How to beat the Italians at the Birkie?

I wonder what Nathan, Justin, Marc, and other super fast guys think
about the fact that the Italians show up, work as a team and keep
winning the Birkie year after year. I understand that the Italians are
very good (hey, there was Fauner skiing with them this year), but
didn't Marc finish just several seconds behind? I am just a
middle-of-the-pack skier who is happy about just keeping his wave 1
start, but... Do the Factory team guys have some kind of a strategy?
After all, the Birkie is the premier North American race...

It seems to me that the Italians are up front at the finish for one
important reason: they are really good, really fast skiers. Sure,
they work together, but drafting alone doesn't get you to the finish
line in the lead pack. If guys like Nathan, Justin, etc. are minutes
behind, there's not much strategy that's going to get them into the
winner's circle. They have to be able to ski with the pack for the
duration to have a shot at it. As for Marc, he did great but didn't
have the closing speed to battle for the win. Until the Americans can
get multiple skiers in the lead pack at the end, there's little good
in talking strategy, i.e., it's simple: head for the lead pack and
hang on as long as possible.

On the other hand, other than Zanatel drafting behind Cattaneo for
much of the race, I haven't heard much about the strategy that the
Italians were using. Were they slowing the pace (to favor the
sprinters at the end). Were they surging (to drop slower skiers).
Were they keeping other skiers from cutting into the pack near the
front. I heard that Flora and Gilbertson both took turns at the
front, so they didn't control the pace the whole way. I do wonder how
they managed to get their skiers into 1st through 4th coming off the
lake.

Cheers,
Brian

In article , revyakin wrote:
I wonder what Nathan, Justin, Marc, and other super fast guys think
about the fact that the Italians show up, work as a team and keep
winning the Birkie year after year. I understand that the Italians are
very good (hey, there was Fauner skiing with them this year), but
didn't Marc finish just several seconds behind? I am just a
middle-of-the-pack skier who is happy about just keeping his wave 1
start, but... Do the Factory team guys have some kind of a strategy?
After all, the Birkie is the premier North American race...