Are Saxo-Bank tactically inept at TT?

[murali]

Contador had an issue with his elbow. will that explain the lack of bike change?


personally, i dont like the bike change in TTs. gives too much emphasis on machine than the man. Its ok if they had a flat tyre to change, but not to get aero adv.

 

[Pippo_San]

personally, i dont like the bike change in TTs. gives too much emphasis on machine than the man. Its ok if they had a flat tyre to change, but not to get aero adv.

Yeah let's also ban the aero helmets and the skinsuits. Oh **** it let's ban the TT bikes altogether.

 

[TheBean]

They now have 2 and 3 place in contest with problably the best rider in a decade... Not so bad i think.

Well put.

Questioning a team that has two-out-of-three of the top positions doesn't make sense.

Other than Sky, every team in the peloton would be elated to be doing as well as Saxo. Does this mean that every other team is even MORE inept?

 

[murali]

Yeah let's also ban the aero helmets and the skinsuits. Oh **** it let's ban the TT bikes altogether.

Following your logic, we should probably have a pit stop for every team like the way they do it in F1. And UCI is wrong to impose the rule that the replacement bike must be retrieved from the top of the car.

My point is that the intent of the rule to allow bike changes was not meant to provide a tactical advantage, but to allow for racing incidents that will always creep in like a puncture or a crash. In today's TT the teams have misused the existing rule in spirit.

 

[Carols]

Calling Riis inept when it comes to TT I would say is 100 times more inept.

This

10 char

 

[Rajna31]

Following your logic, we should probably have a pit stop for every team like the way they do it in F1. And UCI is wrong to impose the rule that the replacement bike must be retrieved from the top of the car.

That's what they have in cross country skiing now and I have to say it's quite exciting. And it was an exciting tactical bit here, I don't see a problem with it.

On topic, I don't think it made too much difference. The bike change took about 5-6 s, Purito took 5 s on Contador so it didn't mean much.

 

[xrayvision]

What has he done to be called a great tactician?

TT wise you mean or in general?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

TT wise you mean or in general?

In TT wise an in general.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Even "the great tactician" thinks he made a mistake.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

What is this ridiculous tactic they are using today? Riis ain't smart like JB or Brailsford.

 

[Forunculo]

They are in this stage, first they wasted Paulinho and Roche and now Roman and Alberto with Kennaugh and Porte behind

 

[Flamin]

Any tactic except waiting for the last climb is useless against Movisky anyway.

 

[Gloin22]

I defended them before.

But holy ****, that descend attack was a waste of energy...

Riis - the genius

 

[Dutchsmurf]

I would love everyone criticizing Saxo's tactics to come up with something better. The only tactic that would have been better today, is riding for second. But you don't win that way.

 

[xrayvision]

No, today was waste of riders and energy, the first part of the stage went ok, the rest was a disaster.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

No, today was waste of riders and energy, the first part of the stage went ok, the rest was a disaster.

In what way? That descend didn't cost any energy. They just aren't better than what they showed on the last climb.

 

[Forunculo]

 

[More Strides than Rides]

I would love everyone criticizing Saxo's tactics to come up with something better. The only tactic that would have been better today, is riding for second. But you don't win that way.

Had Contador not been as aggressive and out front as long as he had, been able to match Rodriguez and Qunitana when Froome cracked?

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Had Contador not been as aggressive and out front as long as he had, been able to match Rodriguez and Qunitana when Froome cracked?

No, he would have ended at the exact same place as he did now.

 

[Forunculo]

Had Contador not been as aggressive and out front as long as he had, been able to match Rodriguez and Qunitana when Froome cracked?

Perhaps the loss could be 30 secs less but he was going to crack

 

[Taxus4a]

Today yes.

It was stupid to go just Contador and Kreuziger in Sarenne, with nobody ahead...... too much wish of Contador to be protagonist.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Perhaps the loss could be 30 secs less but he was going to crack

I agree, thats the point. Even if he is only racing for 1st, this would have been a better result

 

[Zam_Olyas]

What are they doing?

 

[Ruudz0r]

What are they doing?

Maybe for the team classification, Radioshack has 2 or 3 (Kloden, Bakelants and Didier if they are still all there) guys in the break. Or for Rogers his 8th place as Navarro is in the break.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

gotta say Saxo is looking more and more out of touch when it really matters.

Behind the curve so to speak.