Time to stop underrating Nibali

[bicing]

Nibali proved once again to be a great climber. He doesn't have the explosiveness that our favourite climbers have but what he has is grit, toughness, patience and perhaps the best ability of all to pace himself right and put in maximum effort while never reaching the red zone.

Zoncolan he kept his cool, letting the dangerously close Scarponi and pink jerny holder Contagor rush off, even Anton. But he clawed back and even had the capacity to attack Contador, which other more highly rated climbers like Scarponi and Rujano were never able to do without getting burned. It must always be remembered and recognised, that he only lost 6 seconds on Contador!!

Bola de Mundo he did the same. He left his #1 competitor Mosquera, another very highly rated climber, dart away on the climb. Mosquera was very close on the GC at this stage and everyone said Mosquera was riding away with the victory. But Nibali patiently dragged himself back up to Mosquera and in the end gave him the win.

Overall classifications Vuelta 2010 he is not afraid to drop the odd 10 seconds in order to manage his energy and strength over a 3 week period. Taking a nice look at the Vuelta 2010 stages as time went on, he was often losing small gaps of time. And then in the last mountain stage Bola del Mundo he pulled off that fantastic effort to stick with Mosquera.

So yeah.

 

[Liquigas]

Yep, he's very good. I wish Szmyd isn't sick tomorrow.

 

[gilbertador]

Yeah Nibalis a quality rider, his one flaw is his lack of a massive acceleration in mountains, people seem to want to hang him for it

 

[hatcher]

I really like him. Proper gutsy.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

he indeed has a lot of grit + can pace him really really well... nice going by Nibbles

 

[Midnightfright]

Ive always liked nibbles and have reli rated his climbing since last years giro.

 

[taiwan]

TBH he doesn't even need an acceleration in the mountains, because his TT is good.

 

[Lanark]

I like Nibali. To be honest, I was really surprised about his 2009 Tour, I wasn't that impressed with him in grand tours untill then, but he made a big leap in performance.

I think he is smart to focus on the Giro and Vuelta (for now). In the Tour he would maybe finished 6th or 7th, but in the Giro and Vuelta he has a really good shot at a podium, and can win as well. So many guys wasting their talent on the Tour, only to finish with an invisible top-10 place. If Conti's is banned next year I would like to see him try the Tour for once, but otherwise this is much smarter.

 

[maxmartin]

I like Nibali. To be honest, I was really surprised about his 2009 Tour, I wasn't that impressed with him in grand tours untill then, but he made a big leap in performance.

I think he is smart to focus on the Giro and Vuelta (for now). In the Tour he would maybe finished 6th or 7th, but in the Giro and Vuelta he has a really good shot at a podium, and can win as well. So many guys wasting their talent on the Tour, only to finish with an invisible top-10 place. If Conti's is banned next year I would like to see him try the Tour for once, but otherwise this is much smarter.

he already won Vuelta, and if this time he is second and AC got banned later, he will won the giro too. So only tour will be left for him to conquer

 

[Pharazon]

i like the way he climbs... he doedsn't panic when someone breaks.. he just works his **** off

 

[theswordsman]

I was actually a fan of his until today.

“I looked at doing everything I could to win the stage,” Nibali explained. “I felt good today, better than yesterday, and my teammates also felt good, with the exception of [Sylvester] Szmyd who is still sick. If not, it could have been a different outcome.

Every day we get an update on Szmyd's medical condition, and how great Nibali would have done that stage if he had been there. It's exactly like hearing Andy Schleck talk about everything he would have accomplished if Frank had been there. He complained today about Contador not helping, but when the road was wide enough and crazed fans permitted, Alberto rode alongside him rather than draft.

I've bragged up Nibali before this Giro, reminding people that last year he was scheduled for ATOC, had done no recon, and wasn't planning on a peak before the Tour. Now he and Scarponi are hanging out in the RAI studio when they should be getting massages and stuff. Thursday night Nibali transferred by helicopter, and Scarponi by private plane, while Contador rode in a car with his brother and press manager. So Contador attacked, and they sat there, waiting to give a small attack for the cameras later. I'm over him.

 

[jens_attacks]

i've never liked nibali and kreuziger but after these statements(kreuziger about rujano and nibali about alberto) i don't like them even more.i don't hate them,i don't hate any of those athletes,they are champs but they talk too much shiit lately.

 

[Parrulo]

I was actually a fan of his until today.



Every day we get an update on Szmyd's medical condition, and how great Nibali would have done that stage if he had been there. It's exactly like hearing Andy Schleck talk about everything he would have accomplished if Frank had been there. He complained today about Contador not helping, but when the road was wide enough and crazed fans permitted, Alberto rode alongside him rather than draft.

I've bragged up Nibali before this Giro, reminding people that last year he was scheduled for ATOC, had done no recon, and wasn't planning on a peak before the Tour. Now he and Scarponi are hanging out in the RAI studio when they should be getting massages and stuff. Thursday night Nibali transferred by helicopter, and Scarponi by private plane, while Contador rode in a car with his brother and press manager. So Contador attacked, and they sat there, waiting to give a small attack for the cameras later. I'm over him.

summary: nibali just became too mainstream for me

 

[Bavarianrider]

He won the Vuelta against mediocore competition and wasn't impressive in the Giro at all. And let's not foget that he only won teh Vuelta cause of Anton's crah. Nibali wasn't anything close to Anton. Tomorow he'll get grilled by Conta and Anton.
He's good but he's nothing special, actually he's a rather boring wheelsucker if you ask me.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

He won the Vuelta against mediocore competition and wasn't impressive in the Giro at all. And let's not foget that he only won teh Vuelta cause of Anton's crah. Nibali wasn't anything close to Anton. Tomorow he'll get grilled by Conta and Anton.
He's good but he's nothing special, actually he's a rather boring wheelsucker if you ask me.

I love these hypotheticals.

Nibali's best qualities are consistancy and reliability. They are not Anton's best qualities.

So let's just pretend they are, and then magically Anton will beat him. Back in the real world, Nibbles won the Vuelta.

 

[Gloin22]

He won the Vuelta against mediocore competition and wasn't impressive in the Giro at all. And let's not foget that he only won teh Vuelta cause of Anton's crah. Nibali wasn't anything close to Anton. Tomorow he'll get grilled by Conta and Anton.
He's good but he's nothing special, actually he's a rather boring wheelsucker if you ask me.

And what Martin is then LOL. You such a troll.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I love these hypotheticals.

Nibali's best qualities are consistancy and reliability. They are not Anton's best qualities.

So let's just pretend they are, and then magically Anton will beat him. Back in the real world, Nibbles won the Vuelta.

Precisely.

Everyone loves the flakey, inconsistent, riders who are brilliant one day and terrible the next. Everyone loves the explosive climbing midgets who can't stay on their bike for three weeks or can't time trial. I do too. I understand the sentiment.

But a lot of the time, the reliable grinders, the guys who are rarely awesome but rarely suck, are better Grand Tour riders. Fans like to extrapolate from the flakey guy's best performances and announce they were the best rider and should have won or will win, but it simply doesn't work like that.

 

[cineteq]

Nibali was brilliant, the best rider today. I wouldn't be surprise if Contador has a bad day tomorrow. He was close to being in red, and you don't see that often.

 

[cineteq]

Tomorow he'll get grilled by Conta and Anton.
He's good but he's nothing special, actually he's a rather boring wheelsucker if you ask me.

You should watch the races more closely, it will be Nibali's stage tomorrow. Mark my words!

 

[Bavarianrider]

And what Martin is then LOL. You such a troll.

Martin is a powerhouse who blows everyone in TTs, who goes on the attack in flat finishes as well as in the mountains.

 

[zapata]

Precisely.

Everyone loves the flakey, inconsistent, riders who are brilliant one day and terrible the next. Everyone loves the explosive climbing midgets who can't stay on their bike for three weeks or can't time trial. I do too. I understand the sentiment.

But a lot of the time, the reliable grinders, the guys who are rarely awesome but rarely suck, are better Grand Tour riders. Fans like to extrapolate from the flakey guy's best performances and announce they were the best rider and should have won or will win, but it simply doesn't work like that.

Agree. Nibali is unspectacular but solid, doesn't give up, and doesn't crack. More like menchov than pantani. People like rujano might be more fun to watch, but in the end I think Nibali's approach works better. I think he can win the Giro next year, if Contador decides to stay home.,

 

[Gloin22]

TT's are boring. How the hell cares about them anyway. Not a casual cycling fan. for sure. Mountains ? What did he do ? Never seen him in the attacks ? Nibali is up there always. Nibali won vuelta. I didn't see Martin winning Vuelta or doing anything in last year Tour except struggling.

 

[zapata]

I was actually a fan of his until today.



Every day we get an update on Szmyd's medical condition, and how great Nibali would have done that stage if he had been there. It's exactly like hearing Andy Schleck talk about everything he would have accomplished if Frank had been there. He complained today about Contador not helping, but when the road was wide enough and crazed fans permitted, Alberto rode alongside him rather than draft.

I've bragged up Nibali before this Giro, reminding people that last year he was scheduled for ATOC, had done no recon, and wasn't planning on a peak before the Tour. Now he and Scarponi are hanging out in the RAI studio when they should be getting massages and stuff. Thursday night Nibali transferred by helicopter, and Scarponi by private plane, while Contador rode in a car with his brother and press manager. So Contador attacked, and they sat there, waiting to give a small attack for the cameras later. I'm over him.

"I'm over him"? Because of his comments about szmyd? You're pretty sensitive.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Martin is a powerhouse who blows everyone in TTs, who goes on the attack in flat finishes as well as in the mountains.

Everyone ? You're forgetting who's the reall TTchamp

TT's are boring. How the hell cares about them anyway. Not a casual cycling fan. for sure. Mountains ? What did he do ? Never seen him in the attacks ? Nibali is up there always. Nibali won vuelta. I didn't see Martin winning Vuelta or doing anything in last year Tour except struggling.

I for one really like TT's, the only discipline in which rider really fight mano a mano and where teams are unimportant.
I focking love TT's

 

[Bavarianrider]

TT's are boring. How the hell cares about them anyway. Not a casual cycling fan. for sure. Mountains ? What did he do ? Never seen him in the attacks ? Nibali is up there always. Nibali won vuelta. I didn't see Martin winning Vuelta or doing anything in last year Tour except struggling.

TT are boring to fanboys only. Cycling fans like them, and admire if someone can turn the big gears like Tony. Winning or being in front doesn't mean that you rdie exciting. Tony always goes for it from time to time. He's a fighter on the bike he tries something. But this threas is about Nibali so let's stick with him