trevim said:
Just some thoughts about today's stage and Sky's general tactics:
1. A true all-rounder like Knees could have played a significant role setting up the team which seemed a bit all over the road as soon as the gap was there.
2. I don't count today as a tactical fail: Froome was in a reasonable position in the bunch he just got unlucky that someone let the wheel in front go (Kwiat I think) and then he was alone and without the ability to close it. Whoever as ever ridden a bike on exposed crosswinds knows that's almost impossible to do. Cav's explanation nailed it: the best sprinter in the world almost didn't made it; it isn't a surprised that a rider not as explosive like Froome couldn't close that gap.
3. It's not easy to think about tactics when the only tactic they needed to use for 2 years is ride harder than everyone else and have an extra gear at the end.
4. Let's not forget that the team has some major injuries that hurt today.
5. Maybe it's a good idea not to chase everything that moves like they use to do: let the other teams get into breaks if they aren't dangerous. There's no need to waste energy there.
Agree with a lot of the above.
Additionally, calls for Wiggins, Eisel, Knees etc to be included: Sky's pre-race assumption was that this Tour would be won and lost in the mountains. It's still their assumption as Froome said yesterday when asked about what happened. There's no guarantee any of the guys above would have been fitter than the team which is flagging. Wiggo perhaps, but at what cost to team morale? Kosta, Kiri, EBH, Lopez - all have underperformed throughout, but EBH would have been a major asset on stage 13. Add in Thomas' nasty injury on Corsica and you have a team that was struggling straight away, burning more matches in things like the TTT than they would have liked to. Porte's blow-up last Sunday wasn't anticipated, nor was Kiri's missing the time cut. Nor Kennaugh falling off a mountain.
Yesterday needed a classics team but they were off in Austria instead the week before. The classics team would have been as useful as a chocolate teapot come the week after. Brailsford and the coaches picked the best team for the overall race that was available.
What I feel has been highlighted this last week or so is that if a team wants to win two GTs in a few months and most major stage races inbetween, they need greater strength in depth. The 9/10 guys who do the classics have in the main (Stannard/Thomas/EBH apart) been overlooked for both GTs. Including Eisel as well would mean it's 4 out of 9. That's excessive for a race won and lost on steep mountain slopes.
Sky sending the Italians and Colombians to the Giro has weakened their Tour team.
Being wise after the fact, had the Tour been in May when burnout was less of the issue it appears to be (EBH apparently said off the record they'd been overtrained before the race), a 9-man squad chosen from the below would have done the business, illness & injury allowing (I leave Wiggins off as I don't think he was prepared to super domestique):
Froome
Porte
Uran
Henao
Kiryienka
Cataldo
Kennaugh
Stannard
EBH
Lopez
Thomas
Eisel
Siutsou
Pate
Knees
As it was, they have split the best they have chasing two prizes and may come up with nothing.
Eisel's job as road captain was given to Kiryienka but obviously he's not around to do it. Kennaugh and Stannard apparently are quite nervous each day as it's their first Tour. The lack of experience is something Sky are paying for just now, but this will stand them in good stead for 2014.