Vincenzo Nibali

[LaFlorecita]

Agreed. My guess is that the other podium spots will go to Valverde and Talansky. Contador top ten, but not in contention for a podium spot. He's got too much ground to make up and Astana has a strong team to keep him and a battered Saxo under control.

John Swanson

Surely a minute on Valverde and Talansky should be doable

 

[SeriousSam]

He needs (needed?) more W/kg. Assuming he *is* lighter, of course. It wouldn't be the first time someone pulls a weight loss out of their asses to try to justify a sudden wattage spike.

Some GC have managed to increase W/kg by decreasing kg and increasing W late into their cycling careers!
No reason Nibali can't do the same thing and climb like a man possessed, at his lightest ever, but be even better in the flat due to more absolute wattage.

 

[red_flanders]

How are folks feeling about the Astana/Gewiss comparisons today?

 

[Benotti69]

How are folks feeling about the Astana/Gewiss comparisons today?

Tinkoff/Gewiss watching today;s tdf or Tinkhoff/USPS/Sky........

 

[red_flanders]

Tinkoff/Gewiss watching today;s tdf or Tinkhoff/USPS/Sky........

All I've been reading all week is how weak Tinkoff are. And how Astana is equal to Gewiss, and of course the bots screaming "hypocrisy" from those who aren't calling them out as the biggest set of dopers in the race.

Turns out they just had a good day on the cobbles...

 

[roundabout]

Fuglsang is supposedly ill

 

[del1962]

All I've been reading all week is how weak Tinkoff are. And how Astana is equal to Gewiss, and of course the bots screaming "hypocrisy" from those who aren't calling them out as the biggest set of dopers in the race.

Turns out they just had a good day on the cobbles...

WHo are the bots, you do yourself no credit using that term, kindof like you prefer to denigrate those who don't take ypour point of view.

Note: using the term bots is a form of trolling

 

[MBotero]

All I've been reading all week is how weak Tinkoff are. And how Astana is equal to Gewiss, and of course the bots screaming "hypocrisy" from those who aren't calling them out as the biggest set of dopers in the race.

Turns out they just had a good day on the cobbles...

I wouldn't make a judgement until the real mountain stages,there will see who's the real Gewiss,maybe will be Sky,you never know.I don't get what's with these overused words bots or Skybots,maybe the guys who don't like Contador should start use Contadops for Contador fans.

 

[red_flanders]

WHo are the bots, you do yourself no credit using that term, kindof like you prefer to denigrate those who don't take ypour point of view.

Note: using the term bots is a form of trolling

Fair enough.

Let me know if you have any thoughts on the substantive content of the post. I'm simply reacting to the "hypocrisy" whining that was going on. What really was going on was that a lot of folks, who also happen to be newer fans and can't read a bike race didn't seem to get that the cobbles are about a lot more than power, particularly in the rain. We got whining that "if Sky did that they would have been hammered on this forum for doping". Sure. However, Sky did not do that. Why? Because they don't have a bunch of riders who are good on the pave...except the guy they left off the team. A couple. But there is a fundamental difference to a team putting 3 guys on the front on a rainy, cobbled stage and a team that has been putting 5+ guys on the front over every col in France over the last couple of years. The former is about power and skill and tactics, the latter is simple power, and completely impossible clean. And no, I did not see one person say Astana are clean. I would have a laugh if anyone thinks they don't have a few guys at least on the sauce. However, that what they did on stage 5 was not strong evidence of doping. Whereas putting 5+ doms over the top on a dozen cols is strong evidence of doping.

The comparisons to Gewiss were absurd.

My goal in pointing it out is to have folks maybe learn a thing or two about reading a race. I guess I could be kinder about it. Maybe next time folks will be less quick to feel persecuted by criticism of Sky and not so quick on the trigger with absurd comparisons of situations which were in no way similar.

Be a fan of a team. Great. But watch the sport with your eyes open.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Fuglsang is supposedly ill

A bad reaction to the cobbles stage where he went full ***?

 

[red_flanders]

I wouldn't make a judgement until the real mountain stages,there will see who's the real Gewiss,maybe will be Sky,you never know.I don't get what's with these overused words bots or Skybots,maybe the guys who don't like Contador should start use Contadops for Contador fans.

There is no Gewiss. Gewiss was a team that had a massive doping advantage over all the other teams. It was a nearly unique situation. Sky do not look to have the advantage they've had for the last couple of years, that's for sure.

 

[happychappy]

A bad reaction to the cobbles stage where he went full ***?

He must need a recharge after that. When's the refill day?

 

[red_flanders]

A bad reaction to the cobbles stage where he went full ***?

Or maybe he's tired?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Or maybe he's tired?

Or maybe he's solid P-R rider who really isn't that great climbing. Dunno.

We shall see what Astana dishes up in the next two weeks.

 

[roundabout]

Or maybe he's tired?

No, he had stomach problems

 

[Ullrich is drunk]

Vino has got Nibali some rocket fuel

 

[LaFlorecita]

Vino has got Nibali some rocket fuel

Contador would have smashed him to bits.

 

[classicomano]

Nibali incredibly mediocre all season, and then in no time to superhuman form in Le Tour.

 

[Ullrich is drunk]

Contador would have smashed him to bits.

I agree, a shame that that Alberto didn´t get the satisfaction to crush dirrty Nibbs and Vino.

I hope that Alberto got a couple of years left in his prime.

 

[the sceptic]

Dawg and Contador would probably put 30 secs into Nibali today

 

[Ullrich is drunk]

Nibali incredibly mediocre all season, and then in no time to superhuman form in Le Tour.

Getting dropped like a stone all season and now this? Nibali in Dauphine vs now must be the biggest joke. Armsrong era all over again. Classic vino approach, draw out the blood in june crawling up the hills and then flying in July. Disgrace!

Crushing the specialists in the cobled stage also. Get out of here!

Is he doing 800 cc of BB before the start and then on the restdays or is he microdosing at night?

 

[thehog]

Dawg and Contador would probably put 30 secs into Nibali today

6.2 thereabouts. Contador & Froome would have done 6.6+.

Pinot coming second and Porte not that strong although he did a lot of chasing. He's not the smartest tactically.

 

[del1962]

6.2 thereabouts. Contador & Froome would have done 6.6+.

Pinot coming second and Porte not that strong although he did a lot of chasing. He's not the smartest tactically.

What else could Porte have done, given up on chasing Nibali, all the rest where wheelsucking him.

 

[the sceptic]

6.2 thereabouts. Contador & Froome would have done 6.6+.

Pinot coming second and Porte not that strong although he did a lot of chasing. He's not the smartest tactically.

The french riders did seem a bit too close to call this a mutant performance by Nibali. Porte also appears weaker than when he was toying with the field on bonsacre last year.

 

[Afrank]

Everyone that is talking about how he was bad all season and now this...

I don't argue he's clean. But just remember that Contador and Froome are out of the race and he only put 15 seconds or more into Pinot and the others. Hardly a shocking performance that is a sign of doping.