, it is crucial Edvald arrives to the finale as fresh as possible, so the team will protect him from the wind and ensure the tactics are always in our favor. To win, the team must have a solid plan and use our resources wisely.”

On his blog earlier this month, Barry said the Classics are never easy.

“The Classics punish the riders, the bikes, the mechanics, team vehicles and soigneurs. The roads, the weather and the intensity of the races drain teams,” he said. “The extremes of the Classics push the human and the bicycle.”