Nibali descending

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Comments

  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    I thought it was common knowledge that the guys in the grupetto were always the best decenders, they just dont get any TV time doing it. No one stands and watches decents on the side of the road either so we ,the viewing public, all think its the GC guys that decend the best.

    Think about it, in general, the grupetto has to gain back some of the losses they have had up hill, they will generally have a power [cough] bodyweight [cough] advantage downhill, they will be made up of sprinters which means they are 1) great bike handlers at speed and 2) clinically insane.

    For instance Paul Sherwen was well known as one of the best decenders of his era, Thor Hushovt decends like a boulder and I have also heard that as well as dropping Cav on the ascents Bernie also had to wait for him on the decents as well.

    Thats not to say any of them are bad. Nibali certainly seems pretty good in the GC group. Froome would not have seen it to bunnyhop as he would have been looking at his stem :lol: . Remember us punters see less than 95% of the actual action.
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Coach H wrote:
    No one stands and watches decents on the side of the road...

    Don't they?

    Some of my vids from the Galibier descent at the 2011 TdF...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rP7ZR-QM-Q

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZMQTOzksP8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfzXD0KoIkE
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Coach H wrote:
    No one stands and watches decents on the side of the road...

    Don't they?

    Some of my vids from the Galibier descent at the 2011 TdF...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rP7ZR-QM-Q

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZMQTOzksP8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfzXD0KoIkE

    OK some do. I was trying to make a general statement rather than a specific one.

    So what do you think GC guys or Grupetto?
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I dont think its as clean cut as that - you cant be a pro if you cant descend well and I'm sure there are great descenders in both the GC and the Grupetto.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,078
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Imagine Froome or Wiggins in this situation.

    OK, Wiggins had his problems at the Giro this year, but is Froome now considered a poor descender? Did I miss this? Can anyone give examples?

    I was wondering where the "Froome is a poor descender" angle came from as well.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Coach H wrote:
    OK some do.

    Yeah, there are always some weirdos! :D
    Coach H wrote:
    So what do you think GC guys or Grupetto?

    What, which is quicker on a descent? Seemed to me from the roadside that the GC guys were a bit slower. But that's really just my opinion. I don't have anything to back it up.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,951
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    GC guys were a bit slower.

    Is that due to their ability or a different view on risk v reward?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    TailWindHome wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    GC guys were a bit slower.

    Is that due to their ability or a different view on risk v reward?

    Probably ability. I would have thought on a mountain stage the GC riders would be prepared to take more risks. But to be honest, I was only really commenting on the descent I saw. I think Cougie has it right here...
    cougie wrote:
    I dont think its as clean cut as that - you cant be a pro if you cant descend well and I'm sure there are great descenders in both the GC and the Grupetto.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,746
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Imagine Froome or Wiggins in this situation.

    OK, Wiggins had his problems at the Giro this year, but is Froome now considered a poor descender? Did I miss this? Can anyone give examples?

    2013 Tirreno Adriatico
    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... atico.html
    He didn't look that comfy descending the Sarenne in the Tour either and his poor showing at the Worlds probably had something to do with the conditions making it treacherous for the more nervous riders.

    I don't think he's that bad but it's a potential weakness compared to some.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,160
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:
    I was wondering where the "Froome is a poor descender" angle came from as well.
    Wishful thinking from Jonathan Vaughters, perhaps

    iicl.png
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    The media were desperate to keep any excitement left in this year's Tour so they made something up about Froome being bad at descending. The thing is.. He's been in the front 10 on every descent in races he rode to win..
  • rayjay
    rayjay Posts: 1,384
    Contador was pushing at the tour and it nearly worked.

    Froome should have backed off instead of trying to follow. He did not need to follow and it nearly cost him the tour.

    You have to have a cool head and know your limits.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Really? Nearly worked?

    How so? Using a lot of energy with Kreuziger (I appreciate the guts to actually try something far out, mind) but no way were they close to gain anything from that attack.


    Froome had no reason to follow Contador. A very odd and inexperienced of him - but it wasn't Froome who made a mess out of that corner on the descent. It wasn't Froome who showed poor descending skills.
  • rayjay
    rayjay Posts: 1,384
    ThomThom wrote:
    Really? Nearly worked?

    How so? Using a lot of energy with Kreuziger (I appreciate the guts to actually try something far out, mind) but no way were they close to gain anything from that attack.


    Froome had no reason to follow Contador. A very odd and inexperienced of him - but it wasn't Froome who made a mess out of that corner on the descent. It wasn't Froome who showed poor zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


    I can't be bothered
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    rayjay wrote:
    Contador was pushing at the tour and it nearly worked.

    Froome should have backed off instead of trying to follow. He did not need to follow and it nearly cost him the tour.

    You have to have a cool head and know your limits.

    This is one of the things I like about Froome. He rarely takes the conservative option. It might have been reckless to follow Contador but it's probably not the action of a cautious descender.

    As for Nibali, even if his aggressive descending never brings him an outright win, it gives the competition something else to worry about.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • rayjay
    rayjay Posts: 1,384
    Macaloon wrote:
    rayjay wrote:
    Contador was pushing at the tour and it nearly worked.

    Froome should have backed off instead of trying to follow. He did not need to follow and it nearly cost him the tour.

    You have to have a cool head and know your limits.

    This is one of the things I like about Froome. He rarely takes the conservative option. It might have been reckless to follow Contador but it's probably not the action of a cautious descender.

    As for Nibali, even if his aggressive descending never brings him an outright win, it gives the competition something else to worry about.

    :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Must have slipped your mind :lol::lol::lol::lol:


    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/ ... ale_288660
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,160
    rayjay wrote:
    Macaloon wrote:

    As for Nibali, even if his aggressive descending never brings him an outright win, it gives the competition something else to worry about.

    :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Must have slipped your mind :lol::lol::lol::lol:


    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/ ... ale_288660
    He didn't win that with descending, did he?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    rayjay wrote:
    I can't be bothered

    I can't say I'm surprised..
  • rayjay
    rayjay Posts: 1,384
    RichN95 wrote:
    rayjay wrote:
    Macaloon wrote:

    As for Nibali, even if his aggressive descending never brings him an outright win, it gives the competition something else to worry about.

    :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Must have slipped your mind :lol::lol::lol::lol:


    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/05/ ... ale_288660
    He didn't win that with descending, did he?



    What I do remember is that he rode downhill a lot quicker than Wiggo.

    Wiggo lost his Bottle and Nibali went on to win.

    So I reckon going downhill played a part in his victory.

    Suck my Factoid
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,799
    Nibali does have a propensity to falling off, though it doesn't seem to shake him much.
    _
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Can't cope with the asymmetric emoticons. Point to rayjay.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Macaloon wrote:
    Can't cope with the asymmetric emoticons. Point to rayjay.


    New global emergency....emoticons in very short supply, usage gone through the roof over the last couple of months, and the councils havent stockpiled enough to see us through the winter

    EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY!
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,951
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Macaloon wrote:
    Can't cope with the asymmetric emoticons. Point to rayjay.


    New global emergency....emoticons in very short supply, usage gone through the roof over the last couple of months, and the councils havent stockpiled enough to see us through the winter

    EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY!

    No shortage of apostrophe's however.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • rayjay
    rayjay Posts: 1,384
    Macaloon wrote:
    Can't cope with the asymmetric emoticons. Point to rayjay.

    I was counting my giggles.
  • whiteboytrash
    whiteboytrash Posts: 594
    A thread about Nibali descending which is really about Wiggins and Froome. You guys are good! :D

    Just teasing!
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Macaloon wrote:
    Can't cope with the asymmetric emoticons. Point to rayjay.


    New global emergency....emoticons in very short supply, usage gone through the roof over the last couple of months, and the councils havent stockpiled enough to see us through the winter

    EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY!

    No shortage of apostrophe's however.

    I hope you meant this. Classic! :)
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    frenchfighter wrote:
    sjmclean I've had enough of your BS on various threads - don't waste your time trying to have a dig at me (which 85% of your posts seem to be) as you are now on block and I wont be reading it.


    Saddest day of my life.

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