You cannot wait until the end and then determine whether those 17 seconds made a difference by doing simple math. 17 more seconds TODAY makes a difference in how they will ride tomorrow, the next day...and the next. The next few days are so-called "easy" days so the effect of burning that match will be significantly mitigated.
Also, just as with the AC/Vino situation, its unlikely LA and RS had the situation exactly pegged during the race. LA had to ride hard, period. The race was going away, with or without his team.
People also made too much of RS's "failure". They were at the front according to the coverages I followed. So was Frank Schleck. Schleck went down and A LOT of tactics went out the window. Lance would have been fine had he not flatted. The only thing that is curious at all is that it took RS so long to regroup and get back. Then again...it seems like they were doing just that and just ran out of race. The only real "failure" and/or weak spot I saw was Popo not being able to bury himself and ride Lance back up to AC. That was surprising.
Also, just as with the AC/Vino situation, its unlikely LA and RS had the situation exactly pegged during the race. LA had to ride hard, period. The race was going away, with or without his team.
People also made too much of RS's "failure". They were at the front according to the coverages I followed. So was Frank Schleck. Schleck went down and A LOT of tactics went out the window. Lance would have been fine had he not flatted. The only thing that is curious at all is that it took RS so long to regroup and get back. Then again...it seems like they were doing just that and just ran out of race. The only real "failure" and/or weak spot I saw was Popo not being able to bury himself and ride Lance back up to AC. That was surprising.