2016 TdF, Stage 10: Escaldes-Engordany → Revel (197km)

[More Strides than Rides]

Re: Re:

Perfectly played by Matthews.

Wheelsucking last 30 kms. Yep, he played it to perfection.

You sound like you would make a bad teammate.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Well played Orica. Deserved that in the end for perfect tactics. Sagan played into their hands a bit, responding to all the attacks so aggressively.

Sagan has the green to think about. 2nd place actually is better then 3rd or lower for him

Yeah, fair point. Still think he could have won the stage though if he'd just held a bit back. Also, probably not a good idea to split the break in the first place - got too outnumbered by Orica as a result.

 

[Ruby United]

I don't seehow anyone can blame Matthews.
They had 3 riders in the break, played it perfectly and won.
That's not wheelsucking, that's tactics!

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

Matthews p*ssy win.

Well, this was cycling 101.

Your team has a fast man in the break and two support riders, let the support riders do the work. If the competition (Sagan) wants to do the work for you, let them.

I don't see what they did wrong.

It's not worth arguing fella, they're either clueless or trolling.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Great win by Matthews. Wheelsucking? Come on! I'm not sure OGE's tactics today were the best but it panned out at the end after all. Sagan spent way too much energy. I think he's becoming too self-confident. What was GVA doing?

 

[happytramp]

Re: Re:

Perfectly played by Matthews.

Wheelsucking last 30 kms. Yep, he played it to perfection.

You understand how cycling works right? Or more specifically extremely basic tactics..

 

[WillemS]

Re: Re:

Perfectly played by Matthews.

Wheelsucking last 30 kms. Yep, he played it to perfection.

Well, in a way, cycling is a team effort. They played the game, they won. Why whine?

 

[doperhopper]

Rui WTF?

bar banging as if he lost the stage... sprint for 8th or so

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Pretty awful tactics by Orica, they almost threw away the win despite having 3 riders, but Michael Gerrans managed to save it in the end.

No idea what GVA was doing.

They only nearly lost it because Matthews got boxed in. But he was so much fresher than everyone else, that he still won pretty comfortably in the end. I'd say that's the mark of excellent tactics - keeping your sprinter fresh for the finale.

 

[KGB]

Perfect Matthews win.Sagan done good work for him.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

GVA told sporza he wanted to go on that climb but he felt Sagan was way too fast for that. He could just follow the pace of the group.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Some might say that Matthews was wheelsucking today. Well, 90% of the peloton wheelsucked the whole day as well. Difference is that Matthews won the stage.

 

[Leffe_Bruin]

Bleeh.. I wanted anyone to win but Matthews

 

[carton]

GVA saved that for Orica, IMHO.

Anyway, good on them for having the strength to have so many guys at the end, and for Matthews for delivering the win.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Rui WTF?

bar banging as if he lost the stage... sprint for 8th or so

Frustrated he missed the move.

 

[Krokro]

I understand basic tactics and how Orica perfectly played it. But I surely can dislike that panache-less win. Anyway, great breakaway action at the end of the day.

 

[happytramp]

Re:

Some might say that Matthews was wheelsucking today. Well, 90% of the peloton wheelsucked the whole day as well. Difference is that Matthews won the stage.

Anyone arguing that deserves to be ignored for not having even the most basic understanding of team tactics.

 

[cipurian]

I have to say good on tinkoff to support Sagan so splendidly today.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

I understand basic tactics and how Orica perfectly played it. But I surely can dislike that panache-less win. Anyway, great breakaway action at the end of the day.

Definitely.

 

[trucido]

Re:

Great win by Matthews. Wheelsucking? Come on! I'm not sure OGE's tactics today were the best but it panned out at the end after all. Sagan spent way too much energy. I think he's becoming too self-confident. What was GVA doing?

That's not a great win, it would have been a big fail if he didn't with the rider advantage.

Sagan weighed up that the points for 2nd-3rd were worth more than an all or nothing approach for the stage.

 

[Red Rick]

Matthews deserves a lot of slack for wheelsucking

But not today

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I understand basic tactics and how Orica perfectly played it. But I surely can dislike that panache-less win. Anyway, great breakaway action at the end of the day.

Blame the other four guys then for not winning with panache. Everyone there knew what Orica's plan was and no-one did anything near enough to disrupt it. GVA, EBH or Sagan should have gone on a hard attack immediately after Impey had been brought back from one of his attacks - then we'd have seen what Matthews was made of.

 

[happytramp]

Re:

I understand basic tactics and how Orica perfectly played it. But I surely can dislike that panache-less win. Anyway, great breakaway action at the end of the day.

I actually agree... he was the last person i wanted to win. But people complaining about him wheelsucking is silly. (not you by the way)

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Wheelsucking? Sagan responded to every attack and made sure he stayed at the front.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

Great win by Matthews. Wheelsucking? Come on! I'm not sure OGE's tactics today were the best but it panned out at the end after all. Sagan spent way too much energy. I think he's becoming too self-confident. What was GVA doing?

That's not a great win, it would have been a big fail if he didn't with the rider advantage.

Sagan weighed up that the points for 2nd-3rd were worth more than an all or nothing approach for the stage.

When you're in a break with Nibali, GVA, Sagan, Hagen, Costa and Cummings it's a great win no matter how you look at it.