The 2018 Giro’s first real GC test—a new route up Sicily’s historic Mount Etna volcano—truly delivered, with action, tactics, grinta and the occasional typo. Thanks again Eurosport Cycling for making this happen, and don’t hesitate to click the “no, please help!” link in the upper right of the video player especially if you live in France or outside of Europe as you are likely to have issues with the video if you are in these places.
To perfection? Hm… a team mate chasing another team mate usually is quite unusual. Often a hint for team-internal problems. Remember the Sky-Situation in last year’s TdF?
It seems like Pinot was also confused and could have pulled the others but decided not to do so and save a little bit for the sprint, what than would made Yates’ move look quite idiotic. He must have felt head and shoulders above everybody to risk being a team-dick.
That’s certainly one take, but I wouldn’t say Yates “chased” so much as bridged. I’d imagine that if Pinot and/or the rest of the group had managed to catch his wheel, he would have eased off rather than towing them up to Chaves. Surging and slowing off is a pretty reliable way to disrupt a chase, but in this case, Yates had enough space almost immediately (most other riders drifted off his wheel and over to Pozzovivo’s before he went) that it opened to door for both GC riders on his team to gain time on the rest of the contenders.
It’s tough to argue the Mitchelton-Scott team was worse off for Yates’ coming across than if he’d simply sat in with the rest of the contenders.
Happy to find this. Those Utube high lights are lame.