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

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nibali being towed back meant bad karma for him.
Valverde wheelsucking all the way also came back to him (and poor J-Rod).

Costa did the only thing he should do in this situation.
Sagan and Cance not strong enough on such a course

 

[spalco]

Amateurs. All of you.

Excellent call. Credit where credit's due.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

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

Weird he Nibs lost it downhill and not up the ramp.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I will be cheering for Cancellara, Costa, Sagan and Styby. I can't wait for this race.

Yay awesome I am so happy

 

[winkybiker]

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

I think that's not quite right. Bender Bender Rodriguez was trongest but gave it his best shot. Playing a more tactical game would likely not have worked either.

 

[The Blues]

Bah! Nibali deserved this. Not this wheelsucker (didn't help Nibali at all).
Valv was pathetic as well.

 

[TANK91]

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.

Lol how was he as strong as Purito? And Costa is leaving pal, im sure AV was really thinking about histeam. Awful tactic by him.

 

[T-Nielsen]

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

Following that logic.

As you yourself points out, it may or may not be a contradition.

Your comment did not in anyway clarify which.

Therefore you comment is meaningless.

I love you too.

 

[OlavEH]

Thank God Valverde didn't win. That would have been horrible. That wheelsucking little c**t.

 

[happytramp]

Pretty disappointing worlds. No Cancellara or Sagan in the final, Spain making Nibali do all the work, Costa wheelsucked before soloing up to Purito.

That my friend is proper racing. Everything else is just sprinting for the line and grinding up mountains

 

[webvan]

They're saying on TV that Spaniards are shouting at each other, with Freire in the mix, does he have an official role?

 

[Escarabajo]

There was nothing cowardly about Rodriguez, but he's also the only riders I like of them. Hmm well Contador as well, but he ain't no 1-day racer.

I like Purito as well. He did everything he could, but the Spanish team was a failure. They had everything in their hands.

People, explain to me how to be on the bike for ~7.5 hours without a good team and win. Do fans expect him to put the nose to the wind during the race and then be at the front for the sprint after all that climbing? That is complete silliness. He did ride smart and won. I am sure he would have ridden different if he had a team like Spain.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

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.

I agree he won't win a Worlds, but why was it disgraceful by Valverde not to work when Rodríguez was off the front almost all the time on the final lap? In that case he has every right not to work. He'd probably have won if he'd have reacted quicker to Costa's move in the final corners. And yes, it would have been annoying had he won like that, but his teammate was attacking, so he is under no obligation to contribute to the chase.

Now, should he and Rodríguez have been taking it in turns to attack, rather than Purito doing all of the attacking? Certainly. But as soon as Rodríguez made a move, all responsibility to do work is lifted from Valverde.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Sagan came back!!! Unseen

Hmmm. Pretty sure I saw cancellara among those +34sec riders too. I think he made top 10, but its hard to tell, since his GPS time hasnt showed the last parts of the race due to bike change

 

[Kazistuta]

Sagan came back!!! Unseen

No, he was always there with Gilbert and Cancellara. His transponder just didn't show him in the static rider window.

 

[Hugo87]

Bah! Nibali deserved this. Not this wheelsucker (didn't help Nibali at all).
Valv was pathetic as well.

So much hate, the "shark" got eaten this time, he can scream whatever he wants, but this one comes to Portugal.

Smart riding, Costa won this alone with almost 0 team support, he's not a prima donna like Nibali or Valverde.

Edit - Purito trying to trashtalk Costa was priceless.

 

[jaylew]

My stream went down..what has Piti done?

Jrod had a big gap and Nibs was leading the chase. When Costa went after Purito, Valverde stayed on Nibali's wheel instead of getting a tow and virtually guaranteeing himself a victory. I can't for the life of me understand what he was doing unless he was just completely spent which doesn't make sense since he later took up the chase. I mean Nibali had been doing all the work and wasn't going to win from that group at that point. And I really wanted to see Valverde win and watch the forum explode

His interview should be really interesting.

I think Purito was shocked to see Costa there and no Valverde.

 

[Ferminal]

Wow, Konovalovas has awoken?

 

[Red Rick]

You can see Idiot thinking: I've been here before

 

[TANK91]

Yay awesome I am so happy

Pleas god tell me your refined? Are you know a CFfan he he.

 

[roundabout]

I like Purito as well. He did everything he could, but the Spanish team was a failure. They had everything in their hands.

People, explain to me how to be on the bike for ~7.5 hours without a good team and win. Do fans expect him to put the nose to the wind during the race and then be at the front for the sprint after all that climbing? That is complete silliness. He did ride smart and won. I am sure he would have ridden different if he had a team like Spain.

He had balls of steel to gamble on Nibali being both strong and very motivated.

 

[hfer07]

Unzue must be regretting Costa's departure...

 

[goggalor]

I think that's not quite right. Bender Bender Rodriguez was trongest but gave it his best shot. Playing a more tactical game would likely not have worked either.

True, and to be honest I'm not sure having Valverde in the group was helpful. He could've played it a bit cooler. But he came so, so close.

LOL at the Italian fans booing the podium, embarrassing.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Poor Purito.

 

[TANK91]

Thank God Valverde didn't win. That would have been horrible. That wheelsucking little c**t.

Huh he was stupid yes, but the winner was the wheelsucker. Purito is Spanish, you know the same nation asValverde.