What the hell, Fabio? He hasn’t set la Vuelta alight, but he has been really bad. I can only recall a 10th place some days ago? Seems like his Vuelta 2015 was a fluke. And then there were his yellow days in the 2017 TdF. Best case scenario: This is an off-year, as off as it is possible to be. Worst-case: This has become his level. Either way, he has to step up next year, or switch to stage-hunting. Never was a favorite of mine, but a (temporary, for now) decline like this is sad to watch, particularly since he should be in the prime years of cyclists.
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Astana won him that Vuelta but let's not forget he also has 2 podiums in Giro and last year fifth in Le Tour. I think he's a good climber and fighter but not much else. Vino put a lot of trust and resources in him, hence Aru's successes but he lacks a few qualities to be a world beater by himself. Demanding and taking a lot of money for something that he obviously isn't made him less sympathetic to me. Don't know what can be done, if he can't change something next year he is going the Teejay way.
Simurgh said:
Astana won him that Vuelta but let's not forget he also has 2 podiums in Giro and last year fifth in Le Tour. I think he's a good climber and fighter but not much else. Vino put a lot of trust and resources in him, hence Aru's successes but he lacks a few qualities to be a world beater by himself. Demanding and taking a lot of money for something that he obviously isn't made him less sympathetic to me. Don't know what can be done, if he can't change something next year he is going the Teejay way.
Astana won him that Vuelta, but he would have been 2nd otherwise.
Now he's climbing worse than Brambilla.
Something is really off, but I don't think this is the right subforum to discuss it.
Now he's climbing worse than Brambilla.
Something is really off, but I don't think this is the right subforum to discuss it.
I find it hard to believe that this is Aru's "true" level -- he's in the prime of his career, as noted, and has GT podiums. It could be that he's got some kind of lingering physical ailment or his training/race load has been miscalculated. I certainly agree that next year he'll need to figure out a way to regain 14/15 form. He still feels like a solid podium contender but clearly this year he isn't.
This guy got dropped by Trofimov on the Mortirolo and would've lost his 2015 Giro d'Italia podium during a medium mountain stage if Astana wouldn't have slowed down and threw away Landa's chances to win in order to make the local boy finish second. Something Aru still only archived because in fact the race results where fixed when Shefer called back Landa on the way to Sestriere.
This has been repeated multiple times with Diego Rosa at Lombardy and Lopez during last years Vuelta a Espana. Arguably even Fuglsang surpassed him in last years Dauphine. Although Aru set up the Danes race winning move.
This is Aru's true level. Maybe a bit less worse. But everyone with a clue knew this was going to happen when he left Astana. Aru's an average moron.
He might come back fighting for stage wins and the mountains jersey at the Giro d'Italia with Savio or Reverberi. Wish him all the best for that. His 3 Mio paycheck and leadership status though, he never deserved it since fall 2015!
This has been repeated multiple times with Diego Rosa at Lombardy and Lopez during last years Vuelta a Espana. Arguably even Fuglsang surpassed him in last years Dauphine. Although Aru set up the Danes race winning move.
This is Aru's true level. Maybe a bit less worse. But everyone with a clue knew this was going to happen when he left Astana. Aru's an average moron.
He might come back fighting for stage wins and the mountains jersey at the Giro d'Italia with Savio or Reverberi. Wish him all the best for that. His 3 Mio paycheck and leadership status though, he never deserved it since fall 2015!
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Still, 2017 Aru was on a different level, he missed the Giro and peaked a bit early for the Tour, but still managed to finish top 5, with a stage win an he was even able to wear the yellow jersey for a while. Durning that Tour his team was bad and durning the 2nd half of the race he didn't have a real team.
Aru and Tiralongo should know how to prepare for a gt, they'd just have to copy what they did at Astana. Maybe they tried to fix some of Aru's flaws and messed things up.
Frankly I don't trust anyone at UAE to be a be a better coach then Tira, that team is horrible at developing young riders, they only had one homegrown star and that was Ballan, everyone else was already a big name (many became worse when they signed with them) or suddenly improved after leaving the team.
He has been great on easier mountain stages that have a longer climb at the end, his ability to attack and keep going with 3-2km to go was always impressive and he was a beast in MTTs, it's hard to belive that he suddenly lost all of that.
Aru clearly has his flaws and according to Martinelli he's hard to deal with and seems to be pretty impulsive/emotional (he moved in together with his GF after dating for 2 weeks) and Nibali has hinted at the fact that his nerves could be a problem, maybe it's also a bit of a mental thing like with TJVG.
Aru is rather fragile and not great when it's a war of attrition in the high mountains.staubsauger said:
Still, 2017 Aru was on a different level, he missed the Giro and peaked a bit early for the Tour, but still managed to finish top 5, with a stage win an he was even able to wear the yellow jersey for a while. Durning that Tour his team was bad and durning the 2nd half of the race he didn't have a real team.
Aru and Tiralongo should know how to prepare for a gt, they'd just have to copy what they did at Astana. Maybe they tried to fix some of Aru's flaws and messed things up.
Frankly I don't trust anyone at UAE to be a be a better coach then Tira, that team is horrible at developing young riders, they only had one homegrown star and that was Ballan, everyone else was already a big name (many became worse when they signed with them) or suddenly improved after leaving the team.
He has been great on easier mountain stages that have a longer climb at the end, his ability to attack and keep going with 3-2km to go was always impressive and he was a beast in MTTs, it's hard to belive that he suddenly lost all of that.
Aru clearly has his flaws and according to Martinelli he's hard to deal with and seems to be pretty impulsive/emotional (he moved in together with his GF after dating for 2 weeks) and Nibali has hinted at the fact that his nerves could be a problem, maybe it's also a bit of a mental thing like with TJVG.
Re: Re:
Seems like Italian co leadership would be sitcom material
Just a wee bit impulsive.Mayomaniac said:
Seems like Italian co leadership would be sitcom material
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^^This may very well be the key. Teams are a funny thing -- you'd think with UAE backing that Emirates would have an unlimited pot of money, but maybe the chemistry is lacking a bit. With Martin/Aru, on paper you have two Top 5 GT contenders but for whatever reasons it's not working. (I'm somewhat surprised that Martin hasn't figured out a way to podium yet -- he's clearly got the talent and drive, and a pleasing attacking style...thought after Mur de Bretagne this year would be his breakthrough...)
staubsauger said:
^^This may very well be the key. Teams are a funny thing -- you'd think with UAE backing that Emirates would have an unlimited pot of money, but maybe the chemistry is lacking a bit. With Martin/Aru, on paper you have two Top 5 GT contenders but for whatever reasons it's not working. (I'm somewhat surprised that Martin hasn't figured out a way to podium yet -- he's clearly got the talent and drive, and a pleasing attacking style...thought after Mur de Bretagne this year would be his breakthrough...)
Alot of what has been written here about Aru benefiting from a strong Astana team is true although I did hear some riders wondered at Aru's ability last year at the Tour...but that is a clinic matter
As for Dan Martin he is not really GT wining material even though he has got a healthy pay packet of 2 million a year from UAE....but at least he can win stages and classics . Dan Martin gets sick and crashes too much to be up there for 3 weeks.
But the mental attitude is key in GT racing..It is even more important than ability at times imo... Most riders are quite evenly match and all know what each other can do...its on their power meters. But champions have superior mental resolve and determination...Dont think Aru has this
As for Dan Martin he is not really GT wining material even though he has got a healthy pay packet of 2 million a year from UAE....but at least he can win stages and classics . Dan Martin gets sick and crashes too much to be up there for 3 weeks.
But the mental attitude is key in GT racing..It is even more important than ability at times imo... Most riders are quite evenly match and all know what each other can do...its on their power meters. But champions have superior mental resolve and determination...Dont think Aru has this
Come on, this really can't be Aru's true level. He's getting dropped by some 30 riders and more. I'm not saying he's the next Froome but let's be honest, this just can't be his level. Something isn't quite right frankly, and it seems like it all started last year. Maybe something regarding training, anyway I always had a bad feeling about his transfer to UAE. Let's not forget we're talking about a Saronni's team. He seems to completely kill the skills of great riders (Rui Costa?).
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Agreed. This is not the same Aru as previous years. His 2017 was pretty good actually with being very strong in Dauphine, NC and the first two weeks of the Tour but he cracked in week 3 because his new preparation wasn't enough in that short space of time after the injury because he was scheduled to ride the Giro in the original preparation.SafeBet said:
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I know. But it's looking more and more like a similar career. Really good when young, and bad when getting older.Red Rick said:
O come on he has one worse season and that's all. In 2017 he was 5th in TdF, 5th Dauphiné, wins National Championships and he was really got at the end of the year. Maybe he changed a little bit a way of preparation and it wasn't a good choice. It is his first season in UAE we will see if he can be on his normal level in 2019 if not it could be the end of his GC ambitions but I don't think so. He will back and fight in Giro 2019.
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His downfall begin earlier, since the Tour 2016 he is not able to win anything at GT and the situation is getting worser and worser. Last mountain in TdF 2016 was the stage where even with full commitment of the Astana team was unable to keep the pace and lost 13 minutes. Since that time he never fully came back to previous level.
Urbi27 said:
His downfall begin earlier, since the Tour 2016 he is not able to win anything at GT and the situation is getting worser and worser. Last mountain in TdF 2016 was the stage where even with full commitment of the Astana team was unable to keep the pace and lost 13 minutes. Since that time he never fully came back to previous level.
He clearly doesn't like riding Colnago and Campagnolo according to his anger yesterday, it is a *** of a bike and the gears are blocked!
Tour and then maybe Vuelta would be best for him I think.
Giro with the ITTs and the guys going there, the Tour might not be a bad idea for him. Send him, Martin and Gaviria there. Takes the pressure of him too a bit.
Giro with the ITTs and the guys going there, the Tour might not be a bad idea for him. Send him, Martin and Gaviria there. Takes the pressure of him too a bit.
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