Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[SafeBet]

His TT performances with Trek are really bad overall.

 

[italoc]

Bagd.

 

[Forever The Best]

What a disaster...
He needs to be the best climber in the final week to win the Giro.

 

[McEwen2006]

I said I was pessimistic a few days ago, well it's even worse now... I expected him to lose something like 45 seconds at most to Kelderman today.

 

[Eclipse]

Incredibly clever ride.

Saved his energy and conceded just enough that he knows Pozzovivo and Fuglsang will actually work with him to crack Kelderman despite the fact he can torch them both in the final TT

Unparalleled strategic approach and I can't see how this isn't officially in the bag early next week now

 

[SafeBet]

What a disaster...
He needs to be the best climber in the final week to win the Giro.

Let's be honest guys. He's not winning the Giro if he's this bad in the TT, especially without his only credible helper in the mountains. You can't even try an ambush with that team.

 

[Climbing]

What a disaster!
Still in the bag anyway!

 

[Forever The Best]

Let's be honest guys. He's not winning the Giro if he's this bad in the TT, especially without his only credible helper in the mountains. You can't even try an ambush with that team.

I agree. Quick Step and Sunweb have much much stronger teams. Kelderman is the number 1 favourite followed by Almeida.

 

[Gigs_98]

Bag?

 

[McEwen2006]

What a disaster...
He needs to be the best climber in the final week to win the Giro.

Getting sick and tired of Nibali's 2nd and 3rd place finishes in Grand Tours (especially Giro) tbh. Let's go all out, take a lot of risks, who cares if he loses everything now. I'm sure he'll try if he has the legs.

 

[Rollthedice]

Let's be honest guys. He's not winning the Giro if he's this bad in the TT, especially without his only credible helper in the mountains. You can't even try an ambush with that team.

For our sanity, really hope this was a bad day doubled by the incompatibility with Trek TT bikes.

 

[TomLPC]

 

[Pippo_San]

He just let the kids play in the water.
Now his turn to bite.
And he's smelling blood till stage 20.

 

[Red Rick]

Hasn't ridden good TTS since moving to Trek anyway.

 

[Forever The Best]

He is behind McNulty as well. And barely ahead of Pozzovivo and Majka. And will lose more time to McNulty, Almeida and Kelderman in the last TT.

 

[bob.a.feet]

A couple of days ago people thought Nibali would lose the Giro in the TTs.

It looks like quite the opposite now.

Scratch that.

He's got his work cut out for him now but you'd bet the trophy cabinet on him being able to deal with Almeida and Kelderman in the mountains.

We'll wait and see. One thing is for sure: this man knows how to last three weeks. Once the shark smells blood, it's too late for everyone else.

 

[Eclipse]

He is behind McNulty as well. And barely ahead of Pozzovivo and Majka. And will lose more time to McNulty, Almeida and Kelderman in the last TT.

We all know end of GT TT's are a different beast after you put so many mountains in the legs. No need to panic too much, the gaps won't look like this next weekend.

 

[skippo12]

Not going crazy as long as the 3rd week climbs aren´t cancelled. Almeida won´t be able to follow the best on the Agnello or Stelvio. Same for McNulty. Fuglsang looks even worse. If Nibali is even close to his usual GT climbing level Majka and Pozzovivo won´t beat him. Only problem is Kelderman.

 

[Forever The Best]

He needs to gain 2+ minutes on Kelderman in the mountains. Maybe even around 2:30.

 

[Red Rick]

The good: GC situation means Trek won't have to carry the race. Win condition hasn't changed all that much. Everyone but Kelderman and Almeida within distance and on climbs like Agnello/Izoard/Stelvio Nibali should still be able to take them.

The bag: Where the *** did it go

The ugly: Nibali's shades. Nibali's ITTs at Trek. Can't really win without Stelvio/Agnello anymroe.

 

[Carols]

I'm too depressed for words. Trek the team where legends go to die

 

[Rollthedice]

Two options left, either unleash the voodoo or throw everything at Almeida and Wilco, including the trophy cabinet.

 

[Gigs_98]

The funny thing is, if two weeks ago you had told me Nibali is gonna enter the Alps in 5th place behind only Almeida, Kelderman, McNulty and Bilbao my reaction would have been, well easy win then. If Nibali's shape is there those guys should still really not be a problem (with the exception of Kelderman maybe, but even then it's just Kelderman), but at this point I fear the shape just isn't there.

 

[RedheadDane]

Two options left, either unleash the voodoo or throw everything at Almeida and Wilco, including the trophy cabinet.

Focus the voodoo effort on Almeida and Wilco.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The good: GC situation means Trek won't have to carry the race. Win condition hasn't changed all that much. Everyone but Kelderman and Almeida within distance and on climbs like Agnello/Izoard/Stelvio Nibali should still be able to take them.

The bag: Where the *** did it go

The ugly: Nibali's shades. Nibali's ITTs at Trek. Can't really win without Stelvio/Agnello anymroe.

Yeah, that's also how I see it. At least the weather is looking good at the start of the next week, so fingers crossed for the Stelvio stage. Wilco also isn't the greatest bike handler, so he could probably gain a lot of time on a descent.
If the race goes on as planned (fingers crossed) I can see Nibali, Birdsong and Pozzovivo attacking on stage 16.