79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/23/2015 02:56 PM |
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Tough break for Nibali, losing 97 seconds behind a big crash in day one of a three week tour. They were right to toss him, IMHO, but still a tough break. I suspect his DS was fully aware he would probably get tossed or penalized many minutes, but knew that Nibali would not be able to come back from such a big deficit on his own. (And as it was, he rejoined the peloton but faded and lost 81 seconds at the finish.)
To me, the biggest lesson here is an old one. Stay in front of crashes! Ride smart. Stay around good riders. And if you want to win big tours, you have to be strong enough and tough enough to overcome the s*** you did not plan on. In this case, that would have meant Nibali and his Astana teammates going a step harder to get him back on, then stay on regardless of how hard it gets. For an example of going that step further and it working out to an eventual tour win, see Contador after he was caught up behind a crash in the cobbled stage 5 years ago when he chased solo for an hour or more to finally catch the second group, then do his best top stay in that, all the time nursing a dying rear wheel. I suspect Nibali's DS knew he did not have that in him today and this was a lose-lose situation.
Ben
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 08/23/2015 05:49 PM |
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That's a heck of s sticky bottle!
Watch the video.. you'd laugh out loud at how flagrant it was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSQW8OX8VqA |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/23/2015 07:28 PM |
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I find it hard to classify blatant cheating like that a "tough break"!! 
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/23/2015 09:23 PM |
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| Minority report: This fan thinks 10 minutes would have been a better punishment than banishment. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/24/2015 12:17 AM |
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The tough break was getting caught behind the crash. Given his strength and conditioning, it probably sank his Vuelta. I am guessing both Nibali and the driver knew this and therefor they had little to lose.
Ben |
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zootracer
Posts:835
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| 08/24/2015 09:42 AM |
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| I don't know how long he hung onto that team car, but it was pretty blatant.... |
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SideBySide
Posts:444
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| 08/24/2015 12:06 PM |
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| That was blatant. They had no choice. He might as well have climbed into the car. |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 08/24/2015 12:37 PM |
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whoa, pretty blatant for sure. I have always liked Nibali, but it seems like he has become one huge whiney baby lately, pointing the finger at everyone else for his troubles it seems
Strava that segment! ha ha ha Forgot to turn mine off the day after an MTB ride, we drove up the mtn for the heck of it, crushed everyone's time!!
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 08/24/2015 06:02 PM |
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The best part was the field sitting up in a WTH moment as Nibs motored away.
Would have loved to have heard those conversations.
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Ride On
Posts:537
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| 08/24/2015 06:31 PM |
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Gives my pause about his comments about everyone does it.
Am I to infer from that he thinks it's ok to use PEDs ? Since you know everyone else is doing it in his mind ? |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/24/2015 08:09 PM |
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| That would be yes. |
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Master50
Posts:340
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| 08/24/2015 10:25 PM |
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Posted By Frederick Jones on 08/23/2015 09:23 PM
Minority report: This fan thinks 10 minutes would have been a better punishment than banishment.
he would have lost less than that if he did it by the rules. not the first time he has been caught at this.
Funny how cheaters always have an excuse when they get caught. |
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Nick A
Posts:625
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| 08/25/2015 08:27 PM |
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Went to check the link...it's not just missing, the account has been suspended! Dang.
N |
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Nick A
Posts:625
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| 08/25/2015 08:41 PM |
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| OK, so I watched it. What about this thought? In American football, or basketball, it's not unusual to intentionally foul. If you're beat down field by a receiver, you're going to commit pass interference...and likely get the penalty.
But you make a calculated decision, that this is better than a possible touchdown. So, if you blatantly hold onto a car, in front of a dozen guys and a helicopter, could that just be a strategy decision? (Take the time hit, but live another day?) Now, in stick an ball sports, penalties change as they crack down on things, and they decide they're going to be more harsh and what not...and maybe that's what happened here. Not necessarily defending it, but just perhaps a devil's advocate position. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/25/2015 09:23 PM |
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| I like the analogies. In professional soccer, an analogous "professional foul " earns a yellow card, not a disqualification. |
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