Vincenzo Nibali

[vedrafjord]

the Inner Ring @inrng
La Gazzetta reports Vincenzo Nibali got a letter in late April about "poor performance" signed by Astana boss Vinokourov

Wonder what this means? He's too clean for Vino I guess. Wonder did he fly too close to the sun last year and is off the sauce now?

 

[The Hitch]

Well his performances have been poor. As to why that is, could be a number of things. Well see in the next few months if it's anything long term.

 

[Franklin]

Well, considering the salary Nibbles receives I'd say it's Vino's responsibility to do/say something.

Also, why do people have this absurd idea that people fading means they got clean? Riders still get ill, get emotional issues etc. There are people who think that by injecting juice you become an unstoppable robot

 

[Franklin]

You can? Please do enlighten me.

Actually, yeah you can.

Renault/LVC/PDM/ADR were hardly clean teams and that's saying it mildly.*

I certainly don't think it's a hopeful sign if riders joined certain teams,... but at the same time I know that Greg had similar issues and he certainly was clean.


* And no, LVC was not without it' doping problems.

 

[classicomano]

Hes definetly been riding very "clean" this year.

Nibali replied to Froome through Twitter to say he had been tested more than five times in the past month, although at home and not in Tenerife.

Being targeted? The "flying too close to the sun" remark is probably pretty close to the truth.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Interesting to see Nibali in good form after he's been worthless all season. But we will have to wait until the real mountains before we draw any conclusions

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Interesting to see Nibali in good form after he's been worthless all season. But we will have to wait until the real mountains before we draw any conclusions

Flash in the pan, perhaps? Peaking too early in the Tour can leave you hurting in the final week.

 

[maxmartin]

Flash in the pan, perhaps? Peaking too early in the Tour can leave you hurting in the final week.

well if you look at bigger time frame including Dauphnie, he is peaking at the right time along with TJVG. But go back to doping, his performance even today is far away from astonishing, he is really struggling in the last few hundred meters.

 

[lllludo]

Being targeted? The "flying too close to the sun" remark is probably pretty close to the truth.

In fact we don't know what organization has been testing Nibali. UCI ? Maybe it's just the CONI doing a good job.
I'm not sure the Comité Antidopage Monegasque tests that often (59 blood & urine test for all Monaco based sportsmen in 2012 - no stats for 2013) lest alone "surprise tests"

 

[Angliru]

Flash in the pan, perhaps? Peaking too early in the Tour can leave you hurting in the final week.

He simply followed wheels, while his rivals were alternately in the wind, until he mounted his attack. It may not be a sign of peaking too early, just a good tactical move that his opponents hesitated in responding to.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

He simply followed wheels, while his rivals were alternately in the wind, until he mounted his attack. It may not be a sign of peaking too early, just a good tactical move that his opponents hesitated in responding to.

Yeah to be honest I had not watched the finish until later. Now that I have seen it, getting a gap to Sagan after getting over the final climb is a good move (tm). Unlikely anyone's going to chase back on with Sagan on their wheel, and Sagan isn't going to chase himself, so a nice little setup.

It was less than one VO2max effort, so agreed, I don't think it was all that much to win. Perhaps him being there at all is different to the rest of the year? But if Sagan can stick on the climb, not unusual for Nibali to be there.

 

[Le Baroudeur]

Sharks drawn to the bright lights seems natural to me. I guess the team have found their spring classics man.

 

[the sceptic]

Sharks drawn to the bright lights seems natural to me. I guess the team have found their spring classics man.

Best part is that Dr Ferrari predicted all this before le tour.

Was almost gewiss esque the way they just rode away from Cancellara and Sagan.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Sharks drawn to the bright lights seems natural to me. I guess the team have found their spring classics man.

His balls are so huge that he has to check for testicular cancer once a month. Nothing new here...

 

[Forunculo]

More than Nibali, the performances of Westra and Jakob regarding Cancellara, Sagan or Terpstra it's fully freak.

 

[Le Baroudeur]

His balls are so huge that he has to check for testicular cancer once a month. Nothing new here...

Replace 'His' with 'Fuglsang', reflect a while, and then try not to burst out laughing.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

More than Nibali, the performances of Westra and Jakob regarding Cancellara, Sagan or Terpstra it's fully freak.

Slongo magic. If you have paid any attention at all this year it has been foretold that this would happen.

most of the forumers have been like "oh, having to catch up!", "Nibali won't beat Talansky". you stupid people

 

[Lanark]

Although Nibali and his team are undoubtly doped to the gills, it has little to do with the result of this stage. It's not like the domestiques from Saxo, Movistar or Sky are any cleaner.

 

[Walkman]

Although Nibali and his team are undoubtly doped to the gills, it has little to do with the result of this stage. It's not like the domestiques from Saxo, Movistar or Sky are any cleaner.

Nibali dropped Sagan and Cancellara, while sitting down. Do I need to say more?

This was even more mutant than Froome last year.

 

[I Love To Dope]

The thing is, Nibali only had two other teammates with him at the end and was still putting time into the other groups that had whole teams doing pulls. Tala sky's group wasn't regaining time any more than Contadors, so it's not like the size of the group going into the corners was the problem. 3/4 guys fended off the entire BMC and Tinkoff squads.

It's believable, if it wasn't a GC contender before the mountain stages putting big time into a couple GC favorites.

 

[I Love To Dope]

It was still fun as hell to watch so whatever, really.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nibali dropped Sagan and Cancellara, while sitting down. Do I need to say more?

This was even more mutant than Froome last year.

they got dropped into a corner. Cancellara have been complaining about his brakes, and Sagan didn't pull. + ofc. Astana trains harder, and better than anyone else

 

[Lanark]

Nibali dropped Sagan and Cancellara, while sitting down. Do I need to say more?

This was even more mutant than Froome last year.

Sagan and Cancellara, who couldn't even drop Jens Keukeleire. And Boom could drop Sagan and Cancellara at any point he wanted too, they were that weak. Cancellara wasn't even at 50% of his spring level, Nibali dropping him here says all about Cancellara, and little about Nibali.

 

[Walkman]

Sagan and Cancellara, who couldn't even drop Jens Keukeleire. And Boom could drop Sagan and Cancellara at any point he wanted too, they were that weak. Cancellara wasn't even at 50% of his spring level, Nibali dropping him here says all about Cancellara, and little about Nibali.

And you know this how? Do you have his power data from todays stage?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

And you know this how? Do you have his power data from todays stage?

Fine. Kaukeleire has had an amazing development.