Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[maxmartin]

According to NBCSN Vino told them he wanted to give the jersey away to save the team from all the pressure and work. Sagan would be a Perfect person to give it to if possible IMO. So not all yellow just yet, they don't even want the yellow top

great a good friend keep yellow for Nibali for a while. Cannondale could be Astanan's biggest ally in this tour.

 

[Jspear]

Nibali makes such a great road boss!

I don't get why people are thinking he will fail in the mountains. Did he not prove himself in the Giro 2013? To me, he improved from Giro 2011 to 2013. And Contador cannot be underestimated, I am not saying he has declined, but he has changed from his earlier years like he was in 2009, 2010, 2011. The point is, that it will be a new contest in the mountains. Comparing Nibs form from Dauphine to being the same when this tour gets to the mountains is barely, if at all, relevant. Nibali aimed to peak in the mountains for TdF, not Dauphine. He must understand what it takes to win a TdF - he has the experience and the skills. I believe he will win a TdF - either this year (looking very possible) or within the next couple years'.

Sounds like you're saying he has declined. He had changed from his 09,10,11 form in 2013, and now he is back.

 

[pigoonse]

According to NBCSN Vino told them he wanted to give the jersey away to save the team from all the pressure and work. Sagan would be a Perfect person to give it to if possible IMO. So not all yellow just yet, they don't even want the yellow top

Must not be that easy to just give it away. One of those easier said, than done, situations. Sagan would be a good idea. I wish Nibali would have given the jersey up on stage 5. But he does make a good boss

I am following by NBCSN too, mostly pre-recorded- the evening version. We must be hearing the same commentary, interviews, ect...

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

"There's two more days of suffering in the rain and then there's the mountains. Saturday, Sunday and especially Monday on the "quatorze juillet" are nice stages. The best defence is to attack. The team understands that we're capable of winning the Tour de France. The yellow jersey gives even more motivation to work for each other." - Vino

Vino is ready to be a "backseat cyclist"

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vinokourov-never-lost-confidence-in-nibali

full interview. He also talks about the "controversies" this spring

 

[Energy Starr]

Nothing is decided yet. They haven't even climbed one mountain! Seriously people, none of you knows what is going to happen...you're just popping off about what you HOPE will happen.

 

[murali]

"there's two more days of suffering in the rain and then there's the mountains. Saturday, sunday and especially monday on the "quatorze juillet" are nice stages. The best defence is to attack. The team understands that we're capable of winning the tour de france. The yellow jersey gives even more motivation to work for each other." - vino

vino is ready to be a "backseat cyclist" :d

epic
..........

 

[Carols]

Must not be that easy to just give it away. One of those easier said, than done, situations. Sagan would be a good idea. I wish Nibali would have given the jersey up on stage 5. But he does make a good boss

I am following by NBCSN too, mostly pre-recorded- the evening version. We must be hearing the same commentary, interviews, ect...

I am doing the live version so most likely you have updated info and interviews later in the day but they also cut the race to make it fit in 3 hours. I'm getting 4.5 to 7hrs! Even if I'm not home I record the Live version and watch that without knowing results .

 

[Carols]

Must not be that easy to just give it away. One of those easier said, than done, situations. Sagan would be a good idea. I wish Nibali would have given the jersey up on stage 5. But he does make a good boss

Yes giving it away, especially to the right person isn't easy! Heaven knows those other 185 guys have their own plans on how the race will unfold.

 

[Dedelou]

Yes giving it away, especially to the right person isn't easy! Heaven knows those other 185 guys have their own plans on how the race will unfold.

without bonus time for winning the stage it is harder to facilitate somebody "taking over the jersey without reducing the advantage one has on one's main rival. It is almost easier to add time than to attempt to loose time only to a chosen rider

 

[pigoonse]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vinokourov-never-lost-confidence-in-nibali

full interview. He also talks about the "controversies" this spring

Good link. " Only the first place matters, not having second and third on the podium."

They are there for the win - is what I was guessing and why I could not vote for Nibali to be 3rd place or whatever that poll was.

 

[Rollthedice]

Yes giving it away, especially to the right person isn't easy! Heaven knows those other 185 guys have their own plans on how the race will unfold.

Yellow to Paris it is then. Good strategy to get rid of that Italian Champion jersey.

 

[maxmartin]

Is this the stage to give yellow away?

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720...board=tour-de-france&id=3668305664001&yr=2014

 

[maxmartin]

“I know my rivals will be coming for me,” Nibali said Thursday. “I have a nice advantage, and I can use that to my benefit, but I know my rivals will be aiming for my yellow jersey.”

“The stage to Belles Filles is the first real hard stage we’ll face, and I know riders like Contador and Porte will try to attack me,” Nibali said. “I will not just sit back. If I have good legs, who is to say I will not attack as well? What’s sure is I can use my lead to my advantage.”

“I am calm now because I know the team is supporting me,” Nibali said. “Things have gone really well so far, and with the advantage we have, we will be able to carry the yellow jersey into the climbing stages. It’s better to have the jersey than to be chasing it.

Such a boss!!!
It sounds like Astana will not give yellow away to anyone else. Create history please.

 

[Netserk]

Is this the stage to give yellow away?

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720...board=tour-de-france&id=3668305664001&yr=2014

That was today...

They will probably not chase at all tomorrow and the day after, but Sunday is the perfect day for a big break to stay away and take yellow.

 

[King Boonen]

Nothing is decided yet. They haven't even climbed one mountain! Seriously people, none of you knows what is going to happen...you're just popping off about what you HOPE will happen.

Who paged captain obvious?

 

[maxmartin]

That was today...

They will probably not chase at all tomorrow and the day after, but Sunday is the perfect day for a big break to stay away and take yellow.

no, they are talking about the tomorrow stage, and also look at my post #4380, I don't think Nibali wants to give yellow away.

 

[Rollthedice]

That was today...

They will probably not chase at all tomorrow and the day after, but Sunday is the perfect day for a big break to stay away and take yellow.

Then they'll take it back on Monday. You see, Nibali is stuck with the yellow jersey.

 

[cineteq]

no, they are talking about the tomorrow stage, and also look at my post #4380, I don't think Nibali wants to give yellow away.

Maybe he doesn't want to lose it per se, but if the opportunity arises, the team might decide to do it on the road...candidates to take the jersey tomorrow.

1 Vincenzo NIBALI Italy AST 24:38:25
3 Peter SAGAN Slovakia CAN +44
7 Tony GALLOPIN France LTB +1:45
16 Yury TROFIMOV Russia KAT +2:25
19 Jan BAKELANTS Belgium OPQ +2:39
20 Peter VELITS Slovakia BMC +2:44
24 Tiago MACHADO Portugal TNE +3:59
25 Haimar ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Spain TFR +3:59
26 Marco MARCATO Italy CAN +4:08

 

[Red Rick]

“I know my rivals will be coming for me,” Nibali said Thursday. “I have a nice advantage, and I can use that to my benefit, but I know my rivals will be aiming for my yellow jersey.”

“The stage to Belles Filles is the first real hard stage we’ll face, and I know riders like Contador and Porte will try to attack me,” Nibali said. “I will not just sit back. If I have good legs, who is to say I will not attack as well? What’s sure is I can use my lead to my advantage.”

“I am calm now because I know the team is supporting me,” Nibali said. “Things have gone really well so far, and with the advantage we have, we will be able to carry the yellow jersey into the climbing stages. It’s better to have the jersey than to be chasing it.

Such a boss!!!
It sounds like Astana will not give yellow away to anyone else. Create history please.

Like a total boss

 

[movingtarget]

How do you know he rode 100%? This just was a prep race for him. I bet he didn't put himself in red once.

As for putting himself in the red only Nibali can answer that one but it's possible to improve as well in that time especially as the Tour is three weeks long. I think it's pretty clear now that Nibali is all about the Tour this year. The Dauphine while a good race to win was more of a battle of egos between Contador and Froome and they both lost ! Nibali is in a great position and Contador has now also lost Hernandez which is a blow but as afar as GC is concerned this race has barely started. I'm sure that Garmin will try things a bit different. It was a shame for Nibali that he could not have handed off the jersey on the cobbled stage but I suppose you can't have everything.

 

[cineteq]

As for putting himself in the red only Nibali can answer that one but it's possible to improve as well in that time especially as the Tour is three weeks long. I think it's pretty clear now that Nibali is all about the Tour this year. The Dauphine while a good race to win was more of a battle of egos between Contador and Froome and they both lost ! Nibali is in a great position and Contador has now also lost Hernandez which is a blow but as afar as GC is concerned this race has barely started. I'm sure that Garmin will try things a bit different. It was a shame for Nibali that he could not have handed off the jersey on the cobbled stage but I suppose you can't have everything.

Good post! Plus they're concerns Contador is not in his best shape, the 'reason' he lost time on stage 5 doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Good post! Plus they're concerns Contador is not in his best shape, the 'reason' he lost time on stage 5 doesn't make much sense to me.

There are no concerns at all. Just speculation among rival teams. Wishful thinking on their part and also on yours.. The reason he lost time is because he didn't want to take risks (was scared probably) and because he had a mechanical in the last 20k. Contador is a 7 time GT champion, he knows how to time his peak right. He's never misstimed his peak, and why would he do so this time with De Jongh and Riis guiding him?

 

[cineteq]

There are no concerns at all. Just speculation among rival teams. Wishful thinking on their part and also on yours.. The reason he lost time is because he didn't want to take risks (was scared probably) and because he had a mechanical in the last 20k. Contador is a 7 time GT champion, he knows how to time his peak right. He's never misstimed his peak, and why would he do so this time with De Jongh and Riis guiding him?

Hmmm...I don't buy that, especially from a champion/racer like Contador. Sorry but it doesn't add up. I guess we'll all know soon enough.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Hmmm...I don't buy that, especially from a champion/racer like Contador. Sorry but it doesn't add up. I guess we'll all know soon enough.

Oh it definitely adds up, it's also what Michael Boogerd concluded. He was very cautious on the cobbles, it was obvious. Champions/racers can get scared on wet cobbles. I prefer to believe what all the experts say