Summoned said:Did about what I expected, lost a minute to GC contenders today. Now a minute and a half or a little less behind top GC riders, I think he is precisely where he didn’t want to be - not completely beyond hope for a podium on the basis of time loss, but also pretty unlikely to get there. Currently at 20th in GC, which he can’t be happy with, and a lot of serious GC contenders between him and the podium.
Dropping time definitely makes the most sense, but I have never really thought Nibali particularly suited to stage hunting, or at least not from an early break. Think if he wants a stage, he is going to have to ride with the GC leaders, and either be the strongest on a stage, or hope that they will let him go at the end of the stage. A stage win is a stage win, I suppose, but am wondering if there is an argument for not dropping time.
No, he blew up completely. I rewatched the moto camera which was on him at some point in the finale. He was dropped and was struggling with Krushweak. Krush got a gap then Mollema passed from behind and Nibali got to his wheel. When that final 24% kicked in he almost got to a stand still. Though not his type of finish, he should have done better, it was just a reminder that he doesn't have the shape to contest the overall.Summoned said:Watched the finish of the stage again, and I am wondering if he was having a mechanical issue in the last 100 meters? He looked rough, no question, but the way he was riding made me think it may have been compounded by mechanical issues. But I really don’t have much knowledge to base that on.
:surprised: :surprised:Rollthedice said:Most likely he'll soldier on. The Lone Old Tired Wolf.
It's how it always was, that's Vincenzo. What's not very nice is that the team, by pushing him to ride the Tour is putting him an embarrassing situation. Maybe he can turn it around and win his sixth stage in the Tour but it will be very hard.Lequack said:Didn't expect that Giro would take so much out of him. But then again all of those who did the Giro seem kind fo second hand, Nibali, Zakarin, Simon Yates. But on the other hand Landa and Mollema are still going well.