Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

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May 4, 2013
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Carols said:
Easy to say in hindsight.....Anton looked awesome, Schlecks were there. But yes it was a weak field.

People will say this Giro had a weak field....LOL defending TdF winner, defending Giro winner. They left tail between legs, so final result will make field look weak. But it sure wasn't at the start!

Just so. This Giro has been tough. Maybe in hindsight it will not be remembered as a particularly hard edition, but that wouldn't be right, imo.
 
Aug 16, 2011
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contessador said:
Just so. This Giro has been tough. Maybe in hindsight it will not be remembered as a particularly hard edition, but that wouldn't be right, imo.

I agree, it's been a hard Giro with multiple 200+ km stages, harsh weather, and demanding classic-like parcours. If the mountain stages get cut more due to weather than it will detract from the difficulty of this year's edition as will the absence of Wiggins and Hesjedal (to a far lesser degree however), but even so it wouldn't be right to remember this year as an easy edition. I for one will remember it as a hard one.
 
Jun 14, 2010
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Carols said:
Easy to say in hindsight.....Anton looked awesome, Schlecks were there. But yes it was a weak field.

People will say this Giro had a weak field....LOL defending TdF winner, defending Giro winner. They left tail between legs, so final result will make field look weak. But it sure wasn't at the start!

Im not saying the giro field was weak im saying the 2010 vuelta field was weak.
Anton crashed out.
Andy was there for about 1 week before he got thrown out by Riis for breaking curfew. During that time he got dropped on a hill which half the sprinters made it over.

One could also say that Menchov was there. Did **** all apart from podium the time trial and come top 10 on a hill stage, but he was there, I guess;)

What was left was a Purito who had done already a full seasons worth of racing before the vuelta began, Schleck the weaker post collarbone injury, Peter Velits, Eze, Tondo :(, Sastre post 2 other gts, Roche and 4 decent Caisse riders none of who was a real gt leader.

No way around it. A very weak field for gt standards.
 
Jul 19, 2010
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Afrank said:
I agree, it's been a hard Giro with multiple 200+ km stages, harsh weather, and demanding classic-like parcours. If the mountain stages get cut more due to weather than it will detract from the difficulty of this year's edition as will the absence of Wiggins and Hesjedal (to a far lesser degree however), but even so it wouldn't be right to remember this year as an easy edition. I for one will remember it as a hard one.

even compare to Giro 2011?
 
Mar 20, 2010
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The Hitch said:
Im not saying the giro field was weak im saying the 2010 vuelta field was weak.
Anton crashed out.
Andy was there for about 1 week before he got thrown out by Riis for breaking curfew. During that time he got dropped on a hill which half the sprinters made it over.

One could also say that Menchov was there. Did **** all apart from podium the time trial and come top 10 on a hill stage, but he was there, I guess;)

What was left was a Purito who had done already a full seasons worth of racing before the vuelta began, Schleck the weaker post collarbone injury, Peter Velits, Eze, Tondo :(, Sastre post 2 other gts, Roche and 4 decent Caisse riders none of who was a real gt leader.

No way around it. A very weak field for gt standards.


Why the need to defend when my last sentence was "But yes it was a weak field'?
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Are you folks crazy?? Nibbs gonna wrap it up tomorrow on the MTT for sure. Evans won't get near him at all-Cuddles is barely waiting for Cenzo to have a bad day, so he can profit from it.
 
Apr 30, 2011
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LaFlorecita said:
lowering expectations I see

Nibali is the big favorite, Evans doesn't seem strong
Try to see Evans' history in MTTs. (okay not that fair. He has only ridden one while in form in his entire career.)

Nibali only got 2nd in '11 due to the flat part.
 
May 15, 2011
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Netserk said:
Try to see Evans' history in MTTs. (okay not that fair. He has only ridden one while in form in his entire career.)

Nibali only got 2nd in '11 due to the flat part.

He would've done better or worse without the flat??
 
Apr 30, 2011
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LaFlorecita said:
He would've done better or worse without the flat??
Worse without the flat part. He was far from the fastest up the mountain.

EDIT: Nibali had the best time at the time check after 5.3km
altimetria_16.jpg
 
Jun 14, 2010
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Yeah but in 2011 Nibali was not this good/ competition was weaker.

Relevant to the competition Nibali was barely better than most of the top 10 in the high mountains in 2011. Scarponi in his annus mirablis where he was on a wiggins half year peak.

This year he is clearly better than everyone.
 
May 19, 2011
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710-GirodItalia_Tappa_16_106.jpg


I think he looks absolutely fine, I don't know why you guys keep saying he looks gaunt like an old man:D
Btw, this is post-race stage 16 press conference
 
Mar 20, 2010
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maxmartin said:
710-GirodItalia_Tappa_16_106.jpg


I think he looks absolutely fine, I don't know why you guys keep saying he looks gaunt like an old man:D
Btw, this is post-race stage 16 press conference

He looks like a Winning man eater :)
 
May 4, 2013
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He looks great there!!

It was after a bitterly cold, miserable day - thinking it was Saturday that he appeared gaunt and wasted. Anyways, it was only a temporary look.