Is it time for Pozzato to start listening to Cipollini?

[B_Ugli]

With the Classics season in full swing and the perennial follower of wheels getting ready for RVV and PR is it time for him to start listening to Super Mario?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cipollini-to-work-with-katusha

 

[Roland Rat]

In his position he should listen to everyone from Super Mario to Kermit the Frog. He can't get any worse at winning.

It's quite simple though. He has the talent, he just needs to grow a pair of balls and MTFU.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

man this photo is so full of win

 

[Jamsque]

I think it's time for Pozzato to start listening to some death metal. He never seems to ride with any passion or anger, much less aggressiveness. Maybe he should ask Tommeke to lend him some party powder.

 

[B_Ugli]

man this photo is so full of win

"Andre Tchmil is congratulated by cyclist Mario Cippolini after securing his fourth win in the World Snooker Championships held at the Crucible in Sheffield last night".

 

[Michele]

man this photo is so full of win

2 men with a big ego; it seems that Tchmil want to be called "president" among his staff/team.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I know but look at what tchmile is wearing :lolcry:

 

[mulletCobra]

1-2 He's coming for you

 

[Stingray34]

It's time for God to judge Pozzato's lame a$$ guilty tattoo

 

[mulletCobra]

He picked a nice ghetto font there. Looks like it was airbrushed on at a local t-shirt shop.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

one of the ugliest tatoo's I've ever seen, wow!

 

[Roland Rat]

I'm surprised he managed to get that given the pain tolerance he shows on the bike.

 

[BeachBum]

Where's the Pippo that won San Remo? That was one glorious day when he DIDN'T suck wheels. I hope we see the San Remo Pozzato at RVV and PR.

 

[Ryaguas]

Vino only needs and hour to change Pippo's mind... Vino's mind training is already getting results with Kreuziger!

 

[max_powers]

Where's the Pippo that won San Remo? That was one glorious day when he DIDN'T suck wheels. I hope we see the San Remo Pozzato at RVV and PR.

He seems to be in the thick of the action at the end of many races, regardless of such a horrible tattoo.

Pro Tour races appears to be quite competitive and results are important.

Drafting is a legit tactic, if unpopular.

 

[Swingtop]

Drafting is a legit tactic, if unpopular.

If you ruin your own chances as well by doing it, it's a legit tactic, if stupid.

I have no respect left for Pippo after the World's, where he did it once again.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I'm surprised he managed to get that given the pain tolerance he shows on the bike.

I heard the reason his fish isn't finished is because he found it too painful.

 

[horizon27]

He has a certain amount of talent,not as much as many seem to think he has.May be he is not good enough to win the big races anymore?I think he is a bit too timid.He reads a race very well just not as much of a threat when it really matters.

 

[Lanark]

Where's the Pippo that won San Remo? That was one glorious day when he DIDN'T suck wheels. I hope we see the San Remo Pozzato at RVV and PR.

The one where he wheelsucked Ballan and co. because he claimed he was protecting Boonen and Bettini's interest, and therefore was the only one who had enough juice left to attack with a kilometer to go? The only difference is that in 2006 he had a legit reason not to work, now that he's the boss himself he doesn't anymore.

The problem with Pozzato is that people think he is a Boonen, Gilbert, Cancellara or Bettini, while he is just an improved Paolini. He is someone who can win a stage in a GT or a semi-classic on his own, but can only win a big classic when he has a great day and he has all the luck of the world. His defensive strategy isn't because he is lazy, a pussy or can't hurt himself, it's because if he rides aggresively, he certainly won't win anything.

 

[Swingtop]

Well, he better start trying to ride with the attackers (even if theyr're stronger) like everybody else, or turn domestique or just quit cycling. Not riding is to have no chance at all at victory.

 

[Ryaguas]

Pippo is lacking of motivation... He's a great rider but w/ zero motivation... He needs someone to motivate him also He needs an internal threat in the team...

 

[ergmonkey]

Pippo's weak? Low pain tolerance? Never rides aggressively? Give me a break. Just be honest: come right out and say you don't like the guy or his silly tattoos and be done with. But, please, enough with the selective race memories, already.

Has Pippo done his share of marking the favorites? Sure. That's what mortals do when Boonen and Cancellara are on form. But, how about re-watching his Het Volk win, his P-R 2009 chase of Boonen (or his 20km P-R solo chase back to the lead group after crashing one year), his solo chase of Boonen and Gilbert at Paris-Tours, and then try and say the guy's got no grit.

As for not winning, Pippo's got a lot more big wins than Flecha, and about as many as Ballan and Hushovd.

Flecha: Zurich '04; Het Nieuwsblad '10;

Ballan: De Panne '07; Flanders '07; Hamburg '07; Worlds '08;

Hushovd: Gent-Wevelgem '06; Het Nieuwsblad '09; Worlds '10;

Pozzato: Hamburg '05; Milan-San Remo '06; Het Volk '07; E3 Prijs '09.

When you look at Classics podiums and Top 10s, Pozzato compares very favorably there, as well. He's also the youngest amongst this group with Hushovd, Flecha, and Ballan.

So, yeah, Pippo doesn't match up to Boonen, Cancellara, and Gilbert. At the same time, he's at least as impressive as a bunch of the "hard men" of the Classics who enjoy tons of fan support around here.

 

[md2020]

Pippo's weak? Low pain tolerance? Never rides aggressively? Give me a break. Just be honest: come right out and say you don't like the guy or his silly tattoos and be done with. But, please, enough with the selective race memories, already.

...

So, yeah, Pippo doesn't match up to Boonen, Cancellara, and Gilbert. At the same time, he's at least as impressive as a bunch of the "hard men" of the Classics who enjoy tons of fan support around here.

+1

I'm not a fan of Pippo's personal style but I root for him. He's so smooth on the bike that he makes it look effortless.

The shadowing tactic that he's used in the past few years isn't necessarily wrong, but he just hasn't had the form to pull it off. What makes him look bad is that when the time comes to make a move he doesn't have enough to go, so he's not seen as animating the race. He's good enough to be in the right position but not strong enough to do anything about it.

I'm sure we'll see the same tactics from most of the names above this weekend against Cancellara and it will be interesting to see who (if anyone) can do any better than Pippo has done with it. I'm counting on Gilbert, but considering the way Cancellara looks it's a longshot.