Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Bardamu]

Quite sure Nibali can atleast contend for victory in both Roubaix and Flanders if he targets them. If he is at 90% he might even be able to win Flanders this year.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Quite sure Nibali can atleast contend for victory in both Roubaix and Flanders if he targets them. If he is at 90% he might even be able to win Flanders this year.

There's no such thing.

 

[Bardamu]

Bit exaggerated ofcourse. Bu I believet he can win Flanders without making it the main goal of his season. For WC, Lombardia and LBL he needs to be at 110% to win it.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Bit exaggerated ofcourse. Bu I believet he can win Flanders without making it the main goal of his season. For WC, Lombardia and LBL he needs to be at 110% to win it.

He's probably gonna be worse in Vlaanderen than in San Remo. He's not gonna win there. And as a non-specialist, he can't get a result there if he's not at his very best.

 

[Velolover2]

He actually think he has a greater chance winning Flanders and even Roubaix than he does have at winning Liege.

At least with the current route of Liege. It favors the punchers too much.

 

[Bardamu]

He has the bike handling and the engine for it.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Quite sure Nibali can atleast contend for victory in both Roubaix and Flanders if he targets them. If he is at 90% he might even be able to win Flanders this year.

There's no such thing.

Of course not, he'll be at 95% and will not win Flanders this year. But, he'll be there starting with the 29th, testing frames and stuff and doing the short explosive climbs. To me it looks like he's serious to put in a respectable performance. As far as retiring, he definitely wants to be in Tokyo in 2020 and since Bahrain team is basically his initiative and they look pretty solid as far as financing goes I can't see reasons for him to retire until he can't do it anymore.

I was a bit worried last year that he'll start to fade but then he came back stronger in Vuelta and as strong as ever in Lombardia and now in March winning MSR. He still has it.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

He actually think he has a greater chance winning Flanders and even Roubaix than he does have at winning Liege.

At least with the current route of Liege. It favors the punchers too much.

Yeah, and Vlaanderen and Roubaix favour the rouleurs too much. He probably literally has the worst sprint in the peloton in those races, so he has to finish solo.

I kind of wonder how well he's suited to the Paterberg, cause I don't see him being great on the Oude Kwaremont.

 

[Sestriere]

Re: Re:

Quite sure Nibali can atleast contend for victory in both Roubaix and Flanders if he targets them. If he is at 90% he might even be able to win Flanders this year.

There's no such thing.

Of course not, he'll be at 95% and will not win Flanders this year. But, he'll be there starting with the 29th, testing frames and stuff and doing the short explosive climbs. To me it looks like he's serious to put in a respectable performance. As far as retiring, he definitely wants to be in Tokyo in 2020 and since Bahrain team is basically his initiative and they look pretty solid as far as financing goes I can't see reasons for him to retire until he can't do it anymore.

I was a bit worried last year that he'll start to fade but then he came back stronger in Vuelta and as strong as ever in Lombardia and now in March winning MSR. He still has it.

On the contrary, he is just about to enter the Valverde-phase of his career

 

[Ivan_Basso_77]

Re:

Quite sure Nibali can atleast contend for victory in both Roubaix and Flanders if he targets them. If he is at 90% he might even be able to win Flanders this year.

I don't think Nibbles has any huge expectations for this year's Ronde. No first experience in any race is easy. But if he is really up there in the final phases, I think he will be satisfied with that. Then in 1-2 years he may become a top contender for Ronde and PR.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Edit: about people still underestimating Vincenzo... well not sure what to say, just an interesting list.
Only riders winning Tour, Giro and 2 different monuments:
- Bartali
- Coppi
- Gimondi
- Merckx
- Hinault
- Nibali

Indeed, we're talking legendary riders here, nothing less, that's his legacy.

Nibali could end up with the Vuelta title as well, if Froome gets stripped for doping.
Neither Bartali nor Coppi won the Vuelta, which reduces the club to Merckx, Hinault, Gimondi

Nibs already has a Vuelta, the second one will be just an addition to his palmares for wikipedia. He's already in the Merckx, Hinault, Gimondi club.

All he needs is to win here in September:

 

[skippo12]

Re: Re:

Edit: about people still underestimating Vincenzo... well not sure what to say, just an interesting list.
Only riders winning Tour, Giro and 2 different monuments:
- Bartali
- Coppi
- Gimondi
- Merckx
- Hinault
- Nibali

Indeed, we're talking legendary riders here, nothing less, that's his legacy.

Nibali could end up with the Vuelta title as well, if Froome gets stripped for doping.
Neither Bartali nor Coppi won the Vuelta, which reduces the club to Merckx, Hinault, Gimondi

Nibali won the Vuelta in 2010...so he is already part of that club.
This year could be huge for him 2x Vuelta?, 2x Giro and maybe his last chance to win his second Tour. With the win in San Remo he already can be happy with the season so the pressure shouldn`t be a problem.

 

[Merckx index]

Also of note: Hinault and Contador are the only riders who have won at least two of every GT. Nibs could join that club this year, as noted upthread, and then he would also join the Badger as the only members of the 2/2/2/2 club.

 

[Rollthedice]

Also of note: Hinault and Contador are the only riders who have won at least two of every GT. Nibs could join that club this year, as noted upthread, and then he would also join the Badger as the only members of the 2/2/2/2 club.

I think that if the cycling gods would give him an offer to choose one last big win between Le Tour and the worlds he'll go for the rainbow jersey. Now, he has a real chance to win both this year but to actually win he'll need those three weeks where everything falls into place to the minute details and then to master the unpredictability of a one-day decisive race. Plus he needs to be in absolute top shape and with his voodoo skills intact.

 

[Climbing]

In my list I didn't mention riders with the triple crown because Vuelta wasn't considered at the same level before.
That was on purpose, since even not considering the Vuelta, it's still just 6 legendary riders in that list...

Yeah. imho Worlds would really complete the palmares, more than anything else.

 

[Rollthedice]

Video from the recon in Innsbruck, narrow roads, Delfino struggling a bit at the end:

https://youtu.be/_cynHUc9Z_I

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Video from the recon in Innsbruck, narrow roads, Delfino struggling a bit at the end:

https://youtu.be/_cynHUc9Z_I

Nice. Would be nicer with audio though.

I only now realise how annoying reconning Worlds and Olympics circuits must be with traffic.

Lastly, if the weather is like that, might as well select Antonio as well

 

[Gigs_98]

I like the fact that he did his recon ride with Thomas Rohregger who afaik played a big role in the organization of the race and the design of the route. Maybe he gave Nibali that little bit of extra insight needed for gold. :lol:

 

[May0maniac]

The weather wasn't nice, 1-2cm of snow durning the night and it was still snowing a bit durning the first half of the day, so it was rather cold, but that kind of weather would actually suit Nibali really well, both wellens and benoot would also become interesting contenders with bad weather.

 

[SHAD0W93]

If Valverde doesn't win than nibali would be a good replacement. I remember reading back in 10 and 11 on here with people not into him. Espically good because he was supposed to be worse than a schleck or kreuziger and has a better career than both put together.

 

[phanatic]

Re:

If Valverde doesn't win than nibali would be a good replacement. I remember reading back in 10 and 11 on here with people not into him. Espically good because he was supposed to be worse than a schleck or kreuziger and has a better career than both put together.

Andy had four white Jerseys, a TDF* and an LBL, before breaking his heart, his hip and his leg in successive years. Although, without that bad luck, Andy's presence may have thrown a wrench in the works and helped Nibali stand out more.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Andy had fearless vulnerability like Nibali
he was just more fragile.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Andy had fearless vulnerability like Nibali
he was just more fragile.

Man, Andy Schleck ended up being quite a sad story. The Ardennes and the Tour have really missed his presence. I think there's parallels between Schleck and Nibali where Schleck was basically a purer climber and a little better at changes of pace too, while Nibali is the far better bike handler and rouleur. Striking difference is that Nibali seems to love cycling a lot more and is mentally a lot tougher, whereas Schleck loved the Ardennes races and the Tour de France.

I think Schleck also shares similarities with Quintana in terms of GT ability, though Schleck never bothered with the Giro or Vuelta after he rode his first Tour. In one day races and shorter stage races it's no contest though.

Seriously, between Schleck, Nibali, Quintana, Froome and Contador, how many battles have never been?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Andy had fearless vulnerability like Nibali
he was just more fragile.

Man, Andy Schleck ended up being quite a sad story. The Ardennes and the Tour have really missed his presence. I think there's parallels between Schleck and Nibali where Schleck was basically a purer climber and a little better at changes of pace too, while Nibali is the far better bike handler and rouleur. Striking difference is that Nibali seems to love cycling a lot more and is mentally a lot tougher, whereas Schleck loved the Ardennes races and the Tour de France.

I think Schleck also shares similarities with Quintana in terms of GT ability, though Schleck never bothered with the Giro or Vuelta after he rode his first Tour. In one day races and shorter stage races it's no contest though.

Seriously, between Schleck, Nibali, Quintana, Froome and Contador, how many battles have never been?

Too many, don't make me depressed now.

 

[Frankschleck]

Re: Re:

Andy had fearless vulnerability like Nibali
he was just more fragile.

Man, Andy Schleck ended up being quite a sad story. The Ardennes and the Tour have really missed his presence. I think there's parallels between Schleck and Nibali where Schleck was basically a purer climber and a little better at changes of pace too, while Nibali is the far better bike handler and rouleur. Striking difference is that Nibali seems to love cycling a lot more and is mentally a lot tougher, whereas Schleck loved the Ardennes races and the Tour de France.

I think Schleck also shares similarities with Quintana in terms of GT ability, though Schleck never bothered with the Giro or Vuelta after he rode his first Tour. In one day races and shorter stage races it's no contest though.

Seriously, between Schleck, Nibali, Quintana, Froome and Contador, how many battles have never been?

Too many, don't make me depressed now.

Yeah thats sad. I really miss Schleck, he was entertaing and attacked a lot.