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

[Bushman]

That is smart.

That is not smart riding, it's riding like a coward. I can understand when someone not pulls because of tactics (eg Valverde not pulling when Rodríguez is up front) but when he has zero reason to not cooperate, but just keeps sitting on the wheels of others before sprinting to the win in the end, it's just pathetic.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

that'd be the most useless DSQ ever.

Why? I know Rob Ruigh also did not get DSQ at the Amstel but this one was of the same level, and, decisive.

 

[spalco]

Purito:"I told Valverde to stay with whoever chased him and when I saw Rui Costa approaching alone I couldn't understand..."
I hope he punches him tonight.

[conspiracy]What if Valverde had already made a deal with Costa before the final attack?...[/conspiracy]

 

[Eshnar]

Why? I know Rob Ruigh also did not get DSQ at the Amstel but this one was of the same level, and, decisive.

Useless != unfair.

Just useless. I think Nibali too is considering DSQing himself.

 

[jaylew]

Would have tried to attack. would have finished 2nd, 4th or 5th.

My guess is he would have been in an attack with Purito. No telling how it would have played out differently but my guess is either they would have stayed away or been pounced upon immediately.

 

[Escarabajo]

Couldn't really disagree with that although I'm not sure what Rodriguez could have done differently had he known Valverde was spent. Costa would likely beat him in a sprint

Purito would have saved more energy like other forum members are saying. He would have put a more devastating attack on the last steep climb. He was really playing the cards with Valverde in mind.

 

[Bushman]

If Valverde was completely spent then even then he should have put all his last energy (which he used to win the sprint) to get on Costas wheel even for a few seconds in an attempt to get Costa to give up.

This. But Valverde always have the final sprint to the line in mind, when riding. Always.

 

[TANK91]

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.

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.

 

[personal]

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

So, there.

 

[goggalor]

that'd be the most useless DSQ ever.

Not really, it would mean the riders who crashed with Nibali and managed to chase back on their own would all move up a place in the WC.

 

[burning]

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.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Daniel Friebe ‏@friebos 5m
Body language between Purito & Valverde at press conference not the warmest. Ten minutes in, Purito hasn't looked at Valverde yet.

 

[Eshnar]

Not really, it would mean the riders who crashed with Nibali and managed to chase back on their own would all move up a place in the WC.

I doubt they would even notice it.

 

[rhubroma]

Probably, but why is that Purito's fault? Like I said, blame Valverde all you like, but Purito just tried to win that race. Hell, if Nibali hadn't lost Purito's wheel descending Fiesole, they'd probably have gone 1/2 as the two would likely have worked together to the final climb whereas Valverde would have sat on Costa, and Costa would have been forced to do the work to pull them back.

As I said, Purito made that race and would have been the most deserving victor. He's just spent 8 hours in the saddle to miss out on the World Championships by less than a bike length now to likely see the team get eviscerated in the press through no fault of his own but because his teammate, attentive and doing his job perfectly throughout, was asleep at the wheel with 1,5km to go of all the times, he's given everything he had and has lost out in the last 100m, and he's probably feeling pretty terrible. Then the fans start booing him for no discernible reason.

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.

 

[LaFlorecita]

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.

Don't be so rude

 

[jaylew]

That is not smart riding, it's riding like a coward. I can understand when someone not pulls because of tactics (eg Valverde not pulling when Rodríguez is up front) but when he has zero reason to not cooperate, but just keeps sitting on the wheels of others before sprinting to the win in the end, it's just pathetic.

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???

 

[Descender]

So, there.

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

 

[TANK91]

Don't be so rude

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.

 

[Eshnar]

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

Rui Costa must have looked like Cancellara back then.

 

[Arredondo]

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.

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.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Either way Valverde raced horribly in the most decisve moment.

Or, he was dead meat.

 

[rhubroma]

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???

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.

 

[kingjr]

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.

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

 

[Peccio89]

Is Nibali disqualified by now or what?

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

 

[spalco]

So, there.

Well, of course he'd say that now that everyone's picking on him.