Pff, ggrrrrrr
But ok, can't complain, sometimes you get it, sometimes not .Bah. Damn BW, he destroyed Contis last sprint too
Now I really hate him!
Since my wife forbid me to sleep, claiming I wouldn't be getting up fast enough to catch the plain if I slept (slander, we never missed a train or plan because of me) I have time... so.. more analysis..
First my team
Yrjönpoika in the end was there for nothing. For an almost win if BW doesn't put Jahn on Conti, but that could have been done directly. The original plan was, go for Yrjönpoika on stage 7. Or 9 if 7 is hopeless. Form of Olteanu-Haryono-Montandon was good for that.. but having yellow couldn't risk playing around, plus having 2 climbers I would have missed a flat rider, at least one in this group anyway, Gaurain and FL were well equipped. So finally he was there for nothing, except always following Prebois advice and never getting an early wheel I think.. and he changed his wheel all the time.. Idiot.. if I meet him in a 15 or so hours at the airport in Helsinki he'll be beaten up.
The problem would have been though, who to take for him?
Wei, another 60-80 or almost.. but what for really.. not good enough on the mountain stages, that was clear.
Mori, a guy who can ride, but... what for? Fabulous-gruppetto, ok, then ride in the flat, ok.. but... no real benefit.
Uchigasaki, ok, he probably would have brought similar money, is more expensive, but would have been useful to have. Topform day 2. Would have helped psychologically on day 11, there I was really vulnerable, teams with more classics.. aya, danger.. worked perfectly without him, but with him would have been a bit calmer.. early sieb, 4 left probably, not 3, but since it didn't happen...
So.. problem is, while Yrjönpoika wasn't a perfect fit for sure, I just didn't have a good fit for this race. Which would be a second 70-80 but with downhil. Alighieri? 67 doesn't cut it, his salary too high, never had a chance. So Yrjönpoika it was, gave me an excuse to help in the flat stages.. too boring otherwise, and just Conti would have worked less. Cheap, probably brought me some money, but he wasn't a help.
Conti. Did what he could, more, he stayed at 90 sprint! First sprint, best chance I thought, FL off changed it all, Gaurain could, had to go for a weak wheel, don't know what he does otherwise. Ok, if both there then maybe Jahn follows Conti there, possible, but with early form Conti isn't afraid of anybody... plus he always liked to take his chances with wheels actually. Lots of luck in his career, not here. The 2 last sprints IMO were the right tactic, 100%, butjsut didn't work, with 90 you need luck too. No win, sucks, otherwise he did ok, can't complain.
Montandon: Became the early worker, Moris job usually, or Olteanus, somehow Montandon ended up always dead.. strange. Important with his downhill, good covering of the Bergwerks. Good work
Leibundgut, less to do, became an early worker in the second week too.. good job, nothing big, but was there.
Olteanu: Never seen either I think, loading, loading, helping Conti at times, helping Fahrny. Good, needed to be there anyway.
Haryono: Relay station for downhill and 1km flat on stage 6, excellent man. And was fit the last 2 days as well, not completely, but fairly.
Todea: Not to be seen in the first week, no form, with the weakness of the classic team needed him on top in the last 3 days. There he worked, not sure how effective, but he worked. And won the TT, so excellent tour for him.
Mattarozzi.. Topform day 3, reason 1: DAy one an anti-Huber sieb keep him in front. Not his fault that none came. REason 2 don't really remember actually.. ah yes, optimistic ape, he will train, he did too, from 83-85, so have an 85 early, have something close to 84 at the end, just have him always usable.. that kidn of worked.. no training and it's the wrong form, with training was good.
Fahrny... ah, damn you Omar, couldn't you just go one second faster.... Stage 6 form, the thinking was high average form, advantage on day 1-2-3 and 6, disadvantage on 11-12-13. Worked well, of course late form would have too, but then a completely different race, then it's just Fahrny having to hang on to Eddy as long as he can and win all the time needed in the TT.. boring, preferred it my way... early form, used it on stage 3, win on Jabal Sabir, big general attack on day 6, gained 29" and wore yellow til ... well.. Sana, but there he had to change back to the banana shirt. Ah yeah, forgot, another reason for middle form, really liked stage 1+3+6 much better than 11-12, cooler stages the early ones, cooler climbs, nicer switchback, more amazing roads. All that worked perfectly, with Mastangelo on late form it was even better, riding for stage wins he was a big help that probably gave me 10" or so in the last 2 climbing days. Basically everything worked for Fahrny, perfectly, not always as planned, but worked fantastically, until the final TT.. there... luck, the first 20 km with 9" lost with the same tactic (not sure about risk) finally are luck.. then Gude just rode the better TT than I did, see above, changed to late.. Anyway, had fun with this form, would do it again.
So? The team was what it was.. Urganov third climber for the last week, no, not sure it makes sense, would change all, but was never an option, him as nr 2 for Mattarozzi, yes, nr 2+3 both there no.. Miss a classic, had 2 good climbers. Can't complain.
Other teams, let's copy no PIk
BW: 3 stages, yellow, all with Eddy. Nothing worked until stage 11 basically, ore only day one when he was sitted.. stage 3 ok, mistake, he always thinks Hansen has to attack when he has form 100.. hihi. stage. Similar team to mine, sucky in a way, a missing classic. Was surprised he didn't bring Rocafuerte, he would have been very valuable here. Then I don't think I can hold on to yellow until Sana (to take it off there, yep) Unlucky in sprint, or too good, only opponent left for Prebuisson, so..
Gaurain: 4 stages in a row.. But very passive, know that pisses him off! No, only "mistake" IMO not trying to open it up for the stage or a Klebt comeback on day 2.. otherwise did what he had to do, including stoppoing the chase on day one... otherwise reg problems for day 2. Great stage 6 management too.. got the win with Spiroux. Ah, a strange attempt on stage 12, didn't see the point of that... stage 11 was the one, but there there was no opening for him.. create it... question what for, not clear he actualyl can profit.. in the end I think he did the right thing by staying passive there, won him the MW.. and if stage 12 had been harder, he could have made us suffer.. like this not really.
FL: Grrrrr. hate him. Ok, like him when Mastrangelo helps Fahrny. Expected early, maybe very early form from him, wasn't the case.. no fighting stage one, dropped, gone. Stage 3 offline, can't follow Omar, gone and out. Didn't follow OMar on stage 6, good choice, nobody follows OMar on stage 6. Dammit, Eddy did, but only once
IMo bad reaction on stage 1 by siebing behind, he wasn't coming back there. stay with the Gaurains.. offer Luigis and keep Gaurain going.. sprint, the usual, lucky bastard, 3 stages with that idiot Schmarotz, grr. One was for Fabulous really, grr.
fresim: Too much offline, plus on "his" stages. Stage 1, off. Stage 2 bad race, started too late, then had to keep riding for Elsener. stage 6, off. stage 7 came too late. All 3 stages otherwise very good for him. Finally still 3rd in the GC and white, no stage win, but it was the old offsim again.. otherwise he could have changed the whole tour.
EQ: The usual attakcing festival, good he finally got the win. Red was clear from day 3 on really.. STill the same problem sometimes, too much attacking enthusiasm.. attack on Jebel Sabir in yellow for example... alone i ntempo, everybody follows you anyway, ok except fresim.. just lose energy.. probably should have left the lower slopes to me or BW, one of us would have done tempo.. like this.. just hang and wait. A bit less offensive in such cases cna help. For the rest, good he was there, otherwise we would have been bored, no attacks at all.
escartinos: He still lacks the team, for the team he has, he did well, and would have deserved a stage. Here it was Conti hanging when in retrospect he shouldn't. Escartinos can ride, just needs time to build the team, compared to the oldies PS, BW, FL, Gaurain, fresim his team still just too weak. In a year he could be there, then he'll compete. Good tour from him.
The 3 others.. more off than anything else.. Cipcip with daily 1' visits ever 40km or so.. eagle pepsi on on day one, then off mostly.
More teams would have been nice, still was a fun tour, until the last km at least. Damn this BW, his Eddy and his sitter!