Iain - I have a set of parameters built into my planning programs and a method to my route planning in general. They have served me well and I know that they work - three wins, a second, three thirds and a fourth in my last eight rallies would seem to confirm that
This time, I changed them all to see if I could ride a route that, as I said earlier, everything was telling me was impossible.
Well it was ...... Lol !!
Everything has been reset to how it was before now again .....
However, what was really useful to me was to see that even when the plan collapsed (and it was very early in the rally), I was able to "plan on the hoof" and still achieve a half respectable score.
Nevertheless, yesterday 3 riders planned and then rode better than I did which is why I finished where I did.
I always enjoy reading the "if, buts and maybes" that riders write after the rally, but that doesn't really apply to me here. I was the master and architect of my own misfortune. The buck stops here on this one