Originally Posted by
skinny
having a rider like popovych away always takes pressure off the team.
You're joking, right? If Evans is attacked they can just sit and go.."well we're not chasing, Popo is up the road" This was not a sprinters stage.
The only reason you send a guy up the road like that if you have a shot at yellow is to drop him back at some point.
Originally Posted by
skinny
...and what exactly was popovych going to do?
Other than give him a wheel to follow on long a headwind climb? Other than give him a bike/wheel/bottle if he needs one? If Evans crashes or flats, is Popyvich going to turn around and ride back up the mountain?
Other than perhaps attack themselves?
Other than NOT WASTE ENERGY THAT SHOULD BE SAVED TO HELP CADEL TOMMOROW ON THE HARDEST STAGE OF THE TOUR?
Take out the DVD and put in this year's tour. He's under constant attack and losing time because of it. He lost yellow because he had to respond to every attack.
They risk the whole thing for a stage win? They aren't AG2R. They are eight seconds out of yellow. Every resource should be directed toward a win in Paris. You simply don't bet it all on the time trial unless you don't have any other resource. They did, and they wasted it.
He's eight seconds out of yellow. I recall another Tour that was decided by that margain.