Milano-San Remo + Venge: Goss’ Formula Won
Today, Matt Goss took full advantage of his talents and his S-Works+McLaren Venge, a brand new bike that made its race debut after its global launch at the fabled McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK, on Thursday, just 48 hours before the race started.
"I could not have dreamed of a better race today," said Goss. "To be on the top step, ahead of Cancellara and Gilbert is amazing."
Goss became the first Australian to win Milano-San Remo. He responded to attacks in the closing kilometers and sprinted ahead of Fabian Cancellara and Philippe Gilbert.
For Specialized and McLaren engineers, the day had special significance: the new S-Works + McLaren Vengethat Goss rode to victory was the bike they’d collaborated together on over the past year. The unique development partnership between Specialized and McLaren brought the advanced materials and carbon layup design that McLaren has employed in their F1-winning race cars into the world of race bikes. To have race-proven their creation on it’s first day of competition, particularly at such a challenging and iconic race, was cause for shared celebration.
The first carbon road race bike from Specialized with an aerodynamic design, the S-Works Venge (also introduced Thursday) was the brainchild of Chris D’Aluisio and the Specialized engineering team. With years of experience in aerodynamic designs in the Ironman World Championship winning Transition and World Championship TT winning Shiv, the Specialized team clearly understands the value of aerodynamics. However, they were not willing to make the traditional sacrifices to stiffness and weight that aero road bikes have historically made.
After over 4 years of development, testing, and over 20 trips to various wind tunnels, the S-Works Venge is the first bike to achieve the winning formula of weight, stiffness, and aerodynamics. This design was then refined further through the McLaren partnership; in working with McLaren engineers, the S-Works+McLaren Venge maintained identical aerodynamics and stiffness, yet achieved an even lighter weight through its extremely advanced carbon layup design.
Goss took his chance to lead HTC to victory after 2009 winner and teammate Mark Cavendish was caught behind crashes. Cavendish had to hit the brakes to avoid a crash involving World Champion Thor Hushovd and then another one, on the descent of Le Mànie, involving three-time winner, Oscar Freire.
Goss made the cut, HTC's man in a leading group of 44 riders that included Heinrich Haussler, Alessandro Petacchi, Stuart O'Grady, Cancellara and Gilbert.
"I had a lot of time to think of what to do, it was a long race," added Goss. "I knew I had the form to be in the front, but I didn't know I felt that good.”
"There were a lot of guys there in the bunch, I had no team-mates, so I was trying to save everything for the Poggio."
Goss' form came thanks to what has already been a winning season as a Specialized-sponsored athlete. Equipped with his S-Works Tarmac SL3, S-Works Prevail helmet, and S-Works shoes, Goss won a stage and finished second at the Tour Down Under, won a stage at the Tour of Oman, and won a stage at Paris-Nice.
His new bike and his winning form carried him over I Tre Capi – Mele, Cervo and Berta – the Cipressa and the Poggio. After the Poggio, he had 6.2 kilometres, all he had to do was follow the attacking riders and beat them in the sprint.
Italian Vincenzo Nibali attacked at the top of the Poggio and Frenchman Yoann Offredo attacked several times in the final. Cancellara launched ahead at 2.5 kilometres out and Gilbert countered.
"Maybe I looked cool from the outside, but I was stressing about it all in my head," revealed Goss. "I knew I had to get across to the guys when it split on the Poggio. I had to cover a lot of guys going into the finish, but I knew that would be the best decision for me."
Goss followed Gilbert and Cancellara into the sprint. He accelerated after Michele Scarponi tried a last ditch attack and never looked back. He crossed the line, hands in the air, for HTC, Cavendish and the new S-Works+McLaren Venge.
Full race report, photos, and video on I-Am-Specialized.com
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