Like they do for every significant race, the team behind the WEDU podcast The Move examined the events that took place in the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia. Yesterday, analysts Spencer Martin and Johan Bruyneel discussed the significant contrasts they observed between the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and UAE Team Emirates – XRG teams after a day filled with tension and hazards.
Martin started by expressing his astonishment at the varying levels of attention Red Bull gives Primoz Roglic compared to UAE’s focus on Juan Ayuso, pointing out that he thinks UAE operates in a significantly less structured manner when Tadej Pogacar isn’t competing.
Red Bull was highly watchful of Roglic during the race’s conclusion, while UAE was absent from the front. When Pogacar is absent from the race, they are spread out everywhere. Fortunate for Juan Ayuso, who managed the ascent and the stage conclusion effectively, as he would have no one alongside him. We can’t predict what will occur later on, but currently, it seems that Red Bull is quite focused while UAE lacks Pogacar’s shine since he’s not competing, which might lead to a more chaotic race for him than we’re accustomed to.
Bruyneel maintained his line of thought, highlighting the strong performances of both BORA and Roglic while attempting to explain the disappointing final standing of Ayuso and UAE:
“Red Bull was quite structured; I felt Primoz had excellent form, he was exceptionally focused, especially considering it was the initial stage. I would say he was overly positioned to be a contender for the overall win.” The UAE appeared chaotic; I didn’t perceive them as a cohesive team. I’m not sure if it’s due to Ayuso’s poor positioning skills. When Pogacar is present, they function like a finely-tuned machine; however, in his absence, they seem disorganized. This is clearly an issue.
Bruyneel is confident that in challenging times, UAE will collaborate as a unit:
“I don’t anticipate that occurring once the race reaches tougher terrain, where they will naturally be leading, but Red Bull left a strong impact as a team; I was pleased to witness that.”
This contemplation prompts us to consider other phases of the Giro d’Italia that may initially appear non-threatening or insignificant for the overall outcome, but variations in team organization could lead to certain disparities. In a race as significant as the Giro d’Italia, there are no simple or transitional phases.
