Scott SoCal said:
No doubt about it. I just hope Astana completely falls apart in the next month so AC can depart for Garmin or Caisse or they actually sign a sufficient number of riders to make sure AC has a decent team going into the TdF.
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No doubt about it. I just hope Astana completely falls apart in the next month so AC can depart for Garmin or Caisse or they actually sign a sufficient number of riders to make sure AC has a decent team going into the TdF.
Nothing against AC, but I like the idea of him working his muscles rather than his mental strength to win next year. Go in with a weak Astana team. Lose time in a TTT. Let those on the stronger teams challenge. Then let us see both the heart and legs of a champion.
While he had little support off the bike this year, he still got to ride protected by the Astana train. Regardless of what Armstrong did, Astana still delivered AC to the key points of the stage having done very little work himself. He won the Tour because he's the best, but he did not win it by himself. It'll be fun to see him come from behind and fight like he had to against Rasmussen, Cadel and even LL in '07. The notion of another Tour with a predetermined winner sitting behind a train of riders all day just isn't appealing.
Although if the choice is between that and another Tour where the best man has to fight against an arrogant and inferior old man on his own team, let him ride with Caisse.
While he had little support off the bike this year, he still got to ride protected by the Astana train. Regardless of what Armstrong did, Astana still delivered AC to the key points of the stage having done very little work himself. He won the Tour because he's the best, but he did not win it by himself. It'll be fun to see him come from behind and fight like he had to against Rasmussen, Cadel and even LL in '07. The notion of another Tour with a predetermined winner sitting behind a train of riders all day just isn't appealing.
Although if the choice is between that and another Tour where the best man has to fight against an arrogant and inferior old man on his own team, let him ride with Caisse.
ac is clearly the man to beat in any race he is trying for. andy schleck is just not a tt guy yet. i used to think valverde was "that guy", but ac just owns
everyone when all is said and done. i think he needs a good environment, as in just the whole team behind him, to succeed. he does not need the most feared line up on paper. just folks that can get the job done. he will do the rest.
everyone when all is said and done. i think he needs a good environment, as in just the whole team behind him, to succeed. he does not need the most feared line up on paper. just folks that can get the job done. he will do the rest.
Team mates
I disagree the opinion that AC can get time whenever he tries.
His attacks are always short and powerful and hasn't tried anything long range (like Sastre 2008). If he needs to get back 1-2 mins it is much harder with strong climbers holding the advantage. That is why LA got so peeved in 2003 he couldn't put a good gap into his rivals before the first mountain and Iban Mayo exposed a weakness on Alpe D'Huez.
He can only pull 45 secs to 1 min on the climbers alone on any stage. That will mean a lot of attacks to get back a 2-3 min gap. Andy Schleck has made huge TT improvements so will be a great battle next year.
Having a strong team is a must for his won he has always had strong support. I still believe whatever team he is on they will pay the cash to get good enough support riders to keep him close. Should be a much closer race this year than last though. LA will not feature he was the 7th best rider this year and heavily carried by his team. Next year his team will be nowhere near the same force and he will be first vet and maybe top 10.
Publicus said:
I disagree the opinion that AC can get time whenever he tries.
His attacks are always short and powerful and hasn't tried anything long range (like Sastre 2008). If he needs to get back 1-2 mins it is much harder with strong climbers holding the advantage. That is why LA got so peeved in 2003 he couldn't put a good gap into his rivals before the first mountain and Iban Mayo exposed a weakness on Alpe D'Huez.
He can only pull 45 secs to 1 min on the climbers alone on any stage. That will mean a lot of attacks to get back a 2-3 min gap. Andy Schleck has made huge TT improvements so will be a great battle next year.
Having a strong team is a must for his won he has always had strong support. I still believe whatever team he is on they will pay the cash to get good enough support riders to keep him close. Should be a much closer race this year than last though. LA will not feature he was the 7th best rider this year and heavily carried by his team. Next year his team will be nowhere near the same force and he will be first vet and maybe top 10.
It puzzles me why it apparently is so hard for Contador to get out of his contract. Thinking about all the problems with Astana not paying their riders one would think that they broke the deal themselves right there - unless it is a very strange contract?
Contador in 2010
Trouble is no one can afford Contador now as most of the big teams have the quality riders already signed. Caisse can't afford him unless they get more sponsors. Astana could probably pay him but they don't seem to reliable with payments. Radio Shack has taken the guts of the Astana team and all of the well paid, quality riders except for Contador and Vino who I understand is a part owner anyway. I think he will probably stay with Astana and hope that there is no Team Time Trial next year. He is not a great tactician and seemed to ignore Bruyneel but gets away with it anyway becase he is much improved as a time trialler and he is the best climber in the peloton. It will be too late to set up a new team for next year and I think Astana will be scrambling to pick up quality domestiques.
Whatever happens teamwise, Contador will be the one to beat again and it is hard to see anyone turning the tables on him again next year. I think 2011 will see Contador in a new team of his own with pretty much all Spanish riders and if he wins again in 2010, there will be no shortage of sponsors to back him. If Andy Schleck continues to improve his time trialling and forgets about helping his brother who can't win the Tour, he should give Contador a good fight. Hard the see anyone else figuring unless someones pulls off a tactical coup or incredible blunder ala 2006.
Trouble is no one can afford Contador now as most of the big teams have the quality riders already signed. Caisse can't afford him unless they get more sponsors. Astana could probably pay him but they don't seem to reliable with payments. Radio Shack has taken the guts of the Astana team and all of the well paid, quality riders except for Contador and Vino who I understand is a part owner anyway. I think he will probably stay with Astana and hope that there is no Team Time Trial next year. He is not a great tactician and seemed to ignore Bruyneel but gets away with it anyway becase he is much improved as a time trialler and he is the best climber in the peloton. It will be too late to set up a new team for next year and I think Astana will be scrambling to pick up quality domestiques.
Whatever happens teamwise, Contador will be the one to beat again and it is hard to see anyone turning the tables on him again next year. I think 2011 will see Contador in a new team of his own with pretty much all Spanish riders and if he wins again in 2010, there will be no shortage of sponsors to back him. If Andy Schleck continues to improve his time trialling and forgets about helping his brother who can't win the Tour, he should give Contador a good fight. Hard the see anyone else figuring unless someones pulls off a tactical coup or incredible blunder ala 2006.
thehog
BANNED
Alberto Contador speaks openly about the triumphs and tribulations of winning this year's Tour de France in the new issue of Cycle Sport magazine, out now.
In an exclusive interview with the magazine, Contador says that he wants to move on from the internal wranglings at his Astana team during July, and find a team that is 100 per cent behind his Tour aims.
Contador also reveals during the interview that he thinks Britain's Bradley Wiggins could one day win the Tour de France.
- I was at this interview
- Sh*its all over CyclingNews who Alberto will not speak to again.
In an exclusive interview with the magazine, Contador says that he wants to move on from the internal wranglings at his Astana team during July, and find a team that is 100 per cent behind his Tour aims.
Contador also reveals during the interview that he thinks Britain's Bradley Wiggins could one day win the Tour de France.
- I was at this interview
- Sh*its all over CyclingNews who Alberto will not speak to again.
virgin post
Contador appears to be taking a leaf out of Armstrong's book and is trying to use the media to achieve his overall objective to help him transistion into a new team. Trouble is Armstrong literally wrote the book on manipulating the media, but something tells me Cowboy isnt on El Pistoler's quickdial and aint about to give any free advice.
Contador appears to be taking a leaf out of Armstrong's book and is trying to use the media to achieve his overall objective to help him transistion into a new team. Trouble is Armstrong literally wrote the book on manipulating the media, but something tells me Cowboy isnt on El Pistoler's quickdial and aint about to give any free advice.
Much like the 2007 Paris-Nice where Alberto relentlessly attacked David Rebellin, stage after stage, until he finally broke him on the final stage, taking the Title. It was incredibly exciting to watch. I'd been glad that Discovery Channel picked him up over that winter, after that exhibition, I became a fanboy, for good. And there is more to come.Scott SoCal said:
Fragrant Harbourer said:
Media handling advice from Armstrong - nice one! His sponsors ought to have taken his twitter privileges away after Paris-Nice!
Here's a prediction for you. I will post it again 11 months from now and see how it played out.
Astana will not entertain any offers on Contador's contract, and he will remain with them in 2010. Astana will get a TDF invitation, but Vino will not. Contador will finish on the podium, but lose the TDF, and remind everyone who seems to think that he can do it all by himself, that no one wins the TDF with a mediocre team, regardless of their talent.
Oh yeah... Lance will make a top ten finish, with a lot of pain, and a dose of humility.
Astana will not entertain any offers on Contador's contract, and he will remain with them in 2010. Astana will get a TDF invitation, but Vino will not. Contador will finish on the podium, but lose the TDF, and remind everyone who seems to think that he can do it all by himself, that no one wins the TDF with a mediocre team, regardless of their talent.
Oh yeah... Lance will make a top ten finish, with a lot of pain, and a dose of humility.
VeloFidelis said:
I figures that Contador is going nowhere next year. It will be very difficult for him to pull a win with a much weaker astana team (good for Team saxo bank, except their climbers need better ITT). no podium for armstrong? well reasonable since his team won't be as strong as this year's astana. where is kloden staying next year?
Do you predict a RadioShack team win?
Contador also reveals during the interview that he thinks Britain's Bradley Wiggins could one day win the Tour de France.
U][/QUOTE]
I am very skeptical about Wiggins' winning chances, then again the pros definitely know something i don't
U][/QUOTE]
I am very skeptical about Wiggins' winning chances, then again the pros definitely know something i don't
Scott SoCal said:
Contador has become rather formidable in ITT - I can't imagine he'd start 3:00mins behind Schleck before mountain stages. Somehow, Schleck needs a comfortable 2 mins lead on Contador before final ITT, or like what Sastre did in 08, rode the ITT of his life while Evans didn't deliver.
Well let's just hope somehow Schleck had that 1:30 lead on Contador, it would be very interesting to watch Contador attacking this time around. Contador attacking armstrong next year will be very embarassing for LA fans to watch, cause it's gonna be painful. Then again, the alp d'huez and 3 HCs has to return to facilitate the real climbers.
VeloFidelis said:
Eating humble pie and having humility are two completely different things. I think Greg Lemond won the tour with one of the weakest teams in the race, so I would think Alberto isn't losing too much sleep.
VeloFidelis said:
hola velo.............mostly i do agree , the invite , vino , the mediocre team , the podium , but i just cant see anyone , and thats today , who can touch him , tours have been won playing off other teams not to mention nationalities , and i can see other spanish riders doing a bit of dirty work just to keep a certain texan eating humble pie , ..........you know i would actually like to see that.........and i think we can agree the boys got talent
Your team gets dis-invited to the TDF, they don't pay their bills for 6 months and you can't show a breach of contract on their part? You need another lawyer.You better call Sanchez or Valverde or Basso and get yourself out of this pickle. Even LA saying he had to pay himself and a whole support staff would have to make it easier for you to show that Team Borat is for ****.
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Thoughtforfood said:
Expecting Lance Armstrong to ever eat Humble Pie is not realistic. He's just not wired that way. I prefer an ignominious fade away and growing marginalization in the sport, as if death by a thousand cuts, to be a more fitting epitaph.
As for Contador, a season in the Kazakh wasteland is something that should cost him some sleep, if it isn't already.
Since this is speculation city over here, let'ss throw another one in the mix.
Saxo run out of funds and cannot support all the riders. AS jumps ship and go to the Shack.
And guess what - another boring tour where there will be a lot if infighting to see who will be the leader - with LA, AS and LL
Saxo run out of funds and cannot support all the riders. AS jumps ship and go to the Shack.
And guess what - another boring tour where there will be a lot if infighting to see who will be the leader - with LA, AS and LL
ak-zaaf said:
and even more so now het nieuwsblad reports a 'flirt' between Astana and Rasmussen.
Rasmussen tangos with Astana?
Bala Verde said:
someone is going to sign him, why not astana?
i have no dog in this fight, but ac,vino, and the chicken on the same team. could be interesting, if it even happens.
usedtobefast said:someone is going to sign him, why not astana?
i have no dog in this fight, but ac,vino, and the chicken on the same team. could be interesting, if it even happens.
That's got to be Contador's worst nightmare, Another clash of colossal egos.
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