Showing posts with label Nibali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nibali. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
Monday, 6 May 2019
Friday, 7 December 2018
Friday, 20 July 2018
Le Tour de Merde
"Ce ci n'est pas une pipe", said Magritte.
I say: "This is not a cycling race".
I don't think this grotesque parade with such a shitty organization deserves any further comment.
Sunday, 18 March 2018
A Poet In Sanremo
Giovanni Pascoli (1855 - 1912), an Italian poet, talked about the Poetica del fanciullino (Poetics of the child) which he described as the unceasing capability to get stunned by the world, typical of childhood.
Pascoli opposed both the renunciation of self-analysis and the abandonment of the self-centered point of view, in favor of a semi-irrational comfort which the poet gives himself through poetry.
What Nibali did yesterday on the Poggio was exactly the same, he applied the Poetics of the child to cycling.
In these days, dominated by Watts, computers, data analysis and science, Nibali abandoned both a strict data analysis and a self-centered point of view, attacking with an irrational comfort, just based on his own sensation powered by the magic climb on which he was, the Poggio.
The moment Nibali crossed the finish line, every single witness of this incredible feat started crying, the child inside us had been woken up by this incredible champion that showed the world that, sometimes, a poet can still beat science.
Chapeau Nibali and thank you for waking up our inner fanciullino.
Tuesday, 10 October 2017
Il Lombardia
What a race! Nibali won again Il Lombardia and brought Bahrain Merida its first Monument.
The race was incredibly hard and nothing more that the words of Pinot can summarize how it went: "I think Nibali is the most complete rider of the Peloton".
Despite all the critics received during the season, the Squalo came out with an incredible victory.
In the interview after the race he has already set his new objective: Innsbruck world championships.
Seeing how these last Italian classics or para-classics went, with the victory of Uran Uran, Nibali, Visconti, Geniez and with first class riders as Pinot, Quintana and Alaphilippe fighting in the up front, next year's World Champs are going to be memorable.
Nevertheless we have a season to watch and comment in which we will still enjoy Sagan wearing its natural outfit.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Monday, 29 May 2017
Giro 100 Big Finale
In the end Dumoulin won and I can't remember a Giro so uncertain and so deserved.
The level of the Giro 100 has been extremely high and Dumoulin won because he was the most complete rider of the Peloton.
He proved also to be the smartest in several situation, winning his first Giro with strong legs but with a stronger mind.
His opponents never really tried to do something risky in the final week, they were all scared, despite their statements, to lose their position in the General Classification.
We discovered yesterday that Quintana has been sick during the last two weeks but I still think that some riders can have more than a regret.
What Team Katusha Alpecin made in the last stage would have shaken the GC many times if done by stronger teams in previous stages.
The sad truth we have learned is that it doesn't matter just to win.
In modern cycling you prefer not to loose a third or a sixth position than trying to win a Giro, considering that in the worst case you can loose badly.
Talking about the teams without a proper GC contender, I just want to underline a key point: why if such a great team as Quick-Step Floors is always attacking, even in the last stage, the teams invited, with the exception of Team Gazprom-Rusvelo, never really battled hard in order to try to win a stage?
Here you can find my grades to the teams, from 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good), you, dear Impressionists, will choose the rider of the Giro in the upcoming survey.
Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team - 6
AG2R La Mondiale - 5
Astana Pro Team - Impossible to rate
Bardiani - CSF - 4.5
BMC Racing Team - 7.5
Bora - Hansgrohe - 8
Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team - 7
CCC Sprandi Polkowice - 4.5
FDJ - 7
Gazprom-RusVelo - 6.5
Lotto Soudal - 5.5
Movistar Team - 7.5
ORICA-Scott - 6
Quick-Step Floors - 9.5
Dimension Data - 7
Team Katusha - Alpecin - 6
Team LottoNL-Jumbo - 5
Team Sky - 8
Team Sunweb - 8
Trek - Segafredo - 5
UAE Team Emirates - 5.5
Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia - 3.5
Monday, 22 May 2017
Giro 100 Pt. 3
I want to divide this brief Impression in three parts, because we've just finished an intense week.
SPRINTS & SPRINTERS
Last week has been the week of Gaviria, he claimed and obtained a place in the sprinters' elite.
He dominated the sprint, winning each time in a different way, showing the world his multiples skills.
Ewan could be the only one faster than him, but he is too small and struggle too much while fighting for position.
Sam Bennet is supported by an incredible team, but unfortunately found a sprinter stronger than him.
I'am a bit disappointed by Greipel, he could not be satisfied with just one stage win, even if it gave him the pink jersey.
If you are one of the best sprinters in the world, you have to do something more to remain in the elite, considering that, as we said, you have a new impressive opponent.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AND PINK JERSEY CANDIDATES
I've never seen Tom Dumoulin so confident and self-aware.
He demolished his opponents on his field, the TT, but what he did on the Mount Oropa climb is even better.
He won on the Pantani's climb wearing the pink jersey, what else do you need to be considered a champion?
He has learned a lot from his Vuelta's defeat and will fight 'til the end of the Giro, with a great TT waiting for him in Milan.
Quintana is the strongest climber of this Giro 100 and it seems to be the only one capable of attacking Dumoulin.
We will see, we have great week ahead.
TEAMS
What can I say about Quick-step Floors?
The Wolfpack is honoring the race and demolishing its opponents on the roads of Giro 100, winning and exciting the crowd on any terrain. What a team!!
The last consideration is about the so many teams that haven't already gotten anything from this Giro 100 and that are doing nothing in order to justify their participation.
You will understand of which teams I'm talking about once the Giro is over, reading the upcoming article in which I'll rate the teams.
Monday, 15 May 2017
Giro 100 Pt. 2
It has not been a memorable Giro, except for the Blockhaus stage, so far, but the best is yet to come.
Smaller teams are not interested in fighting for a stage win and the Peloton seems asleep, providing the same show almost everyday.
Bora - Hansgrohe and Quick-Step Floor are still the only two teams honoring the race and taking great victories and podiums.
I want to underline also the strength of Gazprom Rusvelo, the only team that everyday has a man in the breakaway.
Dillier saved the Giro of Team BMC considering that team's GC ambitions sank in the Blockhaus stage.
Talking about the Blockhaus stage, the first consideration must be on Italian police, shame on them. They eliminated 3 GC contenders with one of the silliest move you can do in a cycling race.
Talking about the "survivors", Quintana proved to be the best, supported by a great team with licence to kill, see Gorka Izagirre.
Pinot is not a surprise for me, he is riding incredibly well since the beginning of the Giro.
He has prepared this edition of the Giro very well. He is stronger than Quintana against the clock and can be considered the first rival of the new pink jersey.
Dumoulin surprised me, he made a solid performance on such a hard climb.
Considering that he is the stronger GC contender in TT stages, he can take away the pink jersey from Quintana tomorrow and try to defend it as long as possible.
Just a few words about Nibali, he is riding alone, his team is inconsistent.
My question to the Bahrain - Merida director is: if you know you have a weak team compared to your opponents, why do you spend in a breakaway, the day before a mountain stage, one of your strongest climber? I really hope Bahrain - Merida is fighting for something more than a stage win.
Monday, 25 July 2016
Tour de France Ratings
I'm using the rating scale from 0 (very bad) to 10 (excellent).
Froome, Sagan: 10
Cavendish: 9,5
Dumoulin, Bardet, Yates: 8
Van Avermaet, Pantano: 7,5
Zakarin, Valverde, Majka: 7
Matthews, De Gendt, Izagirre, Rodriguez: 6,5
Kittel, Greipel, Porte, Cummings: 6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quintana, Barguil, Kristoff, Alaphilippe: 5
Aru, Nibali, Rolland, Cancellara: 4,5
Coquard, Voeckler: 4
Prudhomme, Security, Motorbikes: 0
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Saturday, 28 May 2016
Nibali, The Human Champion
In one of the worst Giro ever created by the organizers, the Alps and the riders keep the Giro d'Italia the most exciting Grand Tour of the year.
Nibali, supported by a strong team and a gigantic Scarponi, is the main character of this Giro: the human and humble champion.
He didn't demolished the road: he fought, he struggled, he won, this is what true champions do.
There has been a lot of chatting around Nibali but Vincenzo, with his Sicilian charcater, kept riding and fighting.
I think that now Nibali can be definitely considered one of the top Grand Tour riders in the world, if not the best.
I don't know how many Tour de France winners of the latest years would be able to do what Nibali did in this Giro, but that's a matter for a separate talk.
There is just one stain on Vincenzo's epic quest, but it is not his fault: Nibali won't celebrate his victory in Milan, the city of the Giro d'Italia. This is the last shitty surprise coming from the organizers; luckily tomorrow it is the last stage.
Imagine to win a Tour de France and celebrate riding the last stage in a place different than Paris, this is what will happen tomorrow.
Thank you Nibali, the human champion.
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