Time to stop underrating Nibali

[hrotha]

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.

Ermm, take some time to read what you're replying to? I know you can hardly control your passion for Contador, but hey, at least try to.

 

[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.

guess it's time to start overrating Nibali...I mean, why not...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well after today Nibali is back on his feet. Scarponi passed him in the GC.

 

[Kwibus]

Well after today Nibali is back on his feet. Scarponi passed him in the GC.

Still he didn't do bad. He's a fine climber with a great will. He's just not a pure climber so he will never dominate climbs. Still I enjoy watching the guy.

 

[El Pistolero]

I only enjoy his descends

The way he races totally ****es me of though, except in the descends of course.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I like the way he has tackled this giro.

Wouldn't mind seeing him take 2nd.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Meh, only one who deserves 2nd is Rujano. Too bad he had 2 lesser days. Orvieto (bad luck, 5 minutes) and Zoncolan (hunger knock, 2 minutes). He left it there.

 

[Ryaguas]

Meh, only one who deserves 2nd is Rujano. Too bad he had 2 lesser days. Orvieto (bad luck, 5 minutes) and Zoncolan (hunger knock, 2 minutes). He left it there.

But even after that 6th in the GC... Massive respect... Rujano is pulling a 2005 all over the place...

Today Nibs raced FTW... Those 2 EPIC descent will be always remembered!!
I'm pretty sure that He earned A LOT of fans today... his performance wasn't perfect but will be always remembered but Contador, Michele and Rujano had a GREAT day today...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Meh, only one who deserves 2nd is Rujano. Too bad he had 2 lesser days. Orvieto (bad luck, 5 minutes) and Zoncolan (hunger knock, 2 minutes). He left it there.

Nope. This is just more of the usual fan preference for the flakey erratic guys.

You earn your place based on how you perform day after day. Rujano has had a higher performance peak, but he's also had worse troughs. You can't just extrapolate from a rider's best day and assume that's his level. Anton has put in the single best performance of any rider on a climb, other than Contador. That doesn't mean he deserves to be in second overall either.

I like Rujano a lot. I'd love to see him finish on the podium. But there's no "deserves" in a GT GC.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yeah even I have to admit I liked Nibali's spirit and pure determination the last 2 days. But I still don't like his riding style. Never will be of that type of rider.

 

[jens_attacks]

well i have to admit too...massive respect for lo squalo dello stretto.piece of art what he did,he tried...he failed in the finale but that's a champ's attitude indeed.chapeau!

 

[ulrikmm]

I admire the great descenders like Nibali: this kind of skill is real, and is minimally affected by PEDs. A great descender is in my opinion very often a great cyclist.

 

[Midnightfright]

Everytime i watch nibbles he grows on me. I have to admit he's slowly becoming my favourite GC guy.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Meh, only one who deserves 2nd is Rujano. Too bad he had 2 lesser days. Orvieto (bad luck, 5 minutes) and Zoncolan (hunger knock, 2 minutes). He left it there.

Sorry, but that's bollocks.
Your dislike of Nibali and your entrenched position, is clouding your judgement.
Bad luck and bad judgement tend to even out over 3 weeks.
Rujano has also had good luck in the shape of Contador.

Nibali has displayed guts, determination and a skill none of the other contenders can, or at least are prepared to match.

I'd wait until the end of week 3 before limiting my choice to one.
Especially if Jose rides Finestre like 2005.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nope. This is just more of the usual fan preference for the flakey erratic guys.

You earn your place based on how you perform day after day. Rujano has had a higher performance peak, but he's also had worse troughs. You can't just extrapolate from a rider's best day and assume that's his level. Anton has put in the single best performance of any rider on a climb, other than Contador. That doesn't mean he deserves to be in second overall either.

I like Rujano a lot. I'd love to see him finish on the podium. But there's no "deserves" in a GT GC.

Oh yeah? Well lets forget Zoncolan, still leaves Orvieto, which is pure bad luck on the Sterrato.. and is still 5 minutes....

Rujano did better than anyone else bar Contador, but didn't have the same luck.

Sorry, but that's bollocks.
Your dislike of Nibali and your entrenched position, is clouding your judgement.
Bad luck and bad judgement tend to even out over 3 weeks.
Rujano has also had good luck in the shape of Contador.

Nibali has displayed guts, determination and a skill none of the other contenders can, or at least are prepared to match.

I'd wait until the end of week 3 before limiting my choice to one.
Especially if Jose rides Finestre like 2005.

We'll agree to completely disagree then. Because I think that is pure ********.

 

[ulrikmm]

The harder you work, the luckier you get.

 

[greenedge]

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

He was being sarcastic calling Gesink a good time triallist.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Meh, only one who deserves 2nd is Rujano. Too bad he had 2 lesser days. Orvieto (bad luck, 5 minutes) and Zoncolan (hunger knock, 2 minutes). He left it there.

yeah no.

Sorry but why should Rujano's crapness on stage 5 be forgotten or be titled unlucky. Machado apparently had a couple of mechanicals, had no team mates with him when he came in and only lost 3 minutes. GTs are more than the big climbs. Team or no Team, 5 minutes loss is terrible.

And this did give Rujano some degree of freedom, but he might have been able to follow regardless (tho I'm not convinced AC would have been content having Rujano with him, and it was clear AC was better on both occasions Rujano was with him).

But yeah, the Scarponi and Nibali have consistently been up there.
There's still a 3rd week tho, let us see how that goes.

as for the zoncolan, there was always going to be some excuse. As far as I'm concerned he just wasn't good enough.

 

[seaby71]

Do you think nibbles can fight his way back in front of scarponi on the GC?

 

[movingtarget]

Everytime i watch nibbles he grows on me. I have to admit he's slowly becoming my favourite GC guy.

Nibali is doing the ride most expected against someone like Contador. He is not a pure climber like Rujano but then he can time trial and ride on the flat unlike Rujano. Like Harmon said on Eurosport, Rujano is a climber and nothing but and that is why he will struggle to win a grand tour. These days you have to be more versatile. If Rujano had some bad luck, so what. No one minds putting the boot into Evans whenever he has bad luck. Blame Rujano's team but sometimes that's the way it goes. Nibali may make some silly comments but I enjoy his riding.

 

[maxmartin]

Do you think nibbles can fight his way back in front of scarponi on the GC?

quite possibly, there are two stages downhill finish and flat 35 km TT, Nibali should take some time off Scarponi, if he be top three in these stages there will be bonus too

 

[Sophistic]

These days you have to be more versatile.

?I would say you have to be less versatile than ever and the Giro is probably the best example, lots of tough mountains and just 31km of flat ITT.
Same with the TDF and the Vuelta, climbing(and weight) has never been a more important factor than in 2011.

 

[auscyclefan94]

He was being sarcastic calling Gesink a good time triallist.

I know and I was joking back with D_T.

 

[will10]

And this did give Rujano some degree of freedom, but he might have been able to follow regardless (tho I'm not convinced AC would have been content having Rujano with him, and it was clear AC was better on both occasions Rujano was with him).

LMAO

What "freedom" did Rujano have in this race exactly? He's gained no time from a long breakaway or whatever. He followed the best on Etna and stayed with AC, then did the same at Grossglockner. No freedom involved, he was the 2nd strongest. Even with 5 minutes time loss on the sterrato he is 6th overall. Take out the 5 minutes lost on the sterrato and he would be 2nd overal despite poor performances on Zoncolan and Gardecchia.

Back on topic: Nibali has surprised me this weekend but I expect him to pull a Savoldelli on Finestre - i.e. suffer big time on the climb, limit his losses on the descent but still lose a big chunk to Scarponi, Contador, Rujano et al. and fall off the podium.

 

[Anonymous]

yesterdays stage makes me respect Nibali more than before.