Nibali at the same level as Froome/Contador?

[lenric]

Uran still hasn't won a GT. There's no way he wins at the Vuelta if he competes, and I wouldn't favor him over Nibali at this point, who I assumed would be his main Giro 2015 competitor. I guess the Vuelta 2015 is a possibility, but that's a long way off.

I'm a bit outdated though, so I don't have the strongest argument.

So what? Just because Uran or Rodriguez didn't win any GT they aren't as good as Evans is?
Seeing things that way, I can argue that if Riis comes back to cycling he'll be automatically better than everyone else, just because he has won GTs. Which is a sack full of ****ty nonsense.

 

[The Principal Sheep]

So we pretend that Contador is on the same level as Froome now? I know polls are usually frivolous so let's just stick to what is known, Nibali is one the strongest gt riders of current. Maybe next year we have all four top gt riders but sadly I doubt it.

 

[rzombie1988]

So what? Just because Uran or Rodriguez didn't win any GT they aren't as good as Evans is?
Seeing things that way, I can argue that if Riis comes back to cycling he'll be automatically better than everyone else, just because he has won GTs. Which is a sack full of ****ty nonsense.

Now don't be silly.

There is something to be given for experience and being able to win the big one. JRod has consistently blown any good luck and chances he has had to win a GT. He totally blew the Vuelta 2012 and really, he should be competing for the win here. I would not pin my hopes on him for winning a GT. I think that window has shut.

 

[whittashau]

I caught the end of the Giro, but remember, I'm in USA man. Cycling ends at 11:30AM most of the time here. Everyone is at work then and unless you have Comcast, you likely can't even watch the Giro anyway on TV. The only reason I can even follow the tour this time is because I happen to be working 3PM-Midnight this month, which somehow turned out to be a good thing.

I appreciate it's difficult with time zone differences sometimes. There are other avenues to watch it even without cable though. Feel free to PM me if you want me to explain how.

Purito would blow Evans out of the water on almost anyone GT parcours at the present time. Evans is very much past it. He'd be fighting with Rolland and Zebeldia if he were racing this Tour.

 

[alspacka]

Absolutely he is.

There's only 1 thing he still needs to prove imo and that is to win a GT against the very best.

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but he's doing that right now. Or is the composure and control to avoid needless crashes not an element of cycling? It's not just about wattage. Even so I believe either CF or AC would have to be at their absolute peak to beat Vincenzo on such consistent form.

 

[Futuroscope]

Definitely not. He would have been completely blown apart in the mountains.

Froome and Contador would have been in a league of their own. Nibali a distant 3rd. Bardet/valverde/pinot etc 10+ minutes behind Contador and Froome.

 

[Jspear]

Now don't be silly.

There is something to be given for experience and being able to win the big one. JRod has consistently blown any good luck and chances he has had to win a GT. He totally blew the Vuelta 2012 and really, he should be competing for the win here. I would not pin my hopes on him for winning a GT. I think that window has shut.

No man, we know now you can win GT's into your 40's....his time will come.

 

[SafeBet]

Say what you will about Nibali, but he has never beaten Froome or AC 1 on 1 in a GT and got completely owned by AC in past GT's.

I know it's convenient to forget there once was a pre-bilharzia Chris Froome zigzagging his way up hills and holding onto cars but at least don't use the word never so easily.
Or maybe that doesn't count cause Froome was so unlucky he was DQed?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I voted YES. Even if he isn't on that level he's surely close. And he showed it already on cobbles. It's a pity Froome and Contador are out as it could be a terrific battle: Alien vs Predator vs Shark.

 

[TANK91]

lol no way jose, Majka 1:12 behind Giro in his legs(2 stage KOTM), Majka's goal was Giro he could not get podium, yet the TDF(hardest competetion?) Majka would be on podium if he went for it all race, this TDF is a joke. A sick joke at that. Peraud 37 first GT in his life i think people who voted yes have some explaining to do. Say Froome has a bad day on cobbles like Contador, Froome would need 1 min 10 to make sure then beat Nibali by 1:20 in ITT. Anyone who thinks it is a stretch to say Froome could even take 2mins in mountains back are deluded.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

for my own feeling it's still

froome/contador
nibali

and then there's quintana, but I find it hard to gauge where Nairo is at this point. He wasn't that good in the first 2 weeks of the Giro, but impressive in the last week.

 

[Miburo]

Nibali won the tour, congrats but that doesn't make him the best rider. You become the best by beating the best in cycling.

The oldest rule in sport, isn't it?

 

[arvc40]

Nibali won the tour, congrats but that doesn't make him the best rider. You become the best by beating the best in cycling.

The oldest rule in sport, isn't it?

Yes ......
..

 

[arvc40]

I voted YES. Even if he isn't on that level he's surely close. And he showed it already on cobbles. It's a pity Froome and Contador are out as it could be a terrific battle: Alien vs Predator vs Shark.

A Shark would stand no chance against an Alien and certainly not a Predator !. Predator would just eat Shark for lunch. Have you not seen the Film's. Only Arnold and Danny Glover could defeat Predator !

 

[Escarabajo]

lol no way jose, Majka 1:12 behind Giro in his legs(2 stage KOTM), Majka's goal was Giro he could not get podium, yet the TDF(hardest competetion?) Majka would be on podium if he went for it all race, this TDF is a joke. A sick joke at that. Peraud 37 first GT in his life i think people who voted yes have some explaining to do. Say Froome has a bad day on cobbles like Contador, Froome would need 1 min 10 to make sure then beat Nibali by 1:20 in ITT. Anyone who thinks it is a stretch to say Froome could even take 2mins in mountains back are deluded.

Majka supposed position would be questionable if he had gone for the GC from the beginning. Had several rest days as opposed to the other GC contenders.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Nibali isn't on the same level as Froome and Contador. He's better, he actually manages to stay on his bike.

 

[alin.constantin89]

Majka supposed position would be questionable if he had gone for the GC from the beginning. Had several rest days as opposed to the other GC contenders.

Of course, we saw how "good" Majka is when he road for the GC in Giro, 2 months ago. 6th place, 3 minutes behind Aru

 

[Publicus]

Nibali isn't on the same level as Froome and Contador. He's better, he actually manages to stay on his bike.

lol. what makes it funnier is i can't tell if you are trolling or not.

 

[lenric]

Now don't be silly.

There is something to be given for experience and being able to win the big one. JRod has consistently blown any good luck and chances he has had to win a GT. He totally blew the Vuelta 2012 and really, he should be competing for the win here. I would not pin my hopes on him for winning a GT. I think that window has shut.

Evans today isn't in the same level as Rodriguez and the majority of the riders you named. Period. It's not a question of experience or whatever, it's a question of having the legs to climb along with the best, and Evans clearly hasn't them anymore. He was one of the best, but that's past and it will never come back. Anyone who believes otherwise is just delusional.

 

[spanky wanderlust]

lol no way jose, Majka 1:12 behind Giro in his legs(2 stage KOTM), Majka's goal was Giro he could not get podium, yet the TDF(hardest competetion?) Majka would be on podium if he went for it all race, this TDF is a joke. A sick joke at that. Peraud 37 first GT in his life i think people who voted yes have some explaining to do. Say Froome has a bad day on cobbles like Contador, Froome would need 1 min 10 to make sure then beat Nibali by 1:20 in ITT. Anyone who thinks it is a stretch to say Froome could even take 2mins in mountains back are deluded.

ummm... no, we don't actually. nibali has crushed the field at this race.

berto and froome are the ones who need a lot of 'ifs' to even be considered.

btw, froome's form did not look that good to me. maybe contador could've beaten nibali, but i'm sure froome would have been shelled badly on at least two mountain stages.



also, please remember, bike handling is a core cycling skill. you don't get to crash out and then claim you would've won so the actual winner's win didn't count.

 

[spanky wanderlust]

is it worth it to point out that nibali was already way ahead of both riders when they crashed out?

 

[Jagartrott]

is it worth it to point out that nibali was already way ahead of both riders when they crashed out?

Apparently, that doesn't count.

 

[Energy Starr]

Apparently, that doesn't count.

What is Nibs' record against Contador in GT's? In weeklong races?

 

[alin.constantin89]

What is Nibs' record against Contador in GT's? In weeklong races?

What's Contador's record against Nibs in Gt's? In weeklong races?

 

[alin.constantin89]

No chance for Froome or Contador to beat Nibali in this tour, better for them they are out, this way their fans can still have sweet dreams about woulda coulda shoulda