Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Racing => Topic started by: quixoticgeek on 22 April, 2021, 05:03:29 pm
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Can anyone help me understand wtf happened at the end of this year's Amstel Gold.
We have Kasia and Elisa both ahead of everyone else, if they work together, they can go head to head for a sprint finish, and worst case one of them is 2nd and the other wins. Kasia asks Elisa to help, Elisa says she helps noone. The result is they come 9th and 10th.
Have I misunderstood something? Or is Elisa just an idiot? Is there some long game I'm missing? Has she basically put her self in a position where noone will want to play with her in breakaways as she has a reputation for not doing her bit?
What have I missed?
J
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I am certainly no expert but...
Eliza wants to win. She isn't interested in coming second. In a straightforward sprint Katia will beat Eliza. The only way that Eliza can win is to persuade Katia to drag her all the way to the finish then sprint past her. It is part of the game. Next time it will be different people on a different course with different ambitions and abilities.
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I’d suggest that the instruction was from the DS.
Maybe the DS would sacrifice a 2nd place rather than let Katia win - or probably her team get a win. Maybe it’s payback for something. We’ll never know.
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I am certainly no expert but...
Eliza wants to win. She isn't interested in coming second. In a straightforward sprint Katia will beat Eliza. The only way that Eliza can win is to persuade Katia to drag her all the way to the finish then sprint past her. It is part of the game. Next time it will be different people on a different course with different ambitions and abilities.
While your logic is true if Katia is the fastest sprinter, I don't think there's any certainty about that at all. I've seen 3 different sets of people say it's somewhere between 50/50 and 60/40. There's definitely certainty that she won't win a kick from a group with Vos in it though.
I thought it looked like racing to make sure Katia lost (for reasons unknown).
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Assuming you mean Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini, at the end of a long, hilly race, I’d back the former in a head to head sprint every time.
Didn’t see the race though so can’t comment on the specifics.
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Always amazed me when racing, but to most racers 2nd is just first loser.
Don't discount underlying grievances, lots of actions in professional races come about because of prior race occurances.
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My takeaway was the superb 17th for young local (glasgow area) rider Anna Shackley. :thumbsup:
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Always amazed me when racing, but to most racers 2nd is just first loser.
No one ever remembers who came 2nd in the Amstel Gold.
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Always amazed me when racing, but to most racers 2nd is just first loser.
Don't discount underlying grievances, lots of actions in professional races come about because of prior race occurances.
Exactly, most riders have a list of riders they like and dislike, mostly based on past experiences. If a rider helped you a few times to win, you'll certainly help them to win, If another rider caused you to lose, you'll be very eager to spoil their victory. Same counts if they do that to your friends or teammates.
That's why it's very important when following racing to know who's good friends with whom, who trains with who and even gutter press knowledge (who is or was with whose brother or sister).
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Yeah, riders getting overtaken because they mark each other out of the race is a move with ample precedent.
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I was working for ANC the year Malcolm Elliott got 3rd . He got totally worked over with deals and agreements between the other riders in the mix, old favours returned, money etc etc.
It was always thus!
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Yeah, riders getting overtaken because they mark each other out of the race is a move with ample precedent.
You need look no further than last year's Amstel (men's).
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Or Steve Cummings doing Messrs. Bardet and Pinot in Mende in 2015 :demon:
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And the two times Armstrong 'lost' a sprint against a Rabobank rider at the Amstel. There are strong arguments that he did this on purpose. Giving a few 'presents' in the run up to the Tour so he could ask some favours to be returned during the tour. So he could leave an extra rider for the flat stages at home in favour of another climber. If a strong rider for a flat stage was needed, he could ask for a favour to be returned. Quite handily winning the Amstel was very important for Rabobank and they had a lot of riders excelling in flat stages.