2012 Vuelta. The Return of the King.

[jens_attacks]

in days like these you gotta miss alberto

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Depends on the route. If there are ****load of flat stage he will go.

Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: flat stage, but finish is slightly uphill. Same as one from the 2010 Vuelta al País Vasco, when Alejandro Valverde outsprinted Freire.
Stage 3: medium mountain MTF
Stage 4: medium mountain MTF
Stage 5: flattish circuit race, should be able to do this one
Stage 6: hilly finish
Stage 7: flat stage
Stage 8: MTF
Stage 9: flat stage but finish is slightly uphill. Same as one from the 2009 Tour, when Hushovd won.
Stage 10: flat stage
Stage 11: 40km TT
Stage 12: uphill finish
Stage 13: flat stage

Don't see him sticking around after that.

 

[LaFlorecita]

in days like these you gotta miss alberto

I've missed him for the past 103 days and will continue to miss him for the next 77 days.

 

[Angliru]

He would'nt of raced this Giro anyway. He can't race all the GTs and we should'nt have to rely on him always to ignite the race. Other riders need to step up and take the risks and stop this safety first approach.

I know what your saying and in a way I agree. He has been missed but it is a sad state of affairs if you ask me, when we are relying on one rider predominantly to ignite races and get the action going.

I have to think that Pozzivivo would've mounted an attack had the weather been drier and warmer. It seems to have had the same effect on Rujano. Szymd sets such a wicked tempo that there isn't much most of the contenders can do unless they attempt to go earlier (before Szymd's takes his turn) and I would think even then Szymd would take over on the front and reel in whoever attempts to escape. Maybe this is what's needed to disrupt the machine that is the Liquigas mountain train. Like you said though it appears all the contenders are saving their energies for the final mountainous stages.

It's interesting that each pivotal stage we here that Astana's Martinelli is quoted as saying Kreuziger needs to attack and attack again to win the Giro but it just isn't happening. Tiralongo has been the more aggressive of the two.

 

[Froome19]

I have to think that Pozzivivo would've mounted an attack had the weather been drier and warmer. It seems to have had the same effect on Rujano. Szymd sets such a wicked tempo that there isn't much most of the contenders can do unless they attempt to go earlier (before Szymd's takes his turn) and I would think even then Szymd would take over on the front and reel in whoever attempts to escape. Maybe this is what's needed to disrupt the machine that is the Liquigas mountain train. Like you said though it appears all the contenders are saving their energies for the final mountainous stages.

It's interesting that each pivotal stage we here that Astana's Martinelli is quoted as saying Kreuziger needs to attack and attack again to win the Giro but it just isn't happening. Tiralongo has been the more aggressive of the two.

Though Szymd's pace seemed high I am doubtful as to whether it was really that high as he seemed to be barely inflicting any damage on the peloton on very steep gradients.

I think all the contenders were just too nervous about making the first move to attack and it was in fact only when Basso (a contender) took up the pace making that the race actually split up and Scarponi and Rodriguez attacked.

 

[ggusta]

Breaking self imposed ban for a day. I went through about the 1st 300 posts, and then the Andy/Contador rehashing got to be too much. Poked around in the last couple pages.

I have seen the over/under on stage wins pegged at anywhere from 5-8, I'll take the under, even though no one is a bigger fan than me. (Physically I mean. I weigh 750 pounds. Just kidding. I only weigh 375.)

Anyone predicting which stages, or should that be pretty obvious? It's obvious which ones are not. And who will be on his team?

Anyone seriously think he will attempt the world championship race? Who would be on that team? The last time his team had a TTT they looked pretty sad.

Andy, learn how to shift. How are those palmares comin' along?

resume ban

 

[Parrulo]

Breaking self imposed ban for a day. I went through about the 1st 300 posts, and then the Andy/Contador rehashing got to be too much. Poked around in the last couple pages.

I have seen the over/under on stage wins pegged at anywhere from 5-8, I'll take the under, even though no one is a bigger fan than me. (Physically I mean. I weigh 750 pounds. Just kidding. I only weigh 375.)

Anyone predicting which stages, or should that be pretty obvious? It's obvious which ones are not. And who will be on his team?

Anyone seriously think he will attempt the world championship race? Who would be on that team? The last time his team had a TTT they looked pretty sad.

Andy, learn how to shift. How are those palmares comin' along?

resume ban

it was mentioned a couple days ago somewhere on this forum that contador has gotten pretty interested on the road race and he thinks it suits him pretty well so i think he will go for the win there on both the itt and the road race.

 

[The Hitch]

it was mentioned a couple days ago somewhere on this forum that contador has gotten pretty interested on the road race and he thinks it suits him pretty well so i think he will go for the win there on both the itt and the road race.

For real?

You remember where it was said?

 

[Parrulo]

For real?

You remember where it was said?

nope i think it was zam who posted it

i was almost a sleep so i could have even dreamed it lol

 

[ggusta]

[temporarily end ban]

Forgot to mention how much AC aged in the last year.
http://www.flex.es/tourflex/
It's inevitable for all of us, but still...
The saga has taken a lot out of him.

[/resume]
end

 

[ggusta]

The link is dead and even searching within the telegraph's site you get a hit on the search but when clicking the link it returns a dead page, but I did find the direct quote from AC at the bulls*tbuffet.com and with a name like that.... it also links back to the telegraph's dead link.

>>> The rider suggested that he may compete in both the time-trial and road race at the Worlds. “I would like to do both,” he said. “In the time-trial there are some steep slopes that I think could favour me, while in the road race there might be some riders who are better prepared than me,” he said.<<<<

http://thebull****buffet.com/2012/0...-race-world-championships-with-spanish-squad/

...but how can you doubt the bs buffet...ever?

I take that quote, if interpreted accurately, to mean that he would like to do the TT but not the road race. The profile of the road course does not look to favor him well with the flat finish.

Every Time I try to get Out..........

 

[El Pistolero]

For real?

You remember where it was said?

I remember what he actually said.

He said he wants to do both road race and time trial, but doesn't think the road race is suited to him. Firenze and Ponferrada are much harder and more suited to him he said. He mentioned Samu and Valverde for this year, but is normally going to ride as well. Perhaps in a support role.

 

[Parrulo]

I just clicked on The Telegraph link and it worked fine for me.

same for me.

here is the article.

Contador was handed a the ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] in February and was stripped of numerous wins on his palmarès, including the 2010 Tour de France and 2011 Giro d'Italia titles - after failing a test for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol.

The 29 year-old last competed in the road Worlds in 2008 when the Spaniard hoped to add the world champion's rainbow jersey to his Vuelta a España and Giro triumphs. However, Alessandro Ballan of Italy took the honours in his homeland to deny the then Astana rider a rare hat-trick.

The rider suggested that he may compete in both the time-trial and road race at the Worlds. "I would like to do both," he said. "In the time-trial there are some steep slopes that I think could favour me, while in the road race there might be some riders who are better prepared than me," he said.

Contador, who joined Bjarne Riis's Saxo Bank team in 2011, has now targeted the Eneco Tour for his return ahead of the Vuelta and thenm the Worlds.

"I will be back for the Eneco Tour. For the first time, I can say that I will be at the Vuelta," Contador told Spanish radio.

The week-long Eneco Tour starts on Aug 6, one day after Contador's suspension ends, and will finish on Aug 12. The Vuelta starts six days later.

Contador will then set his sights on the Road Race World Championships in Valkenburg, Holland the following month.

"I would like to be part of the selection," he added.

Contador is currently without a team following his ban, although it is widely expected he will rejoin Riis on Aug 6 in Saxo Bank colours despite interest from as many as six other teams, including Spanish outfit Movistar.

"They [Saxo Bank] have supported me unconditionally throughout knowing everything that happened," Contador said.

"Both the manager and the sporting director have been fantastic, and that means a lot. I couldn't give a value to the support they have given me and that is why I can't see my future being anywhere other than Saxo Bank."

 

[ggusta]

I just clicked on The Telegraph link and it worked fine for me.

I have no doubt of the veracity of the article despite my inability to access it. Not sure if he meant he intends to do the road race or not. Time will tell.

Does the article shed more light on that or not? Am I looking at the correct profile? Looks like the last 6 or 7 km are flat to downhill if I am looking at the correct one.

 

[ggusta]

it loaded now, fyi, i must have hit the server while it was on a union mandated break

 

[maxmartin]

Imagine Contador wearing rainbow jersey to win ToF

 

[LaFlorecita]

[temporarily end ban]

Forgot to mention how much AC aged in the last year.
http://www.flex.es/tourflex/
It's inevitable for all of us, but still...
The saga has taken a lot out of him.

[/resume]
end

I noticed that too. It looks like he's aged 10 years in less than 2 years.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Contador kinda reminds me of a Pantani with hair (both his speed in the mountains and how his face is shaped)

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Contador kinda reminds me of a Pantani with hair (both his speed in the mountains and how his face is shaped)

Nooo..just no.stopt it.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nooo..just no.stopt it.

why?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nooo..just no.stopt it.

Why?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

If i reply that, it would be a long x fan's vs z fan's battle and those kind of arguments are tiresome.

 

[LaFlorecita]

If i reply that, it would be along x fan's vs z fan's battle and those kind of arguments are tiresome.

PM me then.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

funny how people react whenever physical appearance enters the discussion

 

[LaFlorecita]

funny how people react whenever physical appearance enters the discussion

When it's about Alberto's physical appearance I become serious.