Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Vino attacks everyone]

Why? He lost to the better man.

To be better than Nibali at the age of 41 should not be possible. Nibali is unfortunate to live in the only universe that this has (and will ever) happen.

 

[CycloAndy]

Well not one good placing in the spring classics and after the Tour nada. Not very impressive.

Which matters how?

 

[icefire]

Which matters how?

How many stages did the Tour Green Jersey win?

 

[SKSemtex]

Which matters how?

Of course it doesn´t matter to any Sky fan and never will, as they like to use "the only Tour matters" as the main excuse for complete failure of Sky in terms of one day racing as well as complete failure of post Tour stage racing.

For those who think that cycling is more than power output in HC climbs it always matters.

OK Nibali has seen the back of Horner in Vuelta, as well as back of Purito, Valverde, Costa in Worlds but Froome getting dropped like stone in climbs by random riders in Quebec, Montreal, Worlds was far more embarrassing to me.

Because if you are “the best” naturally and not by “science”, you should be able to prove that you are at least "good" any time you sit on the bike.

 

[Pentacycle]

Of course it doesn´t matter to any Sky fan and never will, as they like to use "the only Tour matters" as the main excuse for complete failure of Sky in terms of one day racing as well as complete failure of post Tour stage racing.

For those who think that cycling is more than power output in HC climbs it always matters.

OK Nibali has seen the back of Horner in Vuelta, as well as back of Purito, Valverde, Costa in Worlds but Froome getting dropped like stone in climbs by random riders in Quebec, Montreal, Worlds was far more embarrassing to me.

Because if you are “the best” naturally and not by “science”, you should be able to prove that you are at least "good" any time you sit on the bike.

Froome was actually quite good there, the Tour of Colorado on the other hand... However, it wasn't very different from Nibali's performances in the Tour of Poland.

 

[Rollthedice]

Bring on Le Tour! Cobbles, fast technical wet descends, MTT, short ITT, a good parcours for TTT, one Sant'Elpidio type of stage and Nibali, the chosen among humans will defeat the alien.

 

[theyoungest]

Because if you are “the best” naturally and not by “science”, you should be able to prove that you are at least "good" any time you sit on the bike.

I remember Nibali in California and the Dauphiné last year... or actually I don't because he was virtually non-present. This year was the same in Poland. I'm sure that Nibali, being on Vino's team, has access to every bit of 'science' that Froome has.

 

[Netserk]

I remember Nibali in California and the Dauphiné last year... or actually I don't because he was virtually non-present. This year was the same in Poland. I'm sure that Nibali, being on Vino's team, has access to every bit of 'science' that Froome has.

You clearly haven't read WL's thread

 

[del1962]

You clearly haven't read WL's thread

That'll be where WL overhype's SKY like VAE and friends overhype's Nibali

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

That'll be where WL overhype's SKY like VAE and friends overhype's Nibali

I've never hyped any rider. My writings about Nibali, Vino and so forth is a fair assesment of their character and strength.

 

[maxmartin]

Scarponi to join Astana in 2014

lead the giro then help nibali in the tour

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Scarponi to join Astana in 2014

lead the giro then help nibali in the tour

Aru is going to lead giro according to Shefer.
Scarponi to go full in for LBL/Tour combo next year is my guess, leaving Pelizotti to help Aru at the giro.

 

[CycloAndy]

Aru is going to lead giro according to Shefer.
Scarponi to go full in for LBL/Tour combo next year is my guess, leaving Pelizotti to help Aru at the giro.

Aru and Scarponi might co-lead by the sound of it. Will take some pressure off the young lad. Pelizotti might not have time to ride into form for the giro if Astana stick to the mpcc rules. Might still go as a domestique though.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Aru and Scarponi might co-lead by the sound of it. Will take some pressure off the young lad. Pelizotti might not have time to ride into form for the giro if Astana stick to the mpcc rules. Might still go as a domestique though.

Result from the Italian Nats RR '12:

1 PELLIZOTTI Franco Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela 100 75 6:43:12
2 DI LUCA Danilo Acqua & Sapone 70 55 0:27
3 MOSER Moreno Liquigas - Cannondale 40 40 ,,
4 CARUSO Giampaolo Katusha Team 30 32 ,,
5 NIBALI Vincenzo Liquigas - Cannondale 25 28 2:11
6 SCARPONI Michele Lampre - ISD 20 24 2:13
7 PONZI Simone Astana Pro Team 15 20 2:30
8 RATTO Daniele Liquigas - Cannondale 10 18 3:11
9 GAVAZZI Francesco Astana Pro Team 9 16 ,,
10 RABOTTINI Matteo Farnese Vini-Neri-Sottoli 8 14 ,

This was pretty much Pellizotti's first race after returning from suspension. I think its safe to assume he will be in top form at the Giro.

 

[jens_attacks]

aru,michele and delfino in il giro...it would be the hell for richie porte

 

[CycloAndy]

Result from the Italian Nats RR '12:

1 PELLIZOTTI Franco Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela 100 75 6:43:12
2 DI LUCA Danilo Acqua & Sapone 70 55 0:27
3 MOSER Moreno Liquigas - Cannondale 40 40

This was pretty much Pellizotti's first race after returning from suspension. I think its safe to assume he will be in top form at the Giro.

He had done 2 stage races including the route du sud before that. This time he won't be able to do any races as the giro starts a few days after his 'ban' on riding for an mpcc team. Also the stamina required for a GT is probably considerably higher than that for a one-day national championship race.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

He had done 2 stage races including the route du sud before that. This time he won't be able to do any races as the giro starts a few days after his 'ban' on riding for an mpcc team. Also the stamina required for a GT is probably considerably higher than that for a one-day national championship race.

I think I am not the only 1 that does not give a **** about mpcc. Hopefully Vino agrees with me

 

[jens_attacks]

vino cares about it ...








...because he owns it

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

vino cares about it ...








...because he owns it

****...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So who will be able to help Nibali on the cobbles in case sh!t happens? I could be missing something, but I'm not seeing a Stannard, Tosatto, Cancellara, Hoshovd, Langeveld or similar on the team. Could this be a problem?

 

[whittashau]

So who will be able to help Nibali on the cobbles in case sh!t happens? I could be missing something, but I'm not seeing a Stannard, Tosatto, Cancellara, Hoshovd, Langeveld or similar on the team. Could this be a problem?

That's actually a pretty good question. Jacopo Guarnieri is probably Astana's best cobbles rider, but I doubt Astana could afford to send him to the Tour to just help out Nibbles on that one stage. Has Vanotti ridden the cobbled classics before?

 

[Pentacycle]

That's actually a pretty good question. Jacopo Guarnieri is probably Astana's best cobbles rider, but I doubt Astana could afford to send him to the Tour to just help out Nibbles on that one stage. Has Vanotti ridden the cobbled classics before?

Why can't Bozic ride the Tour? He showed last year he has a great engine for the Flemish races. he could be a great help on the cobbles and in the remaining flat stages.

 

[fraserhughes]

That's actually a pretty good question. Jacopo Guarnieri is probably Astana's best cobbles rider, but I doubt Astana could afford to send him to the Tour to just help out Nibbles on that one stage. Has Vanotti ridden the cobbled classics before?

I think Nibbles' positioning and bike handling skills will be a big advantage. Even without an obvious "chaperone" in the team I reckon he'll do fine.

 

[SafeBet]

That's actually a pretty good question. Jacopo Guarnieri is probably Astana's best cobbles rider, but I doubt Astana could afford to send him to the Tour to just help out Nibbles on that one stage. Has Vanotti ridden the cobbled classics before?

Maybe I missed this but has Maxim left Astana? He's a more than capable cobbles rider.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Maybe I missed this but has Maxim left Astana? He's a more than capable cobbles rider.

yea, thats the missing link. He will be needed methinks.