Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Stilletto]

Doesn't it all come down to martinelli ? What will he do ?

 

[Ramira]

The Idea of Nibali leaving is interesting. But it does rely on quite a few assumptions, the main one being that Landa will stay.

If they can resign Landa I could see Astana letting Nibali go. And I'm sure he won't struggle to find a new team. Though there's a chance someone will be screwed, thinking they were the team leader only to find Nibali took that role.

Honestly I don't see Sky as an option, nor is Movistar. Personally I think BMC (with Porte and TJVG) and Tinkoff (after Vino I doubt Nibali wants to deal with him) are also unlikely.

So that leaves a limited number of teams. I can only really see Trek or Etixx having enough money. Maybe Lampre could get the money if they let Rui Costa go and get a new secondary sponsor.

Any ideas of other potential destinations? Katusha might have the cash and a spot, but would he want to stay in eastern Europe? Lotto-Soudal to replace VDB? IAM Cycling?

 

[Carols]

Wow! If true Vino is a jerk. The man won him a Giro and a Tour. If he can find a good spot just pack up and leave that toxic team Nibs!

 

[Red Rick]

Goddammit, if this is true then Vino is way, way, waaayyyyyyyyy worse then Tinkoff. Nibali has failed in 2 mountain stages??!!?, the rest of the season was planned

 

[huge]

How can you even start considering Nibali moving to Sky??

To do what? Froome's domestique? Let's be serious.

 

[Red Rick]

Anyway, where would he go?



Tinkoff: Makes sense, provided he can deal with Tinkoff and doesn't want to go for the Tour again next year. Would hardly clash with Contador's schedule, and they don't seem to dislike each other

Sky: Would be a disaster

BMC: Buy more cyclist, don't see Nibali doing great there, besides, they're going for Anglophones

Katusha: They have money, Purito's days as GT contender seem to be over, but Zakarin is rising and I just don't see it happening

Movistar: at least 19 reasons why this is not gonna happen

Trek: May have money, but have no team to support him.

Etixx: Maybe if they drop Uran, would have a great team on the flats, but not really uphill

Lampre: Lol

Lotto-Soudal: Lol

Lotto-Jumbo: Megalol

French team: Nope

OGE: Imagine that scenario

IAM: no

Giant; Did I mention hell *** no

Cannondale: Nope, no, nein, nee, njet

 

[Eclipse]

Re:

Goddammit, if this is true then Vino is way, way, waaayyyyyyyyy worse then Tinkoff. Nibali has failed in 2 mountain stages??!!?, the rest of the season was planned

Nibbles has failed all season.

Yeah it might have been the plan to do a very slow build to the TdF but it doesn't change the fact that it means he has done nothing all year. Now he's bombing his one big season goal. Vino doesn't behave himself well but for the money Nibali is on it's hardly a surprise that his team aren't happy with his season being a ruin.

 

[Red Rick]

First year for Astana he wins Tirreno, Trentino, Giro and gets 2nd in the Vuelta, 4th in WCRR. Year later he wins the Tour + 4 stages. Year later he sucks, gets immediately fired. Great way of handling your champions, Vino

 

[franic]

Re:

First year for Astana he wins Tirreno, Trentino, Giro and gets 2nd in the Vuelta, 4th in WCRR. Year later he wins the Tour + 4 stages. Year later he sucks, gets immediately fired. Great way of handling your champions, Vino

Just after the Tour Nibali and Astana started having some issues. For instance I remember Nibali didn’t want to go to Tour of Almaty at the end of 2014 season and he was forced by Vino.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Nibali talking to the RAI was quite tranquillo and honest.
His legs this year don't respond to violent acceleration.
He's happy this TdF to work for others.

 

[DBotero]

Re:

Nibali talking to the RAI was quite tranquillo and honest.
His legs this year don't respond to violent acceleration.
He's happy this TdF to work for others.

He shouldn't work so hard because he drops all of them

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Anyway, where would he go?



Tinkoff: Makes sense, provided he can deal with Tinkoff and doesn't want to go for the Tour again next year. Would hardly clash with Contador's schedule, and they don't seem to dislike each other

Etixx: Maybe if they drop Uran, would have a great team on the flats, but not really uphill

Think Specialized will want to keep Nibali on their bikes so they might push him towards Tinkoff or Etixx. Same reason why Sags & Berto to Etixx was rumored about a week ago.

 

[Carols]

Re: Nibali discussion thread

Well he showed some life today and made a nice attack that lasted for a bit and remained in the final group to the very end. Hopefully this lifts his spirits somewhat. Now go find yourself a team Nibs!

 

[whittashau]

Maybe a new Italian team might pop up? Otherwise wherever he goes he'll struggle to find a team which will be particularly strong. Or at least strong enough to compete with the current powerhouse teams

 

[TI-Raleigh]

Would love to see Nibs leave Astana. Seems like Tinkoff would be a good fit. Etixx doesn't have the climbing doms that he needs.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

Would love to see Nibs leave Astana. Seems like Tinkoff would be a good fit. Etixx doesn't have the climbing doms that he needs.

Etixx is the death to all climbers.
They climb good maybe for 1, max 2 years then start to decline horribly.
Garate, rujano, Serge Pauwels (who did well at cervelo before), lately even Uran, all fail uphill

 

[mr. tibbs]

Re: Re:

Think Specialized will want to keep Nibali on their bikes so they might push him towards Tinkoff or Etixx. Same reason why Sags & Berto to Etixx was rumored about a week ago.

Sagan at Etixx QS would be amazing. How credible are those rumors? I don't remember seeing anything.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

You guys keep saying Tinkoff is a good fit, but do you really think that Nibali and Contador won't want to ride the Tour next year? If Contador doesn't retire, he will do Tour-Vuelta. Nibali could go back to his home tour, but I think he thinks of the Tour de France as the big one, as evidenced by his past two seasons' complete focus on the Tour. I don't see one poor performance changing that. They won't want to ride the Tour as teammates.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

According to Beppe Conti a while ago (before the Tour) next year the program for Nibali should be Giro as leader, Tour to help Aru. (or depending on how it goes more) Then clearly the Olympics.
Would make sense even if he were to leave the team. Doubt the report is correct though, Nibali might leave, but pretty sure he hasn't been "fired"

 

[Rollthedice]

Leaving Astana will be complicated but in the meantime Vino wants to keep Nibs entertained. He wants to send him in Vuelta.

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Nibali-vinokourov-ca-chauffe/574644

 

[fungusbear]

I think Nibali will do the giro next year. If he went to Tinkoff, Contador does the Tour-Vuelta and then retires and Nibali does Giro-Vuelta and then takes over as team leader. I actually don't think he will leave astana, but Tinkoff could work.

 

[Eagle]

https://twitter.com/AstanaTeam/status/621745106782134273

The Spanish AS story citing several sources that Astana Pro Team management is looking to fire Vincenzo Nibali is fiction - and false

 

[ray j willings]

Nibs was better today maybe the rain?
He's not on fire tough and one bad tour does not mean its the end of the world or he won't ever win again and he should find a new team or perhaps become a cave manager or join one direction.
A rider of his class obviously has a issue with his health/form. He will fight another day.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

Nibs was better today maybe the rain?
He's not on fire tough and one bad tour does not mean its the end of the world or he won't ever win again and he should find a new team or perhaps become a cave manager or join one direction.
A rider of his class obviously has a issue with his health/form. He will fight another day.

Everybody was better and nobody was on fire, except Thomas of course. Anyway, he has one of the best poker faces in the business so you never know if he's gonna crack or fly.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

https://twitter.com/AstanaTeam/status/621745106782134273

The Spanish AS story citing several sources that Astana Pro Team management is looking to fire Vincenzo Nibali is fiction - and false

Official statement.

"There has never been a question that Vincenzo Nibali will leave the team at the end of the season - Vincenzo is doing very well in the team"

"Of course I am not happy when we don't win, as is the case with all team General Managers - But I merely think that Vincenzo is not riding at his best level in this Tour"

"Nibali has a potential that is much better than his current place in General Classification"

"We are going to do medical tests to determine the reason for his performance, and we also wish to see him race in the Vuelta a España this season to achieve a Grand Tour victory"

"There is no problem between him and the Team, and we have full confidence in him, contrary to what is being reported in the press"