The primary focus of York’s assessment was the ongoing situation involving UAE and EF Education-EasyPost, highlighting apparent mistakes that seem reminiscent of past Grand Tours.
“Do you recall the showdown between Primož Roglič and Vingegaard against Pogačar on the Col du Galibier?” York inquired. “It was Jumbo (Visma) facing UAE, and UAE made a significant tactical blunder by isolating their rider. One would think they wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. Previously, they miscommunicated with Pogačar, who should have allowed Roglič to escape while waiting for teammates in the subsequent pack. Overall, their earlier stage strategy exhausted their team, which led to chaos later on.”
“Allowing Wout van Aert to be part of the stage 19 break without anyone from UAE to cover potential general classification threats signals a troubling oversight.”
While numerous fans and analysts have been eager to lay blame on specific individuals, particularly Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz, York maintained that this might overlook more significant issues.
“There are various speculations about what unfolded on the slopes of Colle delle Finestre: Simon Yates seeking redemption after the Froome incident in 2018; Isaac del Toro being urged to work with Carapaz; and the EF leader needing to maintain pace even if he couldn’t drop the Maglia Rosa since finishing second is preferable to third. This tendency to assign blame to individual decisions at critical moments misses the broader perspective.”
York further analyzed the questionable strategies employed by both teams.
“Indeed, we might argue that del Toro should have assisted Carapaz. Or, why didn’t Carapaz close the gap when he had the opportunity before the gravel segment? He had the strength, and del Toro could have potentially done the same. But neither took that step.”
“The tactical missteps were evident. Carapaz was unwilling to pull del Toro along and pursue the lead for him, despite the race leader being far from at ease.”
Nevertheless, the most severe criticism was directed at the overall strategy of UAE Team Emirates, not just regarding the immediate decisions made but throughout the entire Giro campaign.
“The greater concerns lie with UAE Team Emirates, extending beyond their choices made on that day. The issues run deeper, highlighting flawed planning that has persisted, including lessons not learned from Pogačar’s defeat at Col du Granon.”
“They made erroneous decisions back then and questionable choices again leading to Sestriere. Del Toro might have collaborated with Carapaz on the gravel section; even if the Ecuadorian managed to break away, it’s likely the Maglia Rosa could have regrouped on the descent.”