Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[User Guide]

Szymd and Basso are getting old and already have the massive giro in the legs, did you see anyone with the giro performed in the tour? I think this tour will be a career turning point for lots of GC and non-GC guys.

^^^ this,also a shame they went all out for Basso in Giro rather than Nibali in TDF

 

[whittashau]

Too bad Koren went all out at the Tour of Slovakia as well

 

[maxmartin]

Too bad Koren went all out at the Tour of Slovakia as well

even he didn't I doubt he will be any useful, SKY pace is just unbelievably high, did you see any domestiques can stick with SKY pace besides the team leader? Maybe VANENDERT Jelle for a brief moment on stage 8.

 

[SafeBet]

Szymd and Basso are getting old and already have the massive giro in the legs, did you see anyone with the giro performed in the tour? I think this tour will be a career turning point for lots of GC and non-GC guys.

Massive Giro? It was on of the easiest of the last ten years. Fact is nobody who rides the Giro can be competitive in the Tour (with very few exceptions) regardless of how hard the Giro was. It's simply too much for a human body.

It was crazy to believe they would've been of any use anyway. Szmyd hasn't been a reliable domestique for two years now, and Basso showed in the Giro he's no longer a top rider. The team was weak from the beginning.

 

[maxmartin]

Massive Giro? It was on of the easiest of the last ten years. Fact is nobody who rides the Giro can be competitive in the Tour (with very few exceptions) regardless of how hard the Giro was. It's simply too much for a human body.

Any grand tour in my opinion is massive.
Like you said, and I agree, it is almost impossible to be competitive in two consecutive GT if raced relatively clean. Is F racing vuelta?

 

[SafeBet]

F being Froome?
Of course he is. And wouldn't be surprised if he podiums there. I was talking about human beings, not freaking cyborgs

 

[maxmartin]

F being Froome?
Of course he is. And wouldn't be surprised if he podiums there. I was talking about human beings, not freaking cyborgs

Agree my friend, but it will be extremely interesting and entertaining to see Froom battle with AC and AS. Vueta might turn out to be best of this year.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Agree my friend, but it will be extremely interesting and entertaining to see him battle with AC and AS. Vueta might turn out to be best of this year.

It will be an interesting Vuelta. Contador, Schleck (or not?), Gesink, Mollema, De Gendt & Van den Broeck (unless both change their mind)...

Edit: wait, you were talking about Froome doing the Vuelta? And Nibali?

 

[Parrulo]

nibali said a few weeks before the tour that he took bettini's advice and would ride the vuelta like bettini used to do in the past, which is racing for stage wins and preparing for the worlds.

a shame imo

 

[maxmartin]

It will be an interesting Vuelta. Contador, Schleck (or not?), Gesink, Mollema, De Gendt & Van den Broeck (unless both change their mind), Nibali...

Nibali is out, he wanted to race Vuelta. But team management declined his request and arranged him to race USA cycling challenge probably because of his departure at the end of season. I actually think it is good for him, vuelta might be a little too much for him, i think he can be better prepared for worlds by not racing vuelta.

I am interested who is going to be GC leader of Liquisgas? My bet is Damiano Caruso. (maybe CAPECCHI Eros too).

P.S. I hope Moser ride too.

 

[maxmartin]

It will be an interesting Vuelta. Contador, Schleck (or not?), Gesink, Mollema, De Gendt & Van den Broeck (unless both change their mind)...

Edit: wait, you were talking about Froome doing the Vuelta? And Nibali?

I am talking freaky Froom.

 

[SafeBet]

Nibali is out, he wanted to race Vuelta. But team management declined his request and arranged him to race USA cycling challenge probably because of his departure at the end of season. I actually think it is good for him, vuelta might be a little too much for him, i think he can be better prepared for worlds by not racing vuelta.

I am interested who is going to be GC leader of Liquisgas? My bet is Damiano Caruso. (maybe CAPECCHI Eros too).

P.S. I hope Moser ride too.

Lo Squalo will focus on the Worls and autumn italian races hopefully. He might give us a great finish to a great season.

Capecchi and Caruso are gonna be co-captain at the Vuelta. Sarmiento should get his chances too. Free roles is what they need after heavy controlled racing for the past few GTs.

 

[the asian]

Nibali is out, he wanted to race Vuelta. But team management declined his request and arranged him to race USA cycling challenge probably because of his departure at the end of season. I actually think it is good for him, vuelta might be a little too much for him, i think he can be better prepared for worlds by not racing vuelta.

I am interested who is going to be GC leader of Liquisgas? My bet is Damiano Caruso. (maybe CAPECCHI Eros too).

P.S. I hope Moser ride too.

That means he should also ride the Canadian Pro Tour races. That is ideal preparation for the Worlds.

 

[maxmartin]

Hope there is blood today

 

[ilmaffe]

I was looking the results of Tour 2009 when Vincenzo got the 7 place and I've a question for you guys: is Vincenzo really improved in the last three years? In that Tour he was really good in the first TT, superbe in Verbier, constant in the Alps, with just a bad day in the long TT. Yes he finished 7 minutes behind Contador but it was a impressive Tour. Today AC, AS and Lance aren't here, Frank and Kloden are out of shape, Wiggins've the yellow jersey and Vincenzo is still behind.
Of course his way of riding is amazing and personally I'm really a big fan, but I'm a bit doubtful about his impromevent since 2009

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I was looking the results of Tour 2009 when Vincenzo got the 7 place and I've a question for you guys: is Vincenzo really improved in the last three years? In that Tour he was really good in the first TT, superbe in Verbier, constant in the Alps, with just a bad day in the long TT. Yes he finished 7 minutes behind Contador but it was a impressive Tour. Today AC, AS and Lance aren't here, Frank and Kloden are out of shape, Wiggins've the yellow jersey and Vincenzo is still behind.
Of course his way of riding is amazing and personally I'm really a big fan, but I'm a bit doubtful about his impromevent since 2009

He can attack in the mountains now, where as before he grinded with as best as he could, trying not to loose time.
Now he attacks for top 3, before he tried as best as he could to defend himself to a top 5ish position.
Atleast in the mountains he is clearly stronger now than before compared to his rivals (have no data for wattage or anything like that thought)

 

[gustienordic]

I was looking the results of Tour 2009 when Vincenzo got the 7 place and I've a question for you guys: is Vincenzo really improved in the last three years? In that Tour he was really good in the first TT, superbe in Verbier, constant in the Alps, with just a bad day in the long TT. Yes he finished 7 minutes behind Contador but it was a impressive Tour. Today AC, AS and Lance aren't here, Frank and Kloden are out of shape, Wiggins've the yellow jersey and Vincenzo is still behind.
Of course his way of riding is amazing and personally I'm really a big fan, but I'm a bit doubtful about his impromevent since 2009

also, it is not as if his opponents have stayed the same, they have also been improving big time, so its very hard to compare people...

 

[ilmaffe]

He can attack in the mountains now, where as before he grinded with as best as he could, trying not to loose time.
Now he attacks for top 3, before he tried as best as he could to defend himself to a top 5ish position.
Atleast in the mountains he is clearly stronger now than before compared to his rivals (have no data for wattage or anything like that thought)

Of course you're a right, but if AC and AS here he would probably battle for 4/5, based on what we saw in the Giro last year. I love his attacks, he's amazing, but I don't know if he really stepped up or it's a matter of weaker field

 

[SafeBet]

Of course you're a right, but if AC and AS here he would probably battle for 4/5, based on what we saw in the Giro last year. I love his attacks, he's amazing, but I don't know if he really stepped up or it's a matter of weaker field

You can't be sure about that. With Conti and Andy in the Tour, racing would be very different. There would be a lot of attacks and you can't be sure of how Wiggo and Sky as a team would respond to that.

I believe the way he rides has improved vastly.

 

[maxmartin]

Of course you're a right, but if AC and AS here he would probably battle for 4/5, based on what we saw in the Giro last year. I love his attacks, he's amazing, but I don't know if he really stepped up or it's a matter of weaker field

I think he improved quite a lot. Just a couple years ago, almost everybody was saying in this forum that he is a non-attacker, look at him now!!!!

And that is a big IF, in my personal opinion, nobody is at AC level when he is at his best, but for AS if he was in this tour, Nibali will be ahead of him and even have the chance of winning the whole damn thing by using AS to wear out W and F.

 

[ilmaffe]

I believe the way he rides has improved vastly.

That's the point. He rides in a superbe way now, even above the line. His maturation is impressive and of course he's one of the bravest in the peloton. Maybe he doesn't ride faster, but sure he rides better.

 

[Carols]

I think he improved quite a lot. Just a couple years ago, almost everybody was saying in this forum that he is a non-attacker, look at him now!!!!

And that is a big IF, in my personal opinion, nobody is at AC level when he is at his best, but for AS if he was in this tour, Nibali will be ahead of him and even have the chance of winning the whole damn thing by using AS to wear out W and F.

This...Nibali has definitely improved, both in attacking and climbing and his first ITT was darned good for him. With AS and a decent team Wiggo/Froome would crack allowing Nibali a much better chance of the overall victory.

If an on form Contador were here everyone would be riding for 2nd place though...IMO of course

 

[Pippo_San]

Of course you're a right, but if AC and AS here he would probably battle for 4/5, based on what we saw in the Giro last year.

Woulda coulda shoulda.
He's third on GC, Tour 2012. Everything else is just wishful thinking, like the supposed Kreuziger's "better motor" or the laughable comparisons with Gesink.

I could say he would've won this year Giro for what it matters.

 

[ilmaffe]

I must repeat: I love Vincenzo, he's the most exciting rider in this Tour and probably in the peloton. He's riding a fantastic Tour and he's the only real threat to the Sky's kingdom, a podium in Paris would be well deserved (but be careful, he often struggled in the last mountain stage: Tour 2009, Giro 2010-2011).
I was just looking at 2009 results and I think his Tour was underrated, he was already a great rider ipwith excellent rivals. Looking back at 2009, other riders such JVDB made enormous progresses, he's constant at an high level and of course more mature and able to attack.

 

[Eshnar]

Woulda coulda shoulda.
He's third on GC, Tour 2012. Everything else is just wishful thinking, like the supposed Kreuziger's "better motor" or the laughable comparisons with Gesink.

I could say he would've won this year Giro for what it matters.

by a mile
And the Giro would have been epic, with Nibs in pink attacking at every descent and climb