in message <[email hidden]>, Bill C
(') said:I think both teams made the same mistake in that they were racing
almost exactly the way they have in the past few years, totally
defensively and negatively, just trying to keep it close until they
could get a small gap and defend it. That's worked well for Disco with
a dominant leader and team, it's been the same result in the past for
both T-Mob and CSC, though I think both were more agressive early on in
past years, but missing key pieces could account for that.
Landis going that far down was a total write-off and should have been
no factor at all, because none of the GC types have been really
agressive since Hinault. It just "coudn't" happen in their minds, and
they let it happen.
Out of desperation, Landis who had no intention of being aggressive
either, had to do something amazing to get back into it and it took
them all by surprise.
I agree, and I think this will make the next two or three years of grand
tours more exciting. In future escape artists are going to go, not just
in the hope of winning the stage, but in the hope of winning the GC -
Landis has shown them that it's possible. And, equally, the teams are
going to have to pay more attention to escapes, even of poorly placed
riders, if they think there's any chance of those riders being strong
enough to stay away.
This changes the strategic understanding of what's possible, and that
change will make for a more dynamic and attacking style, at least for a
while.
--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; It's dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
;; Voltaire RIP Dr David Kelly 1945-2004