Vincenzo Nibali

[the sceptic]

Hopefully, the verification will appear in form of the passport irregularities.
It looks to me that gradual reshaping of his profile is what's happening from 2011./12.. Knowing Vino's hunger and lack of caution, the gradualism might be slightly too fast and unveil some deviations.
It may take time, though, but that's the number to bet on.

Im sure it will appear in the depths of the UCI website somewhere in 2017.

 

[sir fly]

Im sure it will appear in the depths of the UCI website somewhere in 2017.

Just in time to end his career and close another chapter in the sport's history.
Yes, that's the hypocritical dimension of the system.

 

[maxmartin]

And he has gone into the red in this tour at what stage ? He looked rubbish at the Dauphine and distinctly normal. This farce of not having any form and then suddenly battering people is nonsense.

rubbish yet solid seven place, your choice of words is questionable. LOL

 

[Netserk]

I would guess it was slow since the time differences werent big and also becaues Majka hardly lost any time on the climb even after two days in the break.

Majka was in the break yesterday?

 

[robow7]

http://www.bicycling.com/video/tour-talk-stage-13-2#/video/all/created/d/1

So Frankie Andreu can call out Nibali's performance yesterday - see the last minute of the video....'breathing through the nose'

I really enjoy "Tour Talk", the chemistry and insight of the two is great !

 

[Netserk]

He honestly never looked like he ever went into the red during the Dauphine though.

Yep. I think he went all out in the prologue and then used the rest of the race to fine tune his form. On the three mountain stages so far he hasn't been pushed to the limit, so I'm quite sure he could've gone faster on all three if he really needed to.

 

[whittashau]

That was my impression too. It looked like on every stage he would follow until a certain point, but not above. As if he coach told him to not exert himself above 400 watts or something

 

[DirtyWorks]

My only question is, why does Nibali get the free pass? Why now?

 

[msjett]

I have a bad feeling about Nibali's performance I don't think there is going to be a free pass... But then again without Froome and Contador doing full mutant attacks there is little to compare Nibali's performance with. And this could be making Nibali's performance look more mutant than it actually is....

 

[DirtyWorks]

I have a bad feeling about Nibali's performance I don't think there is going to be a free pass... But then again without Froome and Contador doing full mutant attacks there is little to compare Nibali's performance with. And this could be making Nibali's performance look more mutant than it actually is....

I'd argue Nibali is in full-mutant. No 2013 Froome, or 2014 Contador to "even things out" to the casual 2014 viewer.

Unless he falls apart **spectacularly** in week three, I don't see how this isn't mutant.

I could be wrong. I went into the 2014 Giro ready for mutant performances and there wasn't any. Week 3 seemed pretty fast, so "cleans" is relative. Again, the race defied my expectations, so I could be wrong.

 

[msjett]

I'd argue Nibali is in full-mutant. No 2013 Froome, or 2014 Contador to "even things out" to the casual 2014 viewer.

Unless he falls apart **spectacularly** in week three, I don't see how this isn't mutant.

I could be wrong. I went into the 2014 Giro ready for mutant performances and there wasn't any. Week 3 seemed pretty fast, so "cleans" is relative. Again, the race defied my expectations, so I could be wrong.

I don't disagree about it being mutant, and I have been waiting for Nibali to have an off day or to start to show signs of fatigue but he hasn't.

I do wonder if it could it be that others are just riding to protect their position in the race, rather than rolling the dice and staking it all to win or bust? This would make Nibali look more mutant...

I keep looking back to his Giro win and he didn't really fatigue their either, in fact from memory he seemed stronger in the 3rd week but that could have been because it was obvious some of his rivals had fatigued....

I felt that the Giro this year was as a 3 week race should be, riders did well where you would expect and not so well where you would expect. While a number of riders crashed out, most of the leaders where there till the end. That is probably to simple of a way to be looking at it, and "clean" is relative in this sport that is for sure.

 

[SundayRider]

I'd argue Nibali is in full-mutant. No 2013 Froome, or 2014 Contador to "even things out" to the casual 2014 viewer.

Unless he falls apart **spectacularly** in week three, I don't see how this isn't mutant.

I could be wrong. I went into the 2014 Giro ready for mutant performances and there wasn't any. Week 3 seemed pretty fast, so "cleans" is relative. Again, the race defied my expectations, so I could be wrong.

Nibali only really wins GTs when others aren't present or not at their best level. He is at a high level in this Tour but relative to the competition, I mean Valverde is consistently inconsistent and the rest are fairly inexperienced at ducking it to win a race like the Tour.

 

[Bicycle]

I have a bad feeling about Nibali's performance I don't think there is going to be a free pass... But then again without Froome and Contador doing full mutant attacks there is little to compare Nibali's performance with. And this could be making Nibali's performance look more mutant than it actually is....

That's my take - I don't think Nibali is doing anything different from before he's just beating up a poor field. If Froome, Contador and Quintana were in he'd be lucky to make the podium.

 

[MBotero]

Many people seems to sustain the idea that the French guys are clean, but they are pretty sure that Nibali is not clean,which is such a B.S. If those guys are clean, is reasonable to believe that a clean Nibali given his previous results should normally trash those guys, which he does. He's a GT winner after all, not a future GT contender wannabe.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Many people seems to sustain the idea that the French guys are clean,but they are pretty sure that Nibali is not clean,which is such a B.S. If those guys are clean, is reasonable to believe that a clean Nibali given his previous results should normally trash those guys, which he does. He's a GT winner after all, not a future GT contender wannabe.

Good answer!

 

[noddy69]

Many people seems to sustain the idea that the French guys are clean, but they are pretty sure that Nibali is not clean,which is such a B.S. If those guys are clean,is reasonable to believe that a clean Nibali given his previous results should normally trash those guys, which he does. He's a GT winner after all, not a future GT contender wannabe.

The fact he is a GT winner in many peoples eyes is all the proof needed to say he is a doper. I tend to agree.

 

[maxmartin]

So wish those two big notorious benchmarks were still in the peloton, so we could know much more.

 

[IndianCyclist]

The fact he is a GT winner in many peoples eyes is all the proof needed to say he is a doper. I tend to agree.

Nibali's progression has been steady without many jumps unlike Froome 2010 or Contador 2007. So his performances tend to be more believable but there is no way to be sure of him been clean due to his association with a number of dopers(Basso, Scarponi, Pellizotti) under whose tutelage he worked. His consistency in GTs compared to other GT riders like Cunego etc is similar to Evans, Sastre who may be relatively clean

 

[thehog]

Nibali's progression has been steady without many jumps unlike Froome 2010 or Contador 2007. So his performances tend to be more believable but there is no way to be sure of him been clean due to his association with a number of dopers(Basso, Scarponi, Pellizotti) under whose tutelage he worked. His consistency in GTs compared to other GT riders like Cunego etc is similar to Evans, Sastre who may be relatively clean

Contador 2007?

He had very good progression till that point. And throw in a brain injury as well. Yes doping in 2007 but he was an very good junior and progressed well to the 2007 Tour.

2003
1st Stage 8 (ITT) Tour de Pologne
2004
1st mountains classification Vuelta a Aragón
2005
1st Stage 5 Tour Down Under
1st Overall classification Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
1st combination classification
1st Stage 3
3rd Overall classification Tour of the Basque Country
1st points classification
1st Stage 5b (ITT)
4th Overall classification Tour de Romandie
1st Stage 4
2006
1st Stage 8 Tour de Suisse
2nd Overall classification Tour de Romandie
1st Stage 3

 

[DirtyWorks]

So wish those two big notorious benchmarks were still in the peloton, so we could know much more.

This is where I wait for veloclinic to post his Vertical Meters per Hour analysis. Gravity is a constant... As all cyclists know!!!

 

[BikeCentric]

Nibali's progression has been steady without many jumps unlike Froome 2010 or Contador 2007. So his performances tend to be more believable but there is no way to be sure of him been clean due to his association with a number of dopers(Basso, Scarponi, Pellizotti) under whose tutelage he worked. His consistency in GTs compared to other GT riders like Cunego etc is similar to Evans, Sastre who may be relatively clean

I agree with you that his pedigree makes him a proven talent so he certainly deserves what looks like a TDF win as much as anyone in this sport. However, I have to think he's at least plugged in a blood bag the night before each of the past three mountain stages because he's never looked remotely in difficulty while stomping everyone.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I'm swayed towards Vicenzo because:

1)
After his Vuelta win in 2010 Nibali had a full season without a win.
A dope-fuelled ambition would find that hard to wait out.
Nibs is a bit like Evans in that he accepts the bad times
without apparent recourse to peds imo.

2)
Vino's letter was like saying 'What did I tell you Vincenzo if you don't take our doping advice you'll never win the Tour".
And if Vino didn't think Nibs was doping that is a massive expert testimony.

3) He still looks his doubters in the eye.

 

[Carstenbf]

This is where I wait for veloclinic to post his Vertical Meters per Hour analysis. Gravity is a constant... As all cyclists know!!!

Cyclists may know that. Physicists, on the other hand ..

 

[Cycle Chic]

I think - when Froome and Contador were in the race Nibs knew he had no chance..maybe third spot....although Porte could have taken that.

But when they crashed out there was no way he was gona lose this Tour. With the Time Trial towards the end he could easily lose it though....with Porte around he would lose the Tour on the TT...and even Tejay could have taken back lots of time.

So dope up and put a shed load of time in, in the mountains.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador 2007?

He had very good progression till that point. And throw in a brain injury as well. Yes doping in 2007 but he was an very good junior and progressed well to the 2007 Tour.

Indeed, I wouldn't say Contador 2007 was a massive jump in performance.