XDS Astana team

[Vino attacks everyone]

Yeah Nibali will do the Vuelta and imo thats his best chance for a gt win this season

Against guys like Velits and Anton? Nibali is good, but not THAT good

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gall...on-tt-position

Already posted in the Nibali thread. But still, is his tt something Martinelli and Vino really wants to improve in nibbles, or is this just minimal adjustments?
Will the rest of the giro team practice on their tt to try and minimize Astanas loses too sky in the ttt

 

[Pentacycle]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gall...on-tt-position

Already posted in the Nibali thread. But still, is his tt something Martinelli and Vino really wants to improve in nibbles, or is this just minimal adjustments?
Will the rest of the giro team practice on their tt to try and minimize Astanas loses too sky in the ttt

Clinic aside, what's to improve on Nibali? Tbh he seems to have hit his best years and he probably won't improve anymore, and his TT position seems optimal. He's just not that good of a time trialist.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Clinic aside, what's to improve on Nibali? Tbh he seems to have hit his best years and he probably won't improve anymore, and his TT position seems optimal. He's just not that good of a time trialist.

why would he not improve anymore? he has improved every single year, and guys like JRod has been improved long into his 30's

 

[markene2]

Now that Hitch found this thread again we Astana fans might just as well start thinking of our gt teams this year.

For the Giro the team seems pretty much set in stone with:

Nibali - leader and the new king of awesome
Brajkovic - super domestique and second in command
Tiralongo - super mountian domestique and free role for a stage victory or 2
Kessiakoff - tt'er, climber and all round swedish guy
Agnoli - Italin climer domestique
Vanotti - Nibalis buddy
Aru - hopefully Nibalis third strongest mountain domestique
Kangert - all round team mate
last place open (No idea what Gasparotto, Grivko and so on are going to do after spring classics)

Kash said he will ride the Giro already in min Desember.

Source: http://www.kashechkin.com/fr/news/132-je-ne-reve-pas-je-travaille-.html

 

[Pentacycle]

why would he not improve anymore? he has improved every single year, and guys like JRod has been improved long into his 30's

2010 was his best year, his Giro stage then was imo against a much stronger field than for example Tirreno 2012.

Nibali is no J-Rod, by far not as impressive as Purito uphill. He's also become leader of his team around 25-26 years of age, Rodriguez only got that opportunity at 31 years. He's always been at the level he shows now, but he couldn't show it because he wasted all pounding on the front for Valverde. Nibali hasn't improved at all since then, it's just the bad form or absence of others which gives him the opportunity to shine.

The money Astana invest in Nibali's marginal TT improvement may be just a waste of time and money. He's never been a good ITT'er, with him it's either a very uneasy, or an unaerodynamic position.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Kash said he will ride the Giro already in early January, cant find the source atm.

why do I never hear about these things

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

2010 was his best year, his Giro stage then was imo against a much stronger field than for example Tirreno 2012.

Nibali is no J-Rod, by far not as impressive as Purito uphill. He's also become leader of his team around 25-26 years of age, Rodriguez only got that opportunity at 31 years. He's always been at the level he shows now, but he couldn't show it because he wasted all pounding on the front for Valverde. Nibali hasn't improved at all since then, it's just the bad form or absence of others which gives him the opportunity to shine.

The money Astana invest in Nibali's marginal TT improvement may be just a waste of time and money. He's never been a good ITT'er, with him it's either a very uneasy, or an unaerodynamic position.

I did not try to compare JRod and Nibalis riding styles, but to show that age does not necessary a stop in a riders development. 2010? 2012 tour he was a much more competitive gc rider than ever before, so can not say that i agree with you there.

 

[Pentacycle]

I did not try to compare JRod and Nibalis riding styles, but to show that age does not necessary a stop in a riders development. 2010? 2012 tour he was a much more competitive gc rider than ever before, so can not say that i agree with you there.

Last year he wasn't even on his 2009 level. In that year's Tour he only lost 1'34'' to Wiggins despite it being his first ever Tour. And it was only due to the Annecy TT and the prologue, in the mountains they were somewhat equal. Compare that to 2012... he lost more time uphill last year against the Brit than in 2009. Since then he's only gained some more leader's qualities, like reading the race better and being more consistent throughout the year.

 

[Netserk]

Last year he wasn't even on his 2009 level. In that year's Tour he only lost 1'34'' to Wiggins despite it being his first ever Tour. And it was only due to the Annecy TT and the prologue, in the mountains they were somewhat equal. Compare that to 2012... he lost more time uphill last year against the Brit than in 2009. Since then he's only gained some more leader's qualities, like reading the race better and being more consistent throughout the year.

Perhaps because of the huge leap in abilities of Wiggo.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Last year he wasn't even on his 2009 level. In that year's Tour he only lost 1'34'' to Wiggins despite it being his first ever Tour. And it was only due to the Annecy TT and the prologue, in the mountains they were somewhat equal. Compare that to 2012... he lost more time uphill last year against the Brit than in 2009. Since then he's only gained some more leader's qualities, like reading the race better and being more consistent throughout the year.

Last year he had cramps in the last mountain stage. And Wiggo 09 vs Wiggo 12 comparison is not really a fair comparison now is it?
Nibali has never been able too attack as much as he did last year. Atleast his engine has improved every single year, and an engine is very important, not only for a classics rider, but also for a guy that has to attack to win (Vino, Voeckler and so on). Nibali is never going to be the best tter or climber, but his chances to succed through attacking is getting bigger and bigger every single year

 

[SafeBet]

Nibali is no J-Rod, by far not as impressive as Purito uphill. He's also become leader of his team around 25-26 years of age, Rodriguez only got that opportunity at 31 years. He's always been at the level he shows now, but he couldn't show it because he wasted all pounding on the front for Valverde

You must be kidding. The all around level Purito showed last year was a big step forward compared to what he'd showed before. TT, climbing, recovery, everything. He podiumed two GTs in one year after never podiuming before. If anything, Purito is the perfect demonstration you can still improve well into your 30s.


I'm not sure Nibali has the natural tools to keep improving. But why not trying?

 

[Forunculo]

Nibali is not an explosive rider, so his best moments are ahead of him.

 

[Kokoso]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/gallery-20-years-of-paris-nice/253854

Vino doesn't even need to shave. He represnts new sort of man, evolution.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/gallery-20-years-of-paris-nice/253854

Vino doesn't even need to shave. He represnts new sort of man, evolution.

He won that Paris Nice for his just as awesome countryman Kivilev

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Good news from Strade today. Aru, Ponzi and Iglinsky was there all the way to the finish line.
As excpected from Iglinsky, but he did not have the legs today unfortunately.
Aru was very impressive today, pulling and even be the first Astana rider to react to the first attacks from Cancellara.
very impressive from the italian Ponzi being the strongest man up the last hill. Kessiakoff was used keeping the pace up for a while so no surprise he did not follow the main men all the way today.
Only rider that did not do quite as well as I had hoped was Gaspa, that I do not think finished (?) the race

 

[LaFlorecita]

Good news from Strade today. Aru, Ponzi and Iglinsky was there all the way to the finish line.
As excpected from Iglinsky, but he did not have the legs today unfortunately.
Aru was very impressive today, pulling and even be the first Astana rider to react to the first attacks from Cancellara.
very impressive from the italian Ponzi being the strongest man up the last hill. Kessiakoff was used keeping the pace up for a while so no surprise he did not follow the main men all the way today.
Only rider that did not do quite as well as I had hoped was Gaspa, that I do not think finished (?) the race

Aru scoring me my first cq points this week

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMGYEiioWwU&feature=youtu.be

lol, awesome

 

[Parrulo]

i wonder how many of those that wished him luck for next sunday, from the trentino squad, are now swimming with the fish with some concrete in their feet in some god forsaken italian lake

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

i wonder how many of those that wished him luck for next sunday, from the trentino squad, are now swimming with the fish with some concrete in their feet in some god forsaken italian lake

Italian mob against Vino
the apocalypse

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Now that Trentino is done we can look at how Astana performed shall we?

Nibali - Not a question any more that he will fight for the Giro gc, and LBL this sunday
Aru - Confirmed his immense talent by being possibly the fifth best climber in the race
Tiralongo - Still missing some form, but will surely be there as Nibalis last man come May.
Agnoli - wasgoing well on day 2, but today fell of quite early
Kangert - Was towing the peloton into the last mountain before shreding of 80% of them before pull aside, he is ready for il Giro
Kessiakoff - does not impress much in the high mountains, but did a good ttt
Vanotti - watching over Nibali and Aru at the flats (Astana not that fat Noval)
Dyachenko - Climbing like an angel on stage 2, not that good today, but still going strong! (we need kazakhs climbing with the best again,Kash can do it alone )

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Saw this amazing photo on astanafans, just posting it here:



Awesome.

Just add few explosions in background and villain's face on the top and release it this summer.

 

[whittashau]

I just wanted to say that Aru is already exceeding my expectations. He was 23rd today and I think it's reasonable to suggest that he should be a future GC contender. He should probably pick up some descending tips from Nibali in order to get a leg up as well.

 

[RHRH19861986]

No one speaking about Kangert? This TT was incredible...

 

[maxmartin]

No one speaking about Kangert? This TT was incredible...

agree immensely impressed, considering how much effort he put into previous stages. What a beast!