Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong

[craig1985]

There are a lot of threads about them, but I'm interested in who is a fan of either one or even both?

Vote away in the poll (or the final irrelevant option).

 

[53 x 11]

I will tell you how I voted: september 5th

 

[ExRower]

I'd go for Contador, because he doesn't mouth off as much as D-bag.

 

[progressor]

none of the above.

 

[unsheath]

Where's the 'This is a crap poll' option??

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

I didnt like Contador before Armstrong. But I hate Armstrong, so that made me like Contador a little last year.

 

[pmcg76]

I dont really have favourites in cycling, there are guys I like/ed but I was never a hardcore fan of anybody. Mottet, the Irish guys and then Lance would have fallen into this category.

I liked Armstrong from about 91-03/04, I knida grew up with Lance in the 'follwoing his career sense' and he was the only really top English speaker mid 90s. I now dislike him more than any other athlete and its all down to his actions although I dont like David Beckham much either, easy to see the similarities.

Conador, wouldnt say I was a fan but will take anybody over Armstrong now.

 

[python]

the only rider i ever was a real fan of is chris boardman.

i take all riders as they are and don't really favour any. starting last summer i added another category to my pov - db of cycling.

no need to pontificate any longer. berto by default became a rider a developed keen sympathy for. simply b/s i don't like the db who wronged him.

 

[eleven]

I like 'em both. Whatever else, they both keep the sport entertaining and interesting.

Watching Contador attack is amazing. Doped or no, his attacks on Rasmussen (which Rasmussen usually matched) and the dash on Verbier were pure beauty. His uphill ITT in the Giro was also pretty impressive.

Armstrong's ITT dominance during his period at the top was also pretty freaking amazing. I know Ulrich was hurt, but when he caught and passed Jan in the prologue? very impressive. His attack on Sestriere way back was pretty nice. He just didn't quite seem to have the explosiveness of a Contador or Vino.

 

[isayic]

I like 'em both. Whatever else, they both keep the sport entertaining and interesting.

Watching Contador attack is amazing. Doped or no, his attacks on Rasmussen (which Rasmussen usually matched) and the dash on Verbier were pure beauty. His uphill ITT in the Giro was also pretty impressive.

Armstrong's ITT dominance during his period at the top was also pretty freaking amazing. I know Ulrich was hurt, but when he caught and passed Jan in the prologue? very impressive. His attack on Sestriere way back was pretty nice. He just didn't quite seem to have the explosiveness of a Contador or Vino.

I agree. Yesterday I compared videos of Armstrong and Contador and I think Armstrong can be lucky that Contador is 11 years younger and so he didn't have him as a rival when he won his seven tours.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I like them both. I give the edge to Lance because he is a compatriot and the reason I took even a slight interest in cycling, but at the end of the day, I like the sport more.

 

[hektoren]

I didnt like Contador before Armstrong. But I hate Armstrong, so that made me like Contador a little last year.

Sums it up pretty nicely for me!

 

[ravens]

I didnt like Contador before Armstrong. But I hate Armstrong, so that made me like Contador a little last year.

why not ? .

 

[eleven]

I agree. Yesterday I compared videos of Armstrong and Contador and I think Armstrong can be lucky that Contador is 11 years younger and so he didn't have him as a rival when he won his seven tours.

I think you're probably right! There were some great climbers during his period of dominance, and some comparable TT'ers, but no one could the two together at the level Armstrong did....

Contador seems poised to do so. His TT improvement is really quite incredible. The two would have been a great head-to-head at their peak. I doubt it'll be so great this year.

 

[ErmOkk]

I think you're probably right! There were some great climbers during his period of dominance, and some comparable TT'ers, but no one could the two together at the level Armstrong did....

Contador seems poised to do so. His TT improvement is really quite incredible. The two would have been a great head-to-head at their peak. I doubt it'll be so great this year.

I'd love to have seen the L'alpe Huez stage of 2001 with LA and AC being both at their top .

 

[Pleaver]

I didnt like Contador before Armstrong. But I hate Armstrong, so that made me like Contador a little last year.

"Hate Armstrong"??? How can you hate a guy who give dying children so much hope? Save your hate for people that really need it. Armstrong is a hero to millions and that is not an easy job.

 

[BYOP88]

"Hate Armstrong"??? How can you hate a guy who give dying children so much hope? Save your hate for people that really need it. Armstrong is a hero to millions and that is not an easy job.

I find that "logic" weird that you're not allowed to dislike a person cos he/she is a hero to others. I guess I'd better stop disliking Osama cos after all he's a hero to many.

 

[pmcg76]

"Hate Armstrong"??? How can you hate a guy who give dying children so much hope? Save your hate for people that really need it. Armstrong is a hero to millions and that is not an easy job.

Ah yes, the old "inspirational hero line" trotted out again. Oh well, lets not forget Tiger Woods was an inspiration and hero to many people also. Do people ever learn.

 

[ravens]

Ah yes, the old "inspirational hero line" trotted out again. Oh well, lets not forget Tiger Woods was an inspiration and hero to many people also. Do people ever learn.

Tiger Woods inspires me. Now.

 

[ravens]

"Hate Armstrong"??? How can you hate a guy who give dying children so much hope? Save your hate for people that really need it. Armstrong is a hero to millions and that is not an easy job.

Please tell demand media that I am willing to post pro-lance anything for money.

 

[pmcg76]

I like 'em both. Whatever else, they both keep the sport entertaining and interesting.
Watching Contador attack is amazing. Doped or no, his attacks on Rasmussen (which Rasmussen usually matched) and the dash on Verbier were pure beauty. His uphill ITT in the Giro was also pretty impressive.

Armstrong's ITT dominance during his period at the top was also pretty freaking amazing. I know Ulrich was hurt, but when he caught and passed Jan in the prologue? very impressive. His attack on Sestriere way back was pretty nice. He just didn't quite seem to have the explosiveness of a Contador or Vino.

This is a genuine question, not flaming here. You say you find the sport more entertaining when they are around. Is that because of the media hype/rivalry or because you find the actual racing more interesting?

I always find it strange when people say the sport is more interesting when Lance is around. I dont agree because after Lances first few Tour wins, it became incredibly boring for me to watch the Tour, same with the Indurain era and I am sure the same will happen if Contador becomes as dominant.

For me cycling or sport in general is interesting when there is genuine competition, not hyped up competition to sell papers etc. Contador v Lance, both at their peak would have been interesting but currently its just hype, if it wasnt for Lance acting like a ****, there wouldnt be so much hype. Look how often Andy Schlcek gets mentioned and he is a bigger threat to Contador than Lance.

Personally I dont buy into hype or rivalries that are blown up to sell papers or whatever. When you see the hype around a guy like Beckham and a genuinely great footballer like Zidane, Figo, it just shows how things become warped by the media.

Classics are always far more interesting and exciting than the Tour and they dont have Lance competing for the win. I just wonder sometimes if people buy into the circus surrounding Lance or the actual racing.

 

[ravens]

This is a genuine question, not flaming here. You say you find the sport more entertaining when they are around. Is that because of the media hype/rivalry or because you find the actual racing more interesting?

I always find it strange when people say the sport is more interesting when Lance is around. I dont agree because after Lances first few Tour wins, it became incredibly boring for me to watch the Tour, same with the Indurain era and I am sure the same will happen if Contador becomes as dominant.

For me cycling or sport in general is interesting when there is genuine competition, not hyped up competition to sell papers etc. Contador v Lance, both at their peak would have been interesting but currently its just hype, if it wasnt for Lance acting like a ****, there wouldnt be so much hype. Look how often Andy Schlcek gets mentioned and he is a bigger threat to Contador than Lance.

Personally I dont buy into hype or rivalries that are blown up to sell papers or whatever. When you see the hype around a guy like Beckham and a genuinely great footballer like Zidane, Figo, it just shows how things become warped by the media.

Classics are always far more interesting and exciting than the Tour and they dont have Lance competing for the win. I just wonder sometimes if people buy into the circus surrounding Lance or the actual racing.

To me, it's a case of 'the thing speaks for itself'. Why do we yammer on about the minutiae of various stages 6+ months after the fact.

Hell yes it's more interesting when he is around. I love AC but other than the maillot jaune was removed from the race during the race, I don't recall much detail of 2007's tdf.

 

[pmcg76]

To me, it's a case of 'the thing speaks for itself'. Why do we yammer on about the minutiae of various stages 6+ months after the fact.

Hell yes it's more interesting when he is around. I love AC but other than the maillot jaune was removed from the race during the race, I don't recall much detail of 2007's tdf.

Yeah but if Lance had comeback with another team, would it have been the same and would there so much hype going into this season.

I think this also cofirms that unless a Tour is riveting, then its not that exciting. A big part of the reason we are still talking about the Tour 6 months out is that we always get the odd Lance fan who has suspended reality and gets everyone going. I guess there has never been a figure who polarised opinion so much, a few topics on Cipo back in the day would have been interesting.

 

[eleven]

This is a genuine question, not flaming here. You say you find the sport more entertaining when they are around. Is that because of the media hype/rivalry or because you find the actual racing more interesting?

I always find it strange when people say the sport is more interesting when Lance is around. I dont agree because after Lances first few Tour wins, it became incredibly boring for me to watch the Tour, same with the Indurain era and I am sure the same will happen if Contador becomes as dominant.

That's an interesting question. Certainly the rivalry part helps - and the Armstrong / Jan rivalry for example was one I always found interesting. I will say that I found Lance's last tour win a yawner - and only a couple other guys animating the race kept it interesting.

For me cycling or sport in general is interesting when there is genuine competition, not hyped up competition to sell papers etc. Contador v Lance, both at their peak would have been interesting but currently its just hype, if it wasnt for Lance acting like a ****, there wouldnt be so much hype. Look how often Andy Schlcek gets mentioned and he is a bigger threat to Contador than Lance.

Oh, on that we agree. If I had to pick a matchup to watch this Tour, Contador-Lance would be behind Contador -Schleck or maybe Contador- Evans. However, in the US the hype drives the story, which drives Americans to watch, which drives advertising, which drives the team...I don't think it's an accident that Armstrong is periodically in the news for such statements. I also think there's a different expectation of etiquette in the US vs. Europe in this regard, Americans appreciating a more outspoken and brazen character (but that's probably a somewhat kneejerk oversimplification.)

Classics are always far more interesting and exciting than the Tour and they dont have Lance competing for the win. I just wonder sometimes if people buy into the circus surrounding Lance or the actual racing.

I enjoy the Classics immensely, but I like the ongoing buildup of a close Grand Tour better. Admittedly, I find it hard to get excited about watching the fourth flat day in a row where an escape gets called back at the last second and <cavendish> sprints for the win. But I do enjoy the build up over the weeks. That's obviously just personal preference - and I certainly get hooked watching classics such as P-R or LBL.

 

[eleven]

Hell yes it's more interesting when he is around. I love AC but other than the maillot jaune was removed from the race during the race, I don't recall much detail of 2007's tdf.

I agree. However, I remember that final TT of the 2007 Tour like it was yesterday! That was good drama.

The rest of that tour? if you take out Rasmussen there wasn't much to remember.