Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

Page 661 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Apr 10, 2019
12,071
15,987
23,180
I wouldn't mind de Jongh replacing Slongo, just saying...
Edit: And of course he should try something on stage 16.
 
Apr 15, 2016
4,227
659
17,680
I agree. But there is also a fair argument for saving legs for an ambush at stage 17 ( yes, stage 17, not the Stelvio one ). But he needs great legs, and allies, lots of it. Call Vino, Ineos, Pozzo etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gregrowlerson
Mar 13, 2009
29,413
3,482
28,180
the thing is, he can't really use his team to make an ambush. And the teams he is trying to ambush have shown to have by far the strongest climbing squads here.

Let's not kid here.. Nibali got dropped by Hamilton for goodness sake, and not even the GOOD Hamilton, no the other Hamilton.. Unless he miracolously find some legs, somewhere, it's completely impossible to do anything
 
  • Like
Reactions: Summoned
Apr 15, 2016
4,227
659
17,680
the thing is, he can't really use his team to make an ambush. And the teams he is trying to ambush have shown to have by far the strongest climbing squads here.

Let's not kid here.. Nibali got dropped by Hamilton for goodness sake, and not even the GOOD Hamilton, no the other Hamilton.. Unless he miracolously find some legs, somewhere, it's completely impossible to do anything
That's why I said he needs allies. And yes, he needs great legs.
 
Feb 20, 2012
53,883
44,271
28,180
the thing is, he can't really use his team to make an ambush. And the teams he is trying to ambush have shown to have by far the strongest climbing squads here.

Let's not kid here.. Nibali got dropped by Hamilton for goodness sake, and not even the GOOD Hamilton, no the other Hamilton.. Unless he miracolously find some legs, somewhere, it's completely impossible to do anything
Be careful, lest he just goes off in descent again with someone on his wheel

But at the very least I hope he's better than frigging Hamilton on Stelvio and Agnello
 
May 14, 2017
1,531
1,372
13,680
the thing is, he can't really use his team to make an ambush. And the teams he is trying to ambush have shown to have by far the strongest climbing squads here.

Let's not kid here.. Nibali got dropped by Hamilton for goodness sake, and not even the GOOD Hamilton, no the other Hamilton.. Unless he miracolously find some legs, somewhere, it's completely impossible to do anything

He got dropped by worse climbers in previous editions and he basically was just as good as he was in 2017. Simply not enough against Skypostal...I mean Sunweb. His only remaining advantage is the high altitude of the Stelvio, Agnello and Izoard. Based on his history that´s where he is at his strongest. We will see if that´s still the case this year.
 
Feb 20, 2012
53,883
44,271
28,180
Strongest probably means he might be good enough to get 5th then bazooka that away doing Nibali things.
 
Jan 18, 2020
253
150
4,230
If he does his amazing third week super peak thing again he won't need allies and if he doesn't they won't help him anyway
 
Feb 18, 2015
13,818
9,804
28,180
It's an interesting question whether he should attack on stage 16 and 17. Don't think he'll do it on stage 16, but 17 would be an interesting chance. Problem is that with how weak his team is every attack basically either needs support from other attackers or it has to be a monstrous solo effort. And with stage 18 being the queen stage and suiting him perfectly maybe it's the right call to put all eggs in one basket. Big attacks on Stelvio and Agnello/Izoard and see what happens.
 

Anybody_but..

BANNED
Sep 27, 2020
410
171
980
2014 Giro at second rest day: Quintana was 5th, 2:40 behind the leader.
2016 Giro at second rest day: Nibali was 3rd, 2:51 behind the leader.
2018 Giro at second rest day: Froome was in 7th, 4:52 behind the leader.

All three of them ended up winning the race.

Today, Nibali is 3:29 down, in 7th place. Victory is by no means out of the question.
He can be compared to Quintana or Contador, but Froome is the greatest champion of second decade (with 2018 Giro the best of the best), so there is no hope for Nibali.
 
Feb 20, 2012
53,883
44,271
28,180
He can be compared to Quintana or Contador, but Froome is the greatest champion of second decade (with 2018 Giro the best of the best), so there is no hope for Nibali.
The entire situations aren't comparable. Even if we ignore a part of the peloton suddenly going much faster, if you give 2018 Froome Nibali's Trek team here he never wins that Giro
 
May 19, 2014
2,787
1,032
14,680
Nibali must channel his voodoo one last time. Tomorrow he'll have the time to make a dance to the god of mischief
 
Sep 26, 2020
25,324
27,818
23,180
Now he's been crucified, and in three days time the resurrection of the Messiah of Messina can finally begin... baggus dickus
 
Sep 2, 2011
17,527
13,743
28,180
Estimated power for Piancavallo should be around 5,9 w/kg for over 40 minutes. It's in line with his performances in his Bahrein days. I don't think this will be enough against Sunweb/Ineos even factoring in altitude, third week, ect...
 
Feb 20, 2012
53,883
44,271
28,180
Estimated power for Piancavallo should be around 5,9 w/kg for over 40 minutes. It's in line with his performances in his Bahrein days. I don't think this will be enough against Sunweb/Ineos even factoring in altitude, third week, ect...
Lopez was 5.9 on Col de la Loze.

Ignore everything else, should have gone to the Tour.
 
May 11, 2013
13,995
5,289
28,180
Estimated power for Piancavallo should be around 5,9 w/kg for over 40 minutes. It's in line with his performances in his Bahrein days. I don't think this will be enough against Sunweb/Ineos even factoring in altitude, third week, ect...

They say that third week is another sport. Stelvio, Izoard, Agnello are quite different to Piancavallo, if he is pushing watts close to his best post 2013/14 then he can do something.
 
Feb 20, 2012
53,883
44,271
28,180
They say that third week is another sport. Stelvio, Izoard, Agnello are quite different to Piancavallo, if he is pushing watts close to his best post 2013/14 then he can do something.
I'm willing to believe he did himself no favors by blowing up and maybe could've done 6.0. I don't believe he can do 2014 all of a sudden and not even that would be enough.

Hell 5.9 was the number for MAL in the Tour on Col de la Loze. An hour at 5.9 at an average altitude above the finish of Piancavallo. And the gaps in the top were small there. It's like they're not even in the same race.
 
May 9, 2016
70
60
2,780
The realistic goal should be a podium. Which would be number 12 in a GT. Twelve. With Hinault, Merckx, Gimondi, 1 more than Froome. Record is 13, Anquetil. Just to show a much of a champion he is.

Now onto the real stuff. Piancavallo was ridden fast, and in non-Nibali fashion (hard continuous pace from almost the bottom, a la Sky-train). Madonna di Campiglio might also be a problem if ridden in the same way. (By the way that's a weird stage, most likely outcome is all waiting for the final climb, but that side of Bondone is a crazy hard climb, let's see if anything happens there...)

But Stelvio, Agnello and Izoard are different beasts. Longer, high altitude, and you are bound to go mano a mano in the final kms. This is where IMHO Nibali is at his bests: slower approach, only heads of states remaining, and full battle with no or little domestiques help. Think about Tour 2015: nowhere on PSM with Sunweb Sky drilling, but probably the second best climber on the Alps.

Back to reality. Kelderman looks unbeatable. But I struggle to believe there are other two riders stronger than him on the Stelvio or Izoard.