Chicago Al 

Thanks to Eric F for the link to this documentary in the 'Unchained' thread. We watched it a few nights ago. Wife and I were already fans of EF, and having learned more about the team, we like it even more.

The doc covers the team's 2020 season and their TdF, an event that seemed like it wouldn't happen. It's not as slick or fast-moving as 'Unchained,' but that's all to the good. One team has plenty enough going on.

EF, which has been called by several names over its 12 year history, is a perennial underdog, a 'team of misfits.' As owner/manager Jonathan Vaughters explains, they can't afford to hire the 'best' riders, but can take riders who have unrealized potential and give them a chance to shine. Much is made of Vaughter's constant struggle to find and keep sponsorships; at one point he says, voice cracking, that he has two weeks, 'maybe three,' to find something like $5 million to keep the team going. Vaughters is very media savvy, and knows that this story arc is good TV; it goes hand in hand with the riders' struggles. Though EF didn't have a great 2020 or 2021 season, they survived, and we have the happy perspective of knowing that they escaped relegation in 2022, and that 2023, with young Irish phenom Ben Healy making a big splash, has already been spectacular. We will be rooting for them in LeTour!

If you have Amazon Prime, it's $5 to rent. We recommend it highly!

HeyItsSara

thank you!

USAZorro

If Vaughters could refrain from being a jerk (as he was during the Giro - publicly with Pinaut), I'd like him a lot better. Clearly, he's been successful in working with the riders and resources that he has, and with only a couple notable recent exceptions, his riders go into races with great attitudes.

Chicago Al 

Meh. Vaughter is fiercely loyal to his riders (a quality some managers need to work on) and isn't going to keep quiet when someone blames their self-inflicted loss on one of his guys.

It would probably be a good idea for Pinot and Vaughters both to be a little calmer and more discrete. But they wouldn't be as entertaining then, would they?

Also: lol, this pretty well describes the finale of stg 13 of the Giro, which is what Pinot was so mad about.



https://twitter.com/OutOfCycling/sta...779457/photo/1

USAZorro

He could have said, "That's racing. Cepeda had his own objectives. Get over it." (or something to that effect), thus being supportive of his rider... and not come off as being an infant.

thin_concrete

It’s free on Peacock for those with a subscription.