2013 Road World Championships: Men's Road Race, Lucca-Firenze 272.2 km

[burning]

Valderve is the biggest moron in the cycling

 

[HL2037]

Nibali and Costa were as strong as eachother.. Nibali rode, Costa refused to ride, let Nibali do ALL the work, then attacked.

That is wheelsucking.

As opposed to carsucking.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

This is just as bad as 2012 Milan San Remo... Worst ever winner of a worlds RR - btw what the **** was Valverde doing???? a little intern movistar relationship more important than the national colours??????

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Whatever the offer was it wasn't enough

I thought he looked back seeing Costa, looked for where Valverde was, then it looked like his heart sank before he spoke to Costa, cos I think he wanted to see where his teammate was, then realised he was going to have to bargain with Costa once it was clear Valverde was following Nibali and they weren't going to get there. Costa got his gap in the technical corners, where Valverde and Nibali were watching each other, Valverde SHOULD have jumped over to him, I mean, he had to put his nose in the wind at some point if he wanted to win. This wasn't Copenhagen.

It was a bit like 2009 though when Rodríguez was off the front so the other Spaniards didn't work, Rodríguez was easily the most spent of them then and it cost the other Spaniards the win, and so it was today as Valverde should have been able to win that, but blew it again.

 

[ILovecycling]

Im looking forward to Valverde and Nibali interviews

 

[Afrank]

My stream went down..what has Piti done?

Did he usual wheelsuck at all times riding style.

 

[spalco]

That is smart.

That is not necessarily a contradiction, so your comment is meaningless.

 

[Lanark]

Can't say I'm too happy about the winner, but didn't really want the other 3 to win either. It was hilarious to see Valverde ride like an absolute buffoon once again. God, what a funny guy.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Sagan came back!!! Unseen

 

[kingjr]

Shame that the actual attack by Costa wasn't shown on TV, or did I miss anything?

 

[Arredondo]

Valverde is a ****ing moroon, but today even more. Horrible sucker.

 

[goggalor]

Have to feel bad for Rodriguez, he was the strongest in the race, but Costa was smarter.

 

[will10]

Spain rode a smart last lap, until 1.5km to go. Valverde blew it big time.

 

[michaeldaddow]

Valverde doing the team thing, don't see why all the hate, Nibs was the strongest by a fair bit. Devastated for Uran hope he wins a GT next year to make up for this misfortune.

 

[Descender]

Amateurs. All of you.

Rui Costa will win this.

 

[William H]

Nibali and Costa were as strong as eachother.. Nibali rode, Costa refused to ride, let Nibali do ALL the work, then attacked.

That is wheelsucking.

And he won the race, so good for him.

Wheelsucking is annoying when it's self-defeating, but everyone's objective should be victory for themselves or their team.

 

[Peccio89]

Nibali lost it in Fiesole descent, great ride by him anyway: impressive how he gained from Purito in Via Salvati wall.

 

[Shardi]

Glad that Valverde got another bridesmaid pos and no jersey. He will never earn the jersey. Similarly, Rui Costa only benefitted off the fact that Nibali was in the group, forced to work due to his status of homeland defender and bigger palmares. So in that sence, Costa didn't really do anything but follow wheels, didn't close a single attack but the last go. When valverde marked out nibali.
Rodriguez showed guts in this race, and couldve left me contempt if he won.
Couldve been nice with nibali winning after his fall and all that.

Final hill proved to be too tough for the classics trio Cancellara, Sagan and Gilbert.

Not really happy with the way Costa rode, but I guess thats how u win from a small group. Follow the right wheel and hope the other guy close down the attacks.

 

[the asian]

Surprised that Nibbles let go of Purito's wheel. Pivotal moment. The Two could have stayed away. Disgraceful by Valverde as usual. He'll never win a worlds'. No Balls at all.
Too bad that Uran Crashed.

 

[Netserk]

Race has been way to easy for him [Purito, sic.]. Can't see him vs Canc and Gilbert now with all the flat at the end he would have to hold on.

Luuuuuuuulz

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Shame that the actual attack by Costa wasn't shown on TV, or did I miss anything?

They showed the replay. He led into the double left hander and kicked on into the second, Valverde went to get around Nibali then either decided not to or was unwilling to push it into the tight 135º right hander, and then Costa had a few bike lengths and Valverde then decided he was going to suck Nibali's wheel and Costa was too far away to jump to. Which he probably wasn't at that point unless Valverde was more spent than we thought, however a few seconds later he was as Nibali didn't have the chase in him.

Now, since there's the tradition of the Worlds winner doing Lombardia, Paris-Tours or whatever to finish the season, let's see if Movistar can screw up a rainbow jersey as badly as they screw up national champions' jerseys. Probably not due to the strict rules, but it anyone can, it's Movistar. Or Radioshack.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Did he usual wheelsuck at all times riding style.

That goes without saying. The funny part is that he, as so often, picked the wrong wheel to surgically attach himself to.

 

[TANK91]

Stuff the he was smart anyone else he would be lambasted but cuz its costa who never done this b4 he gets a pass. Absoloute disgusting WC the worst win i ever see. Im fuming Nibali was robbed on home soil but i not even AV fan but all work Purito(who i love) is gone to waste. Purito is the WC in my eyes lets see what Leech has to say about it in conferance how an Italian dragged him to the line. Annoying thing is he was almost dropped even though he ad a passenger ride.

 

[webvan]

Amazing that VV did NOT cover that Rui attack, makes no sense unless he didn't have the legs? Unlikely...

 

[roundabout]

Valverde at 1.5 km to go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwc1Wi-mlCI