You're a lovely guy <3

Good to see us in the break. Didn't work eventually, but at least we're in a winning breakaway other than that a solid outcome with Haig safely in the front group. Of course he needs to do the same, where it really counts: in the mountains!

It's not personal, I would say this about any team which takes 3 stage wins and 7 podiums total in 27 GT stages without having sent even a single rider with an 78+ stat to them.

A WT team could conceivably send 8 stage hunters to all 3 GTs and not win a single stage, and the manager couldn't complain about particularly bad luck.


I do admit the pandemic hasn't been kind to my general mood though.
But again, I'm disappointed at the fact (which you have no control over), not mad at the person benefitting from it.

Looking forward to the first mountain stage!

Way to go Gesink. #StrivefForRed

Congrats Croatia!

A shame Nielsen couldn't reward his effort with a top 10 result, but considering his limited uphill riding skills it was anyways surprising to see him hold on for so long. Congrats Croatia!

Now that's much better than we had in 20 Giro stages: get a guy into break and finish the stage on the podium, plus Haig hanging on with the best of the GC race! Obviously I would have preferred a stage win, but I can't complain and we didn't get a Malecki yet.

Same shit, different GT.

Of course we're not in that break. Why would we be in that break when we could keep seven riders around the 15th best climber instead?

Grosu does love this type of stages where the GC riders don't score big points, but Toupalik starts to look quite dangerous

God fucking damnit. This is a lame effort by our team to throw away valuable points and almost the GC lead even.

Please, no more of this Giro-crap...

Yeah, Giro feelings are back

Matt almost having his Malecki moment here with Bouchard, too bad he couldn't quite make it. At least from a neutral perspective, it would have given the race some interesting dynamics.

But from a GC contender manager's perspective, it's really dull that there's simply no chase up that final climb. With 5%, it was obviously too easy for big gaps, so attacks didn't make any sense - but the stage win would absolutely have been within reach... Really don't know why they don't even care. (well, irl they don't either, so maybe the AI is just too realistic for MG purposes here...)

Of all the riders why Daniel? :/

Well atleast we chased stuff down, but Shikai lost time, so not great really. Hoping he's stronger in later stages, or this could be a bad race.

Once so many riders got into the break, we should have joined for sure too. Hopefully, Evonik can use the saved energy tomorrow to make sense of it.

Formolo is definitely doing a good job so far.

I'm a bit gutted that we send Arslanov to attack every day while we have breakaway legends Kruijswijk and Malecki sitting in the peloton. But I realize I'm not allowed to complain about a lack of breakaway luck, so I'll shut up.

Wrong rider in the breakaway, but at least we tried for the first time this race

Also slightly worrying GC start from Galta not able to follow in the first group of chasers. Fingers crossed that was his bad day.

In terms of just throwing away points I must admit we are doing a stellar job.

Who need a leader jersey bonus in the TT anyway?

I guess we are 3rd or 4th after tomorrows stage. Horrible efforts after the first strong 4 days.

Stupid.

Good job on a stage that was always going to be one for the breakaway. We should've ridden for Gabburo though, who possibly could've won this, but 3 and 6 is also a very good return

As many points as Toupalik has scored already as annoying to see him being the teams choice again and again when clearly he is too tired and not even extending his KoM this way...
Really it would be better to send Ballerini, Van Der Poel it even the stronger climbers now as otherwise the team won't stage any chance for stage results when being dropped first from the break.