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Teams & Riders EF Pro Cycling

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Maybe a bit questionable tactics from Bettiol to put his nose in the wind for no good reason but I don't think he cost Powless the jersey in the end. The jersey was ultimately determined by how fast the Vingegaard's group was going and there was always going to be accelerations on each cobbled sector as everybody wants to be at the front, I don't think he gained the group 13-14 secons there.

It will be a scandal if Cort doesn't get the combative award in Paris.

If Powless is going for GC, then this stage ended up much better than I had expected for EF.
The few seconds he may have gained against Pogacar are still somewhat inconsequential. What did randomly work out for him is JV will still work hard to unseat Tadej whenever possible and Ineos will also need to be motivated. That should leave EF some leeway to help since Rigo and everyone else are pretty much out of it.
 
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Bettiol’s efforts certainly confused me, but he has proven often over the years that he is a good teammate. I am quite comfortable assuming that there were mitigating factors we are not aware of, or he simply made a mistake. The fact of the matter though is that he was pulling a group that did not include Wout, so ultimately his actions did not lose them yellow, or cost them the stage win. I think their tactics were spot on in the lead group. Cort rides for powless, because powless can get yellow. Powless attacks with 1k to go so he either wins the stage or prevents the kind of track stand racing that prevents him from taking yellow. No problems with tactics, their only problem was Wout is a beast.
 

Honestly probably deserves its own thread. Not even a contract year for him (still under contract until end of 2023). Did UAE panic before the stage with how strong Jumbo looked and offered some 90s style under the table compensation?

This is like when Pevenage bought Frank Vandenbroucke mid Vuelta for Ullrich because the Telekom team was dogshite, hilarious stuff.
 
Bettiol’s efforts certainly confused me, but he has proven often over the years that he is a good teammate. I am quite comfortable assuming that there were mitigating factors we are not aware of, or he simply made a mistake. The fact of the matter though is that he was pulling a group that did not include Wout, so ultimately his actions did not lose them yellow, or cost them the stage win. I think their tactics were spot on in the lead group. Cort rides for powless, because powless can get yellow. Powless attacks with 1k to go so he either wins the stage or prevents the kind of track stand racing that prevents him from taking yellow. No problems with tactics, their only problem was Wout is a beast.
Yeah, but no one except a team member should ever pull for Pogacar unless there is a very good strategic reason to do so. I don't see one in this case. The more watts Pogacar expends the better for the whole peloton.
 
I hope the guys who are on the Bahrain case also look at that one. I don't know if something illegal happened here, but I would really like to be in the EF team bus after the race (or were the directors involved init?)

Honestly I would send Bettiol home, he cost Powless yellow and clearly worked for another team today. He even didn't look after Uran HIS TEAMS GC Guy. It's disgusting.
 
I hope the guys who are on the Bahrain case also look at that one. I don't know if something illegal happened here, but I would really like to be in the EF team bus after the race (or were the directors involved init?)

Honestly I would send Bettiol home, he cost Powless yellow and clearly worked for another team today. He even didn't look after Uran HIS TEAMS GC Guy. It's disgusting.


I think you guys are off base. It seemed to me that Bettiol was doing what he was supposed to. He was trying to drop the GC guys and just leave the power guys. It seems to me that the approach suggested by the DS, is what you guys are complaining about.
 
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I hope the guys who are on the Bahrain case also look at that one. I don't know if something illegal happened here, but I would really like to be in the EF team bus after the race (or were the directors involved init?)

Honestly I would send Bettiol home, he cost Powless yellow and clearly worked for another team today. He even didn't look after Uran HIS TEAMS GC Guy. It's disgusting.
he cost Powless yellow
Probably not, but maybe. I agree with Ted that he was trying to drop the GC guys.

EDIT: he apologized so that tells me that he wasn't following 'the plan'.
 
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I think you guys are off base. It seemed to me that Bettiol was doing what he was supposed to. He was trying to drop the GC guys and just leave the power guys. It seems to me that the approach suggested by the DS, is what you guys are complaining about.

From Velonews;

When asked if Powless had lost the chance to take yellow because of Bettiol’s tactics, Vaughters pointed to the ride by Van Aert instead for the reason his team missed out on yellow.
“No. If Pogačar had been in yellow, the answer would be yes. Unfortunately…. But that isn’t the reality. WVA chased from behind on his own power. So. WVA deserves the yellow.”
So is Bettiol going to UAE Team Emirates next year? The Italian has a contract with EF-Education EasyPost until until December 31, 2024, which was confirmed by Vaughters.
 
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I quote Big Doopie:
He led the group several times with Pog in his wheel. Stringing everything out. With no teammate behind him or near him. His last time at the front basically lead to gaps and Stuyven and Pogs break.

this is while the stage victory and the yellow jersey we’re both in play for two of his teammates ahead.

and helping to create Pogs break meant that jumbo and WVA forced the pace like crazy behind which ultimately lead to WVA holding onto the yellow jersey.

there is a direct line between Bettiol‘s actions and his team not achieving what they could’ve achieved. It’s frankly unconscionable.

Even his team CEO has publicly intimated that it was certainly not team tactics that led him to take that action. Unless something else comes out he should be taken out of the race by his team.
 
From Velonews;

When asked if Powless had lost the chance to take yellow because of Bettiol’s tactics, Vaughters pointed to the ride by Van Aert instead for the reason his team missed out on yellow.
“No. If Pogačar had been in yellow, the answer would be yes. Unfortunately…. But that isn’t the reality. WVA chased from behind on his own power. So. WVA deserves the yellow.”
So is Bettiol going to UAE Team Emirates next year? The Italian has a contract with EF-Education EasyPost until until December 31, 2024, which was confirmed by Vaughters.

Nice to hear that from Vaughters. At least UAE did go through the right channels and give Vaughters some sweet cash for the Carapaz Deal.

The actions from bettiol make absolutely no sense in any circumstances that they might construct in the end. He was clearly hurting his GC guy who couldn't profit from his work as well as TWO of his other teammates in front with NO, ABSOLUTELY NO, chance to win the stage himself. It's all BS. Absolutely sold out the sport yesterday.
 
I think you guys are off base. It seemed to me that Bettiol was doing what he was supposed to. He was trying to drop the GC guys and just leave the power guys. It seems to me that the approach suggested by the DS, is what you guys are complaining about.
Did you watch the clip? Trying to "drop the GC guys" (while his GC guy is in a split behind!!!) by talking to Pogacar and telling him to follow his wheel while two teammates are ahead, one which is close to the yellow jersey and about a minute ahead of Pogacar in virtual GC? Makes no sense whatsoever.


His explanation is hilarious:laughing:
 
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Did you watch the clip? Trying to "drop the GC guys" (while his GC guy is in a split behind!!!) by talking to Pogacar and telling him to follow his wheel while two teammates are ahead, one which is close to the yellow jersey and about a minute ahead of Pogacar in virtual GC? Makes no sense whatsoever.


His explanation is hilarious:laughing:

Kick him out of the team.
 
The actions from bettiol make absolutely no sense in any circumstances that they might construct in the end.
If he is able to get rid of the guys (WvA, EBH, TP...) near Pow on time that makes total sense. There are several questions though: was that EF's plan? Was the plan just to punch it once and see if it worked? If so, did he keep driving because he got excited that his legs were good? Was the team telling him to back off because it wasn't working? More Q?...

He apologized so that makes me think that at the very least, he let his good legs override his brain.
 
Well today was a disaster to say the least. Lose a potential stage winner in Guerrero, lose polka dots (to be expected), Uran ships 6+ minutes after riding in a break and now you are stuck riding for GC with Powless who is much better suited to be an attacking stage winner. After being so close to yellow on two separate occasions, EF are now staring down the barrel of a disastrous tour. I hope Cort or Bettiol can rescue them with a stage win?
 
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Well today was a disaster to say the least. Lose a potential stage winner in Guerrero, lose polka dots (to be expected), Uran ships 6+ minutes after riding in a break and now you are stuck riding for GC with Powless who is much better suited to be an attacking stage winner. After being so close to yellow on two separate occasions, EF are now staring down the barrel of a disastrous tour. I hope Cort or Bettiol can rescue them with a stage win?

EF had "virtual" yellow with three different riders....Magnus; Powless, and today Uran :rolleyes:

Hmmm we need an "s" ending for Uran to match Magnus and Powless......
 

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