Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Donkey]

@Flo
If you hate Froome (i dont for example) you can support Nairo maybe.He is one of a few cyclist who can beat Froome next year and you'll get your revenge and have a new cyclist to cheer for after Alberto retires.

Quintana has nothing in his brain. He's just a climber. Not an adorable personality.

[LaFlorecita]

Carol you are completely right (except I started following Alberto in 2007), it's just hard to accept. I feel like I've seen so little from him still. Anyway I have around 10 wins to rewatch, but I just want new ones it gets boring after 10 times...

[masking_agent]

I just hope its not the beginning of the end a career for our great Alberto

[Carols]

Carol you are completely right (except I started following Alberto in 2007), it's just hard to accept. I feel like I've seen so little from him still. Anyway I have around 10 wins to rewatch, but I just want new ones it gets boring after 10 times...

Oh 2007; then you have seen the best there was to see; Revel in it! I only discovered him a year earlier!

Watching him ride is never boring I alternate Pantani, LeMond and Berto when on the trainer in winter. Makes me pedal faster and my heart sing with joy at their exploits.

You will find a new fav when Berto hangs up the wheels, he will never replace Berto in your heart, but there is room to appreciate another without diminishing the joy Berto brought!

[ILovecycling]

Quintana has nothing in his brain. He's just a climber. Not an adorable personality.

With this comment it looks like you have nothing in your brain...
how you can say this bs?he is in1st great year,almost no interviews or TV shows with him,we dont have a clue what is in his brain so stfu

[LaFlorecita]

I just hope its not the beginning of the end a career for our great Alberto

It probably is

[postmanhat]

True, but I'd rather see him go down in flames then turn into a defensive cyclist!

True. found his wheelhanging today a bit of a disgrace. What on earth did he promise Nieve to let him do all the riding?

[LaFlorecita]

True. found his wheelhanging today a bit of a disgrace. What on earth did he promise Nieve to let him do all the riding?

He probably couldn't do anything else.

Sad that this guy who used to be one of the most agressive racers out there has turned into a wheelsucker. I guess somewhere between T-A en Pais Vasco he just broke down mentally. No use attacking anymore. Poor guy.

[Zam_Olyas]

Fleur, Are you as tough in life as you are on Contador? you don't accept lesser than first place?

[maxmartin]

Yeah totally agree, especially about that last bit

Contador isn't ruling out an alliance with the Spaniards, so it's likely: "but there may well be circumstances when riders’ objectives do overlap." Their goals of podium and Contador's goal of winning are compatible and both ultimately need the same result to achieve: destroying FroomeSKY. So I definitely don't see why an alliance isn't possible. At a Vuelta, Contador agreed to allow Valverde a stage win, but Valverde cracked so Contador went for the stage instead. There certainly is a compatibiltiy between the Spaniards and the appeal of an all Spain podium would certainly appeal more than having Froome around. Not sure about Schleck working with Contador, especially after the chain gate incident.

“The route this year provides a lot of opportunities. There are some short mountain stages where you can take a risk and make attacks from a long way out if things have got complicated in the overall standings. But if things go to plan I won’t be thinking about tactics until after the second time trial."
Again Contador leaves open the possibility of an alliance which would likely be needed to do a similar attack as Schleck did in 2011. Also Contador strongly hints that he will attack after the second TT - Ventoux or Alpe d'Huez??



Whatever you're smoking must be extremely strong . Froome has already said that he's been peaking for most of the year, so an increase by that much would only occur with Clinic related products. Froome can only climb at 1600 VAM and put out a maximum of 6.4w/kg. Whereas before his comeback, Contador was doing climbs at over 1800VAM and 7w/kg - he was doing those figures in multiple stages in GT's he raced in per year. Contador has only been back from his comeback for only 8 months, so it's unrealistic to expect him to do that currently, but if he peaks for the TDF then those figures will be evident in his climbing. You're obviously a Froome fan so massively over-estimate Froome's abilities. I am neither a Froome or Contador fan so I actually can see who's the better rider from a neutral point of view. You may get your wish of Froome winning. As I said before, it's not whether Froome is better than Contador (he clearly isn't), it's whether Contador can reach his old form that will determine who wins the TDF.

I want to hear Nick101's opinion about today stage;), both bold parts make me laugh!

[Pulpstar]

He's promised Nieve King of the mountains. Witness the forthcoming Saxo-Carrot top alliance in the alpes.

Today always was going to be a Sky/Froome day. Tactically simple, and only one significant climb. The rest of the alpes offer more possibilities for other teams, especially the Madeleine stage.

Also Chris went deeper than I thought today, he needed Oxygen at the end so I reckon he is the type of rider who will be looking brilliant and then just... stop.
Ofc Alberto 2009 or a fully juiced Pantani/Armstrong is not here to put him under that pressure.

But I don't think anyone is taking back the 7 minutes on Froome they need (He will add more in the MTT)

[LaFlorecita]

Fleur, Are you as tough in life as you are on Contador? you don't accept lesser than first place?

I am not tough on Contador, I'm just repeating his own words. And he's right. For a champion "the second place is not good".

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Pretty depressing to see indeed. Contador 09 is about 1'15 faster up Ventoux, while looking at Andy half of the time and never going full. You wonder what the hell happened to him. Beginning of '12 he still was lightyears ahead of his current level.

Now he can barely keep up with the likes of Nieve.

[Dutchsmurf]

True. found his wheelhanging today a bit of a disgrace. What on earth did he promise Nieve to let him do all the riding?

It wasn't a disgrace, it was a clear sign he just couldn't go any faster and was happy he managed to hang on with Nieve that long. If it was wheelhanging, he would have went for it with 500m to go or so.

[maxmartin]

Pretty depressing to see indeed. Contador 09 is about 1'15 faster up Ventoux, while looking at Andy half of the time and never going full. You wonder what the hell happened to him. Beginning of '12 he still was lightyears ahead of his current level.

Now he can barely keep up with the likes of Nieve.

lots of AC haters will say this is his true level. Sadly this ToF will only further damage his reputation:(

[LaFlorecita]

Pretty depressing to see indeed. Contador 09 is about 1'15 faster up Ventoux, while looking at Andy half of the time and never going full. You wonder what the hell happened to him. Beginning of '12 he still was lightyears ahead of his current level.

Now he can barely keep up with the likes of Nieve.

I agree, it's very depressing. Imo he should retire or just ride out his contract for some extra $$$ and then retire.

[LaFlorecita]

lots of AC haters will say this is his true level. Sadly this ToF will only further damage his reputation:(

Yes the tweets you find when you search for "contador" are mindblowing. Some even have the courage to tweet it directly to him "albertocontador"

[Forunculo]

Can he has just a bad year?:rolleyes:

Being pretty bad, has the 2nd place in range;)

[maxmartin]

Yes the tweets you find when you search for "contador" are mindblowing. Some even have the courage to tweet it directly to him "albertocontador"

I hope AC will not be bothered by those nonsense, and get his oldself back ASAP

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I refuse to believe this is his true level. Maybe he overtrained in the winter or has some sort of virus or injury he doesn't talk about.. or maybe he is just declining at a very early age, like sometimes happens to early superstars.

It's sad though, I really wanted to see what a top Contador could've done against Froome. I expected a battle. But unfortunately it's the same Contador we've seen all year. Not good enough, even mediocre for his doing. A normal Contador would've been minutes ahead of Mollema and Ten frikking Dam