Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[lenric]

Re:

Really cool video

https://www.facebook.com/giroditalia/videos/10153742895618247/

Nibali's attitude towards Chavez parents was pure class.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Nibali definitely has a mentality of a champion and we witnessed it in this Giro. Fight till the last moment.

 

[dfromdub]

Re: Re:

Really cool video

https://www.facebook.com/giroditalia/videos/10153742895618247/

Nibali's attitude towards Chavez parents was pure class.

Yes, but do not forget that he whined when Contador mocked him on the Zoncolan '11, and that he also whined when Porte and Wiggins mocked in Tour '12, and whined after somebody made him crash at the Tour, and he only wins after other guys crash out, and he does not pay taxes, he's a comunist and he eats babies.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re: Re:

Really cool video

https://www.facebook.com/giroditalia/videos/10153742895618247/

Nibali's attitude towards Chavez parents was pure class.

Of course you're right, but I've never seen even the worst of the worst characters miss that kind of opportunity to exhume class.

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

Really cool video

https://www.facebook.com/giroditalia/videos/10153742895618247/

Nibali's attitude towards Chavez parents was pure class.

Agreed! He was humble and gracious as well as Chavito's parents.

Great to see a close up look at that moment in time.

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

Really cool video

https://www.facebook.com/giroditalia/videos/10153742895618247/

Nibali's attitude towards Chavez parents was pure class.

Yes, but do not forget that he whined when Contador mocked him on the Zoncolan '11, and that he also whined when Porte and Wiggins mocked in Tour '12, and whined after somebody made him crash at the Tour, and he only wins after other guys crash out, and he does not pay taxes, he's a comunist and he eats babies.

I'm not saying that Nibali is classy. I'm just stating that this particular attitude was classy.
Not only that, but we can't forget that Chavez parents also showed good will at congratulating the guy who dethroned his son, as Irondan pointed out.

 

[SeriousSam]

With Nibali's Giro victory imminent, it now is the time to dispassionately document the context of the race. Here's what I have so far.

- Landa withdraw with illness. Owing to his superior climbing ability and his surprisingly good ITT, he was the favourite for the Giro at the time of his exit.
- SK crashed. He had displayed superior climbing ability up to the crash and was the prohibitive favourite for the Giro at the time of his crash.

Any further context future generations will want to be aware of?

 

[Miburo]

Re:

With Nibali's Giro victory imminent, it now is the time to dispassionately document the context of the race. Here's what I have so far.

- Landa withdraw with illness. Owing to his superior climbing ability and his surprisingly good ITT, he was the favourite for the Giro at the time of his exit.
- SK crashed. He had displayed superior climbing ability up to the crash and was the prohibitive favourite for the Giro at the time of his crash.

Any further context future generations will want to be aware of?

Majka didn't take a pull in this race aswell.

 

[Robert5091]

Hope Nibali buys the first round for the team ... shows a strong team is needed for 3 weeks (unless you're a Contador of course)

 

[contador_attacks]

Chapeau, Vincenzo! It's great to see Astana delivering!
Bettini, Bettini.... What a mistake!

 

[Angliru]

Re:

He didn't deserve this giro, in stage 18, he blocked kruisjvick when valverde was attacking and this show that he was defeated and finished. In stage 19, god give him a present and he didn't anything to deserve that

He won. Get over it. His attack caused the leader at that time to make a mistake in judgment resulting in a serious crash and on the following stage dropped the race leader resulting in him snatching the Giro win. He earned it and with panache.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

I agree with Serious Sam that Nibali was very lucky, between Landa's illness and more crucial, SK's crash. He should never have won this Giro. But hats off to him for not giving up, fighting to the bitter end: that's the mark of a true champion.

I still believe that Nibbles' on the decline: he should have won by 5 minutes at least considering the opposition. But a win is a win is a win . Spectacular stage, great team tactics, wow! Bravo Il Squalo!

 

[The Principal Sheep]

Re:

With Nibali's Giro victory imminent, it now is the time to dispassionately document the context of the race. Here's what I have so far.

- Landa withdraw with illness. Owing to his superior climbing ability and his surprisingly good ITT, he was the favourite for the Giro at the time of his exit.
- SK crashed. He had displayed superior climbing ability up to the crash and was the prohibitive favourite for the Giro at the time of his crash.

Any further context future generations will want to be aware of?

Should point out that Landa quit on Stage 10 when he was 8th behind Kruijswijk, Nibali and Valverde.

Obviously history will show Nibali's incredible comeback over two stages from 4th & 4:43 behind to leading by 00:52.

General classification after stage 18
1 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 73:50:37
2 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge 0:03:00
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:23
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:04:43

General classification after stage 20
1 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 82:44:31
2 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge 0:00:52
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:17
4 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:01:50

 

[rafaelalencar]

My theory is that Nibali won the Giro because before he wasn't riding too hard. Chavez was, Kruiswjk was and Nibali was "sucking" a lot.
But, this situation made him the freshened and rested of all the GT contenders. Chavez was more tired than Nibali following Kruiswjk and the others and Kruiswjk is wounded so he wasn't anymore a real contender, it's a miracle that with a broken rib he finished the race!
If Kruiswjk didn't crash I really believe that he would win this Giro. But Kruiswjk can't blame anyone except himself, it was his mistake, that it's.
Nibali was luck, he thought that his Giro was over so he was not going to deep before yesterday but even great champions sometimes needs lady luck! Chapeau Nibali!

 

[rhubroma]

Re:

My theory is that Nibali won the Giro because before he wasn't riding too hard. Chavez was, Kruiswjk was and Nibali was "sucking" a lot.
But, this situation made him the freshened and rested of all the GT contenders. Chavez was more tired than Nibali following Kruiswjk and the others and Kruiswjk is wounded so he wasn't anymore a real contender, it's a miracle that with a broken rib he finished the race!
If Kruiswjk didn't crash I really believe that he would win this Giro. But Kruiswjk can't blame anyone except himself, it was his mistake, that it's.
Nibali was luck, he thought that his Giro was over so he was not going to deep before yesterday but even great champions sometimes needs lady luck! Chapeau Nibali!

But how does that square with attacking and getting caught, then getting dropped after having attacked, then getting stomped on the MTT? He had some issue, which obviously was overcome. But SK crashing changed everything. Nibali still would have performed exceptionally mind you in the last 2 stages, but not enough to win.

Bike racing is the strongest guy wins, normally, but that is not always the case. Hinault said as much.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

My theory is that Nibali won the Giro because before he wasn't riding too hard. Chavez was, Kruiswjk was and Nibali was "sucking" a lot.
But, this situation made him the freshened and rested of all the GT contenders. Chavez was more tired than Nibali following Kruiswjk and the others and Kruiswjk is wounded so he wasn't anymore a real contender, it's a miracle that with a broken rib he finished the race!
If Kruiswjk didn't crash I really believe that he would win this Giro. But Kruiswjk can't blame anyone except himself, it was his mistake, that it's.
Nibali was luck, he thought that his Giro was over so he was not going to deep before yesterday but even great champions sometimes needs lady luck! Chapeau Nibali!

But how does that square with attacking and getting caught, then getting dropped after having attacked, then getting stomped on the MTT? He had some issue, which obviously was overcome. But SK crashing changed everything. Nibali still would have performed exceptionally mind you in the last 2 stages, but not enough to win.

Bike racing is the strongest guy wins, normally, but that is not always the case. Hinault said as much.

Agree: his ITT was atrocious. No contender would ever take it easy on an ITT, lose close to two minutes on everybody that counts, to stay fresher than the rest.

Now the quote: was Hinault referring to the '86 TdF?

 

[yespatterns]

This Giro ending makes me lol. Sadly I used to be Nibali fan, but no more. Diva antics, skitching obscene car rides, and other suspicions best left to the clinic? I'm done with this classless rider.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re:

With Nibali's Giro victory imminent, it now is the time to dispassionately document the context of the race. Here's what I have so far.

- Landa withdraw with illness. Owing to his superior climbing ability and his surprisingly good ITT, he was the favourite for the Giro at the time of his exit.
- SK crashed. He had displayed superior climbing ability up to the crash and was the prohibitive favourite for the Giro at the time of his crash.

Any further context future generations will want to be aware of?

How about the context that Kruijswijk crashed owing to his poor descending skills after getting gapped by Nibali coming down a hill, which is still part of the sport of cycling, except in Javier Guillén's wet dreams?

 

[King Boonen]

Greatest GT rider of his generation does it again.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Greatest GT rider of his generation does it again.

Let the discussion start
Let me guess: Monument wins are more important for you and because Nibali is a gt rider and won a monument he is the greater gt rider than Contador although Contador has more gt wins?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Greatest GT rider of his generation does it again.

Let the discussion start
Let me guess: Monument wins are more important for you and because Nibali is a gt rider and won a monument he is the greater gt rider than Contador although Contador has more gt wins?

Pretty much, I've had this discussion with KB before. And frankly, I think its ludicrous - in terms of GC-racing, Contador is at least one level above Nibali, no matter how great of a rider Nibali is.

I could even make the argument, based on that argumentation, that Valverde is better than both.

 

[Netserk]

Tom Boonen is the greatest GT rider. Duh.

 

[dastott]

Considering his mechanical issues during the TT, it is churlish to say that Nibali got 'lucky' and didn't deserve to win. Great comeback from a real fighter. Was rooting for Steven K myself but what a showing from Lo Squalo. Chapeau!

 

[ferryman]

Just watched the stage again, that descent after Lombarda was a thing of beauty. Nigh on perfection on every corner from Nibbles.

 

[jilbiker]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

I agree with Serious Sam that Nibali was very lucky, between Landa's illness and more crucial, SK's crash. He should never have won this Giro. But hats off to him for not giving up, fighting to the bitter end: that's the mark of a true champion.

I still believe that Nibbles' on the decline: he should have won by 5 minutes at least considering the opposition. But a win is a win is a win . Spectacular stage, great team tactics, wow! Bravo Il Squalo!

I still have my doubts that Nibs would have beaten Kruijswijk if the crash did not happen. But everything fell in place at the right time. The Kruijswijk crash and then the confidence boost. It can happen. Not common to have all these elements drop in the hat at the same time but it happens. But thats where you know great champions, when you win when your engines are not firing on all cylinders. Sorry I got to ding Froome, for him to win, his engines have to be on full overdrive.