Post
by Robyklebt » Sat May 29, 2021 6:28 pm
Best mountain stage of all for me... Only 1'42" back now, need 15" extra seconds on luck or form... But well, normally over 29 km (where did the 30st km go?) luck can be expected to even out, but of course can happen. Just not all that likely.
Today the plan was clear, the result seemed as well. Attack after the IS with Trewlove and MOretti, ride, get 5'. Planning side, Expected result is something like we got, around 1' a bit more maybe.
Climb, Carter, very important rider for fantasticos this Giro, rides the San Bernardino. Attack with Coderch and Baaba, see how he reacts, think about going green with Eiffel at some point, if not do a sieb with Apicella to get rid of his classics and have them chase a bit before coming back. Didn't get to do that, Gipfel went earlier, never looked like he could risk the attack with DeWit though. And when I decided I would try the saving helpers thing Otero went in.
Then wait, Splügen, let Lyfenko ride, with all the flat in the downhill no real need to cover, unless fantasticos goes with Lyfenko and Skeljvik, Coderch can get him back. So put Eiffel on Lyfenko, just to be sure. If only Lyfenko goes and then a sieb of course bad..
Final climb, take the risk and don't cover a long time, went on Gajalo after a while, if attack would be double. Then last 2 km, Skeljvik tempo, Eiffel and Apicella were covering though. Gajalo and Valter try an attack, weird. Did fantasticos want the double attack there but was too late with Skeljvik? Last km attack, only 4", DeWit who sprinted too early same time as Eiffel, who won the sprint for 4", so only 10" lost today, actually 9", since lucky Tim got a bonus second at that anti-DeWit intermediate.
Fantasticos once again controlled all well, an attack from far wasn't really possible, that's why yesterday at first I tried to have him work in the back, weaken him a bit before today, but that didn't work either. ON app today, so not easy, but he managed well.
A bit like the whole tour though, very minimalistic, he could have won more today as well, like almost every day. Yes, not that much reg, but still...
So it's still kind of close, on paper
Skeljvik
Eiffel 15"
DeWit 32"
Gajalo 2'50"
Valter 3'04"
So Valtter Gajalo the other duel that relies on luck and form, Valter certainly seems in good form lately, but Gajalo IMO not that bad too.
Donkey no stage win this Giro, but feared that from the start a bit. Messerli really was the best chance. Doesn't matter, not too tragic, had that 2 years ago in the TdF, so even if a winless Giro is clearly worse, it's the first GT that you end without a stage that stings, now I'm experienced. And thanks to Gipfel being nice and handing out wins left and right in the last days I will win the team classification. And maybe Trofeo Asino, was a draw before, now 1 or 2 back? Tomorrow Need to have enough others between Eiffel and Ballabeni. Oh, Baaba even better, good good, should work.
Generally not an exciting Giro for me really, I had fun on the Giau stage, otherwise it really was just doing nothing and waiting to be dropped, try to limit the time loss. Last week daily escape attempts, but those flat stages escapes usually are not that exciting either. With only 2 opponents (which at least was in improvement over the 2 team fights that unfortunately have become a bit of the normal afternoon GTs) fantasticos was always in control, with his strong team, 2 best climbers, 2 best classics (with Brandt nr 2 shared), Carter, reg for flat riders, hard to do anything. Was hard last year vs Neumann too, but at least there I had the riders that could try something, and tried quite well I thought on the last stage, here with 84-86, little reg there really wasn't much I could do. Thought about attacks at times, but during the race, like today, it just looked like it would be attacks that are so hopeless it can't work. Parcours not ideal for tries either of course. The hard last climb too often, Sega di Ala, going early just looks suicidal with the 30" you're going to lose on a fresh 89 on the 16.... Giau and today ok, but with a fit team vs this fantasticos.. .hard. Oh well, preparing the TdF now. Or TdS first, really not eager to ride that same parcours as 2020 again, but with Eiffel who there looks to start as favorite, possibly even vs Skeljvik (haven't relooked at it that closely yet) I really have too.
Kraftsystemrevision! Include the distance!
Basics reform: Give blue a chance!
Don't punish bugusers. We all have to use bugs, since most of them are declared as "features"!
Got a carrot from FL. But they threaten to take it away now.
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