2012 Volta ao Algarve

[Publicus]

Is Contador even racing this event? (setting aside the CAS angle)

 

[theyoungest]

Last year Contador wasn't even in form for that race. I mean Cummings and Van Garderen finished in the same time. In 2010 Contador put 22s on Leipheimer and 30s on Kloden, Sanchez and Purito.

Tony Martin should be one of the favourites anyway. I'm just saying the MTF is enough to create some distance between climbers and TT guys like Martin making the last stage potentially very entertaining.

Assuming Contador won't have his TT legs completely tweaked by then, I think it will still be a Martin walkover in the TT, even if he's 30 secs behind.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Is Contador even racing this event? (setting aside the CAS angle)

Yes. He'll ride Algarve, Mallorca, Catalunya, Tirreno, Pais Vasco and Dauphiné.

 

[trevim]

Assuming Contador won't have his TT legs completely tweaked by then, I think it will still be a Martin walkover in the TT, even if he's 30 secs behind.

Of course, specially on a flat and possibly windy TT. I was just pointing out that the Malhão isn't the hardest mountain around but it certainly can create some interesting gaps for the TT.

On another note: Isn't Contador riding a bit to much in the early season (San Luis, Algarve, Mallorca, Catalunya, Tirreno and Basque Country) for a guy who wants to be good for the Vuelta and Worlds (and I hope Lombardia to) ?

 

[FujiAnton]

Last year Contador arrived to the Volta in the night before it starts, and without proper training. This time, if goes everything fine, he will arrive with more time, already with days of competition in his legs and 2 wins on 2 MTF . In this conditions, i believe he will put time in everyone with a solo victory in Alto do Malhao.

Well, in 2009 Contador won the I.T.T, and put 1 minute on Tony Martin, how the things changed. Now we are arguing if Contador will make enough time on Martin in Malhao to hang on the lead in the I.T.T.

 

[Forunculo]

Of course, specially on a flat and possibly windy TT. I was just pointing out that the Malhão isn't the hardest mountain around but it certainly can create some interesting gaps for the TT.

On another note: Isn't Contador riding a bit to much in the early season (San Luis, Algarve, Mallorca, Catalunya, Tirreno and Basque Country) for a guy who wants to be good for the Vuelta and Worlds (and I hope Lombardia to) ?

after Pais Vasco there is 3 month until TdF don't you think is enough to rest aside Dauphine?

 

[theyoungest]

Last year Contador arrived to the Volta in the night before it starts, and without proper training. This time, if goes everything fine, he will arrive with more time, already with days of competition in his legs and 2 wins on 2 MTF . In this conditions, i believe he will put time in everyone with a solo victory in Alto do Malhao.

Well, in 2009 Contador won the I.T.T, and put 1 minute on Tony Martin, how the things changed. Now we are arguing if Contador will make enough time on Martin in Malhao to hang on the lead in the I.T.T.

Of course things have changed, Martin was a 2nd year pro then...

 

[trevim]

after Pais Vasco there is 3 month until TdF don't you think is enough to rest aside Dauphine?

I know that but I also know that Contador rides for the win always that's why I asked. But yeah maybe you're right.

 

[gilbertador]

Im surprised about the heavy early season schedule too, i suspect Catalunya and Mallorca challenge are only there so Contador can support Spanish cycling, obviously thats less the case with Catalunya as its a huge event, i think he also sees himself as not being in the condition he needs for tirreno adriatico

Of course it could all be to get in as much racing prior to the vuelta, Worlds and Lombardia as possible to maintain his motivation and take his mind off CAS

 

[Nilsson]

Of course things have changed, Martin was a 2nd year pro then...

Agree, although Martin wasn't able to beat Contador's record on the Zalla-Zalla parcours in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco this year (17 seconds slower), despite more favorable weather conditions (and most riders doing better than in 2009). Of course that time trial has a tough climb halfway, which favors Contador, but it also shows that if Contador is good he's one of the best..

 

[Parrulo]

1st contador
2nd machado
3rd martin

thats how i see it

 

[craig1985]

What odds on Machado going on a suicidal break on the Malhao and do all the work in the break and completely blow his chances?

 

[Parrulo]

What odds on Machado going on a suicidal break on the Malhao and do all the work in the break and completely blow his chances?

you mean like what he did on willunga? i am almost sure he will do it again lol he just can't avoid attacking at the wrong time. on willunga even tho he is much slower then piti and gerrans and had been on the front of the break for a few K he still managed to only lose 2 seconds to those 2 which is better then every1 else who hadn't attacked did so i would say he was on par with them in terms of strength.

i really hope he shows some good results early in the season otherwise he won't have many more chances to ride for himself.

i am curious to see if he will ride the tour as a domestique or the vuelta with a somewhat free role, i haven't taken a deep look into the tour route yet but if every1 is still fairly together by the first itt it would be hilarious to see him pass the schlecks on GC à lá froome

hey a guy can dream

 

[canyonball]

i am curious to see if he will ride the tour as a domestique or the vuelta with a somewhat free role, i haven't taken a deep look into the tour route yet but if every1 is still fairly together by the first itt it would be hilarious to see him pass the schlecks on GC à lá froome

I actually believe that from the three, the Tour is the GT more suited to Machado, specially one with this ITT mileage. Although it is also the one with more competition. The amount of people ready to fill in those 5th-10th spots alone is huge. So in the end I still think it's for the best to focus on the Vuelta. (A competition where he should have started his GT carreer, but couldn't).

Anyway, I think it's a very important season to Machado. We already know he cant top-10 in every one week race he gets into. Now we need to know wether he's on to something else.

For Volta ao Algarve, I think a Martin in last year's fitness can take this. But I imagine Contador taking it. The crowds would go nuts.

 

[CatDogQQ]

1 Tony
2 Alberto
3 dont care

 

[will10]

1 Tony
2 Alberto
3 dont care

Your username reminded me of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jSh-Ye-m8Lk#t=12s

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

you mean like what he did on willunga? i am almost sure he will do it again lol he just can't avoid attacking at the wrong time. on willunga even tho he is much slower then piti and gerrans and had been on the front of the break for a few K he still managed to only lose 2 seconds to those 2 which is better then every1 else who hadn't attacked did so i would say he was on par with them in terms of strength.

i really hope he shows some good results early in the season otherwise he won't have many more chances to ride for himself.

i am curious to see if he will ride the tour as a domestique or the vuelta with a somewhat free role, i haven't taken a deep look into the tour route yet but if every1 is still fairly together by the first itt it would be hilarious to see him pass the schlecks on GC à lá froome

hey a guy can dream

Machado will start the Vuelta as a leader if everything goes according to plan. He won't ride the Tour or the Giro. It was on Velo-club a while ago...

 

[Parrulo]

Machado will start the Vuelta as a leader if everything goes according to plan. He won't ride the Tour or the Giro. It was on Velo-club a while ago...

really? got any link for it please

i wonder if he will be able to time is peak for once in his life . . .

 

[jens_attacks]

i had hope but really i can never see machado fighting for 3 weeks,he lacks the recovery.better go again for trentino and the other one week races.

 

[Parrulo]

i had hope but really i can never see machado fighting for 3 weeks,he lacks the recovery.better go again for trentino and the other one week races.

actually you are wrong jens, he has the recovery he just needs to learn how to properly peak for a race and to improve his climbing a bit. he did very well in the giro itt which was on the last day of the giro and he never saved himself for that tt so he has good recovery. a shame his giro got ruined by crashes on the first week and an pulmonary infection (bruynnel wanted him to drop out of the race because of it but machado refused to do it)

 

[canyonball]

i had hope but really i can never see machado fighting for 3 weeks,he lacks the recovery.better go again for trentino and the other one week races.

Back when he was considered a contender at Volta a Portugal the same will happen. He always had a bad day. So I tend to agree with you. The thing that keeps me a little bit hopefull is Giro 2011. He said he was feeling better day after day. And in fact he had a good performance on the ITT, after three weeks of a very hard (and first) GT.

Edit: Parrulo beat me to it on the ITT point

 

[Parrulo]

Back when he was considered a contender at Volta a Portugal the same will happen. He always had a bad day. So I tend to agree with you. The thing that keeps me a little bit hopefull is Giro 2011. He said he was feeling better day after day. And in fact he had a good performance on the ITT, after three weeks of a very hard (and first) GT.

Edit: Parrulo beat me to it on the ITT point

i think the usual bad day at the volta was caused by the complete lack of knowledge on how to peak for a race, he just races full throttle everywhere which ends up ruining his preparation

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

as long as he performs in those one week races i'm happy

 

[canyonball]

i think the usual bad day at the volta was caused by the complete lack of knowledge on how to peak for a race, he just races full throttle everywhere which ends up ruining his preparation

Certainly that could be part of the explanation. But for how long are we going to use that as an "excuse"? If you're right, either he adapts and goes for a good preparation or... he doesn't and we have to accept the fact he won't go beyond the one week agenda. (Which I'm not critising. Machado top-3 on paris-nice, Trentino, Dauphine, etc on short term....good enough for a fan like me)

 

[Parrulo]

Certainly that could be part of the explanation. But for how long are we going to use that as an "excuse"? If you're right, either he adapts and goes for a good preparation or... he doesn't and we have to accept the fact he won't go beyond the one week agenda. (Which I'm not critising. Machado top-3 on paris-nice, Trentino, Dauphine, etc on short term....good enough for a fan like me)

i would say this season is his last chance to prove he can do it. racing all year on base form and top 10ing every 1 week race doesn't cut it if he wants to have a free role on a team, he needs to start peaking.

also he should stop focusing on his time trial which is already at a very good level and really improve his climbing( if possible without losing any of his time trial)