Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[the asian]

I'm a little bit worried about the support from Team Astana. Nibs will have to rely on his famous grinding skills (a.l.a Vuelta 10)
Scarponi is his biggest danger.

 

[icefire]

"Great attacks by Wiggo"?

Last attack I recall from him was at a press conference. Is there any chance he gets an invite from RAI to Proccesso a la tappa?

 

[maxmartin]

I'm a little bit worried about the support from Team Astana. Nibs will have to rely on his famous grinding skills (a.l.a Vuelta 10)
Scarponi is his biggest danger.

Astana needs this rest day

 

[the asian]

Astana needs this rest day

yep. Hope Tira's and Kess's injuries heal.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Astana needs this rest day

I LOL but the reason is for another sub forum.

 

[Pentacycle]

"Great attacks by Wiggo"?

It's not what I'm expecting Wiggins to do, but I hope every rider in the top 7 will try to win, including Wiggins. Remember La Covatilla?

 

[the asian]

I LOL but the reason is for another sub forum.

How dare you insult Astana. They are part of MPCC now.

 

[The Hitch]

Last attack I recall from him was at a press conference. Is there any chance he gets an invite from RAI to Proccesso a la tappa?

And Sky thought even that was not conservative enough.

Now he just reads Bailsford scripts of a teleprompter.

 

[maxmartin]

Last stage wiggins got brought back by sky. They where climbing, all the favorites at the front. Wiggo just keeps hanging on the back. If he felt good he would just ride to the front, so he could react to potential attacks. He did not. That tells something about his form atm.

yep, first hand evidence from the rider within the peloton, much better than our speculation LOL

As for his take on the Giro in general, Betancur said he had seen “[Ryder] Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) having a crisis and [Bradley] Wiggins (Sky) in difficulty, and I’m convinced there’s a chance I’ll do something. I know that I’m six minutes down overall, but I can bounce back, there are a lot of climbs to come.”

 

[maxmartin]

I'm wondering about placing a bet on Nibali for the Tour though it seems his long odds of 33/1 reflect the likelihood Nibali won't even race the Tour. What do people think are the chances of him entering it with a real & realistic view to winning?

His next major goal is WC at his home soil, most likely he will ride Vuelta either for GC or just training , stage hunting, preparing for WC

 

[SafeBet]

Last attack I recall from him was at a press conference. Is there any chance he gets an invite from RAI to Proccesso a la tappa?

Top riders are always welcome there, they don't need an official invite and Wiggo knows that.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Top riders are always welcome there, they don't need an official invite and Wiggo knows that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfUmW_Mf5qc

 

[wwabbit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfUmW_Mf5qc

?
Wiggins is fluent in French

 

[Dazed and Confused]

?
Wiggins is fluent in French

you don't get very far working in France without speaking the local lingo.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

?
Wiggins is fluent in French

I don't know.
It's in italy, is he fluent in Italian?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I LOL but the reason is for another sub forum.

Just like every other team

 

[offbyone]

I don't know if Nibali can win this Giro as he is known for bad days, but I can only applaud him for his approach. He is racing to win and attacking often when chances allow for it. He deserves the honor of his current position. I hope he just finishes the race with the same approach whether it is in the jersey or not. He is hard rider not to admire.

 

[maxmartin]

I don't know if Nibali can win this Giro as he is known for bad days, but I can only applaud him for his approach. He is racing to win and attacking often when chances allow for it. He deserves the honor of his current position. I hope he just finishes the race with the same approach whether it is in the jersey or not. He is hard rider not to admire.

Agree with the most part, but he is not known for bad days. I don't know where did this myth come from? Yes, some stages he showed vulnerability but who doesn't in three week race and he always limited his loss very well. The only bad day I can think of is 2011 Giro, he lost quite a chunk of time to Scarponi.

 

[webbie146]

yep, first hand evidence from the rider within the peloton, much better than our speculation LOL

As for his take on the Giro in general, Betancur said he had seen “[Ryder] Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) having a crisis and [Bradley] Wiggins (Sky) in difficulty, and I’m convinced there’s a chance I’ll do something. I know that I’m six minutes down overall, but I can bounce back, there are a lot of climbs to come.”

Jup, confirms what we have seen. You don't keep riding at the back of the peleton when your climbing if your good. Tomorrow will truly show how Wiggo's form is though.

 

[offbyone]

Agree with the most part, but he is not known for bad days. I don't know where did this myth come from? Yes, some stages he showed vulnerability but who doesn't in three week race and he always limited his loss very well. The only bad day I can think of is 2011 Giro, he lost quite a chunk of time to Scarponi.

And don't forget contador. He has struggled on TTs before as well. Having a hard time recollecting other specific ones in grand tours, but he has certainly struggled on big climbing days in smaller races before.

 

[jamesmasters]

Now that's total bs. I'm not saying Wiggins is gonna crush it, but saying he is out of contention is pathetic.

I'm usually against this forum's continual underrating of Wiggins but this time I have to say that they are right.

All this talk about the new magic numbers just sounds like a load of bull to me. Last year he was capable of causing some serious pain to even Tony Martin and the Dawg in time trials. This year he can't cause any pain even to inferior TT rider Nibali (a pin-***, maybe). Last year he was very difficult to drop on the climbs. This year he has been struggling on the back of the peloton and tomorrow I think we will see him dropped for good. And all that is without even mentioning his horrendous descending.

 

[maxmartin]

I'm usually against this forum's continual underrating of Wiggins but this time I have to say that they are right.

All this talk about the new magic numbers just sounds like a load of bull to me. Last year he was capable of causing some serious pain to even Tony Martin and the Dawg in time trials. This year he can't cause any pain even to inferior TT rider Nibali (a pin-***, maybe). Last year he was very difficult to drop on the climbs. This year he has been struggling on the back of the peloton and tomorrow I think we will see him dropped for good. And all that is without even mentioning his horrendous descending.

Inferior TTer? Nibali already beat Wiggins in ITT 2010 Giro.
http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=17397
If you want to take Wiggins' magical transformation in the past two years as new normal, then oh well.

 

[jamesmasters]

Inferior TTer? Nibali already beat Wiggins in ITT 2010 Giro.
http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=17397
If you want to take Wiggins' magical transformation in the past two years as new normal, then oh well.

I actually meant that Nibali was inferior in TT to Tony Martin and Froome, who Wiggins was putting more time into last year than he did into Nibali on Stage 8.

But yes, Nibali is also inferior in TT to Wiggins, unless despite his claims to be in the form of his life Wiggins has regressed to 2010 levels. I would have thought that was a pretty uncontroversial claim to make.

 

[maxmartin]

I actually meant that Nibali was inferior in TT to Tony Martin and Froome, who Wiggins was putting more time into last year than he did into Nibali on Stage 8.

But yes, Nibali is also inferior in TT to Wiggins, unless despite his claims to be in the form of his life Wiggins has regressed to 2010 levels. I would have thought that was a pretty uncontroversial claim to make.

like I said if you believe Wiggins and Froom's magical transformation as new normal, then yes Nibali is not as good as them.

 

[maxmartin]

as expected. Nibali is strong, calm and calculated. Bravo to Angoli, come from the back of group, pull the life out of him. Still a little worried, where were his other teammates in the high mountain?