At no time has BMC ever looked like a well-oiled machine and many of the team's daily performances appear to be disconnected from any kind of overarching vision. It seems like the team just throws riders up the road and hope that something sticks.



On Stage 16 of the Tour we saw that strategy applied with two riders of the highest quality, current world road champion Philippe Gilbert and the domestique's domestique Manuel Quinziato, in the winning break.



But again the result was a wash and the team was left celebrating a top-ten finish (8th), if you can call it celebrating.



"It was good to be in the breakaway because it was really hard just to make it today," said Assistant Director Fabio Baldato.



That's it? Happy to be in the break? Is it just me thinking that's a feeble response given the Tour-long failure of the team? Did anyone kick down a door or punch a wall in anger? C'mon, fire up!



I think one of our Tour de France viewers put it best with this Tweet.

Not only does the team look unprepared strategically but many of its riders look underdone. Yes, Evans has seen his best days as a Grand Tour rider, and may be feeling the after effects of his supreme effort at the Giro d'Italia, but there is no such excuse for Tejay van Garderen, who after his Amgen Tour of California win, should have been in perfect form.



Is this what happens when you just throw money at a WorldTour team? It shouldn't be if you compare BMC to Team Sky, which also has one of the biggest budgets.



Sky not only has money but a cohesive vision with which to stitch a winning season together. It buys smart (talent and coaching) and leaves no stone unturned in exploiting every possible advantage, up to and including making sure there was a feed station placed strategically on Mont Ventoux.



It has become an amusing cliche but these marginal gains add up to something big.



Sky always rebounds from a bad day at the office with a well-played strategy, never wavering from its long-range game plan, always determined and resolute. And based on current form it will take home the biggest prize in the sport for the second year running.



See that and you'll understand why BMC has been a profound disappointment in 2013 when many pre-race prognosticators suggested two riders in the top 10 overall.



Yes, most teams would be more than happy with a podium at the Giro and victory at the Tour of California in a single season, but this isn't just any team. By all accounts this is the highest-priced collection of talent around, one sporting no less than three world champions and some serious Grand Tour potential.



Then there are the numbers.



Look at the UCI WorldTour rankings, Greg van Avermaet is currently the team's best placed (19th) rider with Cadel Evans 26th and Philippe Gilbert 43rd. BMC has won just 13 races/stages this season. Remove national championships and you're left with just nine. Wow!



BMC's lazy return on investment can't be blamed on any one rider, they seem to be missing not just direction but camaraderie, so the finger of blame must be pointed right to the top.



What will the boss do to change things, other that throw more money at the problem?







What do you think of BMC's performance at the Tour de France?





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