ferryman said:One favourite yes and he won me a lot of money. Favourite(s) was a reference to individual posters on this thread and the disappointment that you are feeling they weren't in the mix.
Your tactics are flawed but not today. Normally a Schleck 1 -2 attack like that will be successfull. It certainly isolated everyone else apart from the yes impossibly strong Gilbert. It was the correct tactic but they did have not the legs to follow it through.
So you don't like Leopard let it go.
Congratulations on your winnings.
I've no ill-feeling towards Leopard at all. Neither am I a fan. The reason I enjoy the classics season is that tactics do play such a significant part. No-one can stop Contador being first up the Tourmalet through tactics, but it is possible to counter an opponents strength in the classics, (some races more than others).
The Schlecks turned what could have been a thrilling race into a procession. It would have been great to see Gilbert really tested to the limit, no? Maybe not if you're holding a betting slip with his name on.