Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More - View Single Post

07-07-2004, 02:02 PM

On 7 Jul 2004 13:42:28 -0700, rickwarner@earthlink.net (Rick Warner) wrote:

>You've got a lot of good, informative answers. By now, if you have
>followed all week, you will have seen a great set of tactical moves,
>and a big strategic alliance, in stage 3. Lots of tactical
>maneuvering to get to the front of the pack before the cobbles, and
>Hincapie/Ekimov did a great job of pulling LA into that lead position
>as the main peleton entered that segment. The big strategic move came
>as the peleton split in that section, leaving many riders including
>one of the favored contenders, Iban Mayo, in the rear. With the
>possibility of opening up a time gap between a team leader and a major
>rival you saw USPS, Phonak, T-Mobile, etc. turn up the tempo in the
>front section of the peleton. Cooperation to put a rival at a
>disadvantage.
>
>The more subtle strategy of the week was to position USPS as the top
>team before stage 4; that gave them 21st position (last) in the team
>time trial. Important as they then had info on the status of the
>course and how all their rivals were faring, and could adjust
>appropriately. You will see the results of that strategy, and todays
>TTT results, mirrored in the current individual standings.
>
>- rick

I'll be on the lookout for these. Unfortunately, I don't get the OLN feed
until the 11th. I've been trying to keep up with the daily broadcasts web
sound broadcasts and streaming vids.

Can you elaborate just a teensy bit more on the big strategic move for
those of us following along the hard way? I assume it was to take advantage
of the cautiousness in the cobblestone section? (The USPS strat is pretty
self-explanatory.)

Thanks for the heads up on these, Rick. I'm in serious envy of those with
video, until Sunday, I'm afraid.

-B

07-07-2004, 02:02 PM	#133 (permalink)
Badger_South Posts: n/a	Re: Where's Lance? On 7 Jul 2004 13:42:28 -0700, rickwarner@earthlink.net (Rick Warner) wrote: >You've got a lot of good, informative answers. By now, if you have >followed all week, you will have seen a great set of tactical moves, >and a big strategic alliance, in stage 3. Lots of tactical >maneuvering to get to the front of the pack before the cobbles, and >Hincapie/Ekimov did a great job of pulling LA into that lead position >as the main peleton entered that segment. The big strategic move came >as the peleton split in that section, leaving many riders including >one of the favored contenders, Iban Mayo, in the rear. With the >possibility of opening up a time gap between a team leader and a major >rival you saw USPS, Phonak, T-Mobile, etc. turn up the tempo in the >front section of the peleton. Cooperation to put a rival at a >disadvantage. > >The more subtle strategy of the week was to position USPS as the top >team before stage 4; that gave them 21st position (last) in the team >time trial. Important as they then had info on the status of the >course and how all their rivals were faring, and could adjust >appropriately. You will see the results of that strategy, and todays >TTT results, mirrored in the current individual standings. > >- rick I'll be on the lookout for these. Unfortunately, I don't get the OLN feed until the 11th. I've been trying to keep up with the daily broadcasts web sound broadcasts and streaming vids. Can you elaborate just a teensy bit more on the big strategic move for those of us following along the hard way? I assume it was to take advantage of the cautiousness in the cobblestone section? (The USPS strat is pretty self-explanatory.) Thanks for the heads up on these, Rick. I'm in serious envy of those with video, until Sunday, I'm afraid. -B