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

[the asian]

There are already rumours of arguments on the Spanish team bus. Óscar Freire stepping in to cool heads.

But seriously, f**k the fans booing Purito. Boo Valverde, ok, I get that. But Purito made that race and would have been the most fitting winner.

Yep, I really couldn't understand that.

 

[Pulpstar]

Can anyone explain to me why Piti didn't follow Rui Costa ^^; ?

 

[kingjr]

Can anyone explain to me why Piti didn't follow Rui Costa ^^; ?

Only he knows that. But we havent heard from him so far.

 

[burning]

Can anyone explain to me why Piti didn't follow Rui Costa ^^; ?

He's a ***

 

[Netserk]

Can anyone explain to me why Piti didn't follow Rui Costa ^^; ?

A too tight corner?

 

[Bakhjulet]

Valverde f**ked up and Spain lost the gold. Sure, maybe Nibali would have counterattacked if Valverde went after Costa. Still it was a bad choice by Valverde.

 

[Eshnar]

Yep, I really couldn't understand that.

I don't know how you guys can understand who the boos were directed to.

 

[Afrank]

You can only fault him for that if he'd lost. Not when he won.

I wanted the winner of this race to be someone that really earned it, like Purito who was solo most of the way in the final or Nibali doing all the chasing. So do to his wheelsucking in the final, Costa's victory for me isn't as pleasing as a Purito or Nibali win would have been.

It was a very smart and solid ride by Costa, I give him that. He played the race perfectly and did what he needed to do to win. Just would have preferred a little more...panache in the winner.

 

[Descender]

That being said, I've always been a fan of Rui Costa and seeing him win today has made me extremely happy.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Glad my coverage cut out before the podium. Booing and crying ain't very sporting.

Had shivers down my spine after J-Rod spoke to Rui Costa that Costa would mysteriously look over his shoulder and let J-Rod speed off to victory - I think my commentator was thinking something similar as there was despair in his voice as Rodriguez chatted to him. Glad we stopped short of that level of farce and instead got to marvel at Spain losing despite having two riders in the final selection of four (with Costa being the weakest and Nibali being utterly spent/crashing).

If you watch it, J-Rod looks round, then I perceived a slight element of double take with shoulders sagging, like, he was expecting to look around and see at least two riders there if not three, and saw Costa on his own, and all of a sudden all his bargaining power went out the door, cos he knew he was out of it. Maybe he tried to buy Costa off, maybe he tried to psyche him out, I don't know, but it didn't look like any deal-making to me. It looked like Rodríguez was absolutely gutted as he realised then that he'd probably lost and that the team had squandered a golden opportunity.

 

[Hugo87]

Your guuy is a wheelsucker. Purito is double the rider costa is all his work and still nearly won, Valverde cost Spain not Purito.

Remember that Purito has 34 years old and Rui Costa 26 years old, when Purito was Costa's age was a good rider (with almost 0 wins), Costa is already World Champion at the same age, so please don't embarrass yourself.

Besides Costa outsmarted them all.

Purito doesn't have the Clutch gene that Rui Costa has and he had to cry next to him while listening to the portuguesa.

Good luck for "your riders" next time, Costa will be even stronger.

 

[rhubroma]

Can anyone explain to me why Piti didn't follow Rui Costa ^^; ?

There is no logical reason. He f-ucked up.

 

[rainman]

Were the BBC too embarassed to show the podium? It was a great course and a gruelling slog with the weather, but was a borefest until the last time up Fiosole when JRod at last lit the race up. But then to see the two leaders in conversation in the last 100 mteres WTF?
It could be pro racing is getting too cynical for its own good, at least in less 'king robotic times riders would have been strewn all over the hills of Florence not riding tempo in a cosy bunch leaving the hopeless break dangling out there and waiting for the final lap.

 

[HL2037]

I just watched the rerun, and clearly, when Rodrigues sees Costa he sits up and looks back for Valverde and can't believe his eyes. The look on Puritos face in that moment makes me just want to murder Valverde.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Can anyone explain to me why Piti didn't follow Rui Costa ^^; ?

Because he wasn't good enough

If it was just an error of judgement he would have closed the gap on Costa but in fact the gap just kept increasing all the way to the line

 

[BigMac]

That being said, I've always been a fan of Rui Costa and seeing him win today has made me extremely happy.

One has got to love Descender

 

[Netserk]

That being said, I've always been a fan of Rui Costa and seeing him win today has made me extremely happy.

Luuuulz

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't know how you guys can understand who the boos were directed to.

Announcement of bronze medal to Alejandro Valverde:
smattering of applause, several booing

Announcement of silver medal to Joaquím Rodríguez:
smattering of applause, several booing

You'd think if they were booing Valverde only, they'd have been respectful enough to shut up during the announcement of the others.

 

[Arredondo]

Of the front four I'd preferred if Nibali had won, with Costa a distant second, Valverde a close third and Purito as a very distant fourth.

Prefering Costa and Piti above JRod is impossible. Piti is the worst cyclist ever, pathetic treator.

 

[nepetalactone]

I wanted the winner of this race to be someone that really earned it, like Purito who was solo most of the way in the final or Nibali doing all the chasing. So do to his wheelsucking in the final, Costa's victory for me isn't as pleasing as a Purito or Nibali win would have been.

It was a very smart and solid ride by Costa, I give him that. He played the race perfectly and did what he needed to do to win. Just would have preferred a little more...panache in the winner.

I 100% agree with this.

 

[Descender]

One has got to love Descender

Luuuulz

 

[trevim]

Amazing to see Rui Costa win so big!! Again, he wasn't the strongest of the 4 but right now I can come up with two explains:
1) Spain didn't make the race has hard has they could/should: what did Moreno and Contador did the entire race? Wait to be dropped on the last lap? Costa was on the ropes on the last steep climb.
2) Valverde's general attitude towards racing: why wasn't he on Rui's wheel when he attacked?
I'm sad to see Rodriguez losing and Nibali missing out on a medal but the thing that I found most outrageous was Valverde getting bronze.
About Rui Costa being a wheelsucker: who close the first gaps to Rodriguez/Nibali on the second to last climb? I agree he should have worked more with Nibs to bring Purito back but at the end of the day, Nibali's decision was to ride, bringing him along, instead of stop riding.
Also surprising to see Gilbert - Cancellara - Sagan left to die on the last climb. It was a climbers/hilly riders course after all.

 

[HL2037]

They booed because there was no italian on the podium, no?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Too bad the best man did not win today. Joquin, really, suck wheels like Costa and you would have won. You have done this for years an yet this year not? Giving away the worlds and LBL?

Purito played both races quite cleverly. He optimised his chances of winning LBL by making that late attack. He wasn't going to win a sprint against Valverde, Martin etc, and without his injection of pace the group may have been caught anyway. He played his card correctly and someone else was stronger. Sometimes that happens.

He also played it right today. He went for the win and did it in a way that should have left his teammate in prime position if he was caught. He can't peddle Valverde's bike for him. Although I bet he wishes he could. He also can't control Nibali's decision to in effect bury himself for Costa.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Were the BBC too embarassed to show the podium? It was a great course and a gruelling slog with the weather, but was a borefest until the last time up Fiosole when JRod at last lit the race up. But then to see the two leaders in conversation in the last 100 mteres WTF?
It could be pro racing is getting too cynical for its own good, at least in less 'king robotic times riders would have been strewn all over the hills of Florence not riding tempo in a cosy bunch leaving the hopeless break dangling out there and waiting for the final lap.

Maybe the length of the race and the lack of any local interest whatsoever with the entire British squad registering a DNF meant they were happy to jump to something else they were covering?