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2011 Vuelta a Espana, Stage 21: Circuito del Jarama - Madrid, 94km

Page 6 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Descender said:
What is his excuse for his lackluster Giro then? Antón has been touted as a GTs candidate for ages, and he keeps falling short time and time again, despite quite obviously having the talent.

The argument is not about his excuses, it's about his supposed "mental weakness". A guy who comes into a 3 week tour when not at his physical peak due to his illness, but rides through it and wins a stage in the final week is rather showing mental strength. Clearly Anton has not lived up to his potential to finish high up in a GT. Obviously there are reasons for that. Some are very tangible: crashes (possibly bad luck, possibly bad positioning, handling skills), ill health, some possible reasons are less tangible, inappropriate preparation, concentration on the Vuelta rather than the Giro. "Mental midget" seems to be an argument conjured from thin air.
 
Tank Engine said:
The argument is not about his excuses, it's about his supposed "mental weakness". A guy who comes into a 3 week tour when not at his physical peak due to his illness, but rides through it and wins a stage in the final week is rather showing mental strength. Clearly Anton has not lived up to his potential to finish high up in a GT. Obviously there are reasons for that. Some are very tangible: crashes (possibly bad luck, possibly bad positioning, handling skills), ill health, some possible reasons are less tangible, inappropriate preparation, concentration on the Vuelta rather than the Giro. "Mental midget" seems to be an argument conjured from thin air.

I certainly can't prove I'm right, but that won't deter me from stating my view on this subject.
 
roundabout said:
No. I am suggesting that he wasn't/isn't as talented as Contador to begin with so he came out of nowhere.

I said, in his youth. In the youth categories, read juniors and espoir, he was as good as Contador.

Just because he didn't break through as fast as Contador did doesn't make this any less true.
Your interpretation is lacking.
 
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Dekker_Tifosi said:
I said, in his youth. In the youth categories, read juniors and espoir, he was as good as Contador.

Just because he didn't break through as fast as Contador did doesn't make this any less true.
Your interpretation is lacking.

He's pro since 2003. He was a nobody for 4 years and a half. He was a nobody for most of 2009 and 2010 again.

That's not what I call having the goods for most of your career.
 
hrotha did you go? You would have loved it. There were hundreds of Cobo fans in Bisonte shirts with Drums singing songs and waving Bisonte flags, and singing songs about De La Fuente.

One of the biggest cheers was when Matxin appeared on the podium and raised his hand in the air.

But by far the biggest cheer and surprise was when a huge group formed on the street after the podium with a lot of shouting.

I went over to see what it was.

Turns out The Great One had made a special appearance. Hundreds of fans shouted things like " Quieres mi novia Alberto?" and "Te quiero".

You would have loved it. :p
 
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The Hitch said:
hrotha did you go? You would have loved it. There were hundreds of Cobo fans in Bisonte shirts with Drums singing songs and waving Bisonte flags, and singing songs about De La Fuente.

One of the biggest cheers was when Matxin appeared on the podium and raised his hand in the air.

But by far the biggest cheer and surprise was when a huge group formed on the street after the podium with a lot of shouting.

I went over to see what it was.

Turns out The Great One had made a special appearance. Hundreds of fans shouted things like " Quieres mi novia Alberto?" and "Te quiero".

You would have loved it. :p

He was trying to take out Contador with his sniper rifle, but the fans were in his way.
 
The Hitch said:
hrotha did you go? You would have loved it. There were hundreds of Cobo fans in Bisonte shirts with Drums singing songs and waving Bisonte flags, and singing songs about De La Fuente.

One of the biggest cheers was when Matxin appeared on the podium and raised his hand in the air.

But by far the biggest cheer and surprise was when a huge group formed on the street after the podium with a lot of shouting.

I went over to see what it was.

Turns out The Great One had made a special appearance. Hundreds of fans shouted things like " Quieres mi novia Alberto?" and "Te quiero".

You would have loved it. :p
Okay, I'm done puking, I can reply now.

No, I didn't go. I was kind of hungover*. :eek:
BUT! Watching it on TV I was like "Hey, someone with a Polish flag! Maybe it's The Hitch!" And one second later "That's sure tons of people with Polish flags, why would they... OH"

(In my defense, the Cantabrian flag is a pretty obscure one)

*the puking however had no relation to my being hungover
 
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I think I also saw a lot of Geox flags. Don't know how it's in Spain, but in Belgium everyone laughs with Geox and their stupid shoes and ads on TV.

"Geox, de schoen die ademt!"

God....
 
So, in conclusion, did Haussler, Fischer and Farrar earn their spots on the vuelta team over world champion Thor Hushovd? Farrar and Fischer were unable to stay on their bikes while Haussler seems to have completely lost it...
 
maltiv said:
So, in conclusion, did Haussler, Fischer and Farrar earn their spots on the vuelta team over world champion Thor Hushovd? Farrar and Fischer were unable to stay on their bikes while Haussler seems to have completely lost it...
No, but it was never about deserving a place, just about being on the team next year. As you probably know.
 

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