Deschanel2027

Debriefing

In GC, the first Pro-Team riders are :

• Storer 🇦🇺 7^th^ for Tudor
• Rondel 🇫🇷 11^th^ for Tudor too
• Poels 🇳🇱 22^nd^ for Unibet
• Crescioli 🇮🇹 27^th^ for Polti

Tudor and Unibet belong to the 5 major PTs, while Polti is a medium PT: there's no surprise, money talks. Bardiani didn't try to bring a GC guy, I reckon.

EF didn't place anyone in GC. M. Beloki🇪🇸 started well and was just 5-10 minutes behind in GC for 2 weeks, but then he signed his new contract at Ineos, stopped caring about doing something for his current team, and lost almost 2 hours...

Different circumstances but same result for Picnic who brought 3 guys with a climber/GC profile (Barguil-Hamilton-Leemreize), except that none of them has any sort of legs... In 3 weeks, one 9^th^ place for Barguil on a stage won by a breakaway to which he didn't belong, when he just went ahead of a lifeless peloton; and one 10^th^ place by their sprinter. Anyway, nobody cares about anything in this team, so that's fine.

Talking about riders who started well, in the second half of the Giro, O'Connor (🇦🇺 Jayco) lost time and GC positions each time there was some action in the finish; he finished 16^th^ at 24 mn... To a lesser degree, Rondel🇫🇷 also weakened in the second half of the tour, but while he was regularly losing time, the loss was contained so that he didn't lose GC positions after the Time Trial.

Stage 21, Sunday 31

131 km, no difficulty (50 pts), 5 km sprint zone, 3″ splits

A flat stage to finish on 8 laps of the circuit in the capital city.

I found it appalling that UAE went for the RB sprint to deprive Rubio (🇪🇸 Movistar) of 5.000 €...

There were many little breakaways. The most significant was by Ganna (🇮🇹 Ineos), which was only caught 3 km from the line. He had 2 dead weights in his wheel who never pulled one second: Sobrero (🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek) and Stuyven (🇧🇪 Soudal-QS). It was a bit more understandable by Sobrero🇮🇹 as he didn't stand much chances vs the other 2 and Milan🇮🇹 was really eager to finally get his first victory, but Stuyven🇧🇪, seriously... I was thinking it was a pity Ganna🇮🇹 had those guys with him and not others like Maestri🇮🇹, and he counter-attacked just when Ganna🇮🇹's breakaway was finally caught, so yes, he was pissed he wasn't in that breakaway 😃; but beside Maestri🇮🇹, anyone collaborating a little bit would have made this breakaway beat the peloton as the sprinter teams behind were loosing all their elements.

Anyway, Soudal-QS was punished by an utterly shitty sprint of Magnier🇫🇷, who was a bit blocked, but above all was completely cooked, as even the uphill false-flat was too much for him. Stuyven🇧🇪 would have had 80% chances of winning if he had relayed Ganna🇮🇹 a bit...

Ciccone must have put in his contract that he can do whatever he wants during his national tour. I can't see any other logical reason.

I didn't believe in Gee before the tour, or even in the beginning of it; yet after 2 weeks it was clear, even to me, that he could get a nice GC result. As the team was built for fair part around Milan, there wouldn't be much workforce available for help, so it was important that the co-leader would help him, after said co-leader was already offered many personal chances since the beginning of the tour. But no.

Stage 20, Saturday 30

200 km, high difficulty (15 pts), no sprint zone, 1″ splits

The last mountain stage, with a main climb done twice.

Tarozzi (🇮🇹 Bardiani) and Warbasse (🇺🇸 Tudor) did a chase for more than 50 km, alone 1 mn behind a breakaway of 5. Tarozzi🇮🇹 needed the I.S. points for the Traganti Volanti classification that he leads just a few points ahead of the next guys. Unfortunately for him, not only he arrived cooked in the group after over an hour of 2 vs 5 effort, not only the I.S. was on top of a climb, but in the group there were both Leknessund (🇳🇴 Uno-X) and Silva (🇺🇾 Astana), who, as I said yesterday, rank 4^th^ and 3^rd^ in Cyclamen jersey classification! So poor Tarozzi🇮🇹 was beaten by both in the sprint, and his first place in Traganti Volanti classification is not 100% secured (even though he scored a few points, which is better than nothing and will make things easier to control tomorrow).

Naturally, none of the 3 French Eurosport commentators could understand why those 2 guys went for the sprint and didn't leave it to Tarozzi🇮🇹, for none of those 3 commentators can be arsed to give a quick look at classifications before the start of the stage, or even during the first 70 km of the stage despite 1 or 2 of them spending their time looking at a computer screen instead of watching the race. Also, none except the old consultant (Jacky Durand) reads a few pages of regulations in 3 weeks (you'd expect it would rather be the role of the journalist but he spends his time browsing PCS...).

Arrieta (🇪🇸 UAE) became first in the RB classification. Does UAE really need this?

None of the teams with a leader in/near top-10 attempted anything before the final watts contest today: nobody sent people ahead in a breakaway, and nobody tried anything in the first major climb, even after Visma slew down, and nobody had time to try anything in the last climb (before Vingegaard attacked, then there was a little bit of action behind, but the culling had already been performed). There wasn't a single change in top-11 (only Bernal (🇨🇴 Ineos) overperformed a bit compared to his GC rank, but not enough (and he had to drag Arensman🇬🇧 all the way up)). I had fallen asleep when Vingegaard crossed the line, and missed his handlebar licking...

The stage was clearly designed to allow strategical actions. It wasn't a simple, single climb, finish-on-top. There was a 25 km long flat zone between the two major climbs which allowed the team strategy of using as a relay someone sent ahead earlier. And to go ahead earlier, the 3^rd^ category climb 50 km before the first main climb was perfect. They even had moved the I.S. (usually coming much later in the stage) just before it, so that the GC strategy could start after an eventual battle for Cyclamen, not interfering with its preparation and even benefiting of the hesitation that often comes after an I.S.

Visma didn't care about the Blue jersey and gifted it to Ciccone (🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek), who rode more for Vingegaard🇩🇰 than he did for his leader Gee🇨🇦.

Visma also managed to blow up for nothing its own pretender to the White jersey Piganzoli🇮🇹...

Kuss was as useless, or badly used, as usual. His stage victory didn't change this.

Like Scaroni the other day, Narvaez (🇪🇨 UAE) was dropped and withdrew early in the stage. While this confirms that Magnier will get the Cyclamen jersey, it opens one seat on the podium of that classification. This evening, points are such:

1. Paul Magnier 🇫🇷 Soudal-QS: 195
2. Jonathan Milan 🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek: 103
3. Guillermo Silva 🇺🇾 Astana: 82
4. Andreas Leknessund 🇳🇴 Uno-X: 79
5. Jasper Stuyven 🇧🇪 Soudal-QS: 75
6. Mattia Bais 🇮🇹 Polti: 74

As there are 12 points on each of the 2 remaining I.S. and Magnier doesn't need to score any extra point any more, getting/staying on that podium can be an important goal for those riders and their team, especially Astana, Uno-X and Polti.

Stage 19, Friday 29

151 km, high difficulty (15 pts), no sprint zone, 1″ splits

Massive GPM points are available today: 162! Here is the current Blue jersey classification:

1. Jonas Vingegaard 🇩🇰 Visma: 214 pts
2. Giulio Ciccone 🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek: 133
3. Felix Gall 🇦🇹 Decathlon: 96
4. Einer Rubio 🇨🇴 Movistar: 88
5. Jardi Van der Lee 🇳🇱 EF: 84

Yep, Vingegaard🇩🇰 went to grab the points of the 4^th^ category climb today...

It was very difficult to understand the logic of most teams today, especially in the last 20 km.

Everyone expected a big breakaway and wanted to be in; yet when the peloton finally gave up, it was just composed of 2 Polti ahead (Mifsud🇫🇷/🇲🇹 and M. Bais🇮🇹) who waited for an EF and an Alpecin who were in chasse-patate.

Then 25 km from the line, Lidl-Trek were pushing like crazy, and caught the breakaway several kilometres before the RB bonus sprint, despite having no interest in it, neither for time bonuses, not for RB classification. In fact, they completely stopped their effort when the breakaway was 10 metres ahead of the peloton, and while 3 of them were giving up, the 4^th^ one, Geens (🇧🇪 Alpecin) kept going and reached the RB sprint in first position.

Still at this RB sprint, everyone in the peloton was going slow and blocking riders from behind: riders interested in the RB classification, like the Bardiani riders, couldn't defend their chances. The GC leaders didn't try to score a few easy seconds. Even better, Arensman (🇳🇱 Ineos), who is just 24 seconds behind Gall (and 33 ahead of Hindeley) in GC, could have scored 4 seconds easily, but he scored 0, as his own teammate deprived him of the 2 seconds he could have got without even sprinting, just staying at the front of the peloton behind a Decathlon rider...

Then there was the wall, which was supposed to be the launchpad for a stage victory of punchers. Again, the peloton was riding super fast in the few miles before it. And when the wall started... they all slew down, and nobody attacked. Not a strong puncher, not a small puncher: no one. After a while, only Eulalio (🇵🇹 Barhrain), who had suffered a significant crash 30 or 40 km earlier, attempted something. But he was chased by... Kuss (🇺🇸 Visma) and Vingegaard🇩🇰 pulling the peloton. Why did they do that? What was their objective? Another mystery. There was nothing to win for them.

So it was a sprinter finish, and the fight for Cyclamen is basically over. ☹️

Stage 18, Thursday 28

171 km, low difficulty (50 pts), 3 km sprint zone, 1″ splits

It could have been a stage for sprinters, if it wasn't for this last hump just 10 km from the line. Don't be fooled by its classification as 4^th^ category, it is not not a false flat but a wall, 1 km at 12%. A few years ago, we would have said this was tailored for Alaphilippe.

Standings before the stage for a few of the secondary classifications which are still fought over:

Points classification

1. Jhonatan Narvaez 🇪🇨 UAE: 157 pts 🔼
2. Paul Magnier 🇫🇷 Soudal-QS: 145 🔽
3. Andreas Leknessund 🇳🇴 Uno-X: 79 🔼
4. Jonathan Milan 🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek: 78 🔽

Many riders can still fight for 3^rd^ place (worth 95 UCI points).

Intermediary Sprints classification

1. Manuele Tarozzi 🇮🇹 Bardiani: 60
2. Diego Sevilla 🇪🇸 Polti: 48
3. Mattia Narvaez 🇮🇹 polti: 44 🔼
4. Mattia Bais 🇮🇹 polti: 44 🔽
5. Martin Marcellusi 🇮🇹 Bardiani: 25

RB Sprints classification

Rubio has been in many breakaways lately.

1. Einer Rubio 🇨🇴 Movistar: 31 🔼🔼🔼
2. Manuele Tarozzi 🇮🇹 Bardiani: 31
3. Afonso Eulalio 🇵🇹 Bahrain: 30

Mountain classification

Ciccone is going for it, but...

1. Jonas Vingegaard 🇩🇰 Visma: 211
2. Giulio Ciccone 🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek: 133 🔼
3. Felix Gall 🇦🇹 Decathlon: 96 🔼
4. Einer Rubio 🇨🇴 Movistar: 88 🔼
5. Jardi Van der Lee 🇳🇱 EF: 84 🔽

Stage 16, Tuesday 26

113 km, high difficulty (15 pts), no sprint zone, 1″ splits

This stage exhibits a funny design: its middle part is very much for punchers, but then there is a break, and finally a long finish-on-top for pure climbers.

We indeed saw several races in one during this hot day all over Western Europe. There were several breakaways, until Narvaez (🇪🇨 UAE) got in one.

J. Milan (🇮🇹 Lidl-Trek) has indeed stopped fighting for the Cyclamen jersey. He pulled the peloton, chasing the breakaway to allow Ciccone🇮🇹 to join it; and once inside the right breakaway Ciccone🇮🇹 didn't at all defend Cyclamen points against Narvaez🇪🇨 who had come only for that.

Van der Lee tried hard to defend the Blue jersey he was wearing (in place of Vingegaard (🇩🇰 Visma)) but it was going too fast and he scored almost nothing, while Ciccone🇮🇹 was coming first in all 4 mid-stage climbs. However, with his stage win, Vingegaard🇩🇰 scores basically as many points as the Italian and remains well ahead.

Visma and Decathlon wanted again to fight for the stage, so the Italian Pinot got disappointed once more.

Nobody (including me) seemed to understand the reason why Bora accelerated at the bottom of the main, final climb. The main result of this short movement, was to blow up their own co-leader Pellizzari🇮🇹.

Kuss (🇺🇸 Visma) was as useless as usual, but Piganzoli🇮🇹 did his share, dropping many opponents before launching Vingegaard🇩🇰 and dropping a while, before coming back for his own GC position. I thought that Vingegaard🇩🇰 would ask him to go more slowly in order to attack only around 4 km from the line as he often does (or even wouldn't attack until inside the last km), but nope, I was wrong and the Dane attacked with more than 6 km to go. Gall (🇦🇹 Decathlon) attempted to follow for about 27 metres before giving up, and was soon caught up by a few survivors. Gee was dropped at least twice, but surprisingly managed to come back each time and finished with the 4-5 men group Gall🇦🇹 won in the end for time bonus. Bernal (🇨🇴 Ineos) was on a good day and (successfully) did a lot of work to bring back Arensman🇳🇱 towards the front, without completely collapsing after.

Eulalio (🇵🇹 Bahrain) was dropped early with O'Connor (🇦🇺 Jayco), but finished rather well again (with the old skeleton Poels (🇳🇱 now at Unibet) who never seem to give up), unlike the Australian. He leaves the GC podium but will still be wearing the White jersey with 2 minutes over Piganzoli (🇮🇹 Visma).

Pellizzari🇮🇹, completely out for GC, may be another thorn in Ciccone🇮🇹's foot for next stages victories.

Stage 15, Sunday 24

157 km, no difficulty (50 pts), 5 km sprint zone, 3″ splits

The stage to Milano, kept short and purely flat, is made for sprinters.

And yet, they managed to fail! Will Magnier (🇫🇷 Soudal-QS) complain today about Polti not letting him win, like he complained about Movistar the other day? 😜

I am sad for Maestri (🇮🇹 Polti), a very generous rider, who can't manage to get one first pro victory, despite having a rather good sprint. I think he should have stayed in Dvernes's (🇳🇴 Uno-X) when the Dane launches instead of going in parallel with him; there was a lot of available time to stay there before attempting to take over. That's a mistake I see a lot this year.

This stage still brings a ton of points to the Polti team, but...

And Visma demanding that the times are frozen 16 km from the line...

I don’t know what happened to Scaroni (🇮🇹 Astana). I see he came, not with the first peloton, but in another group 6 minutes later; so he dropped from 13th to 24th place in GC.

He was dropped as soon as next stage (14), started and quickly withdrew 😧

Stage 13, Friday 22

189 km, medium difficulty (25 pts), 3 km sprint zone, 1″ splits

90% of this stage are flat, but there are two significant yet not very steep climbs about 20 km from the finish. Another Narvaez-compatible stage?

Considering that there wasn't anything to score for over 150 km (and 150 km of flat), I hadn't thought that there would be such a battle for the breakaway. Neither would I have believed that it would be one of those days when the breakaway is given 10 minutes.

It was also strange to see most breakaway members always pulling pretty much like maniacs even after they had 9-10 minutes and the peloton had given up long ago, and keep doing that until the climbs. Even stranger, nobody in the 15 riders tried anything in the first climb...

GFDJ were 3 in the right breakaway, out of 15 riders. Their directeur sportif decided that they should ride as if they were Visma/UAE with Vingegaard/Pogatchar: by going full steam ahead as the last climb began, in order to launch their 'leader' (Kench🇳🇿). Well, this is basically a suicidal tactic when you are not one of the very few top climbers. Especially when the slope gets steeper as you go near the summit: it naturally gets harder as you progress, without putting yourself in the red zone before it starts getting really hard.

Overall, it is already a miracle that Kench🇳🇿 didn't blow up more than he did on the last hundreds metres of the climb and on the flat just after the top.

Bettiol (🇮🇹 Astana) was having one of his good days. I had never paid attention to it before, but the guy is nuts when it comes to picking his line on the road: he is constantly too near the walls/signs/spectators for no particular reason, and that close to hit something or someone. Anyway, this was the 3^rd^ Italian victory in 13 days; not bad.

I don't know what happened to Scaroni (🇮🇹 Astana). I see he came, not with the first peloton, but in another group 6 minutes later; so he dropped from 13^th^ to 24^th^ place in GC.