Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Maybe not since Hinault if you consider Kelly coming post Hinault but definatly the best cyclist since the change of era's which was the early 90's when LeMond started the all out focussing on specific races and EPO made it's way into cycling.

He’s better than Kelly. Just, but better.

No, he's not. Sean Kelly is maybe an all-time top 10 rider, or awfully close. He was the best in the world for 5 years! Nibali is a magnificent rider, able to produce magic moments and big wins, but I think he's not on Kelly's level (yet).

Wrong. Kelly's inability to to win GTs, apart from one Vuelta against poor opposition, in the era before mad specialisation drops him below Nibali. Kelly is up there in the best one-day racers list.

Indeed, Kelly was a great one day racer with 1 GT.

Not one of only 6 guys to win all 3 GTs, and one of only 4 guys to win all 3 GTs plus 2 different monuments. Totally different and higher level for Nibali .

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

Kelly would have scored way over 5.000 CQPoints in his best year 1984. It's lightyears above almost anything - only Jaja 95 in the same region - that was done in the last 35 years. When somebody travels to Ronde to get 2nd, wins Pais Vasco with ease and then comes back to Northern France to win Roubaix after 7,5 hrs in mud and rain, please give me a call. Ridiculous to even compare...

Different era, but Nibali is more impressive if you account for the hyper specialization that is dominant in today's peloton.

 

[Red Rick]

Just listening to the CN podcast and his English isn't as terrible as I imagined it to be

 

[rick james]

Re:

Just listening to the CN podcast and his English isn't as terrible as I imagined it to be

he speaks the Queens English, who knew? I didn't!

 

[Tonton]

Is Sean Kelly out of retirement, or did I miss something?

The rhetoric will be Sagan for four, Valverde finally getting it...sexy and good for hype. Add to the mix Pinot-Bardet, a bunch of Colombians (Uran my choice), the Brits will give all Brits a shot, or anyone who speaks English, it will be chaos. And somehow the Italians will be forgotten. As they often are. And BOOM. MSR was text-book. Il Squalo, Il Grandissimo Vincenz Nibali will find a way.

That would open up many more comparisons...discussions, what a forum should be. About the greatness of Nibali, and finally shut up the '14 doubters, when Nibali won the race before the race began. If Guderian or Rommel were Italians, they would be this guy. In '14 he would have won regardless, and he's not getting credit from most of you. Like a Walkowiak win. Nope.

Vai Vincenzo!!!

 

[ferryman]

Is Sean Kelly out of retirement, or did I miss something?

The rhetoric will be Sagan for four, Valverde finally getting it...sexy and good for hype. Add to the mix Pinot-Bardet, a bunch of Colombians (Uran my choice), the Brits will give all Brits a shot, or anyone who speaks English, it will be chaos. And somehow the Italians will be forgotten. As they often are. And BOOM. MSR was text-book. Il Squalo, Il Grandissimo Vincenz Nibali will find a way.

That would open up many more comparisons...discussions, what a forum should be. About the greatness of Nibali, and finally shut up the '14 doubters, when Nibali won the race before the race began. If Guderian or Rommel were Italians, they would be this guy. In '14 he would have won regardless, and he's not getting credit from most of you. Like a Walkowiak win. Nope.

Vai Vincenzo!!!

Nice post. A crap wee story. Was sitting in a bar in Mulhouse on the stage Contador crashed after waving him off at the morning start. Totally devastated and then my 70 year old Mum rings (a big Nibali fan). Don't be upset son, we've still got Nibbles to shout for!!. To this day, I'm not sure if she was being supportive or just rubbing it in!!) Either way it put a huge smile on my face Anyway, in honour Mum, it's a huge Vai Vinzenzo from me

 

[Rollthedice]

On Friday, if weather permits, Nibali will go to Innsbruck with Cassani to test the parcours for the WCRR. He says the Colombians, the French and the Spanish will be dangerous and with Sagan you never know, for winning a perfect day is needed. He wants to also test the parcours of LBL since the central part has changed. Next race is Flanders, then Pais Vasco and the Ardennes. Then for the second objective of the year it'll be his first altitude camp 2 weeks, then Dauphine, another altitude preparation and Le Tour.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Kelly would have scored way over 5.000 CQPoints in his best year 1984. It's lightyears above almost anything - only Jaja 95 in the same region - that was done in the last 35 years. When somebody travels to Ronde to get 2nd, wins Pais Vasco with ease and then comes back to Northern France to win Roubaix after 7,5 hrs in mud and rain, please give me a call. Ridiculous to even compare...

Actually, I tried calculating it, and there's obviously some uncertainty, but I got his points as roughly 4000 cq points in his 1984 season.

 

[rades]

Re: Re:

Maybe not since Hinault if you consider Kelly coming post Hinault but definatly the best cyclist since the change of era's which was the early 90's when LeMond started the all out focussing on specific races and EPO made it's way into cycling.

He’s better than Kelly. Just, but better.

No, he's not. Sean Kelly is maybe an all-time top 10 rider, or awfully close. He was the best in the world for 5 years! Nibali is a magnificent rider, able to produce magic moments and big wins, but I think he's not on Kelly's level (yet).

Wrong. Kelly's inability to to win GTs, apart from one Vuelta against poor opposition, in the era before mad specialisation drops him below Nibali. Kelly is up there in the best one-day racers list.

Indeed, Kelly was a great one day racer with 1 GT.

Not one of only 6 guys to win all 3 GTs, and one of only 4 guys to win all 3 GTs plus 2 different monuments. Totally different and higher level for Nibali .

Don't forget Kellys 17 Major stage race victories, including 7 in a row at Paris-Nice. :surprised:

I suppose we can't really compare as Nibali generally skips these races (with Tirreno-Adriatico maybe the exception)

 

[Durden93]

Re: Re:

This course, nobody who hasn't gotten a top 5 in a GT has any shot at winning.

Alaphilippe?

The Worlds are gonna be a hell of a lot harder than Il Lombardia

I think Kwiatko and Thomas both have legitimate prospects.

 

[skippo12]

Re: Re:

This course, nobody who hasn't gotten a top 5 in a GT has any shot at winning.

Alaphilippe?

The Worlds are gonna be a hell of a lot harder than Il Lombardia

I think Kwiatko and Thomas both have legitimate prospects.

The climbs and the distance are too much for Kwiat. Thomas could struggle with the downhill and the distance.
I don´t have them among the favorites.
Nibali, Valverde, Pinot/Bardet, Colombias leader are the favorites in my opinion.

 

[May0maniac]

If the weather is bad both Benoot and Wellens could also be among the favourites.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

On Friday, if weather permits, Nibali will go to Innsbruck with Cassani to test the parcours for the WCRR. He says the Colombians, the French and the Spanish will be dangerous and with Sagan you never know, for winning a perfect day is needed. He wants to also test the parcours of LBL since the central part has changed. Next race is Flanders, then Pais Vasco and the Ardennes. Then for the second objective of the year it'll be his first altitude camp 2 weeks, then Dauphine, another altitude preparation and Le Tour.

It's good news for Liege if Nibali has no plans to go to altitude training before it (which I assume he doesn't, for logistical reason?)

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

On Friday, if weather permits, Nibali will go to Innsbruck with Cassani to test the parcours for the WCRR. He says the Colombians, the French and the Spanish will be dangerous and with Sagan you never know, for winning a perfect day is needed. He wants to also test the parcours of LBL since the central part has changed. Next race is Flanders, then Pais Vasco and the Ardennes. Then for the second objective of the year it'll be his first altitude camp 2 weeks, then Dauphine, another altitude preparation and Le Tour.

It's good news for Liege if Nibali has no plans to go to altitude training before it (which I assume he doesn't, for logistical reason?)

It was planned before that no altitude training will take place for the classics targets.

 

[EroicaStradeBianche]

Re:

If the weather is bad both Benoot and Wellens could also be among the favourites.

I still don't see them. this WC route has similarities with the Tour of Lombardy, Benoot and Wellens have not demonstrated a nibali/pinot/valverde level on courses like that. I see people like Dan Martin or Chaves/Uran dangerous in Innsbruck.
The rider's form will be the most important factor, not everyone who is strong during the spring will be strong in September (see van avermaet last year). This will be true for the captains as for the teams, the strongest one will be the one with more form not the theoretically better.

 

[bambino]

Re: Re:

If the weather is bad both Benoot and Wellens could also be among the favourites.

I still don't see them. this WC route has similarities with the Tour of Lombardy, Benoot and Wellens have not demonstrated a nibali/pinot/valverde level on courses like that. I see people like Dan Martin or Chaves/Uran dangerous in Innsbruck.
The rider's form will be the most important factor, not everyone who is strong during the spring will be strong in September (see van avermaet last year). This will be true for the captains as for the teams, the strongest one will be the one with more form not the theoretically better.

It might have similarities, but as said multiple times, it is way harder than Lombardy or any other Classics. It would be a massive surprise if any of the Classic specialists would be able to stay with the mountain goats.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

On Friday, if weather permits, Nibali will go to Innsbruck with Cassani to test the parcours for the WCRR. He says the Colombians, the French and the Spanish will be dangerous and with Sagan you never know, for winning a perfect day is needed. He wants to also test the parcours of LBL since the central part has changed. Next race is Flanders, then Pais Vasco and the Ardennes. Then for the second objective of the year it'll be his first altitude camp 2 weeks, then Dauphine, another altitude preparation and Le Tour.

It's good news for Liege if Nibali has no plans to go to altitude training before it (which I assume he doesn't, for logistical reason?)

It was planned before that no altitude training will take place for the classics targets.

Yeah, that's good. He's struggled recently post-altitude training.

 

[Lo squalo di messina]

Has nibali ever commented on how long he wants to continue? I m pretty sure he has a contract until the end of 2019 with bahrain but now i m reading on here that he will sign a new contract before this years tdf. So does this mean he will continue for another 2, 3 or 4 years or am i missing something?

 

[Red Rick]

Has nibali ever commented on how long he wants to continue? I m pretty sure he has a contract until the end of 2019 with bahrain but now i m reading on here that he will sign a new contract before this years tdf. So does this mean he will continue for another 2, 3 or 4 years or am i missing something?

He never specified, but he's made a couple of comments in the past about how he wants to switch to MTB before he retires. In any case, I don't think he'll be riding GTs for the win at 37, but I like to think he'll be around to pull some stunt or another for some time to come.

 

[SafeBet]

Has nibali ever commented on how long he wants to continue? I m pretty sure he has a contract until the end of 2019 with bahrain but now i m reading on here that he will sign a new contract before this years tdf. So does this mean he will continue for another 2, 3 or 4 years or am i missing something?

He has never talked about retiring in interviews as far as I know.
The fact he's riding Flanders to check if he can win it in 2-3 years suggests he's willing to continue for some time.

I'm dreaming of a Nibali-Valverde battle at Roubaix in 2025

 

[Lo squalo di messina]

Has nibali ever commented on how long he wants to continue? I m pretty sure he has a contract until the end of 2019 with bahrain but now i m reading on here that he will sign a new contract before this years tdf. So does this mean he will continue for another 2, 3 or 4 years or am i missing something?

He never specified, but he's made a couple of comments in the past about how he wants to switch to MTB before he retires. In any case, I don't think he'll be riding GTs for the win at 37, but I like to think he'll be around to pull some stunt or another for some time to come.

Right i forgot about those MTB comments he made. Lets hope for 3 more years with some stunts now and then.
After that i ll be rooting for pinot

 

[Lo squalo di messina]

Has nibali ever commented on how long he wants to continue? I m pretty sure he has a contract until the end of 2019 with bahrain but now i m reading on here that he will sign a new contract before this years tdf. So does this mean he will continue for another 2, 3 or 4 years or am i missing something?

He has never talked about retiring in interviews as far as I know.
The fact he's riding Flanders to check if he can win it in 2-3 years suggests he's willing to continue for some time.

I'm dreaming of a Nibali-Valverde battle at Roubaix in 2025

The fact that he never talked about retirement is a good sign i guess. The milan sanremo victory must have given him some new motivation too

 

[Climbing]

He made some remarks after seeing the change of Tokio course as well, just saying eh eh…

Edit: about people still underestimating Vincenzo... well not sure what to say, just an interesting list.
Only riders winning Tour, Giro and 2 different monuments:
- Bartali
- Coppi
- Gimondi
- Merckx
- Hinault
- Nibali

Indeed, we're talking legendary riders here, nothing less, that's his legacy.

 

[El Pistolero]

I remember him saying he wants to try mountain-bike after he retires on the road.

 

[Koronin]

Has nibali ever commented on how long he wants to continue? I m pretty sure he has a contract until the end of 2019 with bahrain but now i m reading on here that he will sign a new contract before this years tdf. So does this mean he will continue for another 2, 3 or 4 years or am i missing something?

He has never talked about retiring in interviews as far as I know.
The fact he's riding Flanders to check if he can win it in 2-3 years suggests he's willing to continue for some time.

I'm dreaming of a Nibali-Valverde battle at Roubaix in 2025

The fact that he never talked about retirement is a good sign i guess. The milan sanremo victory must have given him some new motivation too

Why not. Valverde made a comment after last year's Liege that if Van Avermaet can finish top 10 at Liege why can't he finish top 10 at Paris-Roubiax. Then said something about maybe in a few years he'll try it. 2025 sounds plausible to me for a Nibali-Valverde battle at Roubaix. Nibali hasn't talked about retirement and every time Valverde is asked his response is one of these options: What's that? Why should I think about that while I'm having so much fun? I want another contract. His most recent response to the retirement question was: Why should I retire while I'm still winning and having so much fun? It's likely they could both still be racing in 2025.