Today the break made sense for a podium bet. It's just that Lipowitz didn't stay put and the group just didn't wanna do any work to stay away.Then he wouldn't go in a break today. And wouldn't wait for Lipo on Ventoux.
Bora try to put Roglic into 4th overall GC and be a team with two riders in the top 5 GC.Brilliant tactics? Maybe for Roglic.
But to be honest. They just should have ridden in the peleton and defend the third place.
After Lipowitz dropped on madeline they should have told lipowitz to fall back in the big group with only.
It was clear that if he bridged to the pogacargroup, roglic would not pull for lipowitz to stay away from the group with only.
And at the end roglic should have pulled for lipowitz. If he had the legs to stay with the best, ok. But it was clear very early that he doesnt have the legs.
Onley's team want that podium spot and will do the work according to them. That allows Lipo to sit on them and let Primoz freelance up the road, particularly if they don't chase right away. The Col d' Pre is steep enough to do that followed by a climb Primoz should love: Cormet d'Roselend. At worst a recovered Lipowitz should be able to finish off other contenders up La Plagne if he deserves his podium spot. Optionally, if there's no response he and Primoz may trade that 3rd step if he doesn't quite have it and Picnic decides to have a casual lunch hoping Primoz cracks. If there isn't some meaningful separation before La Plagne due to Visma and UAE it'll be a much more brutal finish than today for the pretenders, IMO. Whover survives will be 3rd.If Lipowitz has a bad day tomorrow, I think/hope Roglic can have a great day and put time into Onley. For the team, I guess it only matters where Lipo is in relation to Onlay as the podium and the white jersey are on the line. Only 22 seconds between Lipo and Onley. I think the best bet will be for Roglic to help Lipo to keep that lead, but if Lipo cracks I would love to see Roglic take it to Onley and fight for that podium spot. I'm not sure he can though, Onley looked pretty good at the end of the day. All that said, I'm glad Roglic is riding well and safely. I think he'll be happy to get to Paris in any placing and get that finishing monkey off his back.
Well now IMO tomorrow will have some serious fireworks with the Col d Saisse eliminated because of a bovine viral outbreak.Onley's team want that podium spot and will do the work according to them. That allows Lipo to sit on them and let Primoz freelance up the road, particularly if they don't chase right away. The Col d' Pre is steep enough to do that followed by a climb Primoz should love: Cormet d'Roselend. At worst a recovered Lipowitz should be able to finish off other contenders up La Plagne if he deserves his podium spot. Optionally, if there's no response he and Primoz may trade that 3rd step if he doesn't quite have it and Picnic decides to have a casual lunch hoping Primoz cracks. If there isn't some meaningful separation before La Plagne due to Visma and UAE it'll be a much more brutal finish than today for the pretenders, IMO. Whover survives will be 3rd.
Assuming Vingegaard tries again, I think it's likely enough Roglic and Lipowitz both drop Onley on Col du Pré so we'll see from there. Not sure if you drag Pogacar and Vingegaard in their staring contest from that moment, but whatever.Short mountain stage has to suit Roglic surely, will be go for it or after playing with fire yesterday will red bull consolidate what they have? As a team they hang practically nothing to gain, they can't do better than 3rd and white.
Heaven knows we need something to watch...Whatever happens I hope it's controversial. They raced like they were rage-baiting the internet yesterday. Keep up the good work.
i guess anything better than 3rd has not been realistic for RB since the Pyrenees. Probably has never been tbh.
Any other team would probably have done everything to secure podium yesterday. Totally weird what RB was doing. Latest on the top of Madelaine Roglic should have dropped back.
Then they got lucky that Lipowitz came back in the valley. There Roglic should have paced into Loze to keep Onley away.
So Roglič should to everything to help Lipowitz get 3rd while destroy his own options? Not going to happen, specially when Lipowitz had all posibilites to do it on his own but didn't.i guess anything better than 3rd has not been realistic for RB since the Pyrenees. Probably has never been tbh.
Any other team would probably have done everything to secure podium yesterday. Totally weird what RB was doing. Latest on the top of Madelaine Roglic should have dropped back.
Then they got lucky that Lipowitz came back in the valley. There Roglic should have paced into Loze to keep Onley away.
Lipowitz is good enough to defend himself against Onley. He has to stay on his wheels all the time, and he should be 3rd. Roglic, in the meantime, can stage hunt.i guess anything better than 3rd has not been realistic for RB since the Pyrenees. Probably has never been tbh.
Any other team would probably have done everything to secure podium yesterday. Totally weird what RB was doing. Latest on the top of Madelaine Roglic should have dropped back.
Then they got lucky that Lipowitz came back in the valley. There Roglic should have paced into Loze to keep Onley away.
Nah, Lipo is loosing third place, because he has not racing IQ and thinks his priority is to beat Roglič, not Onley.Lipo is losing his third place because Roglic isn't working for him. However, I'm also the opinion Roglic is a multiple GT champion, he should not work for a rider with zero GT pedigree (until now).
Lipo did not need Rog to not lose his GC place to Onley. He just needed to ride a bit more smart. At the end of the day Lipo tried for the stage win a possibly to move above Vingo and he failed.Lipo is losing his third place because Roglic isn't working for him. However, I'm also the opinion Roglic is a multiple GT champion, he should not work for a rider with zero GT pedigree (until now).
My best guess is simply he didn't have a great negotiation position because Bora had to buy him out of his contract big time.Wouldn't Roglic's contract have specified he is team leader?