Teams & Riders Brothers in (crank) arms - Yates Discussion Thread

[SlickMongoose]

Bad positioning today, or just knackered from yesterday?

 

[Eagle]

Saving energy to try and get in breaks

 

[jaylew]

Just a bad day.

“It’s normal that a 22-year-old doesn’t have back-to-back good days in the mountains at the Tour de France,” White said. “This is all part of the development and the reason we have said all along we wouldn’t be putting on the pressure by riding for general classification.

 

[Bushman]

Re:

The Yates' sometimes seem to have bad positioning. On today's stage when the group had been whittled down to 30 or so, Adam was about the 5th man from the back. Clearly he is not only the 25th strongest rider so he could and should move up to give himself the chance to mark and follow a strong attack, eg Gesink or Valls' today. It seems like their gameplan is often to let the real overall contenders attack, then get into a group of second tier climbers like Valverde, Rodriguez, Mollema etc and then attack from the group to finish an impressive fifth a couple of minutes after the real stage win has already been decided. If Adam had been near the front today, it's possible he could have gone with Gesink, attacked him, and then even if he couldn't outpace him he might have linked up with Froome, who has in the past been generous enough to offer others the stage in return for helping him.

What? You think he could have gone with Froome or even Quintana? that's ridiculous

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

The Yates' sometimes seem to have bad positioning. On today's stage when the group had been whittled down to 30 or so, Adam was about the 5th man from the back. Clearly he is not only the 25th strongest rider so he could and should move up to give himself the chance to mark and follow a strong attack, eg Gesink or Valls' today. It seems like their gameplan is often to let the real overall contenders attack, then get into a group of second tier climbers like Valverde, Rodriguez, Mollema etc and then attack from the group to finish an impressive fifth a couple of minutes after the real stage win has already been decided. If Adam had been near the front today, it's possible he could have gone with Gesink, attacked him, and then even if he couldn't outpace him he might have linked up with Froome, who has in the past been generous enough to offer others the stage in return for helping him.

What? You think he could have gone with Froome or even Quintana? that's ridiculous

Adam said after yesterday he was feeling good but then could not follow Porte when he accelerated, in fairness only Quintana and Froome could. He said he just focused on riding his own tempo and it got him a good finish in the end. Wise words and actions from a 22 year-old, already learning not to blow himself up.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

The Yates' sometimes seem to have bad positioning. On today's stage when the group had been whittled down to 30 or so, Adam was about the 5th man from the back. Clearly he is not only the 25th strongest rider so he could and should move up to give himself the chance to mark and follow a strong attack, eg Gesink or Valls' today. It seems like their gameplan is often to let the real overall contenders attack, then get into a group of second tier climbers like Valverde, Rodriguez, Mollema etc and then attack from the group to finish an impressive fifth a couple of minutes after the real stage win has already been decided. If Adam had been near the front today, it's possible he could have gone with Gesink, attacked him, and then even if he couldn't outpace him he might have linked up with Froome, who has in the past been generous enough to offer others the stage in return for helping him.

What? You think he could have gone with Froome or even Quintana? that's ridiculous

Well as I said he would have been sufficiently ahead of Froome for Froome alone to link up with him. Note Ventoux '13 when Froome attacked Contador, got up to Quintana, spoke to him, apparently offering him the stage if he took turns, Quintana refused, so Froome attacked him and finished comfortably ahead. So even though Froome was stronger he was prepared to give Quintana the stage. I don't think it's so crazy to think Yates could have done better than 7th yesterday.

 

[fungusbear]

Hope that one of these guys gets into a break tomorrow. Been two weeks and we have not seen one of them in a break yet

 

[fungusbear]

Good performance today. When him and Bardet got away I thought he might win but he cracked when Bardet when again. He also said in an interview that he was not 100% but definitely getting better after his illness

 

[Pricey_sky]

Shame he couldn't quite hold on, but at least he tried and it was the correct move to follow Bardet.

As he said he's been suffering from a cold and probably needs another couple of days to be 100% again.

 

[DBotero]

Close today,too bad he cracked.Next break his brother should step on to the challenge.

 

[DBotero]

Well,Adam step up today but i think he didn't chose the right day.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Well,Adam step up today but i think he didn't chose the right day.

When you go stage hunting in breaks it's all luck. He got into the original break of 20-odd riders but they weren't given the rope to go on so had to break away again. They were never going to survive with just the few of them especially with Sagan in the break and most of the sprinters making it over the climbs.

 

[ILovecycling]

Well,Adam step up today but i think he didn't chose the right day.

Yep, the chance of breakaway win on this stage was very poor, but Im sure he will try something again after 2nd rest day

 

[postmanhat]

Very odd decision to put him in the break today. Was never going to win with 60k of flat at the end

 

[fungusbear]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-yates-twins-given-free-rein-in-the-alps

Looking forward to seeing then in the alps. I hope they get into the break on at least half, maybe even 3 out of the 4 alpine stages. Thursdays stage has break written all over it. I doubt the break will survive on saturday as all the main GC teams will wanna win that stage regardless of the state of the GC, but there is a chance on all the others for the break to take it. Maybe then can both get into the same break on one of the days too.

 

[fungusbear]

Nice to see Adam in a break again, but perahps would have been better to save energy for tomorrow as that is a dy destined to be won from a break. Really want to see one of the twins win a stage.

 

[DBotero]

It looks like the 2 brothers are running out of steam.Last chance tomorrow because i think La Toussuire and l'Alpe will be targeted by the GC guys.

 

[Poursuivant]

Simon sick? Because he finished way way down today unless he fancies tomorrow ?

 

[fungusbear]

Re:

Simon sick? Because he finished way way down today unless he fancies tomorrow ?

Hopefully the latter. I think both Twins should try and get in the break tomorrow for a 1-2 punch.

 

[Pricey_sky]

On Backstage Pass DS Matt white said he believed yesterdays stage was the best chance for a break of the 4 days. It just seems as though they are missing that extra 1% towards the end of a stage but that will come with experience and more years in the peloton, they are only 22 after all.

It seems Simon has taken longer than expected to get over his cold from last week, Weening also has had some problems too so perhaps a bug in the team?

 

[fungusbear]

Re:

On Backstage Pass DS Matt white said he believed yesterdays stage was the best chance for a break of the 4 days. It just seems as though they are missing that extra 1% towards the end of a stage but that will come with experience and more years in the peloton, they are only 22 after all.

It seems Simon has taken longer than expected to get over his cold from last week, Weening also has had some problems too so perhaps a bug in the team?

Surely todays stage has the best chance of a break staying away?!? Up and down all day but with no difficult finish.

 

[dirkprovin]

Let's be realistic !! Adam used up his petrol tickets in yesterday's break & Simon's still sick. Yes, they COULD try and get in today's break ........ but to what purpose other than some symbolic "flying the flag". Given their condition, neither will be able to stick with it.

 

[SlickMongoose]

It turns out, the Tour de France is really tough.

 

[fungusbear]

It is good for the team though if the twins get into the breaks. They have had terrible luck as a team and so hang the twins the breaks at least gives the the TV coverage the sponsors demand that they have been missing this tour.

 

[SlickMongoose]

Absolutely.

Compare them to last year - Simon got into one break, and had to withdraw. Adam finished the Vuelta but I can't remember actually seeing him.

This year, it looks like they're both going to finish the tour, they've both been in breaks regularly, they both have top 10 finishes on really tough stages. It's a shame neither of them could win a stage but if they keep improving they could be very strong next year.