# Nibali and Fulsgang (sp?)



## Kemmelberg (Dec 27, 2005)

Anyone else question the performance of those two in the Tour stage on the cobbles? There was something about two climbers riding away from Cancellara, Sagan, and other one-day stars on the cobbles that didn't pass the smell test for me. I also saw something like this coming with Vinokourov publicly ragging on Nibali for a lack of results. Anyway, I'd love to be wrong about this, because Nibali seems like a nice guy, but it didn't look right to me.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

I am also impressed with Nibali's riding so far. But it's not setting off my alarms yet. If he puts minutes into other climbers on the climbs and time into TTers on the TTs the bells will ring a little louder.


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## redlizard (Jul 26, 2007)

I think it's more accurate to say that those other guys made tactical errors and got dropped, rather than Nibali and Fulsgang rode away. Those guys weren't as well placed and when hard men hit the gas, they got caught flat-footed. In the case of Cancellara, he decided not turn himself inside out just to benefit the rest of the crowd.

I think also that Nibali and Fulsgang were flat out lucky not to puncture, have a mechanical or make a mistake and crash. I'd be willing to bet they were on the edge of losing control more often than they'd like to admit.

YMMV


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

How The Race Was Won ? Tour de France 2014 ? Stage 5 | Cyclocosm | Pro Cycling Blog

Astana rode the best as a team. They had a guy in the breakaway to help later and Nibali always had team mates around him. Let's not forget he's a great bike handler and he's especially on a higher notch when it gets wet. Although Sagan and Cancellara are great handlers as well, I think having it rain as opposed to the mostly dry classics season gave Nibali a edge compared to the other guys.

That being said I was disappointed by Sagan's and especially Cancellara's performance.


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## antihero77 (Jul 26, 2011)

I personally think nibalis riding equals not normal. Riding past Rodriguez on a 20% gradient not riding past him but blasting by him hummmmmmm


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

hhhmm. At what point do we start calling him NibbleStrong ? It's interesting to watch the body language of Christian Prudhomme when he is around Nibbles backstage at the podium presentations. Prudhomme not buying the Merckxian performance. Me either. With the speed on the flat stages and the closed mouth dominance on climbs, it reminds me of 1999 Giro Pantani vintage.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

antihero77 said:


> I personally think nibalis riding equals not normal. Riding past Rodriguez on a 20% gradient not riding past him but blasting by him hummmmmmm


Rodriguez is not back in form.

I read somewhere (forgot where) that Nibali hired Johan Museeuw (3x Paris Roubaix winner) to teach him how ride the cobbles.


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## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

deviousalex said:


> Rodriguez is not back in form.
> 
> I read somewhere (forgot where) that Nibali hired Johan Museeuw (3x Paris Roubaix winner) to teach him how ride the cobbles.


He beat Fabian, that's quite the teacher. Fabian rode this tour for that stage specifically and still for smoked, by both Astana team members.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

r1lee said:


> He beat Fabian, that's quite the teacher. Fabian rode this tour for that stage specifically and still for smoked, by both Astana team members.


The Astana team was clearly a lot better than Trek. Nibali always had team mates around him, not the case with Fabian.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

r1lee said:


> He beat Fabian


Not at all.
Cancellara knew everyone was sitting on his wheel and expecting him to drag them to the finish.
He said not likely, and sat up.


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## dockt (Nov 5, 2013)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Not at all.
> Cancellara knew everyone was sitting on his wheel and expecting him to drag them to the finish.
> He said not likely, and sat up.


I read this explanation everywhere, but since when is it acceptable for a top hard man like Cancellara to rather lose than risk dragging other guys up to the front with him? He could have had an off day, but what ever happened to "keep up if you can?"


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

It happens all the time, lots of racers do it.
Cancellara did the same thing in Paris Roubaix. 
Thor Hushovd sat on his wheel, wouldn't do any work, and Cancellara sat up, van Summeren "won" the race.
Similar thing this year, Boonen easily the best on the day rides at the front and everyone sits on his back wheel. So he let Terpstra win.


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## sneakyracer (Dec 1, 2007)

Seems to me EVERYONE is suffering on the climbs except Nibali. It was pretty obvious yesterday and today. Why that is? I can't say. 

Just looked at Lauerns ten Dam Strava data of Today's stage and he posted a VAM of 1645 up the Risoul (7.9 mile climb) climb and he still got beat to the top by Nibali. (ten Dam posted a VAM of 1471 on the last 6.7 miles of the climb, so entirely plausible numbers) That is insane at the end of a stage more so given that Nibali's advantage was made in the last few Km's. Yes, they did not go all out on the first two climbs but they didn't go slow either. 

The difference was that ten Dam and the others looked absolutely gassed in their post race interviews but Nibali looked much fresher.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

sneakyracer said:


> Seems to me EVERYONE is suffering on the climbs except Nibali. It was pretty obvious yesterday and today. Why that is? I can't say.
> 
> Just looked at Lauerns ten Dam Strava data of Today's stage and he posted a VAM of 1645 up the Risoul (7.9 mile climb) climb and he still got beat to the top by Nibali. (ten Dam posted a VAM of 1471 on the last 6.7 miles of the climb, so entirely plausible numbers) That is insane at the end of a stage more so given that Nibali's advantage was made in the last few Km's. Yes, they did not go all out on the first two climbs but they didn't go slow either.
> 
> The difference was that ten Dam and the others looked absolutely gassed in their post race interviews but Nibali looked much fresher.


Someone always beats Ten Dam. When ten dam wins then something is not normal.


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## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Not at all.
> Cancellara knew everyone was sitting on his wheel and expecting him to drag them to the finish.
> He said not likely, and sat up.


Yeah Cancellara didn't lead it out, but Astana were pulling away from him. You're dropping one of the best classic rider of all time and who arguably has the biggest engine on that stage and he couldn't keep that pace. Lol, and I'm sure Sagan felt the same way. I'll just sit up and let nibali go for the stage.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

Nibali also hired Johann Museeuw in the off season to teach he and his team how to ride cobbles

best prepared rider....

some other GC guys in pre tour interviews joked "I bet Nibali hired someone to help with the cobbles"

well he did


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

r1lee said:


> Yeah Cancellara didn't lead it out, but Astana were pulling away from him. You're dropping one of the best classic rider of all time and who arguably has the biggest engine on that stage and he couldn't keep that pace. Lol, and I'm sure Sagan felt the same way. I'll just sit up and let nibali go for the stage.


In the rain that doesn't always help. I forget who was saying it (maybe Sagan or Cancellara) but in their post race interview whenever they applied lots of power the rear wheel was slipping.


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## bluelena69 (Apr 19, 2005)

Damn this forum is depressing. Why even bother watching anymore if everything is too good to be true?


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## vic bastige (Jan 22, 2004)

bluelena69 said:


> Damn this forum is depressing. Why even bother watching anymore if everything is too good to be true?


Because history suggests that if it looks too good, often it is. 

The forum is not to blame. Rampant doping is.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

sneakyracer said:


> Seems to me EVERYONE is suffering on the climbs except Nibali. It was pretty obvious yesterday and today. Why that is? I can't say.
> 
> Just looked at Lauerns ten Dam Strava data of Today's stage and he posted a VAM of 1645 up the Risoul (7.9 mile climb) climb and he still got beat to the top by Nibali. (ten Dam posted a VAM of 1471 on the last 6.7 miles of the climb, so entirely plausible numbers) That is insane at the end of a stage more so given that Nibali's advantage was made in the last few Km's. Yes, they did not go all out on the first two climbs but they didn't go slow either.
> 
> The difference was that ten Dam and the others looked absolutely gassed in their post race interviews but Nibali looked much fresher.


did you hear Ten Dam's post race comments?


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## bluelena69 (Apr 19, 2005)

Anyhow, what kind of dope makes one go across cobbles faster without falling down?


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## vic bastige (Jan 22, 2004)

bluelena69 said:


> Anyhow, what kind of dope makes one go across cobbles faster without falling down?


If you have more energy and are less fatigued, you make less physical errors. 

I have no idea if anyone is juicing, but past performance has tainted the sport. Still, I will always follow the grand tours and classics.


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## thirstyman (May 6, 2007)

nose breathing while crushing on ascents does not look right


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