2012 Vuelta. The Return of the King.

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LaFlorecita said:
I have a question that has been bothering me for a while:

Until what age will Alberto perform?

Because I think that he can continue to win in 2012 and 2013 but after that I just can't see it happening.

That's partially why I'm so sad; because I know he will never achieve what he could have achieved and because he won't earn a place in history. In a few years from now only his fans will remember him.

Armstrong will always remember him. :D
 
LaFlorecita said:
Yes, he is the best but that doesn't matter if he doesn't get a palmares like Merckx or so.

That's just dooming him to failure right there. No one will get a palmares like Merckx. Contador's place in cycling history is set by nature of:

- his winning all 3 grand tours,
-denying the return of the Tour king-on his own team with the odds stacked against him,
-his panache/attacking style in the mountains

Only to be enhanced by what achieves upon his return. Who is there to really challenge him? Evans is getting older. Andy apparently isn't getting any smarter or better on his TT bike. There doesn't appear to be any young up and coming rider that stands out although that is quite hard to forecast. It could be a Frenchman like Pierre Rolland or Thibault Pinot. Or it could be one of the young Italians on the Liquigas squad. Or even Vicenzo Nibali, who seems to be on a steady progression so he could reach his peak as Contador is in his decline. I like Nibali's tenacious nature and he is quite strong mentally just like Contador.
 
Angliru said:
That's just dooming him to failure right there. No one will get a palmares like Merckx. Contador's place in cycling history is set by nature of:

- his winning all 3 grand tours,
-denying the return of the Tour king-on his own team with the odds stacked against him,
-his panache/attacking style in the mountains

His palmares is nothing compared to that of the greats. He could however achieve such a palmares if it wasn't for his ban and the stripping of his results.

Those things you listed don't give him a place in history.
 
Jan 22, 2011
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LaFlorecita said:
His palmares is nothing compared to that of the greats. He could however achieve such a palmares if it wasn't for his ban and the stripping of his results.

Those things you listed don't give him a place in history.

Pantani's palmares aren't that great compared to some of the others, not even "greats", yet he will be remembered forever
 
Angliru said:
That's just dooming him to failure right there. No one will get a palmares like Merckx. Contador's place in cycling history is set by nature of:

Maybe I should note that I meant Merckx's palmares GT wise because of course I can't expect Alberto to start winning Classics all of a sudden.