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

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

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.

So, just a coward?

Or, Costa, who actually was dead meat on the last climb, is a really smart rider. Too smart. Seen this from him before. Too smart. Dislikeable smart even. Yet, a big factor in cycling. Costa reminds me of someone in the past, winning races he shouldnt. But, hey, kuddos to him.

Can't figure out who he reminds me of.

yeah too much balls, it's unfair for other riders

Lol. He is a funny rider, I agree.

Nevertheless, I do feel sorry for Rodriguez, he kinda deserved this win, but he messed up himself to be fair.

 

[kingjr]

I meant before Costa went, but your point stands: Valverde didn't even try.

Seriously, how can you excuse a rider who doesn't even try to do what he OBVIOUSLY needs to do?

Only two options, either he didnt want to, or wasn't able to.
If he and Costa were best friends I would have gone for the first option. Otherwise I go for the second.

@hrotha, how exactly did Costa win his TdF stages?

 

[Hugo87]

Anyway, I read a lot of Don Quichote sour comments about Costa winning. He was clearly the weakest of the four uphill, and in a group with two Spaniards. Even in hindsight, his chances were slim but he took his only real opportunity. Blaming him for wheelsucking is showing an ignorance of the sport.

Wheelsucking is doing nothing and forgoing an opportunity because you don't dare to make a move. It's what Valverde did. Winning by profiting from work of others and choosing the best moment to spend your last and only bit of reserve energy is brilliance

Thank you, the World isn't lost after all.

 

[the asian]

A I said already, why would Valverde let the race go away from him in situation when simply following Costa means good chance of win for himself?

Quoted for Truth !

Tbh, that's something even Ullrich could have figured out.

But Valverde hasn't, in all his years' of racing.

 

[Arnout]

First of all, "Don Quichote"?

Secondly, Rui Costa always rides like this. Always.

Like in that Tour stage he won this year?

But then, if the other riders are stupid enough to let it happen, who is to blame?

And Don Quichote is Dutch way of writing that name, I'm sure Spanish one would be different.

 

[hrotha]

Like in that Tour stage he won this year?

But then, if the other riders are stupid enough to let it happen, who is to blame?

And Don Quichote is Dutch way of writing that name, I'm sure Spanish one would be different.

I wasn't questioning the spelling, but the use of it.

Alright, "always" is a hyperbole. "Rui Costa tends to ride like this very often, and I personally dislike him immensely for it and have trouble understanding why anyone would like him". Better?

 

[rhubroma]

So, just a coward?

Or, Costa, who actually was dead meat on the last climb, is a really smart rider. Too smart. Seen this from him before. Too smart. Dislikeable smart even. Yet, a big factor in cycling. Costa reminds me of someone in the past, winning races he shouldnt. But, hey, kuddos to him.

Can't figure out who he reminds me of.
Lol. He is a funny rider, I agree.

Nevertheless, I do feel sorry for Rodriguez, he kinda deserved this win, but he messed up himself to be fair.

J-Rod pretty much played his only cards out well. Costa was a wheelsucker for sure a bit there at the end, though had the legs to be in the break and he probably figured that in a head to head sprint with Valverde he looses. Thus he rightly waited...

Indeed Costa was astute. Hate to see a guy win like that too, but you can't say he was just lucky. He was damn, damn smart, while others were either condemned or stupid.

 

[Arnout]

I wasn't questioning the spelling, but the use of it.

Alright, "always" is a hyperbole. "Rui Costa tends to ride like this very often, and I personally dislike him immensely for it and have trouble understanding why anyone would like him". Better?

Better Well, that's personal. I think its brilliant that we have cyclists that can win even if they are not the strongest. It keeps racing spicy and sets cycling apart of boring endurance sports like triathlon etc. But each to their own.

With my Don Quichote comment I meant doing work that was ineffective in the given situation and work that would only be done because of honor, in the process losing the fight. I feel many people would respect him more if he chose to do that, which personally I find puzzling.

Like I said in the other thread, who is to blame for him winning? Not Costa himself surely.

 

[jens_attacks]

lol nice to see again passion among cycling fans. always good. the finale was great, awesome and unexpected.
too bad for rigo, he really has some psychological issues in the most important moments i think.
hooray for nechita. this should mean instant contract for next year i hope



man i do understand all the hate towards valverde. he fucced it up. still one of the best riders of the last twenty years but yes very defensive. i do believe though that rui costa's attack was brutal and he couldn't close it anyway. rui costa has those moments,he's a brilliant world champ i say.

purito and valverde have their chance to fight each other next year don't forget. always entertaining stuff the spain team.

 

[roundabout]

But Costa is very strong. You just don't see it until he attacks.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

"Rui Costa tends to ride like this very often, and I personally dislike him immensely for it and have trouble understanding why anyone would like him".

Me too. Just like Rodriquez normally. Lousy way of riding.

Funny as hell, the few times Rodriquez does attack he gets blitzed by Dan Martin and Rui Costa. In 2014 he will be back at sucking wheels, bigtime.

J-Rod pretty much played his only cards out well.

Had he done a junior Warren Barguil he would have had a better chance imho.

 

[go crazy]

BORING BORING BORING BORING! Did I say boring race? Jeez...I sat around for 10 laps watching 2 guys for hours and hours, then about 40 guys for another hour, then on the final lap, a few guys just s l o w l y start to ride harder on some boring big-ring climb, and before I knew it, it was down to 4 guys, won by (of course) the middle-pack guy. Sorry, but Rui Costa doesn't light up the excitement meter, and yes, I watch a lot of cycling. He's a good rider, but not scintillating. I was so disappointed in Fabian, Gilbert, and Sagan today. On the front the whole day I was waiting for one of them to do *something*.

One of the more uninspiring editions of the WCRR I've seen in a while.

 

[rhubroma]

BORING BORING BORING BORING! Did I say boring race? Jeez...I sat around for 10 laps watching 2 guys for hours and hours, then about 40 guys for another hour, then on the final lap, a few guys just s l o w l y start to ride harder on some boring big-ring climb, and before I knew it, it was down to 4 guys, won by (of course) the middle-pack guy. Sorry, but Rui Costa doesn't light up the excitement meter, and yes, I watch a lot of cycling. He's a good rider, but not scintillating. I was so disappointed in Fabian, Gilbert, and Sagan today. On the front the whole day I was waiting for one of them to do *something*.

One of the more uninspiring editions of the WCRR I've seen in a while.

If Nibali hadn't crashed, we'd have seen more fireworks.

 

[Rousel]

chapeau to costa!

the strongest man rarely wins a mass start event. it's called racing for a reason. he played his cards and it shows not only great patience but also the talent to get the job done.

i think rodriguez was only thinking about himself too. when you have your sprinter with you, why attack inside 2k?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

So, just a coward?

Or, Costa, who actually was dead meat on the last climb, is a really smart rider. Too smart. Seen this from him before. Too smart. Dislikeable smart even

Let's not get carried away here. Costa in his career so far has displayed a grasp of one tactic: refusing to do any work, no matter how tempting it is and no matter who shouts at him. That's a pretty effective tactic, but it doesn't take a cycling genius to figure it out. As shown by the ability of even a certifiable dunce like Valverde to base an entire career on it.

Costa played his cards well. He was up against three stronger climbers, a much faster sprinter and he was outnumbered. But at the same time, there was only one moment when the call was less than obvious. He had to decide whether or not to help Nibali. Deciding to leech on Nibali and contribute nothing was a gamble. He guessed that Nibali's desire to win in front of his own fans would overcome his good sense, and he guessed that Nibali would be strong enough to keep Purito under control. That could easily have gone wrong for him but it didn't and people think he's fiendishly clever. If Purito had stayed away or Valverde had held his wheel, he'd be called a coward and a fool instead.

 

[jens_attacks]

the strongest man rarely wins a mass start event. it's called racing for a reason. he played his cards and it shows not only great patience but also the talent to get the job done.

i think rodriguez was only thinking about himself too. when you have your sprinter with you, why attack inside 2k?

of course he was thinking about him. don't get caught in "i attacked because i wanted valverde to stay cool alone and get the win" theory. he attacked because number one priority was getting the win for him, not spain.

again, valverde gets the worst of this. but again we really don't know if he could close a ten meter gap to rui costa. it might have been only me but i think the portuguese was smart as hell and he even deliberately lost some meters on the climb to let them know he is weak. and then bang, 53x11 full gas on the flat

 

[coinneach]

Valverde chucks it

Sorry: I haven't read through all the threads, but really Valverde should never be allowed to ride for Spain again!

If he follows Costa, the attack come to nothing, or he beats him in the sprint.

And I don't buy the excuse he was tired: he still had plenty left to beat Nibali.

Riding for Movistar rather than Spain: disgraceful...I'm glad he has never won a WC and am sure he never will now

 

[Descender]

Spanish NT says "Valverde was supposed to respond even to the motorcycle's attacks".

 

[kingjr]

Sorry: I haven't read through all the threads, but really Valverde should never be allowed to ride for Spain again!

If he follows Costa, the attack come to nothing, or he beats him in the sprint.

And I don't buy the excuse he was tired: he still had plenty left to beat Nibali.

Riding for Movistar rather than Spain: disgraceful...I'm glad he has never won a WC and am sure he never will now

Nibali had nothing left as well.

 

[trevim]

First of all, "Don Quichote"?

Secondly, Rui Costa always rides like this. Always.

That's nice to say but a lie nonetheless.Verbier 2012 for example.

 

[hrotha]

Sorry: I haven't read through all the threads, but really Valverde should never be allowed to ride for Spain again!

If he follows Costa, the attack come to nothing, or he beats him in the sprint.

And I don't buy the excuse he was tired: he still had plenty left to beat Nibali.

Riding for Movistar rather than Spain: disgraceful...I'm glad he has never won a WC and am sure he never will now

You have it all wrong. Valverde wasn't riding for Movistar. If he was, then Costa wouldn't have won.

 

[trevim]

I wasn't questioning the spelling, but the use of it.

Alright, "always" is a hyperbole. "Rui Costa tends to ride like this very often, and I personally dislike him immensely for it and have trouble understanding why anyone would like him". Better?

I only saw that correction now: I guess I can live with this statement although I don't agree

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Damn what a dissapointing race. The last 100 km's were incredibly boring except for the last 15 km's.

 

[maltiv]

When Costa retires, every team should fight to get his signature as a DS.

Because that guy is just a tactical genius. Every time he's in a situation like this, he does just the right move. When the 4 of them were away I told my mates that Costa would win, 100%. He's hardly ever the strongest, but he simply reads every situation correctly. A well deserved champion, no doubt.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

When Costa retires, every team should fight to get his signature as a DS.

Because that guy is just a tactical genius. Every time he's in a situation like this, he does just the right move. When the 4 of them were away I told my mates that Costa would win, 100%. He's hardly ever the strongest, but he simply reads every situation correctly. A well deserved champion, no doubt.

100% agreed. I told my company the same thing.