Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[mihhint]

Re: Re:

I hope Nibali thinks higher of Tour de France than Rio just for the spectacle. It would be amazing if we had a really, really good Nibali in the Pyrenees

Impossible. He will ride the TdF not for GC else he can as well not show up in Rio.

Its not impossible, but its more likely he will be as bad as Contador 2015 or worse than contending for podium.

2015 Contador and 2016 Nibali ended their Giro in very different fashion though. Contador was finally broken by Astana in the last stage in 2015 after that super hard Giro that everyone talked about how brutal that racing was. While Nibali struggled through-out his lead-up and first 2.5 weeks, but finally found his best form in last few stages. Still a hard GT ofc for both, but perhaps Nibali is in better place right now than Contador was last year.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

I hope Nibali thinks higher of Tour de France than Rio just for the spectacle. It would be amazing if we had a really, really good Nibali in the Pyrenees

Impossible. He will ride the TdF not for GC else he can as well not show up in Rio.

Of course. Riding in the grupetto with Valverde, talking about Rio beaches, zika, maybe Brasil football. Still, I hope for one epic stage win.

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

I hope Nibali thinks higher of Tour de France than Rio just for the spectacle. It would be amazing if we had a really, really good Nibali in the Pyrenees

Impossible. He will ride the TdF not for GC else he can as well not show up in Rio.

Its not impossible, but its more likely he will be as bad as Contador 2015 or worse than contending for podium.

2015 Contador and 2016 Nibali ended their Giro in very different fashion though. Contador was finally broken by Astana in the last stage in 2015 after that super hard Giro that everyone talked about how brutal that racing was. While Nibali struggled through-out his lead-up and first 2.5 weeks, but finally found his best form in last few stages. Still a hard GT ofc for both, but perhaps Nibali is in better place right now than Contador was last year.

Contador 2015 would smashed nibali 2016, even aru would won against nibali...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I hope Nibali thinks higher of Tour de France than Rio just for the spectacle. It would be amazing if we had a really, really good Nibali in the Pyrenees

Impossible. He will ride the TdF not for GC else he can as well not show up in Rio.

Its not impossible, but its more likely he will be as bad as Contador 2015 or worse than contending for podium.

2015 Contador and 2016 Nibali ended their Giro in very different fashion though. Contador was finally broken by Astana in the last stage in 2015 after that super hard Giro that everyone talked about how brutal that racing was. While Nibali struggled through-out his lead-up and first 2.5 weeks, but finally found his best form in last few stages. Still a hard GT ofc for both, but perhaps Nibali is in better place right now than Contador was last year.

Contador 2015 would smashed nibali 2016, even aru would won against nibali...

Thats not the point, tho.

Mihhint, I definitely agree. I have hopes for Vincenzo.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Re: Re:

I hope Nibali thinks higher of Tour de France than Rio just for the spectacle. It would be amazing if we had a really, really good Nibali in the Pyrenees

Impossible. He will ride the TdF not for GC else he can as well not show up in Rio.

Of course. Riding in the grupetto with Valverde, talking about Rio beaches, zika, maybe Brasil football. Still, I hope for one epic stage win.

Far more likely that he has done 0 high intensity training since the giro, and will use the tour to get this in his system. I'll bet he will be the most aggressive rider in the 3 week, going for stage wins, and the rest of the time slave on the lower slopes/perhaps even on the flats if he is totally useless

 

[Pippo_San]

I really have no idea how Nibbles can prepare on the San Pellegrino. It just keep on raining there since a month ago.

 

[SafeBet]

Re: Re:

Aru has the objective to get on the podium, anything less would be a disappointment for Vino and Nibali says he'll have the role of "battitore libero" (maybe our Italian friends can translate this properly)

It comes from football and it refers to a player who doesn't have to guard a specific opponent.
Generally speaking it means somebody who can pursue his personal goals without particular obligations to the team or organization he belongs to.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Aru has the objective to get on the podium, anything less would be a disappointment for Vino and Nibali says he'll have the role of "battitore libero" (maybe our Italian friends can translate this properly)

It comes from football and it refers to a player who doesn't have to guard a specific opponent.
Generally speaking it means somebody who can pursue his personal goals without particular obligations to the team or organization he belongs to.

Sounds like stage wins. He won't be allowed in a break unless he drops big time early in the race and even then it would be a risk to give him too much time. You would think he would be expected to do some work for Aru.

 

[SafeBet]

I think he'll lose minutes in the first couple of hard stages and then stage hunt in the third week.

 

[El Pistolero]

http://www.pagana.it/prodotti/altair-bracelet-nibali/

So that's what Nibali always wears. I'd love to buy this one, but I don't think they ship outside of Italy?

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

I think he'll lose minutes in the first couple of hard stages and then stage hunt in the third week.

So basically the same as last year, but with valid excuse

 

[Pippo_San]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

And now with the insurgency of Superman López and his contract renewal it appears clear he won't stay at Astana any longer. Well we already knew but this is the nail in the coffin I say.

 

[Jspear]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

And now with the insurgency of Superman López and his contract renewal it appears clear he won't stay at Astana any longer. Well we already knew but this is the nail in the coffin I say.

Winning the TdS and the TdF are two different things. I'm not saying Nibbes will stay, but Lopez winning this race should hardly effect his decision. Lopez still has at least two years before he's challenging Aru and Nibbes in the pecking order.

 

[SeriousSam]

Valverde has just come out with another statement that he will absolutely sacrifice his stage ambitions for Quintana.

What has Nibali said regarding the Tour? Is he ready to bury himself for young Fabio?

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

And now with the insurgency of Superman López and his contract renewal it appears clear he won't stay at Astana any longer. Well we already knew but this is the nail in the coffin I say.

There was a meeting with the main men from Astana the days he won the Giro in front of their eyes, I'm sure they came with a generous offer but apparently nothing can change his mind, Bahrein will be his new team. There are rumours of 3-3.5 mil Euro/year salary. We'll probably get some sort of official news on the first rest day in TdF when Prince Nasser will hold a press conference.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

Valverde has just come out with another statement that he will absolutely sacrifice his stage ambitions for Quintana.

What has Nibali said regarding the Tour? Is he ready to bury himself for young Fabio?

Not quite.

Nibali says he'll have the role of "battitore libero" (maybe our Italian friends can translate this properly)

It comes from football and it refers to a player who doesn't have to guard a specific opponent.
Generally speaking it means somebody who can pursue his personal goals without particular obligations to the team or organization he belongs to.

He also said he is ready of course to fight alongside Aru.

 

[Pippo_San]

It's clear Astana has a certainty in Aru and a big chance in López.
Nibbles is 32, and his star won't shine for long.
A switch in teams in this moment in this situation looks like a given for him.

 

[Red Rick]

Nibali is 31, and doesn't have that much mileage compared to other riders.

 

[lenric]

Re:

Nibali is 31, and doesn't have that much mileage compared to other riders.

True, though he'll be 32 in November.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

Nibali is 31, and doesn't have that much mileage compared to other riders.

He completed 2 more GTs than Contador, one less than Valverde who's five years older, what other riders would that be?

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

Nibali is 31, and doesn't have that much mileage compared to other riders.

He completed 2 more GTs than Contador, one less than Valverde who's five years older, what other riders would that be?

Contador raced pretty much all of his GTs full gas, unlike Nibali. Valverde is competitive throughout the year. Meanwhile Nibali has been known to train with much less intensity over the winter than the likes of Contador and Valverde. Realistically, I'm sure Nibali's body is a lot further from breaking point than Contador or Valverde's

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Nibali is 31, and doesn't have that much mileage compared to other riders.

He completed 2 more GTs than Contador, one less than Valverde who's five years older, what other riders would that be?

Contador raced pretty much all of his GTs full gas, unlike Nibali. Valverde is competitive throughout the year. Meanwhile Nibali has been known to train with much less intensity over the winter than the likes of Contador and Valverde. Realistically, I'm sure Nibali's body is a lot further from breaking point than Contador or Valverde's

Yes you would think that Contador's body would have more wear and tear and Valverde is like the old racehorse who can't stop winning. Either Valverde is a special rider or the talent in the classics is not that great at the moment and his GT form is still at a high level.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

Nibali is 31, and doesn't have that much mileage compared to other riders.

He completed 2 more GTs than Contador, one less than Valverde who's five years older, what other riders would that be?

Contador raced pretty much all of his GTs full gas, unlike Nibali. Valverde is competitive throughout the year. Meanwhile Nibali has been known to train with much less intensity over the winter than the likes of Contador and Valverde. Realistically, I'm sure Nibali's body is a lot further from breaking point than Contador or Valverde's

Yes you would think that Contador's body would have more wear and tear and Valverde is like the old racehorse who can't stop winning. Either Valverde is a special rider or the talent in the classics is not that great at the moment and his GT form is still at a high level.

Yes I agree, Contador has been racing at a high level for two years longer than Nibali and I think we have already seen some early signs AC is passing his peak. Valverde is a bit of a freak at his age and longevity but he doesn't have the GT pedigree of the others. I don't think we can say Nibali is past his best if he can reproduce his form of the 2013 Giro or 2014 TDF he will be tough to beat at this year's TDF but I still favour the 26 year old and rising Quintana next month.

 

[cineteq]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

Several days without coming to this thread...and what do I read about? Contador. [sigh]

 

[cineteq]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

Martinelli: "We won't go to the Tour with two leaders. Vincenzo is an extra weapon. I don't want any rivalry"
Tour de France: Aru has 'blind faith' in Nibali

This is all I needed to hear to understand that Nibali is indeed the team leader for TdF! :twisted: