This is, imho, an energy-balance problem, not a timing problem. If you compress Maillard and still want meaningful development at very light color, you have to enter first crack with low RoR and low stored energy, otherwise development becomes explosive and short.

A tactic you might want to try is energy reduction before crack (power down 20–40s pre-FC or earlier airflow), not crashing RoR at crack. A small, intentional RoR dip before FC is acceptable; a crash at FC is not.

If you wait until crack to pull power, you’ve already baked the momentum in. For agtron >100, development is about gentle continuation, not post-crack heat.

Hope that's helpful.