Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Rollthedice]

Re:

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.

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.

Slongo said today that he cracked more mentally than with his legs, it's useless to continue if you are not convinced in what you can do. He said that Nibali is not even disappointed. Take some rest and find new objectives.

 

[HelloDolly]

NIbali should not be at the Tour ..he was never going ot make a dent on GC and why would a champion want to try and win a stage which is not guaranteed .. Shame as Niblai could have had rest and done the Vuelta and the worlds

 

[Summoned]

I think I said it earlier, but I agree that he is not really equipped to be a stage hunter. That being the case, I think dropping out now makes a lot of sense.

One thing I find slightly interesting is that he has not asked much of the other riders from Bahrain Merida thus far. I really do think they made an effort to allow for the other riders to pursue their own objectives in the Tour as much as possible. Which makes me think that Dennis may be targeting more than the ITT, that Teuns will try again, and that there is absolutely no reason for Caruso to be at the Tour.

 

[Carols]

Re:

So stupid TBM forcing him to ride the Tour... not easy to have a decent finale of the season either... but he has to try, he lacks racing, must race a lot this season imho.

Totally agree. And if he believes he doesn't 'have it' he won't. Why they couldn't let him skip the Tour and fight for Vuelta and Worlds is beyond me. This way they get Nothing instead of possible late season wins. Poor Vince. Maybe he'll 'get sick' and pull out. But he's not that kind of guy.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

So stupid TBM forcing him to ride the Tour... not easy to have a decent finale of the season either... but he has to try, he lacks racing, must race a lot this season imho.

Totally agree. And if he believes he doesn't 'have it' he won't. Why they couldn't let him skip the Tour and fight for Vuelta and Worlds is beyond me. This way they get Nothing instead of possible late season wins. Poor Vince. Maybe he'll 'get sick' and pull out. But he's not that kind of guy.

 

[Carols]

He's not going anywhere! Never Give Up!

Ci sono giornate dove si regalano emozioni speciali e poi ci sono giornate dure come queste, tutto questo fa parte del nostro sport come nella vita quotidiana . Never give up. @letourdefrance #sprintcycling @bettiniphoto #photo @lucabettini87

There are days where special emotions are given and then there are hard days like these, all this is part of our sport as in everyday life. Never give up. @Letourdefrance #sprintcycling @bettiniphoto #photo @ lucabettini87

 

[Lequack]

Nibali hits back at Tour de France armchair critics after losing time
'It's easy to watch the Tour on TV and criticise people on social media' says Italian

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/nibali-hits-back-at-tour-de-france-armchair-critics-after-losing-time/

 

[IndianCyclist]

He is unnecessarily getting wound up. Other than Dumoulin or Froome nobody has managed the Giro Tour double well. Slongo and TBM created the hype for GC and so fans will expect. Nobody commented in 2016 when he did the TDF as training for the Olympics as there was no such expectation.

 

[Rollthedice]

Today we got a reminder that Nibali is still in this (for him) stupid race.

"Today I was much better, it was right to try. The break was good but the group did not leave space, we pushed to try to gain time but in the end it was a very tough stage. The day before yesterday I was very ill, yesterday with the time trial I tried to get myself together. Today the sensations were good, we take a little step at a time: if you go on the break there are signs of recovery for the next stages but I don't want to put things in my head because it's difficult “.

 

[Gigs_98]

I think stage 18 is his big opportunity. Winning the queen stage of this tour would be a really nice achievement for a race he doesn't even really want to be at.

 

[Red Rick]

Any comments after the stage today? That was just painful to see.

 

[Carols]

Re:

Any comments after the stage today? That was just painful to see.

I wish he'd go home!

 

[Climbing]

Such a wasted opportunity, stupid team...
Would have been a proper try at the Vuelta and nice end of the season, now it's a bit harder to build up for it, we'll see.

 

[IndianCyclist]

It is obvious that unlike Landa he did not train as well as he had no motivation. Slongo kept the hype alive with his comments just to keep the team management happy. The team is in news for all wrong reasons. I suppose if this is training then he will still be good for Lombardia

 

[SafeBet]

Sickness didn't help. He might recover and be a factor in the Alps, but can't deny this looks like a waste of race days.

 

[Climbing]

Yeah, but I think he needed a lot of racing this year, okay could have achieved that with the Vuelta.
He was pushing such low cadence gear in the Giro, that must come from the long recovery and lack of racing, I expect the old end 2017 Nibali in some part of this year.
I hope at least.

 

[Mayomaniac]

According to La Gazzetta his schedule after the Tour will be:
Deutschland Tour
Maybe the Canadian one day races
The Italian autumn races

 

[movingtarget]

He should have done the Vuelta. Giro/Vuelta is the logical combination if you are targeting GC. Stage hunting for grand tour winners makes no sense but then it works for Simon Yates but maybe not so much for older legs.

 

[Gigs_98]

And for once the vuelta route even would have kinda suited him. This is so f*cking annoying.

Still hope he can do something on the galibier. He did look decent on the tourmalet stage after all. But already this year feels kinda wasted and there are so little good years with him left

 

[Red Rick]

https://www.corriere.it/sport/19_luglio_23/tour-visto-fondosono-cotto-ma-non-triste-35c4736a-acb3-11e9-8470-d02c1b58748e.shtml?refresh_ce-cp

Nibali saying TBM managment is a shitshow. He told them he couldn't do both GTs for GC, and now he's burnt out after trying. Doesn't to be in a terrible state of mind though. Also insists he's not too old to win GTs and he'll be too old when he decides he's too old.

 

[Midnightfright]

Re:

https://www.corriere.it/sport/19_luglio_23/tour-visto-fondosono-cotto-ma-non-triste-35c4736a-acb3-11e9-8470-d02c1b58748e.shtml?refresh_ce-cp

Nibali saying TBM managment is a shitshow. He told them he couldn't do both GTs for GC, and now he's burnt out after trying. Doesn't to be in a terrible state of mind though. Also insists he's not too old to win GTs and he'll be too old when he decides he's too old.

Muddies the water of the Dennis situation further when Nibali is openly criticising them as well

 

[SafeBet]

That's actually one of the nicest interviews I've ever read from him. Very human, honest. I like when he says that even a Tour ridden in 50th position deserves to be finished: "I'm not sick, I'm not injured, why should I go home?".

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

https://www.corriere.it/sport/19_luglio_23/tour-visto-fondosono-cotto-ma-non-triste-35c4736a-acb3-11e9-8470-d02c1b58748e.shtml?refresh_ce-cp

Nibali saying TBM managment is a shitshow. He told them he couldn't do both GTs for GC, and now he's burnt out after trying. Doesn't to be in a terrible state of mind though. Also insists he's not too old to win GTs and he'll be too old when he decides he's too old.

My rivals in this Tour? I think Evenepoel is dangerous but he's a bit old now, don't you think?

 

[Red Rick]

That face app is ruining my enjoyment of everything.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

That face app is ruining my enjoyment of everything.

It must have been used longer than I thought.

I find it really annoying as well.