Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Rollthedice]

Froome was really much impressive than Nibbles this year.I doubt that Nibali can do what Froome did on Ax 3 or Ventoux.

Still, it's the only one who beat Froome this year in TA. Nobody can do what Froome was doing but there's no guarantee he can replicate this next year. Astana can put a very strong team behind Nibali and he evolved in a complete leader.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

DAFUQ, best GT rider, he is not even 2nd. C.F, NQ, then i will put Basso(you will see this Vuelta Basso is back these 2 former riders will be an epic battle. But Nibali should do the Giro/Tour, atleast then he as an excuse because he aint winning the Tour.

We all love Basso, but no way in hell he would have managed what Nibali did this Giro with what form he has had over the last 2 years. Hopefully he will podium this Vuelta though

 

[all_in]

Still, it's the only one who beat Froome this year in TA. Nobody can do what Froome was doing but there's no guarantee he can replicate this next year. Astana can put a very strong team behind Nibali and he evolved in a complete leader.

Sky can put a team much better than Astana.Froome,Henao,Porte,Kennaugh and Astana will have no chance.The only one who can beat Froome in next year TdF(depends on parcours) is Quintana imo.And probably Contador if he will be back to his old level(I doubt it).

 

[Netserk]

Sky can put a team much better than Astana.Froome,Henao,Porte,Kennaugh and Astana will have no chance.The only one who can beat Froome in next year TdF(depends on parcours) is Quintana imo.And probably Contador if he will be back to his old level(I doubt it).

I'm quite sure Nibbles will have better support in next year's Tour than Froome.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I'm quite sure Nibbles will have better support in next year's Tour than Froome.

Unless Sky brings both Porte and Henao in top shape to the tour. Astana will easily have the best mountain domestiques togheter with Movistar and Saxo next year.

 

[Walkman]

Nibali is the best atm. If we look at palmares it's Contador. Strength this year = Nibbles

Whats wrong with people in this forum?!

Nibali won the Giro and showed great strength but the Giro was a second class GT. The competition was really weak, how can you not get this?! 2013 was overall way weaker than in 2011, which at the time, was considered a weak field.

 

[Netserk]

Unless Sky brings both Porte and Henao in top shape to the tour. Astana will easily have the best mountain domestiques togheter with Movistar and Saxo next year.

Well Porte will go for GC in the Giro, and possibly Henao will skip the Tour (I still think there's a greater chance that he will ride it, but it's definitely possible that he'll do Giro-Vuelta)

 

[Netserk]

Whats wrong with people in this forum?!

Nibali won the Giro and showed great strength but the Giro was a second class GT. The competition was really weak, how can you not get this?! 2013 was overall way weaker than in 2011, which at the time, was considered a weak field.

2011 wasn't considered a weak field. Actually it was above average for the Giro.

 

[trevim]

Still, it's the only one who beat Froome this year in TA. Nobody can do what Froome was doing but there's no guarantee he can replicate this next year. Astana can put a very strong team behind Nibali and he evolved in a complete leader.

That was because of a very special stage to Sant'Elipidio that Acquarone was quick to assure it wasn't going to happen again (proving he cares too much about what the riders say). On a typical stage race (Prato di Tivo +Chieti + TT as decisive stages) Froome would've won. Still, it's impressive how Nibali made the most out of the opportunity.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

That was because of a very special stage to Sant'Elipidio that Acquarone was quick to assure it wasn't going to happen again (proving he cares too much about what the riders say). On a typical stage race (Prato di Tivo +Chieti + TT as decisive stages) Froome would've won. Still, it's impressive how Nibali made the most out of the opportunity.

Acquarone is a little cry baby. Stages like that is what makes this sport so amazing. Noone wants to see the same stages year after year...

 

[cineteq]

Whats wrong with people in this forum?!

Nibali won the Giro and showed great strength but the Giro was a second class GT. The competition was really weak, how can you not get this?! 2013 was overall way weaker than in 2011, which at the time, was considered a weak field.

The question is, what's wrong with you? Competition weak at the Giro? Can't wait to hear about the Tour.

 

[Walkman]

2011 wasn't considered a weak field. Actually it was above average for the Giro.

Yes it was.

Maybe not if you just looked at the paper, on paper it was great!

However in reality, this was not the case.

Rujano climbed really well, although he can't time trial and lost a bunch of minutes on a flat stage if I recall correctly.
Menchov was clearly not in shape, and neither was J-rod.
Scarponi and Nabali was solid, but none of those two were considered among the best GT:ers at he time.
Kreuzinger did an ok tour, but he was dropped on a number of occasions and didn't really have any realistic chance of podium. He did a hell of a decent though!
Kruijswijk, Sivtsov and Nieve (placing 8-10) aren't real GT threats.
Gadret made a freak performance and managed to sneak onto the podium. Has never shown anything like it ever since.

Pretty weak GT I'd say.

 

[Eshnar]

Yes it was.

Maybe not if you just looked at the paper, on paper it was great!

However in reality, this was not the case.

Pretty weak GT I'd say.

One can say that of any GT. Especially of this year's Tour.

 

[trevim]

Acquarone is a little cry baby. Stages like that is what makes this sport so amazing. Noone wants to see the same stages year after year...

Completely agree, just look at this great top10:

1. SAGAN Peter CAN 5h45'17" 45
2. NIBALI Vincenzo AST 02" 28
3. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquim KAT 02" 18
4. SANTAMBROGIO Mauro VIN 44" 10
5. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel EUS 44" 5
6. HORNER Chris RLT 44" 3
7. CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto TST 44" 2
8. ROELANDTS Jürgen LTB 50" 1
9. HUSHOVD Thor BMC 50" 0
10. GESCHKE Simon ARG 50" 0

Climbers, GT riders, puncheurs, cobblestones riders proving this was a truely unpredictable stage. A stage like this is due in every GT even if we have to take 1 or 2 short flat stages (Vedelago/Guardini style) to keep the overall difficulty at a reasonable level.

 

[Netserk]

Yes it was.

Maybe not if you just looked at the paper, on paper it was great!

However in reality, this was not the case.

Rujano climbed really well, although he can't time trial and lost a bunch of minutes on a flat stage if I recall correctly.
Menchov was clearly not in shape, and neither was J-rod.
Scarponi and Nabali was solid, but none of those two were considered among the best GT:ers at he time.
Kreuzinger did an ok tour, but he was dropped on a number of occasions and didn't really have any realistic chance of podium. He did a hell of a decent though!
Kruijswijk, Sivtsov and Nieve (placing 8-10) aren't real GT threats.
Gadret made a freak performance and managed to sneak onto the podium. Has never shown anything like it ever since.

Pretty weak GT I'd say.

It had the defending Tour and Vuelta winners, two of the three strongest riders from the last Giro and one who podiumed the Tour.

The only top GT riders that weren't there was Evans, Samu, Basso and the sisters.

Or can you show me a Giro with a better field?

 

[SafeBet]

One can say that of any GT. Especially of this year's Tour.

Remember. Every GT Nibali wins or podiums, has a weak field.

 

[Walkman]

The question is, what's wrong with you? Competition weak at the Giro? Can't wait to hear about the Tour.

Evans, Scarponi, Niemiec, Majka, Intxausti, Santambrogio, Pozzovivo, do you call that a tough field?

Urán is a great rider, although his chances were damaged by SKY's tactic.
Betancur is also a great rider, but he is still young and is still developing as a rider.

Weak field indeed.

 

[Eshnar]

Remember. Every GT Nibali wins has a weak field.

Every GT Nibali podiums has a weak field

 

[SafeBet]

Every GT Nibali podiums has a weak field

I edited but wasn't quick enough

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Evans, Scarponi, Niemiec, Majka, Intxausti, Santambrogio, Pozzovivo, do you call that a tough field?

Urán is a great rider, although his chances were damaged by SKY's tactic.
Betancur is also a great rider, but he is still young and is still developing as a rider.

Weak field indeed.

Look away form Quintana, Froome, JRod and Nibali. Noone of the other gt riders much better than the rest. All of those guys could have been in the top 10 of this years tour with a little bit of luck without anyone here as much as raising an eyebrow (well, excpet Santa ofc)

 

[Walkman]

The only top GT riders that weren't there was Evans, Samu, Basso and the sisters.

And at the time, those were considered the best GT-riders along with Menchov and Contador.

And since AC was DSQ and Menchov did ride like crap, I'd say the field was weak. Or maybe more accurate, was performing weak.

 

[Netserk]

And at the time, those were considered the best GT-riders along with Menchov and Contador.

And since AC was DSQ and Menchov did ride like crap, I'd say the field was weak. Or maybe more accurate, was performing weak.

So which Giro had a better field?

 

[cineteq]

Evans, Scarponi, Niemiec, Majka, Intxausti, Santambrogio, Pozzovivo, do you call that a tough field?

Urán is a great rider, although his chances were damaged by SKY's tactic.
Betancur is also a great rider, but he is still young and is still developing as a rider.

Weak field indeed.

So Wiggins didn't start? What about Henao? If you said it was a weak before the Giro started, maybe I'll give you that.

 

[Walkman]

So which Giro had a better field?

Why are you focused on the Giro? I never said it was a weak field with regards to other editions, I said it was a weak field. In retrospect I maybe should have said that it was a weak performing field, hence that was my point.

I think it was. And I think people are wastly overrating Nibali. I am not on any crusade against him, but this years Giro was a weak field. So before he throw down with the big boys at the biggest race, I am yet to give him the praise others already are throwing his way.

Evans is my all time favorite, but there is no denying, he is not what he used to be. The colombians are good, but no way they are on a Tour top-5 level. Neither is Scarponi nor the polish guys.

 

[Netserk]

Why are you focused on the Giro? I never said it was a weak field with regards to other editions, I said it was a weak field. In retrospect I maybe should have said that it was a weak performing field, hence that was my point.

I think it was. And I think people are wastly overrating Nibali. I am not on any crusade against him, but this years Giro was a weak field. So before he throw down with the big boys at the biggest race, I am yet to give him the praise others already are throwing his way.

Evans is my all time favorite, but there is no denying, he is not what he used to be. The colombians are good, but no way they are on a Tour top-5 level. Neither is Scarponi nor the polish guys.

So the Giro with the best field in more than 10 years, had a weak field? But the Tour the same year with Voeckler, Cunego, Danielson and Peraud in the top-10 had a better field? Or did all GTs in 2011 have a bad field?