Road Bike Racing - Cipo's Done

I'm losing respect for this guy real quick. I admire what he can do in the sprints but you would have thought he would of at least ridden one stage where he might contest a sprint. Oh well, domina vacanze got in and I guess that's all he cared about.
Cipo (http://velonews.com/race/int/articles/4947.0.html)

Why? The article is clear the team earned the right to be at the Vuelta without Cipo and even the race organizers were surprised he showed up.

Cipo hasn't trained for over 2 months so it's no surprise. He came to see if he had any fitness to race. Found out he didn't, and went home.

He has disgraced the rainbow jersey once again. He also doesn't want to take a back seat to the new Italian sprinter. Too much ego, and not enough substance ... sad. Perhaps he'll "retire" from racing again. :rolleyes:

Guess I was a bit optimistic in the other Vuelta thread...

Hopefully he has enough ego to want to end his career on top, and not after this season.

/Csson

Originally posted by TriDevil
I'm losing respect for this guy real quick. I admire what he can do in the sprints but you would have thought he would of at least ridden one stage where he might contest a sprint. Oh well, domina vacanze got in and I guess that's all he cared about.
Cipo (http://velonews.com/race/int/articles/4947.0.html)

More and more it looks like Cipo translated into almost anyother language = Prima Donna. Perhaps he was good once, but lately he has been nothing.

Man, you guys have short memories. Cipo is Cipo, he hasn't changed

Hey. Cipo has earned our respect. Dominant sprinter for the past how many years? No one was better. But. He is old (by pro sports standards) and like many old sports pros does not know how to bow out gracefully. And he was more-or-less forced to go to Vuelta so that his team could ride. I don't think we should be so harsh on him. He is simply in the autumn of his career and should be left alone as such. He wanted to do the TdF and wasn't allowed to. Retirement is the right thing for him. Only one older is Ekimov. So I say, leave him alone. He isn't bothering anyone. And he was our sports premier sprinter for many years.

"This is a problem between the cyclist and his team, given that we decided 48 hours before the start of the Vuelta that the Domina Vacanze team could participate in the race without Cipollini. We did this after Cipollini's confirming that he had not trained since June 30th."

He did not have to go for the sake of the team.
I think he went to see how much form he had left after such a long rest. Cipo isn't some down and out sprinter. Sprinters have streaks- robbie had one, Pettachi is on a tear, Zabel was invincible... Cipo has been through all the ups and downs. Fairweather fans, that's what you guys are. :~

"Fairweather fans, that's what you guys are."

Hey, I was never a fan of the guy. He is what he is, or was. A great sprinter who is capable of nothing else on a bike. The hell with him.

Damn .... I figured he would stay in at least long enough to try and get a stage win. This shows how much he truly didn't want to be in Spain.

The fact remains that he is still a great sprinter, sportsman not so much .... but he has never claimed that.

Atleast he made it through all of stage one .... Ivan Quaranta dropped out 3 kms into the TTT yesterday. Why the hell even show up?

Originally posted by Laggard
"Fairweather fans, that's what you guys are."

Hey, I was never a fan of the guy. He is what he is, or was. A great sprinter who is capable of nothing else on a bike. The hell with him.

Yeah, he's just riding at the top level of the sport longer than 90% of the peloton. He's broken records and won more races, big races, than most and he's a world champion. Beyond that, he is a superstar in europe. He has never even raced in the USA, yet he is a star here too. His persona, his abilities on the bike. As for being a sportsman, he is a great one and often speaks to defend his fellow cyclists. Remember the drug fiasco in italy, he was one of the few anchors of reason and calm. He was harsh to those that cheated and kept the media to look at the scenario with some perspective.
He generates interest in a sport that has a difficult time finding and keeping big sponsors. He is one of the icons of the peloton and backs up his mouth.

You don't hear a buch of backtalk when Lance drops out of a big race.

I have more respect for some domistique who suffers through a TDF and finishes 190th than I ever will for Cipo.

"It was a retirement that we knew was going to happen. He came just to let his team ride. He already said he wasn't in good condition". Vuelta director Enrique Franco said, "His case is incredible. We will account for that in the coming Vueltas"."

To hell with Cipo.

Some people don't lie Cipo and they never will or would have. Too flashy. Also many fans don't see past the GTs. It's ok. I enjoy watching him and find the teamwork in the Domina Vacanze leadout to be a beautiful thing. Not seeing that makes me sad but maybe he'll have a race or 2 left in him next year.

There won't be many more left to be sure, the fat lady is warming up....

But when he's gone I'll enjoy watching Petacchi another guy who has his share of detractors

I'd add to the list of positive things about Cipo is a very long/successful career w/o even a taint of doping.

That won't change the basher's minds either.:)

:beer:

I'm actually surprised. He did the Vuelta last year and he seemed to really enjoy it, although he bailed so he could do the worlds. BUt I guess he really didn't want to do it this year and this was his way of showing them. Well, maybe now Lombardi can win some stages, I'm sure he won't be too upset with that.

I think Cipo's done a hell of alot to contribute to the sport of cycling. He's added color and a sense of humor to a sport that can really use it. These racing types all take themselves way too seriously, it seems. He is no doubt cycling's David Beckham!

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er
Atleast he made it through all of stage one .... Ivan Quaranta dropped out 3 kms into the TTT yesterday. Why the hell even show up?

:lol: 3km into the stage

From CyclingNews ...

Cipollini's swift departure
World champion Mario Cipollini (Domina Vacanze) did not take the start of stage 2 Sunday at the Vuelta a España, a decision which surprised and disappointed the Vuelta organisers. Cipollini had to be pushed by teammates during Saturday's opening team time trial, and clearly was in no form to race. Nonetheless, the Domina Vacanze team's invitation to the Vuelta was contingent upon Cipo's presence, and his late decision to travel to Spain provided the entry ticket his teammates needed.

"It's sad for cycling, for the fans, and for organisers, and I would say also for Cipollini, who won't come out of this affair any bigger," Vuelta director Victor Cordero told AFP. "We're not going to exclude Domina Vacanze now. But today, annoyed by what has happened, I'm inclined to say that we won't invite the team back."

Cipollini is not the only early departure to unsettle the race organisation. Saeco's sprinter Ivan Quaranta lasted only 3km into the team time trial Saturday. "His case is incredible," Unipublic's Enrique Franco said of Quaranta's withdrawal. "We'll take that into account for the next Vueltas."

Is it a surprise ?
Did the Vuelta organizers really think they could force him to do the Vuelta ?
He did it the way Savoldelli did last year.

As far as Im concerned, he earned alot of my respect by simply starting. That was all I thought he should do. He obviously did it for the benefit of his team, even though he was not in form for the race. Im sure he is alot more concerned about his teams respect than that of the Vuelta organizers.

Originally posted by RacerX
Why? The article is clear the team earned the right to be at the Vuelta without Cipo and even the race organizers were surprised he showed up.

Cipo hasn't trained for over 2 months so it's no surprise. He came to see if he had any fitness to race. Found out he didn't, and went home.

well said. an thats it exactly isn't it. no racing for 2 months all he has left for his season is the worlds so he may as well go home and train for that.