2016 Giro d'Italia - Stage 14: Farra d'Alpago–Corvara 210 km

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

Majka and zakarin might actually have to attack now

Majka is always missing this "one percent".. he got the potential but .. always missing.. something. Just like Roche.

Or Kreuziger.

 

[del1962]

Kruijswijk is now the favorite, but it is still open, interesting to see Kruijswijk/Nibali differences in ITT tomorrow though, can Nibali pull time back or will he fall futher behind? That will tells us more

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

A lot of people are saying Nibali looked weak. I think he looked the same as when he won the Tour and Giro. One big attack, and soloing to the top. That's what he did today, but today there were better riders in the field, something he didn't have to deal with in the past.

You really think that had these versions of Chavez and Crushweak been at the Tour in 2014, they would have dropped Nibali?

Well there better than the people he faced in 2014. Nibali is a good rider, totaly overrated as a GT rider though. Today is another good example of this. His attacks are WEAK.

Really? He's won 3 GTs and finished on the podium another four times.

I think most people rate him as the 4th best in the world - perhaps slightly higher when he's on really top form. Where do you think he should be rated if he is over-rated now?

Yeah it's not bad, I'd agree he's overrated in that he's certainly the weakest Giro+Vuelta+TDF club member, but he was in the right place at the right time (especially the 2010 Vuelta or the 2014 TDF).

Completely agree; but I don't think I've ever seen anyone argue that he isn't. I'm not sure why he keeps getting labelled over-rated. He always seems to be labelled quite fairly to me - a very, very good GT rider - not the absolute best of his generation but certainly among the best.

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

A lot of people are saying Nibali looked weak. I think he looked the same as when he won the Tour and Giro. One big attack, and soloing to the top. That's what he did today, but today there were better riders in the field, something he didn't have to deal with in the past.

You really think that had these versions of Chavez and Crushweak been at the Tour in 2014, they would have dropped Nibali?

Well there better than the people he faced in 2014. Nibali is a good rider, totaly overrated as a GT rider though. Today is another good example of this. His attacks are WEAK.

Really? He's won 3 GTs and finished on the podium another four times.

I think most people rate him as the 4th best in the world - perhaps slightly higher when he's on really top form. Where do you think he should be rated if he is over-rated now?

4th is fine with me, just !, For now !. Some rate him higher !. When he beats said riders I'll move him up.

 

[46&twoWheels]

The time has come..we can officially declare Kruijswijk the greatest dutch GT rider since Mollema

 

[HelloDolly]

The thing about cycling that people on here constantly do ...is they talk as if a rider is only as good as their last stage

Of course what we saw today is a great indicator of form and I see Kruijswijk as being one to beat but there is still ages ot go yet people...a full week

It is not over by a long shot

The strongest team makes a massive difference
Also recovery in a 3 weeks race is mega
Plus stamina which is the preserve of the older rider is key

Don;t count any chickens yet

 

[dirkprovin]

Re:

I love the way Chaves has raced this Giro. Always attentive and never waits for someone else to do the closing. I still say it was shortsighted of OGE not to have brought at least one of the Yates bros here for experience and to be there in the high mountains.

In the very best of worlds, that would be lovely but that may be writing their ticket out of the team. It may well be that they're all but officially signed for UK Postal but that may not be the case. Whilst the team is likely to set the likes of Matthews for certain early stages, it may be that the Yates will be the protected riders and its a Chaves/2015 Vuelta scenario re GC.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

The time has come..we can officially declare Kruijswijk the greatest dutch GT rider since Mollema

Don't put Kruiswijk in the same sentence as that disgrace, even as a joke xD

 

[webvan]

He's a lot older but Kruiswijk reminds of Ulle in 1997 for some reason, this Giro is going to be his revelation, look for him to smash the ITT tomorrow like Ulle after Arcalis ;-)

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

The time has come..we can officially declare Kruijswijk the greatest dutch GT rider since Mollema

I know you're joking, but in all seriousness, Mollema actually has a better GT palmares than that of Kruijswijk. While that is likely to change after this Giro, it still hasn't happened yet just because of one stage. If Kruijswijk somehow manages to finish as low as 4th in the race, then he will equalize Mollema's 4th place from the 2011 Vuelta.
Another thing is that Kruijswijk is a more exciting rider than Mollema, but that still doesn't change the facts

 

[Jagartrott]

Quite strange how Nibali didn't crack. He lost time on the ascent, but then that gap stayed stable although the two in front were sheltered half of the time. All the rest lost progressively more time on Chavez and K-man. Nibali doesn't seem his best, but he also doesn't seem all that weak.

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

And all geniuses complaining of the stage with 100 km to go

This is CN forum, that's a norm here.

People seem to enjoy mostly cobbled races these days.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

A lot of people are saying Nibali looked weak. I think he looked the same as when he won the Tour and Giro. One big attack, and soloing to the top. That's what he did today, but today there were better riders in the field, something he didn't have to deal with in the past.

Not sure you can compare the stages he won in the Tour with today's stage. Today's had 2,000m more climbing than any of those; it was a war of attrition; no-one had enough left to put in a really killer attack - just enough to drop those who were on the absolute limit.

Only at the Giro. Always only at the Giro this kind of stuff.

Great!

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

Vino still cool with Nibali - just said so on the RAI

He's writing a nice letter...

By the looks of it he already did. Compare Nibali at Trentino, at the beginning of Giro and now. Leaps in performance he did in very short span.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Contento

Haha I don't think he can believe he did this. If you watched his eyes yesterday in the Orica video when Matt White was telling tomorrow is the hardest stage of this years cycling calender. He almost fainted when White said that and now he won the stage. Very likeable guy, but obviously I hope Kruiswijk can hold him off this Giro.

Aslong as it's a good fight with Nibali in the mix as well and there is plenty of stuff still to come. No doubt. Anything can still happen.

 

[Ataraxus]

Re:

Quite strange how Nibali didn't crack. He lost time on the ascent, but then that gap stayed stable although the two in front were sheltered half of the time. All the rest lost progressively more time on Chavez and K-man. Nibali doesn't seem his best, but he also doesn't seem all that weak.

That got me surprised as well. I thought Nibali was going to lose more than 1 minute: firstly for the better sheltering the first two had and secondly for the "starting strong andfading towards the end" phenomenon that characterized Nibali on many occasions in the past.
He has become a better effort manager apparently

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Chaves' reaction to hearing about the profile (at around 3:30)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0BJKnD9fRI

Even more funny now.

 

[gunara]

Re: Re:

Quite strange how Nibali didn't crack. He lost time on the ascent, but then that gap stayed stable although the two in front were sheltered half of the time. All the rest lost progressively more time on Chavez and K-man. Nibali doesn't seem his best, but he also doesn't seem all that weak.

That got me surprised as well. I thought Nibali was going to lose more than 1 minute: firstly for the better sheltering the first two had and secondly for the "starting strong andfading towards the end" phenomenon that characterized Nibali on many occasions in the past.

Indeed, amidst his weakness, I think in the end it's a well calculated finale by him. Considering he is a 3-time GT winner after all, against Kruijswijk and Chaves, it's only understandable that he's the one that made the most out of the gap in their actual strength.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Quite strange how Nibali didn't crack. He lost time on the ascent, but then that gap stayed stable although the two in front were sheltered half of the time. All the rest lost progressively more time on Chavez and K-man. Nibali doesn't seem his best, but he also doesn't seem all that weak.

Nibali lost the battle, but not the war today. Was a bit too enthousiastic after dropping Valverde I think. How technical are the descents of the Agnello and the Bonnette?

 

[Punkan]

Nibali will bounce back tomorrow. He was actually quiet strong today. Pushed a bit too hard early on Giau and paid for it, but once he found his rhytm he rode impressively, considering he rode alone and hardly lost anything to Chavez and Kruiswijk.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

The thing about cycling that people on here constantly do ...is they talk as if a rider is only as good as their last stage

Of course what we saw today is a great indicator of form and I see Kruijswijk as being one to beat but there is still ages ot go yet people...a full week

It is not over by a long shot

The strongest team makes a massive difference
Also recovery in a 3 weeks race is mega
Plus stamina which is the preserve of the older rider is key

Don;t count any chickens yet

Thank you sir.

 

[hfer07]

The crucial moment has arrived: Will Nibali claim the Maglia Rosa with enough buffer over Kruiswijk & Chavito?

GAME ON !!

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

Chaves' reaction to hearing about the profile (at around 3:30)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0BJKnD9fRI

Even more funny now.

It's called exophthalmus reaction. Bit more and his eyeball would leave socket. THAT! would be hack of reaction!

 

[46&twoWheels]

Re: Re:

The time has come..we can officially declare Kruijswijk the greatest dutch GT rider since Mollema

I know you're joking, but in all seriousness, Mollema actually has a better GT palmares than that of Kruijswijk. While that is likely to change after this Giro, it still hasn't happened yet just because of one stage. If Kruijswijk somehow manages to finish as low as 4th in the race, then he will equalize Mollema's 4th place from the 2011 Vuelta.
Another thing is that Kruijswijk is a more exciting rider than Mollema, but that still doesn't change the facts

Of course
Kru has a lot to prove yet. Great stages like these are remembered more vividly than a good top 10 finishing,this is the only factor playing in Kru's favor (in terms of perception only)

I'm picturing dutch fans already cheating on Dumoulin

 

[luckyboy]

Re: Re:

Quite strange how Nibali didn't crack. He lost time on the ascent, but then that gap stayed stable although the two in front were sheltered half of the time. All the rest lost progressively more time on Chavez and K-man. Nibali doesn't seem his best, but he also doesn't seem all that weak.

Nibali lost the battle, but not the war today. Was a bit too enthousiastic after dropping Valverde I think. How technical are the descents of the Agnello and the Bonnette?

Have you seen the profiles? Agnello and Bonnette are 40km+. Both the Alps days will be everything for the final climb.