Time to stop underrating Nibali

[Dekker_Tifosi]

For a guy who came off la vuelta, I thought he was quite dissapointing at the worlds. He made an attack but didn't really show much at all.

what are nibali's best tt results?

Nibali in no prologue distance (+15km) ITT's. Note that usually, the shorter, the better he does. I disregarded results in San Luis (beating Bengsch and Nicacio, how is that relevant?)

2010
15th Vuelta a España - Penafiiel ITT (46km)
5th Giro d'Italia - Verona ITT (15km)

2009
25th Tour de France - Annecy ITT (40,5km)
9th Tour de France - Monaco ITT (15,5km)
14th Criterium du Dauphiné Libere - Valence ITT (42km)
10th Vuelta a Pais Vasco ITT - Zalla (24,4km)
16th Tirreno Adriatico ITT - Macerata (30km)

Special note: In Tirreno/Pais Vasco and Dauphine, he managed to finishe those ITT's behind such expert as Robert Gesink in ALL 3 Yeah. please do call Nibali an expert ITT specialist... gosh.

2008
14th Olympic Games ITT (47km - guess who finished 10th btw)
47th final TDF ITT (53km)
44th final Giro ITT (28,5km)

2007
19th World Ch. ITT (44km)
12th ENECO Tour final ITT (29km)
7th final Giro ITT (43km)
13th Tirreno ITT (20km)

I could put 2006 and 2005 in as well but they all tell the same story.
After his 3rd place in the World CH U23 ITT, he has proven to be a good individuel time triallist, but NOT EXCELLENT
Not the guy to put 2 minutes into every climber, but rather 1 minute.

His best ITT's came at the end of 2 giro's, where he managed a top 10. So that's a plus.
On the downside, the longer an ITT the worse Nibali seems to get. He has plenty of prologue top 10's, but in the longer ITT's he seems to falter most of the time and finishes between 10th and 20th.

Not the image of an excellent ITT specialist is it? Rather a good one.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Yet Anton is only 1 second behind Nibali at this point, not even starting the Giro in form

And in the Vuelta last year Anton burned Nibali at virtually every MTF before he fell out

And whose fault is that? At the moment Nibali is the closest to Contador. You can argue about it all you like, but results don't lie. Sure, the difference is only 1 second, but he still is ahead. It isn't Nibali's fault Anton can't stay on his bike or wasn't in form. Being in form when you should be and staying on your bike are parts of cycling too. So far Nibali has proven to be quite good at those.

 

[Midnightfright]

23 seconds on an easy climb like Andorra, is being burned

1 easy climb. You said virtually every mountain top finish. I think you have to admit your being very liberal with the expression burned. We have absoultely no idea how the Vuelta would of went please lets ignore ifs and buts. Theres very little to go on to compare there climbing at GT's if anything the little evidence we have suggests there fairly even.

 

[hrotha]

Nibali also seems to be regressing a wee bit as a time-trialist. Not as dramatic as Gesink in 2010, of course - I guess it'd be better to say he's not progressing as much as you would expect from his early results.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Special note: In Tirreno/Pais Vasco and Dauphine, he managed to finishe those ITT's behind such expert as Robert Gesink in ALL 3 Yeah. please do call Nibali an expert ITT specialist... gosh.

2008
14th Olympic Games ITT (47km - guess who finished 10th btw)
.

Well i guess that means steve morabito is a specialist time trialist

tds tt 2010

21 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:01:39
40 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:02:19

- I take my chances at cheap shots when I get them

 

[Lanark]

Nibali also seems to be regressing a wee bit as a time-trialist. Not as dramatic as Gesink in 2010, of course - I guess it'd be better to say he's not progressing as much as you would expect from his early results.

His climbing has improved tremendously. Maybe a change in focus, weight/muscle loss?

 

[Midnightfright]

Well i guess that means steve morabito is a specialist time trialist

tds tt 2010

21 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:01:39
40 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:02:19

- I take my chances at cheap shots when I get them

When your a fan of Morabito or BMC you need to take all the chances you can get.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

When your a fan of Morabito or BMC you need to take all the chances you can get.

Oh but that one is easily countered

Tirreno 2011 - Final ITT

9.

GESINK Robert RAB 27" 0
12.

EVANS Cadel BMC 31" 0

 

[Midnightfright]

Oh but that one is easily countered

Tirreno 2011 - Final ITT

9.

GESINK Robert RAB 27" 0
12.

EVANS Cadel BMC 31" 0

Excellent. You need to remember that must be a fluke as Gesink is a TT chump. ha ha

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

For a guy who came off la vuelta, I thought he was quite dissapointing at the worlds. He made an attack but didn't really show much at all.

what are nibali's best tt results?

Selective memory I think - Nibali was very impressive at the worlds & Lombardy last autumn.

I'm amazed so many people are still trying to rip on him - wait till he fails or it just looks like bitter desperation guys.

 

[Midnightfright]

Selective memory I think - Nibali was very impressive at the worlds & Lombardy last autumn.

I'm amazed so many people are still trying to rip on him - wait till he fails or it just looks like bitter desperation guys.

He was good at Lombardy last year , noone was beating Gilbert. What i most recall is the incredibly slow fall with about 25k to go the weather was terrible so understandable but was very surprising for such a great bike handler.

 

[Yeahright]

A bit like Cadel, his problem will always be his lack of acceleration against a guy like Contador. He does know how to pace himself and climb just inside his red zone though so he will usually be there or thereabouts.

 

[Midnightfright]

Is the Nibbles dislike because he looks like Bruno?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Pff, I'm the first one to admit Nibali is better than I thought, and doing better than ever.

He is actually a better climber this Giro than Scarponi for instance. And he is the 2nd most consistant climber after Contador. On their good days both Anton and Rujano were (clearly) better though

 

[movingtarget]

Why would Nibali be underrated ? Just because he does not have the explosiveness of a Contador or Rujano. He is s very good rider with plenty of improvement left in him. Very good ride yesterday. Never panicked at all.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Today is Nibalis chance to get rid of his wheelsucke rimage. He's a slid downhiller, so he really should attack on the Fedeia. If he doesn't he'll be a boring shadow forever.

 

[whittashau]

I think you're the only one who considers Nibali a wheelsucker. I've seen him attack plenty of times and several different races. He's certainly no Levi

 

[Bavarianrider]

Nibali cracked

 

[La Pandera]

Today is Nibalis chance to get rid of his wheelsucke rimage. He's a slid downhiller, so he really should attack on the Fedeia. If he doesn't he'll be a boring shadow forever.

According to Nibali, Contador is the wheelsucker.

Nibali is a crafty rider. Not all riders have the snap to just pop off an acceleration that leaves their opponents' legs and lungs burning. I can respect him for his style of racing, if not for his likely adrenalin fueled complaint about Contador's lack of respect for him. He's shown a steady
progression to regular contender in the grand tours and his performance on the Zoncolan was contrary to what everyone expected of him. He showed grit, determination and smarts in not attempting to immediately respond to the attacks that created the break up in the contenders.

 

[Midnightfright]

Nibali cracked

I'm guessing by the wheelsucking gibes and smiley faces that your not much of a fan. U have to atleast admit he didn't wheelsuck today . I'm sure there maybe some nibbles fab out there who will have a little grin at tony Martin " cracking " at the tour.

 

[The Gnome]

yeah, Nibali does look good and he fights which I appreciate...but I was surprised at his whining yesterday...if he thinks A.C. should give him a tow or not play it exactly as he did then not sure what to say to the guy...bigger whiner than A.S...

 

[hrotha]

yeah, Nibali does look good and he fights which I appreciate...but I was surprised at his whining yesterday...if he thinks A.C. should give him a tow or not play it exactly as he did then not sure what to say to the guy...bigger whiner than A.S...

Yeah, no, he didn't say anything like that. He believed Contador waited for him just so that he could drop him again.

Anyway, what Nibali did today was incredible. Not only his first attack, but especially later on, when everytime he got back after being dropped he immediatelly attacked (that one attack in the flat when Contador wasn't looking was awesome) or pulled hard. He's won me over.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, no, he didn't say anything like that. He believed Contador waited for him just so that he could drop him again.

Anyway, what Nibali did today was incredible. Not only his first attack, but especially later on, when everytime he got back after being dropped he immediatelly attacked (that one attack in the flat when Contador wasn't looking was awesome) or pulled hard. He's won me over.

Because he was asking assistance to the team car which is when Nibali attacked...

For not looking awesome he just took almost another 2 minutes on Nibali lol.

 

[The Gnome]

Yeah, no, he didn't say anything like that. He believed Contador waited for him just so that he could drop him again.

Anyway, what Nibali did today was incredible. Not only his first attack, but especially later on, when everytime he got back after being dropped he immediatelly attacked (that one attack in the flat when Contador wasn't looking was awesome) or pulled hard. He's won me over.

Hey, that's fine...but when I hear talk of "disrespect" I roll my eyes...So AC "waited for him" just to drop him...? maybe maybe not...but AC, and I am no huge fan of him, is riding a good race...attacking all the time...which is great to see from a tdf champion and even in the giro no less...since when in last 15 years do many guys do that? he is doing what he is supposed to do... and while I love the fighter as much as the next guy, but fight, don't whine and complain...either that or get better legs...you can bet nibali if in lead would be riding AC's wheel big time and you wouldnt hear any complaints...

 

[The Gnome]

Because he was asking assistance to the team car which is when Nibali attacked...

For not looking awesome he just took almost another 2 minutes on Nibali lol.

no kidding...AC is ripping off some faces in this race...nice to see...