Until today? Like nobody took Hesjedal seriously in the Giro last yearAngliru said:They don't see Horner as big a threat as each other.
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Until today? Like nobody took Hesjedal seriously in the Giro last yearAngliru said:They don't see Horner as big a threat as each other.
webvan said:Of course not, hence my previous message, but you don't seem to be reading posts properly today (see "ahead") so I'll leave you at it. In any case I'll stick to my story that Nibali is hyped as a GT rider and won't win any GTs with in-form Wiggins/Contador/Froome/"future true GT greats" participating.
saunaking said:Until today? Like nobody took Hesjedal seriously in the Giro last year
Rollthedice said:I can understand that some people don't like the man but come on. He's only one of the few who podiumed in all three GTs while winning two. 2007-2008 top 20 and after that top 10 in all GTs where he was riding. He was riding for Basso at Liquigas and this is the first year since he is undisputed leader on his way to win a second GT in a year. If he will succeed he'll join the Merckx/Battaglin/Contador club. I'm sure somewhere down the line a TdF is also possible. Sure Froome looks stronger but Wiggins? He's over and to me he was a manufactured GT contender who failed miserably in this year's Giro. Contador? If they would have met this year in a GT it would have been a disaster for Alberto.
Angliru said:In a bad year against arguably stiffer competition than was present by the end of the 2012 Tour Contador still just missed out on a Tour podium. Nibali has made progress in his climbing and his ITT but IMO if anything he's potentially brought himself up to where Contador has fallen to not to where he's fallen from.
Wiggins was in the right Tour at the right time with a lieutenant that was stronger than him but with his hands tied. I wouldn't say he was manufactured but I would say that his decision not to pursue another Tour win speaks more to his realization that the 2012 Tour parcours was a gift from above as was the circumstances of that Tour.
webvan said:Sounds like we're saying the same thing, an exciting and pretty unique rider, but not a GT great.
SafeBet said:Most GT podiums (active riders):
Alberto Contador 5
Cadel Evans 5
Vincenzo Nibali 5
Ivan Basso 5
Alejandro Valverde 4
Joaquim Rodriguez 4
Andy Schleck 4
Chris Froome 3
Samuel Sanchez 3
Bradley Wiggins 2
Most GT top10 (active riders)*:
Cadel Evans 10
Ivan Basso 9
Alejandro Valverde 9
Joaquim Rodriguez 8
Vincenzo Nibali 7
Alberto Contador 6
Samuel Sanchez 6
Andy Schleck 4
Chris Froome 4
Bradley Wiggins 3
But of course it's all about weak fields.
*This is not a comprehensive list
del1962 said:Wiggins has 3 podiums
Purito and Valverde aren't the only ones in bad shape either. Nibali himself isn't.webvan said:Again, I for one quite like Nibali's style, he makes the races more interesting, but spin it like you want, I don't think he's any better in 2013 than he was in the 2012 TDF when he couldn't put a single second into Wiggins (and Froome) in the mountains and got trounced in the ITTs. His 2013 Giro win was pretty spectacular but, yes, the field was weak, just like at the final GC...how is Uran doing these days and how did Evans do in the TDF? Ok...
The field is stronger in this current Vueta but the better GT riders, Purito and VV are just off the TDF so can't be expected to be too much of a factor in the long run. Without the TDF it's unlikely Nibali would have put anything into them at this point.
webvan said:Again, I for one quite like Nibali's style, he makes the races more interesting, but spin it like you want, I don't think he's any better in 2013 than he was in the 2012 TDF when he couldn't put a single second into Wiggins (and Froome) in the mountains and got trounced in the ITTs. His 2013 Giro win was pretty spectacular but, yes, the field was weak, just like at the final GC...how is Uran doing these days and how did Evans do in the TDF? Ok...
The field is stronger in this current Vueta but the better GT riders, Purito and VV are just off the TDF so can't be expected to be too much of a factor in the long run. Without the TDF it's unlikely Nibali would have put anything into them at this point.
webvan said:Again, I for one quite like Nibali's style, he makes the races more interesting, but spin it like you want, I don't think he's any better in 2013 than he was in the 2012 TDF when he couldn't put a single second into Wiggins (and Froome) in the mountains and got trounced in the ITTs. His 2013 Giro win was pretty spectacular but, yes, the field was weak, just like at the final GC...how is Uran doing these days and how did Evans do in the TDF? Ok...
The field is stronger in this current Vueta but the better GT riders, Purito and VV are just off the TDF so can't be expected to be too much of a factor in the long run. Without the TDF it's unlikely Nibali would have put anything into them at this point.
No problemo, he'll be in red my friendmaxmartin said:oh NO
According to Luca Gialanella of Gazzetta dello Sport, Nibali's wasp sting incident in fact took place yesterday and that he would this morning with a swollen forehead. As Astana is a member of the MPCC, Nibali has been unable to treat the wasp sting with cortisone, and so he is apparently in some discomfort. So far, Nibali has looked quick smooth out on the course, but we'll get a better indication when he hits the first time check.
The Hitch said:He flies like a butterfly
He was stung by a bee
Cant keep him down though
V. Ni-ba-li.
The Hitch said:He flies like a butterfly
He was stung by a bee
Cant keep him down though
V. Ni-ba-li.
maxmartin said:Since when you are on board? LOL
LaFlorecita said:Since he was the first to abandon the sinking AC ship.