Vincenzo Nibali

[SafeBet]

Surely news outlets in italy would be all over this already? Or is that tweet less cryptic in italian?

It sounds cryptic to me honestly.

 

[Lanark]

Surely news outlets in italy would be all over this already? Or is that tweet less cryptic in italian?

I think most news outlets in Italy are asleep at this moment

We haven't got a lot to go on at this moment, a rumour, a cryptic tweet. Probably have to wait untill tomorrow at least.

 

[Markyboyzx6r]

Nibali? Clean? Yeah, right.

Blimey, please don't tell me I've called it correctly. Breaking the habits of a lifetime.

 

[whittashau]

And why would Nibali use EPO as well? Isn't it kinda outdated?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Think rumor is being generated on the back of the Puffy Cheeks debacle.

Less than 5% probability imo.

 

[Richeypen]

And why would Nibali use EPO as well? Isn't it kinda outdated?

Thats why I dont believe it. He has too much money behind him to be on something so outdated

 

[Netserk]

And why would Nibali use EPO as well? Isn't it kinda outdated?

To mask transfusions.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Maybe the source is Vayer?

antoine vayer ‏@festinaboy The Giro Organizer should wait a little bit before giving Nibali the price money. Really. Hang on !

Tanja ‏@bambula
@festinaboy What makes you say that, are his numbers very high?

antoine vayer ‏@festinaboy
@bambula No. An event that will arrive.

That tweet is already a week old though, so that is probably not the source for the article

 

[Pentacycle]

Thats why I dont believe it. He has too much money behind him to be on something so outdated

Are you stating none of the top WT riders use EPO any more? You can assume as you wish, but it can backfire.

 

[whittashau]

Think rumor is being generated on the back of the Puffy Cheeks debacle.

Less than 5% probability imo.

Yeah, but what's with the random tweet at around midnight italian time? Especially considering how skeptical the whole world is around doping. He seems like a smart enough guy, surely he wouldn't fuel the fire like that unless he knew something was about to hit the fan?

 

[Lanark]

That tweet is already a week old though, so that is probably not the source for the article

Sure, but then again, isn't that website that launched the rumour just a weblog? How likely is it they have their own separate sources, that aren't reported everywhere else (and mentioning it in such a casual way as well).

 

[Cyivel]

Yeah, but what's with the random tweet at around midnight italian time? Especially considering how skeptical the whole world is around doping. He seems like a smart enough guy, surely he wouldn't fuel the fire like that unless he knew something was about to hit the fan?

Maybe he thought he'd send out a tweet before he went to bed saying he would never cheat even if it meant not being able to win and he can hold his head high, imagine how he'll feel when he wakes up

 

[whittashau]

If this is really true the only surprise is that he has been caught, not that he was doping.

The step up on the program has been very obvious this giro, not so much pre giro to be honest, but during the giro it was just as obvious as Santambrodgios.

Also my Italian is pretty bad but it seems like some people were already commenting stuff along the lines of "the giro will always be yours" on his facebook page so . . .

Well, I thought he would be on some new form of doping or at least doping at a undetectable level like I assume that Sky and everyone else is probably doing which rightfully or wrongly makes me able to accept it. EPO? Not so much.

 

[wansteadimp]

So we know Di Luca & Santambrogio have tested positive for EPO and also rumours of Nibali, does this mean that WADA have a new test that can pick up even micro-dosing or are they just all being careless?

 

[martinvickers]

doesn't look like a confirmation... that's just a random "I'm clean" statement that only confirms he noticed there are rumours about him.

That said, it's certainly not really convincing.

Have to say, I read this as Nibble's rather more elegant version of Wiggins "I'd rather stack shelves in Tesco" speech - it's hard to be competitive, but if I can't be, so be it ...i.e. i won't dope just to stay at the top. I'd rather keep my head high, my honour etc....

 

[Zam_Olyas]

How can people read Mr. Nibali's tweet as a confirmation?

 

[Taxus4a]

But that would mean another GT win for sky and clean cycling

That would be the only good new of this... but would be really a bad new if Nibali has doped.

He was suspisious, that is true, not only this year, last year in the Tour as well, but just suspicious, not incredible, so I want to believe that not only SKy is clean, although they are the most transparent team, and the first team to work with another phillosophy, and they have money for that.

But I want to believe that the change is general, and just some people or some teams, are taking the bad way. It wouldnt be a surprise if one of that team is Astana, as well Vini, but I want to believe in this Astana.

 

[Taxus4a]

So we know Di Luca & Santambrogio have tested positive for EPO and also rumours of Nibali, does this mean that WADA have a new test that can pick up even micro-dosing or are they just all being careless?

There is a new test, a test that take more time, and a test that can only be taken is some laboratories, so as well for that take more time to know the results.

They are crazy or stupids nowadays, no more.

 

[Big Doopie]

Big Doopie rejoices at the prospect of Ferrari Nibali being caught.

More frauds get caught. More chance TDF will resemble clean sport. It's fantastic for cycling the more they catch. Please catch more, more. Root them out.

Just a reminder. "Natural" progression is meaningless when all the data is corrupt.

Oh, I hope, I pray for my beloved cycling that Nibali, patient of, latest monster created by dr ferraristein will cop his due.

 

[martinvickers]

How can people read Mr. Nibali's tweet as a confirmation?

Because they want to. A bit of a feeding frenzy - apposite for a Shark.

I really hope there's no 'here' here with Nibali. Not least because simply giving the Giro to Uran misses the point that, minus Nibali's dominance, a lot of other riders who sat tight would have raced very differently.

Sometime this sport really depresses you. But still, catching dopers has to equal a good day - even if it rarely feels like it at the time.

 

[gooner]

How can people read Mr. Nibali's tweet as a confirmation?

I think it's more in combination with the article posted earlier.

If that tweet was posted without any printing of that piece and rumours of Nibali getting busted, nothing would be made of it in the interpretation it has now.

I don't read too much into his comment either and certainly not along the lines that he has a positive on the way.

 

[DirtyWorks]

So we know Di Luca & Santambrogio have tested positive for EPO and also rumours of Nibali, does this mean that WADA have a new test that can pick up even micro-dosing or are they just all being careless?

Another option, my wild guess is Pat needs to revise his anti-doping reputation. Even if WADA had a newer test, the UCI has ignored positives. Even if the average grand tour top-10 were clean, Verbruggen has threatened to issue positives just because he can.

 

[Afrank]

So a blog post talking about a rumor, and a weird sounding tweet. Not nearly enough to go on to prove anything yet IMO. I think there's probably a good chance there is just a rumor springing up in light of Santambrogio's positive.

Really hope this is the case at least. It wouldn't surprise me too much to find Nibali had been doping (more of a surprise him being caught), but it would be very sad. I greatly enjoyed seeing him win the Giro, plus I would have to change my avatar. I really don't want to do that, I like this one.

 

[staubsauger]

Wait ...

So they are still using Epo while riding so much more boring than 2007-2009, hell even more boring than in 2011? Not to begin about the 90's or the 80's without the master stuff.

Wow. That's very pathetic!

 

[The Hitch]

Wait ...

So they are still using Epo while riding so much more boring than 2007-2009, hell even more boring than in 2011? Not to begin about the 90's or the 80's without the master stuff.

Wow. That's very pathetic!

Why would doping lead to more exciting racing? Cycling was more exciting before epo. People say doping makes people able to attack for longer but it does the same to their opponents, so theres no advantage gained. It also increases speed and therefore increases slipstream giving someone with a team an advantage over the solo rider. Finally it makes stages easier therefore reducing the risk of top riders cracking big time.