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

[LaFlorecita]

Well is Costa going to be better than Purito this guy thinks Costa is the big deal yet their is guys 5 years younger who have achieved more he as no chnce winning GT's.Im sure even you would agree seeing as your a fan of CF now.

Yes I am a huge fan of the Dawg.

 

[Bushman]

You're kidding, right? He's the WC, ffs!! Of course it was smart riding!! Stupid riding was Nibali letting Jrod get that gap on the descent and Valverde not hopping on Costa's wheel. I usually hate it when people write something like this, but...have you ever raced a bike???

I'm not arguing that it was dumb or anything, my point is that I would rather say that he raced like a coward than saying that he was the smartest.

 

[TANK91]

Emotion is forbidden? Come on, he's 34 years old and he knows he lost his last chance to become world champion by a whisper.

Costa wins his races because he's way back in GC, he doesn't win against the top riders, like Purito, mano-o-mano. Costa no way he's going to finish on the podium of a GT, its just a stupid conclusion.

That is one off the best comments ever he never wins mano mano. Oh i forgot he wins the warmup that main guys use as prep for Le Tour

 

[rhubroma]

Or, he was dead meat.

Naw, I don't really buy that. He didn't do one pull up to that point. Hell practically Nibali did all the work, until he was dead meat. There you go, if anyone were dead meat, at that point, it was Nibali.

 

[Hugo87]

Yes like the young Quintan who Movistar would rather have then Costa. Enjoy watching Costa perhaps top 10 a GT lol. What a dumb statement that is LA was a wc at young age i bet he was a better rider than Induarian in 93 u dork.

Congratulations, you showed your true-self. You are the dork here.

Just muted from now on.

 

[HL2037]

I really wish I could understand what Oscar Pereiro is tweeting right now.

 

[webvan]

Valverde: "I should have followed Rui Costa but I simply couldn't."

A bit hard to believe (after the fact justification?) but that would be the only explanation that makes sense...

 

[hrotha]

Of course Valverde had the legs to at least try to close the gap, but that's the thing: he didn't even try.

Truth is he's tactically challenged so he couldn't see past Nibali. Maybe Purito and him had decided Valverde would mark Nibali and Purito would mark Costa or something, and Valverde didn't think of adjusting his tactics to the new situation because he's just that daft.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

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.

Actually by the time he was 26 years and 11 months old, like Costa is now, Purito had won the Setmana Catalana GC, the Subida a Urkiola, the GPM at the Vuelta a España and a stage of Paris-Nice.

That's actually not that terrible a haul considering how far down the hierarchy he was going to be at ONCE with Beloki, Koldo Gil, Nozal, Vicioso, González de Galdeano and Jaksche, and at Saunier Duval with Perdiguero, Piepoli, Jeker etc. Costa was posting up good scores similar to those the young Joaquím Rodríguez was in terms of CQ totals before we get to 2011, where he broke out. I agree Costa has a bit better in terms of killer instincts, and he is very good at knowing how to turn being in the right move into a victory, but considering when his ban was quashed he came right back to the same team that he'd previously fallen out with over not getting enough opportunities to ride for himself, he may have benefited greatly from the terrible luck Movistar had in 2011 with Amador's mugging, Plaza's season-ending injury, Soler's career-ending injury, Bruseghin's removal from the road in Mantova, and Tondó's death (and its subsequent effect on Intxausti as well). Lots of races where he may previously have been domestiquing he suddenly found a free role in. J-Rod seldom got that until he was 30.

 

[personal]

Yes, I believe him. Yes, yes, I believe him.

I am not sure if you are serious.

I do believe him.

If he managed to follow Costa (even with Nibali following), we would have group of four at the end witn Valverde having best chance in the sprint. And he probably knew it.

 

[rhubroma]

If he didn't want to chase it was stupid, if he couldn't, he couldn't.

Sorry if Costa had it in him, so did Valverde. Hell, Nibali was forced to do all the chasing practically. I'm not saying Valverde didn't want to not chase. He just f-ucked-up royally.

 

[jaylew]

Nonsense. Nibali didn't let J-Rod get the gap, but took a wrong curve and then suddenly realized he was f-ucked, since, at that point, he was going to have to do all the work to pull Purito back. The rest was a foregone conclusion for the Italian - though not the Spaniards and they blew it.

Taking a bad line isn't stupid cycling?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

But, of course, Nibali did loose Purito's wheel, at which point the Italian was caught in the Spaniards' grip, while Costa took full advantage of the situation.

The point is that with Purito ahead in the closing kilometers, Valverde needed to play the stopper. Instead he sat on Nibali's wheel and let Costa escape, which was simply an unexcusable mistake; since if he grabs Costa's wheel, either the Portugese sits up and Purito solos for the win, or Costa brings Valverde with him to Purito and Valverde wins the sprint. Certainly Nibali wouldn't have.

Either way Valverde raced horribly in the most decisve moment.

I wasn't excusing Valverde. I was excusing Purito, because I was deeply unhappy at the fans booing Purito, for which I can see no justification. The booing of Valverde I don't necessarily agree with but I understand, because he did screw Italy out of a podium, and totally blew a golden opportunity not just for himself but for his teammate with his racing. Purito had a stunning long run tackled at the one yard line; Valverde came in as short distance specialist back and fumbled.

 

[Eshnar]

I am not sure if you are serious.

I do believe him.

If he managed to follow Costa (even with Nibali following), we would have group of four at the end witn Valverde having best chance in the sprint. And he probably knew it.

Are you seriously believing that Rui Costa attacks on the flat and Valverde (who stayed on the wheels for all the race, and especially for the whole descent) cannot even try to catch him?

 

[Galic Ho]

Don't be so rude

This whole thread is rude.

So much hate and anger. This place really has lost it's charm. Oh that's right, I forgot...charm is deceitful. My bad.

I saw an awesome race with an odd finish.

Clearly something up with the Spanish and they need to sit down and work out whatever there is between them. So Vavlerde's old domestique, who is now a major rival, gets caught by his new domestique and buddy, whom Valverde did not follow in the final 1.5km. Is this like Valverde and Contador having words in the Tour over Quintana? Too many chiefs in the tribe?

The only thing I can see Valverde did wrong, not knowing his form, was that he didn't have the grace to let Nibali get a medal. Spain played their card. That is the only thing I can really fault. Did they need a second medal, having sat back and as some here so eloquently put it 'wheel sucked?' Sure I think he might have had enough gas to catch Costa, but we'll never know.

I do know Nibali fought very hard and getting back up and making the moves after his fall. Bravo. My new favourite rider.

Purito...bad luck dude, you did your best. Costa, well played. These things happen. There were lots of things I saw that I liked. I chose not to focus on the finish, but the manner of racing earlier. Was AWESOME!!

Squadra Azzurra...and the Danish and Astana riders who helped Nibali, kudos to all of you for making the race interesting. Also to the Belgians. Had nobody in the final break, but you at least tried. Spain might wanna learn from that.

Uran and Nibali falling changed the race IMO. Nibali would have podiumed had Uran not fallen. Hanging around Vino really does wonders for a rider I must say.

Hope Uran is alright.

Well done Simon Clarke. Did really well. As for the British...what happened there?

 

[Hugo87]

Actually by the time he was 26 years and 11 months old, like Costa is now, Purito had won the Setmana Catalana GC, the Subida a Urkiola, the GPM at the Vuelta a España and a stage of Paris-Nice.

That's actually not that terrible a haul considering how far down the hierarchy he was going to be at ONCE with Beloki, Koldo Gil, Nozal, Vicioso, González de Galdeano and Jaksche, and at Saunier Duval with Perdiguero, Piepoli, Jeker etc. Costa was posting up good scores similar to those the young Joaquím Rodríguez was in terms of CQ totals before we get to 2011, where he broke out. I agree Costa has a bit better in terms of killer instincts, and he is very good at knowing how to turn being in the right move into a victory, but considering when his ban was quashed he came right back to the same team that he'd previously fallen out with over not getting enough opportunities to ride for himself, he may have benefited greatly from the terrible luck Movistar had in 2011 with Amador's mugging, Plaza's season-ending injury, Soler's career-ending injury, Bruseghin's removal from the road in Mantova, and Tondó's death (and its subsequent effect on Intxausti as well). Lots of races where he may previously have been domestiquing he suddenly found a free role in. J-Rod seldom got that until he was 30.

I checked Purito palmares before writing my sentence.

Purito:

Setmana Catalana GC, the Subida a Urkiola, the GPM at the Vuelta a España and a stage of Paris-Nice.

Costa:

2x GC Tour de Suisse (2013, 2012)
World Championships Road Race (2013)
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal WT (2011)
3x stage Tour de France (2013, 2011)
GC 4 Jours de Dunkerque - Tour du Nord-Pas-de-Calais (2009)
4x stage Tour de Suisse (2013, 2012, 2010)
GC Vuelta A La Comunidad De Madrid (2011)
Deià Trophy (2010)
Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta (2013)

What's left to compare here?

You are talking about luck in Movistar 2011, i respect that, but that's life and we can't control that. That don't make Costa wins less valuable than's Purito's.

 

[kingjr]

Sorry if Costa had it in him, so did Valverde.

How do you know that.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As for the British...what happened there?

They haven't sussed out one-day racing yet. The British successes thus far have been predicated mostly on a simple bludgeoning tactic. That works when you have a garbage course and the fastest sprinter in the race (like København), but elsewhere not so much. The stage race successes they've had have been through having the strongest rider in the race and strangling the life out of everything, which is harder in a one-day race because fewer riders are willing to be cowed when there's no 'next chance' to save yourself for.

Don't really see where a British win could have come from there. Froome isn't a one-day racer, and isn't on form; JTL is looking more and more like a British Pecharromán, will need to step up strongly next season to avoid that fate. Don't really see any other Britons who could have competed on this course I'm afraid. Not at this point in time anyway. Maybe in the future Edmondson or Yates will be good in the hills, but they're not ready for an event like this yet.

 

[personal]

Are you seriously believing that Rui Costa attacks on the flat and Valverde (who stayed on the wheels for all the race, and especially for the whole descent) cannot even try to catch him?

Yes. It was after seveh hours of hard racing in bad condtions.

It is really easy to say that rider had to do this or that sitting in the front of TV.
For riders it is very different.

 

[rhubroma]

I wasn't excusing Valverde. I was excusing Purito, because I was deeply unhappy at the fans booing Purito, for which I can see no justification. The booing of Valverde I don't necessarily agree with but I understand, because he did screw Italy out of a podium, and totally blew a golden opportunity not just for himself but for his teammate with his racing. Purito had a stunning long run tackled at the one yard line; Valverde came in as short distance specialist back and fumbled.

I was only commenting on the Spaniard's tactics.

I had no idea that the tifosi were booing either Purito, or Valverde. I agree with your analysis.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I checked Purito palmares before writing my sentence.

Purito:

Setmana Catalana GC, the Subida a Urkiola, the GPM at the Vuelta a España and a stage of Paris-Nice.

Costa:

2x GC Tour de Suisse (2013, 2012)
World Championships Road Race (2013)
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal WT (2011)
3x stage Tour de France (2013, 2011)
GC 4 Jours de Dunkerque - Tour du Nord-Pas-de-Calais (2009)
4x stage Tour de Suisse (2013, 2012, 2010)
GC Vuelta A La Comunidad De Madrid (2011)
Deià Trophy (2010)
Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta (2013)

What's left to compare here?

You are talking about luck in Movistar 2011, i respect that, but that's life and we can't control that. That don't make Costa wins less valuable than's Purito's.

I saw your post as a slur on Purito because his results have come later in his career. I'm not devaluing Costa's palmarès. He has a stronger palmarès than Purito had at his age, but then Purito didn't get as much protection by that age as Costa did (and he then spent three years at Caisse d'Epargne where he was all too often treated as a second to Valverde), and also Costa is generally better suited to a wider range of events than Purito is. Purito would never win the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque. And Purito has more than made up for that time when he was top 10ing GTs when domestiquing since he got his freedom in 2010.

Now, where is Costa going to peak? We don't know. Purito's peaked early 30s. Yaroslav Popovych peaked at about 23 and it's been downhill ever since. Costa's got years at the top left in him, but we'll see what happens at Lampre once he settles in at his new home.

 

[_nm___]

Valverde is an expert in not to become world champion.

that's what iwas going to say.
it's the same every year with him

 

[hrotha]

Yes. It was after seveh hours of hard racing in bad condtions.

It is really easy to say that rider had to do this or that sitting in the front of TV.
For riders it is very different.

Valverde didn't try.
He still had the energy to sprint for bronze, but he didn't try to catch Costa.
This is a fact.

 

[rhubroma]

Taking a bad line isn't stupid cycling?

Come on, man, are you serious? A mistaken trajectory is not stupid, just an unfortunate error - however costly to Nibali.

A tactical mistake within the tream, on the other hand, at the decisive point in the race and therefore not doing one's job among professionals, is an error in judgment that is stupid.

 

[Eshnar]

Yes. It was after seveh hours of hard racing in bad condtions.

It is really easy to say that rider had to do this or that sitting in the front of TV.
For riders it is very different.

We're talking about a flat road. Rui Costa isn't even a rouleur. Valverde was the most comfortable during the last wall, he sticked to Nibali while Rui Costa was losing a couple of meters.