So Vacek made it alone to the front alone but Ciccone group wouldn't have made it back to the front with Vacek (+ Konrad) helping?
If Vacek had pulled the group with Konrad from the start instead of going solo, they would have easily reeled back the front group when it was just Rivera and Bernal pushing. Then potentially after a regroup Vacek could have gone clear with other non GC riders, and they could have played also the Ciccone card for the the finish. That was the obvious way to play it.
I'll say it again:
Lidl's main objective is not GC for Ciccone, it's stage wins.
You may think Ciccone could have somehow made it to the front, if Vacek had dropped back earlier - and then ferried Ciccone all the way back to the front (a front Vacek couldn't stick with himself - I disagree.
MvdP or another mutant might have been able to do something like that, but Vacek is not a mutant - not yet at least.