Aru - Blip or Flop?

redvision

I was going to post this in the discussion thread but figured it might deserve its own thread.

Following his Vuelta win in 2015 Fabian Aru was described as the future of Italian (and by some, world) cycling, yet since his biggest career win, he has somewhat underwhelmed and never lived up to the hype.

This Giro has been a perfect example of his troubles, talked up as a potential winner by some sections of the press, yet finds himself 25 minutes down in the GC and behind two of his fellow countrymen, Formolo and Pozzovivo.

So, has Aru's bubble burst? Was 2015 the pinnacle? Was 2015 a fluke?

No_Ta_Doctor

I don't think you can call 2015 a fluke, given he had a podium at the Giro and a 5th at the Vuelta in 2014, plus a 2nd at the Giro in 2015.

specialgueststar

Cunego

redvision

No tA Doctor wrote:

I don't think you can call 2015 a fluke, given he had a podium at the Giro and a 5th at the Vuelta in 2014, plus a 2nd at the Giro in 2015.

So what's happened to him then?

ShutupJens

He is clearly struggling with something, not perhaps to the same extent as Chaves but he doesn't look fit and every day seems to make it worse

He'll be back, look at nibs - 4 years between his Vuelta and Giro wins, Aru is still young when it comes to Grand Tours after all

larkim

Kirby was describing in reasonably unpleasant terms that Aru was having trouble keeping fluids inside him yesterday wasn't he? Of course, that doesn't explain not living up to the hype in other years.

RichN95.

I might suggest that a change of team and and a change of coach aren't working out for him. He's being coached by Paolo Tiralongo who only just retired and doesn't have expertise of Slongo or whoever he worked with before.

milton50

Top 5 in the Tour/Podium in the Giro is about his level. Mainly because he has the worst TT ability of any of his rivals. The Vuelta is just an afterthought for the top GC guys, or a chance for those who were injured earlier in the season to salvage something. Chris Horner won the Vuelta.

He's clearly ill/injured or both in this Giro.

redvision

RichN95 wrote:

I might suggest that a change of team and and a change of coach aren't working out for him. He's being coached by Paolo Tiralongo who only just retired and doesn't have expertise of Slongo or whoever he worked with before.

This was my initial thought but then his results with Astana started to slide after his Vuelta win, so can't really say it's down to changing teams.

Milton50 wrote:

Top 5 in the Tour/Podium in the Giro is about his level.

I think this could well be it.

jimmythecuckoo

Maybe if he learnt to pedal forwards more and sideways less he would be better...

(not that I am the most elegant peddler of course.)

r0bh

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Maybe if he learnt to pedal forwards more and sideways less he would be better...

(not that I am the most elegant peddler of course.)

People go on about Froome looking bad on a bike but Aru is an order of magnitude worse IMHO

blazing_saddles

redvision wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

I don't think you can call 2015 a fluke, given he had a podium at the Giro and a 5th at the Vuelta in 2014, plus a 2nd at the Giro in 2015.

So what's happened to him then?

The Khalifa's letters have less potent prose than Vino's.

topper_harley

I have no sympathy for him after what he let that team do to his nation jersey

inseine

He's a very attaching (and entertaining)rider,but you've got to wonder if there's much planning behind it. Maybe he's more keen than talented.

Vino'sGhost

also Kirby goes on about what a horror show his face is but i dont think he looks too bad.

blazing_saddles

Vino'sGhost wrote:

also Kirby goes on about what a horror show his face is but i dont think he looks too bad.

above_the_cows

I'm not sure Fabio is the sharpest knife in the drawer.

No_Ta_Doctor

r0bh wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Maybe if he learnt to pedal forwards more and sideways less he would be better...

(not that I am the most elegant peddler of course.)

People go on about Froome looking bad on a bike but Aru is an order of magnitude worse IMHO

Agree. Froome is ugly as sin, but at least it looks like it's probably effective in some strange way. When I see Aru I'm mentally counting up the watts going sideways.

rick_chasey

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Cunego

Same reason too?

m.r.m.

Flop

above_the_cows

I think we can say we will not be seeing Fabio in pink this Giro.

specialgueststar

Rick Chasey wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Cunego

Same reason too?

....del

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Cunego

Same reason too?

Nah. Aru will be decent again. He won the Vuelta because he was better than an ageing Purito and Majka. He was second in the Giro because he was better than Amador and on the same team as Landa. He's not one of the top guys, but if the top guys are not there, he'll get a good result.

specialgueststar

My principle is this: To do what I can in the way that I should. With a conscience. The people who know you, understand you, appreciate you, esteem you, and respect you. There is a finishing order on the day, which this time has penalized me, and there is a finishing order in life, where everyone must protect himself. I am not the only one to do what I can the way I should. Therefore I keep doing it. And already I know there are certain classifications, that must be rewritten, to finished competitions, and this remains painful to me.”

Cunego who moved from Saeco to Lampre

DeVlaeminck

Not mincing his words https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/giuseppe-saronni-livid-with-his-own-uae-emirates-team-and-fabio-aru/

Lanterne_Rogue

Feels like his relationship with the team might be turning a bit toxic. If Saronni is right that he might have still been useful in the mountains it's a bit dumb to leave him without any support other than the tender mercies of the broom wagon, so they clearly weren't that bothered about the chance of him making it through the stage.

mididoctors

Looked ill to me

DeVlaeminck

Seems very harsh to me he could easily have a physical problem.

They don't seem to be suggesting he's slacking or not taking the sport seriously it's more he's not performing as expected we don't know why so it must be a psychological weakness.

Clearly though there's an issue between Saronni and one or more of the coaching staff.

m.r.m.

Lanterne_Rogue said:

Feels like his relationship with the team might be turning a bit toxic. If Saronni is right that he might have still been useful in the mountains it's a bit dumb to leave him without any support other than the tender mercies of the broom wagon, so they clearly weren't that bothered about the chance of him making it through the stage.

Don't think he could have made it back even with support. The peloton started out so fast and refused to let the break go for so long, the gap was unmanageable. I felt really sorry for him. He was full gas, pounding one gel after another and still had a 15-20 km/h speed difference to the peloton.

No_Ta_Doctor

m.r.m. said:

Lanterne_Rogue said:

Feels like his relationship with the team might be turning a bit toxic. If Saronni is right that he might have still been useful in the mountains it's a bit dumb to leave him without any support other than the tender mercies of the broom wagon, so they clearly weren't that bothered about the chance of him making it through the stage.

Don't think he could have made it back even with support. The peloton started out so fast and refused to let the break go for so long, the gap was unmanageable. I felt really sorry for him. He was full gas, pounding one gel after another and still had a 15-20 km/h speed difference to the peloton.

Yeah, it was a bad day to have a bad day.

Nice piece from Jeremy Whittle here
http://lacourseentete.com/2020/09/hard-as-nails-so-woe-betide-those-prone-to-displays-of-weakness/