Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[whittashau]

Again today Birdsong showed a lack of desire to work for Vincenzo. He dropped after pulling for 200m on the climb? And yet finished ahead of Scarponi.

 

[Rollthedice]

Again today Birdsong showed a lack of desire to work for Vincenzo. He dropped after pulling for 200m on the climb? And yet finished ahead of Scarponi.

He did a great job in stage 5 though. That doesn't mean I like him.

 

[maxmartin]

I saw somewhere else that Nibs VAM today was1798. Anyone more mathematical able to calculate what it would've been for Berto if he would've take 45 sec on Nibs?

why bother let them live in their fantasy world. Those a few live in the past time like 2009 tour, or 2011 giro. Has AC ever performed at that level after the ban? That is the question you need to ask. Btw, a weaker Nibali in 2012 only lose a few seconds to Froom.

 

[the_cutter]

Again today Birdsong showed a lack of desire to work for Vincenzo. He dropped after pulling for 200m on the climb? And yet finished ahead of Scarponi.

I really hope he's ill and emerges better after the rest day, otherwise there's no excuse. None whatsoever. If he's weak then he should help Kangert to pull early in climbs or even the guys pulling on the flat. Thinking about it, he simply has to be ill, otherwise Vino would not tolerate this.

EDIT: On the other hand, Scarponi is a warrior and rode great today. Nibbles will surely buy him all the pizzas he gets his hands on.

 

[maxmartin]

TJ said he would blow up by following Nibbles, so he has to stay with more steady rider like RP. Also he said he was right behind AC when he crashed.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/nbcsports3/?title=Last+Km+of+Stage+10&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=yJ4FU6U5XxBq&yr=2014

 

[cineteq]

TJ said he would blow up by following Nibbles, so he has to stay with more steady rider like RP. Also he said he was right behind AC when he crashed.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/nbcsports3/?title=Last+Km+of+Stage+10&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=yJ4FU6U5XxBq&yr=2014

This is the right link http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/nbcsports3/?title=Tejay+van+Garderen+happy+to+survive+'brutal+stage'&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=l4G6XOSnQoWN&yr=2014

 

[maxmartin]

This is the right link http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/nbcsports3/?title=Tejay+van+Garderen+happy+to+survive+'brutal+stage'&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=l4G6XOSnQoWN&yr=2014

thank you sir

 

[Netserk]

And with less drafting. In 2012 they were all together until the last km

How much did Froome draft though? Doesn't really matter that it was all together until the last km.

 

[SafeBet]

Complete nonsense. They are both better climbers than Nibali will ever be (Nibali is good but not that good). Contador would have probably gained 45sec on Nibali on todays stage.

You're suggesting that Berto would've been almost 20 seconds faster than Froome in 2012, who rode that time in much better conditions and after a much easier stage.

To me it's beyond reality.

 

[SeriousSam]

You're suggesting that Berto would've been almost 20 seconds faster than Froome in 2012, who rode that time in much better conditions and after a much easier stage.

To me it's beyond reality.

Froome was towing noted expert climber Wiggins and didn't come close to going full genius. 2013 Froome, 2014 Froome and 2014 Contador put at leat 30 seconds into Nibali today.

 

[Netserk]

You're suggesting that Berto would've been almost 22 seconds faster than Wiggins in 2012, who rode that time in much better conditions and after a much easier stage.

To me it's beyond reality.

Now I don't think he'd have been 45'' faster, only half of that, so equal to Wiggins two years ago I certainly don't think is unrealistic.

 

[whittashau]

But Sky had their whole train drill it from the start of the climb. Rogers then Porte, then Froome. Whereas Nibali had less than 500m of Birdsong help, followed by Scarponi for 2.5k

 

[maxmartin]

"I feel sorry for Alberto Contador. He crashed just in front of me and I was scared that I'd go down as well. I don't know why he crashed. I just saw that it was a heavy fall,” Nibali said.

"We stopped pedaling for a while. I spoke with Richie Porte, I also spoke with my team car, but Tony Martin was 4.30 ahead, so we had to ride again.

Lucky him, it seems anyone who is in front of him is prone to crash, TK in stage 5, AC, then SCA .

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Well, Astana delivered Nibali with 3km to go.
Not only that, Nibali is clearly the strongest rider in the race.

Will Astana suffocate the rest of the race?

 

[maxmartin]

Well, Astana delivered Nibali with 3km to go.
Not only that, Nibali is clearly the strongest rider in the race.

Will Astana suffocate the rest of the race?

don't think so, the others know they have little chance to win, they will try to ride to secure the podium place, it plays into Nibali's hands. Although, Porte still needs to be further distanced.

 

[Netserk]

At the end of the day a win is a win, and I'm very happy that it's Nibali who will win this one. Unlike Contador's 2007 victory this one hasn't been gifted to him. He has been in front in GC the whole way.

 

[pigoonse]

This (no Froome and especially without Contador) is certainly not the way Nibali would have wanted to win a TdF, if he does indeed win. Looks like he stands a good chance but anything can still happen

But good on him for soldiering on, finishing up the stage and winning back the leader's jersey with class.

 

[elfed68]

Complete nonsense. They are both better climbers than Nibali will ever be (Nibali is good but not that good). Contador would have probably gained 45sec on Nibali on todays stage.

Ok, I totally understand your reasoning which makes total sense, but aren't we basing this on past Nibali performances rather than what we're currently seeing?

 

[maxmartin]

it might be too early to discuss this topic. But Nibali said he is going to do Giro Tour double next year. A huge fan as I am, I don't think he can win both. So go for the Giro win, then Tour stage hunting mountain jersey even after he wins this year? Thoughts?

 

[webbie146]

it might be too early to discuss this topic. But Nibali said he is going to do Giro Tour double next year. A huge fan as I am, I don't think he can win both. So go for the Giro win, then Tour stage hunting mountain jersey even after he wins this year? Thoughts?

Giro/Vuelta would be a much better combi. Or indeed try to win the Giro and try to go for a stage or something in tour.

Giro & Vuelta would be better in my opinion. Doing both giro/tour for gc always fails.

 

[TANK91]

Before or after taking off and go to save the world?

Wow i think we were mistaken in our own eyes these past few years. Has Nibali beaten any of these on a mountian stage in 2-3 years?

 

[maxmartin]

Giro/Vuelta would be a much better combi. Or indeed try to win the Giro and try to go for a stage or something in tour.

Giro & Vuelta would be better in my opinion. Doing both giro/tour for gc always fails.

Can't imagine a defending champion won't participate, plus he said he will do Giro Tour double next year. Of course he said this way early this year.

 

[ciranda]

I really hope he's ill and emerges better after the rest day, otherwise there's no excuse. None whatsoever. If he's weak then he should help Kangert to pull early in climbs or even the guys pulling on the flat. Thinking about it, he simply has to be ill, otherwise Vino would not tolerate this.

EDIT: On the other hand, Scarponi is a warrior and rode great today. Nibbles will surely buy him all the pizzas he gets his hands on.

You guys are total freaks about this. Fuglsang couldn't stay with the group on the second last mountain before Scarponi crashed so was clearly too tired to work much more than on the descent and the part before the last mountain. Either he's still ill or out of form. I mean, I will be the first to say it's stupid if he does not support Nibali but there has been no indication of that at all.

 

[the_cutter]

it might be too early to discuss this topic. But Nibali said he is going to do Giro Tour double next year. A huge fan as I am, I don't think he can win both. So go for the Giro win, then Tour stage hunting mountain jersey even after he wins this year? Thoughts?

Well, he's Nibbles and he's crazy enough to try. But I don't think a TDF+other double is possible anymore. Not with people targeting specific races and skipping the rest and/or without hitting Pantani-like haematocrit levels. I'm sure he and Vino will talk about it at the end of the season. And yes, he totally needs to do the Giro and he will, 'cause he isn't skipping it two years in a row.

However, Nibbles almost did a Giro/Vuelta double so that one is clearly humanly possible. Do the Giro and decide what next based on the fatigue level.

 

[jens_attacks]

well done to vincenzo, the strongest shape i've ever seen
super team work by michele. now just stay out of crashes plz guys