La Vuelta a Espana

[Johnny]

Dr Imran T said:

Have you been speaking to my wife? She said exactly the same thing.

Was good to see him get the stage win - he looks very young!

Haha, not lately

It was nice to see someone looking so bloody happy! So young, and so tiny!

[Leithen]

Dr Imran T said:

Leithen said:

Disqualified it would appear.

Is this confirmed? I think it would be a shame to lose him from the race if so. Agreed he was naughty but he wants to win the vuelta and had lost a lot of time waiting for a new bike.

Yes.

[mcelliott]

From what I hear it was Aru who notified the race commissaries...

[ewenm]

Johnny said:

Just seen the vid of Nibbles.

Blatant as it gets. Rightly disqualified.

Exactly. To get towed to the back of a dropped group may have a blind-eye turned, to get towed off the front of a dropped group is too blatant and deserves the DQ.

[anonymous-user]

Dr Imran T said:

Is this confirmed? I think it would be a shame to lose him from the race if so. Agreed he was naughty but he wants to win the vuelta and had lost a lot of time waiting for a new bike.

Oh in that case, it's OK then.

[TonyHetherington]

It wasn't even a tow, was it? I watched the video last night, I think he just grabbed the car (drivers window) and instantly got pulled away at a silly rate of knots!

[ewenm]

TonyHetherington said:

It wasn't even a tow, was it? I watched the video last night, I think he just grabbed the car (drivers window) and instantly got pulled away at a silly rate of knots!

A real tow rather than a slipstream-tow.

[Johno]

Blatant and cynical, they could of bothered with a 'sticky bottle', adjustment required on gears or something else..... but no, just "hold on Nibbles, I'll gun it up the hill!"

With Vino at the helm, I'm not surprised by anything that happens with that team though ......

[anonymous-user]

Johno said:

Blatant and cynical, they could of bothered with a 'sticky bottle', adjustment required on gears or something else..... but no, just "hold on Nibbles, I'll gun it up the hill!"

With Vino at the helm, I'm not surprised by anything that happens with that team though ......

They need to be gone.

[TonyHetherington]

ewenm said:

A real tow rather than a slipstream-tow.

Ah yes far better put.

The speed at which he left the other group was ridiculous; I think that was as much to do with how severe the punishment was than what a sticky bottle would have done. Especially as he was with a group too, rather than a lone rider scrambling back through the cars

[BigBen]

TonyHetherington said:

ewenm said:

A real tow rather than a slipstream-tow.

Ah yes far better put.

The speed at which he left the other group was ridiculous; I think that was as much to do with how severe the punishment was than what a sticky bottle would have done. Especially as he was with a group too, rather than a lone rider scrambling back through the cars

I must admit I first thought it meant a slipstream tow then I saw the video. What were they thinking?

[okgo]

They were thinking he was too big a deal to get DQ'd. But he isn't, maybe Contador would get away with that, but not you Nibali, pipe down.

[Black can man]

I'd like a bike like Nibali's ...Whooosh.... Coombe hill wouldn't scare me if i had one of those machines



Crazy stuff.

[ALawson]

Is Coombe Hill worth a 110km round ride?

Back on topic, the speed that tow set off at was impressive.

[louiebaby]

Some Gump said:

Class.

I do like it when cheats fail to prosper.

Astana's man kicked out too, and only 1 team car for 2 days as additional punishment.

There'll be a bit more space on the roof rack though, they'll manage.

(I too am not an Astana fan, but wouldn't chuck piss in Nibali's face as he rode by.)

[jesusbuiltmycar]

Nibbs in training for next year's Giro - possible move to BMC:

http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Al...

[AyBee]

Astana said:

sorry for the error, and apologies to the peloton and race organizers for the harm these televised images caused to professional cycling.

Thinly veiled "sorry we got caught"...just watching it again and it's laughable how quickly he leaves the pack, who are already moving at a reasonable pace

[jogon]

jesusbuiltmycar said:

Nibbs in training for next year's Giro - possible move to BMC:

http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Al...

[Dr Imran T]

okgo said:

They were thinking he was too big a deal to get DQ'd. But he isn't, maybe Contador would get away with that, but not you Nibali, pipe down.

Having seen the footage of him blatantly cheating, there is no way any pro cyclist would have got away with it.

It must have been a very easy decision to disqualify him. Shame he's out though - I enjoy watching him descend. He also came into good form towards the end of the tour de france and was in with a shout of challenging the GC.

Not sure what his team were thinking of towing him along!

[mcelliott]

Dr Imran T said:

watching him descend

A bit like his form since last year's tour victory.