Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[SafeBet]

He's not going to be ready for Laigueglia and he will possibly miss Tirreno and Sanremo too.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

No Sanremo

"I've been stopped too long, you can't improvise"
Italy's latest winner of the Classicissima drops out:
He had Covid, then tonsillitis and fever.
With only 5 days in the legs: “I don't feel like doing [Sanremo].
I don't have the base, I don't have the condition,
I don't know how I am yet "

Nibali rinuncia alla Sanremo: “Non si può improvvisare”

L’ultimo vincitore italiano della Classicissima (2018) si arrende: ha avuto il Covid, poi tonsillite e febbre. Nelle gambe solo 5 giorni di gare: “Non mi sento di andare a correrla. Non ho il fondo, non ho la condizione, non so ancora come sto”

www.gazzetta.it

 

[Nirvana]

Yesterday he wrote on Facebook that he trained for the first time since he got COVID, basically it's like he had a winter break so it's a logical choice to not throw himself into racing without putting at least some base work.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

The return to the peloton of Vincenzo Nibali at the Milan-Torino
(but not on Saturday at the Milan-Sanremo), :

"I'm a little better, but we have to go step by step.
Between Covid and tonsillitis , I lost almost 20 days.
It was serious, because I contracted the streptococcal bacteria, even ended up in the emergency room.
And I took antibiotics for eight days.

In Italiano here:

Milano-Sanremo, i big al via: Ganna ci prova, Nibali no. Bettiol c'è, dubbio Colbrelli

Il campione olimpico ha la febbre da domenica. Vincenzo riparte dalla Milano-Torino dopo Covid, streptococco e antibiotici

www.gazzetta.it

 

[Carols]

The return to the peloton of Vincenzo Nibali at the Milan-Torino
(but not on Saturday at the Milan-Sanremo), :

In Italiano here:

Milano-Sanremo, i big al via: Ganna ci prova, Nibali no. Bettiol c'è, dubbio Colbrelli

Il campione olimpico ha la febbre da domenica. Vincenzo riparte dalla Milano-Torino dopo Covid, streptococco e antibiotici

www.gazzetta.it

It will be Great just to see him on the road again! Zero expectations except to gain some strength in his legs.

 

[DoYouEvenRideBruh]

I understand him well. I also got hit with both mono and strepto last month. Not pleasant.

Incidentally, that's also why you won't get to see me at Milano-Sanremo

 

[Red Rick]

I understand him well. I also got hit with both mono and strepto last month. Not pleasant.

Incidentally, that's also why you won't get to see me at Milano-Sanremo

Just like GvA I havent won a race since my Covid vaccinations

 

[Mayomaniac]

Just like GvA I havent won a race since my Covid vaccinations

Wasn't that one out of Fuglsang's big book of excuses?

 

[Lui98]

Wasn't that one out of Fuglsang's big book of excuses?

Yes. You are right

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Fuglsang - 'the wind was hitting me more than other riders because of my spiked up hair'

'I changed vitamin d supplements in June - that's why I couldn't podium at le tour'

'My dedication to my rap career has been impacting my recovery'

(Probably)

 

[topcat]

Is Nibali going to win the Coppi Bartali?
BUMP.

 

[Rollthedice]

Is Nibali going to win the Coppi Bartali?
BUMP.

In the bag.

(We'll see tomorrow how far can he go. I think, until now, he's performing better than expected.)

 

[SafeBet]

I don't know man. He was struggling a bit on the final climb. There were definitely a few riders who looked better + he's outnumbered by both Ineos and UAE.

Let's see how he deals with some longer and steadier climbs tomorrow.

 

[samhocking]

I can't see Astana racing well until they get paid for the past 3 months. How can you be motivated when riding for free?

 

[Rollthedice]

I don't know man. He was struggling a bit on the final climb. There were definitely a few riders who looked better + he's outnumbered by both Ineos and UAE.

Let's see how he deals with some longer and steadier climbs tomorrow.

True, tomorrow there's that 5.7 km climb with an average of 7.6 % and it will be done 5 times, uphill finish.

 

[Laplaz]

I can't see Astana racing well until they get paid for the past 3 months. How can you be motivated when riding for free?

I don't think Nibali's motivation is money tbh

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I don't think Nibali's motivation is money tbh

 

[samhocking]

It is for his team. No team, Nibali can't be competitive. Maybe Nibali could pay his team mates to ride for him haha!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

No great today
but not too bad either : 15th @ +1:12
Poco a poco ...

 

[SafeBet]

He dropped around 4 km before the top of last climb and paced himself. Not great but not terrible either. Would be great to see him attack on the final stage.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

I'm wondering whether Vincenzo should skip the Giro this year. I doubt it , because he loves the Giro and his tifosi, and probably a big deal to Astana to have nibali in the Giro.

But with his February break, I feel like he should use the racing legs from coppi bartali and carry them into dwars door, ronde van vlaanderan, Amstel, Roubix and Liege. Give the classics a go.

Then go to altitude and get the climbing level for the tdf. He can take 3 mins on pagacar and roglic in the cobbles.

Then use vuelta as training for Lombardia.

Means too much to have him the top Italian rider in the Giro with his fans. But this is a different idea.

It's the progamme I wish he did in 2020 as well

 

[Rollthedice]

In a week from now Nibali will start Giro di Sicilia, 4 stages, last one Etna (Piano Provenzana). Have no idea what's next after that, should be training at altitude right now but no news whatsoever.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

In a week from now Nibali will start Giro di Sicilia, 4 stages, last one Etna (Piano Provenzana). Have no idea what's next after that, should be training at altitude right now but no news whatsoever.

Don't know what he is doing. I thought after the Coppi he can go to Dwars door and De Ronde, maybe Roubaix, amstel, Liege. He had decent legs and Astana sponsors could have done with him at those races.

If he's doing the Giro, he needs an altitude camp. So if he races Sicilia, that means no Liege if he wants to be in the best condition for Giro. Alternatively, he does the ardennes after Sicilia and the Giro is a parade for him.


Astana is a total shambles right now without Lutsenko. Superman comes back for Trentino in 2 weeks and they need him desperately. I don't understand the Vicnenzo participation at the Giro. If he wants a parade, he can do it next year (already last year he did it).

Or come back from altitude for Liege and skip Sicilia

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Astana can’t manage correctly anymore, sending Nibali to Sicilia is not a good idea. Yes, I know that’s probably Nibali’s decision because it’s his home race, but it isn’t in the best interest for the season.

 

[AlfaLum]

Nibali is a spent force on WT level. To be fair it doesn’t matter that much where Astana sends him.