Teams & Riders Vincenzo Nibali discussion thread

[Climbing]

Btw today he had a problem to the right leg, that's why he wasn't that strong.
Well, at least it's what he said afterwards.
Wouldn't have changed mush anyway I suppose, he did a good race and obtained probably the most he could have, considering 100+ km itt and flatty moutains.
Not many expected more than third place for him.

 

[hrotha]

Nibali has to be the most overrated tour favourite le tour has seen in the last decade.
He's nicknamed the shark but he has resembled more of a flounder this race. What a let down he's been. At least we know why he's tended to avoid le tour in the past!

He was busy podiuming the Giro twice and winning one Vuelta. Then he went back to the Tour and is going to podium.

At this point you'd have to say he's underrated. He doesn't seem to have the raw potential of other riders and he has some very obvious limitations, but he always delivers.

 

[gustienordic]

He was busy podiuming the Giro twice and winning one Vuelta. Then he went back to the Tour and is going to podium.

At this point you'd have to say he's underrated. He doesn't seem to have the raw potential of other riders and he has some very obvious limitations, but he always delivers.

Exactly, I see him as one of the most well balanced GC riders, plus he has guts!

 

[maxmartin]

haha liqui played perfect scare tactics. They knew nibali was weak and have muscle problem today, so they send the whole team to the front to give the false impression nibali is going to have the massive downhill attack. So everyone is contend to follow the basso. Until the descend was over they realize it is just bogus from nibali, but it is too late too pull any meaningful gap from shark. Well done liqui boys!!!!!

 

[SafeBet]

Nibali has to be the most overrated tour favourite le tour has seen in the last decade.
He's nicknamed the shark but he has resembled more of a flounder this race. What a let down he's been. At least we know why he's tended to avoid le tour in the past!

Go away troll.

He was busy podiuming the Giro twice and winning one Vuelta. Then he went back to the Tour and is going to podium.

At this point you'd have to say he's underrated. He doesn't seem to have the raw potential of other riders and he has some very obvious limitations, but he always delivers.

This, exactly. He's less talented then others, but rarely fails.
Also, today he's shown he's very capable of limiting losses and handling a bad bay.

 

[maxmartin]

Yeah Vincenzo, job well done!!!!!
There is not much you can do against alien and robot.

 

[cineteq]

Lo Squalo does not settle for 2nd best.

"Delighted for the podium ... But I do not stop here, in the future I want to conquer the highest step!!! Thanks for supports!!"

 

[Carols]

Vincenzo is a Fighter, he will never give up Very Nice result for him, but glad he isn't satisfied!

He needs to work on his ITT some more and sustaining his attacks. There is time, he has shown steady progression. He may not be as genetically gifted as some but his grit, determination and willingness to fight on continues to impress me.

Go Shark!!!!

 

[SafeBet]

I wonder if Astana will let him have a go at the Giro next year.
With Contador and Andy back in the mix podiuming would be much harder, let alone winning the whole thing.

 

[Derrick]

You're dead right Carols, Nibali needs to sustain his attacks. It's just that I can't remember him actually making a meaningful attack. 50 yards out of the saddle and then sitting down on 39x27 on a well surfaced climb of 10- 12% is never going to suceed is it. I'm sure he rode to the best of his capabilities but his 3rd place depended in the main to the rest of the supposed climbers riding with neither courage nor conviction.

 

[maxmartin]

I wonder if Astana will let him have a go at the Giro next year.
With Contador and Andy back in the mix podiuming would be much harder, let alone winning the whole thing.

He will focus on Giro, he was never obsessed with the tour at least not before he wins the giro. He might ride the tour also but we all know how double goes.

If AS is also in ASTANA next year. I think it will be Nibali Giro-Vuelta, AS for tour. They will share co-leadership in LBL maybe with Maxim Iglinsky too.

 

[Carols]

You're dead right Carols, Nibali needs to sustain his attacks. It's just that I can't remember him actually making a meaningful attack. 50 yards out of the saddle and then sitting down on 39x27 on a well surfaced climb of 10- 12% is never going to suceed is it. I'm sure he rode to the best of his capabilities but his 3rd place depended in the main to the rest of the supposed climbers riding with neither courage nor conviction.

There is only one cyclist alive right now that I believe Could have sustained the needed wattage against the 450W Black Death Sky Train and he wasn't in the race....

Had he been there and broken them it might have been a whole different story for Vincenzo; he might have made it to the 2nd step.

I hope he rides and wins the Giro next year, it will be a nice progression for him.

 

[whittashau]

Vincenzo is a Fighter, he will never give up Very Nice result for him, but glad he isn't satisfied!

He needs to work on his ITT some more and sustaining his attacks. There is time, he has shown steady progression. He may not be as genetically gifted as some but his grit, determination and willingness to fight on continues to impress me.

Go Shark!!!!

Okay, I get that Nibali isn't as naturally gifted as Contador, but who are all the other riders who he's supposedly so naturally inferior to? Less of a climber than Andy, sure, less of a time-trialer than Wiggins, who isn't. Is Chris Froome now considered a naturally gifted freak given his last two GT results? But who else makes Nibali's talents pale in comparison?

 

[Apollonius]

There is only one cyclist alive right now that I believe Could have sustained the needed wattage against the 450W Black Death Sky Train and he wasn't in the race....

I don't think Lance is thinking about the TDF right now anyway

 

[Carols]

If you go back to the beginning of this thread IMO he has always been less Naturally Gifted but has used what he has to out perform his genetics. If you have watched him over the years as I have he has grown in stamina, tactics, ITTing, explosiveness.

You want a list of more naturally gifted people IMHO ONLY of course and he has outperformed many of them :

AC - more gifted then all of them.
AS - gifted but mentally weak
Anton
Evans
Basso
Valverde
Ricco (don't know how much was genetics!)

Now add:
Tejay
Froome

I Definitely believe The Shark can win the Giro but he might end up like Menchov by the end of his career, never making the top step at le Tour.

Don't get me wrong, I'd Love to see him there, I think he is awesome. He will be a multiple GT winner and a classics winner

 

[cineteq]

I Definitely believe The Shark can win the Giro but he might end up like Menchov by the end of his career, never making the top step at le Tour.

If he improves sustaining his attacks, plus if he's given a decent riders to help him and the parcours suits him, he can do it.

 

[the asian]

Okay, I get that Nibali isn't as naturally gifted as Contador, but who are all the other riders who he's supposedly so naturally inferior to? Less of a climber than Andy, sure, less of a time-trialer than Wiggins, who isn't. Is Chris Froome now considered a naturally gifted freak given his last two GT results? But who else makes Nibali's talents pale in comparison?

I consider Cobo, Anton, S Sanchez better climbers than Nibali. Nibali wasn't considered a top tier of a climber, he is an amazing descender, decent Time Trialler and was a decent climber until this season. He is a grinder and has tactical nous, but not an explosive attacking climber. He however can ride at his own pace up mountains without cracking big time.
I remember the final Vuelta stage in 2010 up the Bola Del Mundo, where Mosquera initially rode away from Nibali, but Nibali was able to ride at his own pace chipping away, and eventually caught up with Mosquera near the top.
He certainly grinded out that Vuelta win.
This year he has being much more attacking as he showed in LBL,Tierrinao, and he did try his best at he Tour, however attacking uphill is not his natural forte.

 

[the asian]

[



I Definitely believe The Shark can win the Giro but he might end up like Menchov by the end of his career, never making the top step at le Tour.

Agree, don't see him winning when Contador is around and younger guys like Pinot, TJVG, Quintana appear to have more talent. He definitely should win the Giro next year if he rides it.

 

[Carols]

If he improves sustaining his attacks, plus if he's given a decent riders to help him and the parcours suits him, he can do it.

I Hope So It would make me happy!!!

Crap team he had this year, Basso came through late in the race but the others really did little more than protect him on the flats

 

[the asian]

I Hope So It would make me happy!!!

Crap team he had this year, Basso came through late in the race but the others really did little more than protect him on the flats

Szmyd has been surprisingly ineffective this year.

 

[whittashau]

I Hope So It would make me happy!!!

Crap team he had this year, Basso came through late in the race but the others really did little more than protect him on the flats

Well with Astana bringing in Andy next year too I doubt Nibs will have much of a team at the giro as priority will obviously go to Andy and the tour. His move is looking less than wise now imo.

 

[the asian]

Well with Astana bringing in Andy next year too I doubt Nibs will have much of a team at the giro as priority will obviously go to Andy and the tour. His move is looking less than wise now imo.

I thought Andys' move to Astana fell apart

 

[SafeBet]

Well with Astana bringing in Andy next year too I doubt Nibs will have much of a team at the giro as priority will obviously go to Andy and the tour. His move is looking less than wise now imo.

They can't give that amount of money to a rider and then not support him properly. It's against their best interest.

Szmyd has been surprisingly ineffective this year.

And last year. Maybe this is his real level and his super Giro as a dom was a fluke.

You want a list of more naturally gifted people IMHO ONLY of course and he has outperformed many of them :

AC - more gifted then all of them.
AS - gifted but mentally weak
Anton
Evans
Basso
Valverde
Ricco (don't know how much was genetics!)

Now add:
Tejay
Froome

Conti and Schleck yeah. Basso probably.
Anton is a very good climber, but not a superior talent overall. Lacks recovery too.
After ban Valverde looks much more human than before, so I doubt.
Ricco can't be judged for clinic related reasons.
As for Evans, I believe he's exactly the kind of rider Nibbles should aim to be. Active all year long, not settling for GCs only, classics, one week stage races and on. Just be more aggressive than Cadel and wins will come.

I consider Cobo, Anton, S Sanchez better climbers than Nibali. Nibali wasn't considered a top tier of a climber, he is an amazing descender, decent Time Trialler and was a decent climber until this season.

If anything this Tour has proved Nibali is a good TTer, not just decent.

 

[maxmartin]

Well with Astana bringing in Andy next year too I doubt Nibs will have much of a team at the giro as priority will obviously go to Andy and the tour. His move is looking less than wise now imo.

Not really, ASTANA fortunately is not a dutch team LOL. They actually take Giro as a very important event in their calender.

If you just look at this year Giro and Tour, I actually think they have better domestiques in Giro than the Tour.

 

[movingtarget]

Szmyd has been surprisingly ineffective this year.

He has not been effective since the 2010 Giro.