*checks in*
As a former Nibaliphile I don’t find his time gaps remotely concerning, nor the performances I've seen (although I didn't see the MTT). Beating Uran by under 5 mins after Sky did their trademark tactical self-destruct to protect golden Bradley. Beating an over the hill Evans by under 6 mins doesn’t by itself terrify me either. I think Nibali from yester year would have won this edition of the Giro by broadly similar margins if it played out the same in terms of retirements, tactics and weather. The podium of Nibali, Uran & Evans includes zero confirmed dopers, despite two having long illustrious careers.
That’s enough rose-tintedness though. I’ve felt the sport has been descending slowly into the dark old days since 2011, with PEDs forming an ever increasing proportion in performance and w/kg values appearing to rise. This wasn’t anywhere near as laughable as the last couple of Vueltas, but it does nothing to dampen suspicions.
Which leads me to Nibali standing up and talking of ethics after his victory. This is the man so ethical he signed for Vino’s team, then turns in a perfomance like his MTT? What’s sauce for the goose (Sky) is sauce for the Shark and if Nibali is going to go out his way to act pious then I’m surprised that there isn’t more (read: any) vegetable matter being thrown his way by this forum. Here is your self proclaimed whiter than white cyclist with suspect history and performance, and yet, as a non-Anglo Saxon he attracts no vitriol. Double standards alive and well here I see.
As a former Nibaliphile I don’t find his time gaps remotely concerning, nor the performances I've seen (although I didn't see the MTT). Beating Uran by under 5 mins after Sky did their trademark tactical self-destruct to protect golden Bradley. Beating an over the hill Evans by under 6 mins doesn’t by itself terrify me either. I think Nibali from yester year would have won this edition of the Giro by broadly similar margins if it played out the same in terms of retirements, tactics and weather. The podium of Nibali, Uran & Evans includes zero confirmed dopers, despite two having long illustrious careers.
That’s enough rose-tintedness though. I’ve felt the sport has been descending slowly into the dark old days since 2011, with PEDs forming an ever increasing proportion in performance and w/kg values appearing to rise. This wasn’t anywhere near as laughable as the last couple of Vueltas, but it does nothing to dampen suspicions.
Which leads me to Nibali standing up and talking of ethics after his victory. This is the man so ethical he signed for Vino’s team, then turns in a perfomance like his MTT? What’s sauce for the goose (Sky) is sauce for the Shark and if Nibali is going to go out his way to act pious then I’m surprised that there isn’t more (read: any) vegetable matter being thrown his way by this forum. Here is your self proclaimed whiter than white cyclist with suspect history and performance, and yet, as a non-Anglo Saxon he attracts no vitriol. Double standards alive and well here I see.