Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[hfer07]

My man Nibbs

That's how you Knock'em out!!!

 

[Eclipse]

Beautiful stage win. Looks a little off the pace but wouldn't at all be surprised to see the others fade a bit. Chaves will be one to keep an eye on though

 

[yaco]

Nibali will be there at the business end - Weak team and unaware of new signings to bolster his support in the mountains.

 

[Blanco]

Il Campione! Today showed why he is such a great rider. He never surrenders and always bounces back.

 

[Rollthedice]

He just got the green jersey, the Valverde speciality. Before the race I was hoping for a stage victory and the podium. The stage win came very quick, it was missing from his palmares. As for the podium, after today, I think he can win the Vuelta. The guys who dropped him all come from Le Tour, still riding on that form while he is still building his very best and nevertheless he was able to hang on and outsmart them to the line. To attack like he did in the last hundred meters or so you have to be strong so I am confident.

 

[Netserk]

Still hasn't crossed the line first at any point in his career on Spanish soil.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Still hasn't crossed the line first at any point in his career on Spanish soil.

Still, way off from Kittel's Giro standards.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

He just got the green jersey, the Valverde speciality. Before the race I was hoping for a stage victory and the podium. The stage win came very quick, it was missing from his palmares. As for the podium, after today, I think he can win the Vuelta. The guys who dropped him all come from Le Tour, still riding on that form while he is still building his very best and nevertheless he was able to hang on and outsmart them to the line. To attack like he did in the last hundred meters or so you have to be strong so I am confident.

Xorret del cati will be painful for him. How much time do you think he will lose there?

 

[Red Rick]

I wonder what Aru was thinking when Nibali attacked. He went from ZOMG NIBALI GOTTA CATCH YOU to losing meters real quick.

 

[Climbing]

Re:

I wonder what Aru was thinking when Nibali attacked. He went from ZOMG NIBALI GOTTA CATCH YOU to losing meters real quick.

Not sure to be honest, watching the final again... it wasn't even a surprise attack, just looked like he had more legs that any other...
Or maybe they talked together a moment when Nibali caught the group, looks like they had a very short exchange.

If the latter was the case, would be very similar to the Sagan one in Sheffield.

 

[Jspear]

Just saw the results....AC's performance was upsetting. Nibbes performance made me smile....this Vuelta might not be so bad!

 

[Red Rick]

Meanwhile, Antonio got a very solid 146th today, finishing well withing 20 minutes of his big bro. True force of nature.

 

[Climbing]

Another consideration, you could clearly see riders coming out of the Tour doing very well today in general, while Giro riders being a bit heavy.
I guess that situation might reverse later on in the race.
That's quite typical I guess.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Stages 5, 8, and 9 probably won't be good stages for Nibali but stage 11 is where the real climbing starts and where he must take time out of Froome.

 

[SafeBet]

He needs to ride defensively the whole first week. His team is awful and the muritos don't suit him.
His form look good compared to most other riders coming from the Giro though. The sparata to get the stage win was a thing of beauty.

 

[Rollthedice]

El Tiburon con Purito

 

[Jspear]

Re:

El Tiburon con Purito

What's his role within the team again?

 

[Rollthedice]

"Ambassador". Actually he's doing some good PR in Spain plus giving Vincenzo the correct names of the climbs.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re:

El Tiburon con Purito

Rodriguez been hitting the gym. Those aren't the arms of a cyclist

 

[Red Rick]

Man. Vincenzo Nibali doesn't look like a man with many years on the bike left.

 

[Climbing]

If every time they hit a climb full gas Nibali is without any team mates and has to recover 20+ positions alone is going to be a disaster.

 

[skippo12]

Nibali has need for a guy like Rodriguez on the road. He is isolated with 30 km to go on a cat 2 climb and was isolated yesterday as well.
He has great skill on the bike and knows how to position himself in the peleton but it would be nice to have at least one decent teammate. Pelizotti was a complete no show today and Visconti and Agnoli lost contact when the main group had around 50 riders.
It most likely will be like the Giro where Bahrain-Merida failed to get a useful helper in the break on all important mountain stages.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Nibali has need for a guy like Rodriguez on the road. He is isolated with 30 km to go on a cat 2 climb and was isolated yesterday as well.
He has great skill on the bike and knows how to position himself in the peleton but it would be nice to have at least one decent teammate. Pelizotti was a complete no show today and Visconti and Agnoli lost contact when the main group had around 50 riders.
It most likely will be like the Giro where Bahrain-Merida failed to get a useful helper in the break on all important mountain stages.

Rodriguez is prob still Nibali's best domestique at this point. They are just that bad, but it doesnt mean that much in the Vuelta thankfully.

 

[Baldinger]

Watched the last part of the stage again. Nibali started the last climb way way back in the group and had to close a big gap when Sky did their move.

 

[Rollthedice]

Well, the team looks worse than on paper, that's sure and one is already missing. Being a nice guy, Nibali said today's win is for the team and especially for Moreno. Hopefully at least Delfino will show up later.