CHAMPOLUC – The team cars are parked behind the barriers at the last corner, exactly where he crashed. Giulio PellizzariThe coaches come down and stretch their legs. They also exchange comments and discuss tactics. Races, sporting director, of the EF Education EasyPost, passes by and compliments Fabio BaldatoAnd Baldato replies sincerely: "Thank you, we have a strong team." It is Baldato himself who we are talking to.
And yes, because if something more was expected from this Alpine stage, both in terms of spectacle and rankings, it's perhaps due to the tactics deployed by the teams. Tactics that, in some cases, weren't entirely clear.
The one who is certainly enjoying it is the sporting director of the UAE Emirates. There is only one stage left before Rome and its Isaac Del Toro he is always (and more) in the pink jersey. They defended themselves very well today.
Fabio, you monitored the stage from the beginning. How did it go?
It turns out we have a strong team. If we can keep Isaac calm like today, that's good. Isaac is in his first race as leader, he's put a lot of effort into it so far. But listen to Majka, listen to Adam Yates. And that's the most important thing. Thanks to them, he's relaxed while running, focused on drinking, eating, and saving energy. Tomorrow is the final battle, let's see...
Majka himself, at least from the outside, seems to have taken control of the team?
Yes, he should be more relaxed sometimes! Jokes aside, we keep them relaxed from the car, we make them think because the ride is long and at the end he presents the bill. It was clear at the end today: everyone got there in a flash. Those who were a little more capable than the others tried to do something, but I think everyone had a good run. There are also those who tried to do it hard, the EF Education-EasyPost, like the Visma-Lease a Bike, maybe thinking that Del Toro could pay. And honestly, we didn't even know until the very end how it would work out. Instead...
Instead he responded great…
The boy is fine and tomorrow we'll play it.
Step back, Fabio. You brought up Visma and their work. It's true, they pulled, but it wasn't a frenetic pace. The group was stretched out but didn't break away. But above all, they pulled, and then the captain, Simon Yates, didn't get going. It's a bit strange, isn't it?
No, it makes sense. And they did it because they were trying to exhaust everyone. Maybe they trusted their man, they knew he'd saved, that he'd eaten and drank properly, and so they played it that way. It's almost a game of balance, saving your energy and playing your card. Plus, they're very scientific, they had seen that the other day after 5.000 meters of altitude difference and with that energy expenditure Del Toro he had paid a little and they thought of doing the same thing. If only they had managed to detach themselves Del Toro, everyone saying how good, what a great job…
Clear…
No, I really think everyone ran well today. Everyone has their own tactics and today I think all the teams up front did their best for their captains. I'm happy with us because we really have some golden boys, starting with Barons, Arrieta who was in the escape, McNulty.
In fact, having controlled the escape for a long time with just one man, Baroncini, was important in saving the others…
True, "Baro" is finding impressive form. He's surprising us.
Speaking of controlling the breakaway, you never gave him much space. Why? Was it a decision based on the belief that you could counterattack like on the Motte in Bormio, given the Antagnod finish, or was there something else going on?
It's not that we haven't let the escape go far. It's that every time we tried to lower, someone else immediately raised the stake. EF, but also Israel Premier Tech, Visma… And they were going in fits and starts, so we said, “Okay, guys, let’s do it.”
Garzelli made an interesting analysis live, saying you weren't leaving too much space, partly to make it harder for the breakaway to get supplies. In short, the jury wasn't letting the team cars pass to hand out water bottles on this first real hot day...
No, it wasn't for that. And then on the climbs, there were refreshments on the ground. And on the hardest and longest climb, the jury allowed for an additional refreshment. So no, it wasn't to keep them from getting supplies. Cycling is already at its limit, all that's missing is the fight between the team cars for supplies.
Let's go to Visma's house
A few cars behind that of the UAE Team Emirates, there's the unmistakable yellow and black of Visma-Lease a Bike. Their sports director appears. Marc Reef. It's a great opportunity to talk to him and he, very kind as always, doesn't hold back.
We ask him about the stage of Simon yates, arrived tired but not exhausted, even if the sweat streaks on his shorts were more marked than many of his rivals.
"I think we did a great job. Our plan was to put some guys in the breakaway so they could be useful later. Stevie (Kruijswijk, ed.) and Wilco (Kelderman, ed.) did a great job, maintaining a good pace on the last two climbs and closing the gap. In the final, Simon Yates and I wanted to follow Carapaz's attack, but he no longer had the legs. We lost 24 seconds from Del Toro and Carapaz. I think he was also quite honest. It was a brutal phase of the race."
No long faces, but a lot of awareness in the Visma house. Probably this Tour of Italy They won't win it, but they won't stop fighting, also because there's a big goal at stake.
«I think Simon is currently the third-best rider in the race and is still in contention for the podium in Rome.
"Will we race for the podium or the win tomorrow? There's still one more day to go. carapaz e Del Toro They're better off than Simon. Everything is possible, and we look ahead to those above us. But when that's not possible, when there are two strong guys, We have to be happy with the podium and do everything possible to consolidate it.».
