Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[The_Cheech]

Re:

Tinkoff should buy Landa and let Contador teach him to become the next GT winner.

Spain need a new hope.

Don't worry about it. Alberto's been babysitting Enric Mas for a while now and the later is, allegedly, breaking some of Contador's records in some of the climbs.

Enric is going to be the next Indurain. No one is talking about this kid because they want him to develop into a Miguelón without the stress of having to perform in a big team.

 

[Metabolol]

Re:

Can't decide whether he was going easy today or whether he was struggling a bit, he gained time on Aru but lost some to Landa, but I doubt Astana will try and win with Landa so all Contador has to do is keep riding how he did today.
I'll be surprised if he wins a stage now, with the strength of Astana it will be difficult to win a stage.

I know one thing though, he's going to have to be a hell of a lot better in the Tour if he's going to win it.

Neither of those options.

 

[The_Cheech]

Re: Re:

Contador going to win this Giro with brute strength and by the time it gets to the Tour he will be on top form and floating up the climbs. After rest day he will go up another gear and take a nice stage or 2.

I hope so, I want to see that he is in super shape, it would leave a bad taste if he never attacks or takes a stage. I just don't see how he will win stage 16 or 20, the final climbs are not steep enough, and stage 19, he would 1) have to attack from relatively far out as the last 2.5km are flat, and 2) hope there isn't a break ahead.

Just attack on the Mortirolo and soloing to Aprica. If he's the strongest, it's quite easy to do.

Alberto is going to HAVE to attack on the Mortirolo.

They named a section of the climb after him for peace sake!

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

What pact would they have made? Let Landa win the stage and Contador takes time from Aru, bit of an odd pact. Unless Astana have already accepted defeat in GC, so they'll stop attacking Contador for stage wins in return?

Absolutely they made a pact. Are you kidding me?

You think Alberto would've let Aru slide when he was getting dropped? No way! He put in a half-assed attack for TV and then let Landa take off.

The stage was over somewhere between the Daone and MdC.

I'm curious what this pact would be? The stage played out the way it played out, no pact.

 

[The_Cheech]

Re: Re:

What pact would they have made? Let Landa win the stage and Contador takes time from Aru, bit of an odd pact. Unless Astana have already accepted defeat in GC, so they'll stop attacking Contador for stage wins in return?

Absolutely they made a pact. Are you kidding me?

You think Alberto would've let Aru slide when he was getting dropped? No way! He put in a half-assed attack for TV and then let Landa take off.

The stage was over somewhere between the Daone and MdC.

I'm curious what this pact would be? The stage played out the way it played out, no pact.

I've already said it.

Read.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Lol at pact. Why would Contador need to make a pact?

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Contador going to win this Giro with brute strength and by the time it gets to the Tour he will be on top form and floating up the climbs. After rest day he will go up another gear and take a nice stage or 2.

I hope so, I want to see that he is in super shape, it would leave a bad taste if he never attacks or takes a stage. I just don't see how he will win stage 16 or 20, the final climbs are not steep enough, and stage 19, he would 1) have to attack from relatively far out as the last 2.5km are flat, and 2) hope there isn't a break ahead.

Just attack on the Mortirolo and soloing to Aprica. If he's the strongest, it's quite easy to do.

Alberto is going to HAVE to attack on the Mortirolo.

They named a section of the climb after him for peace sake!

That mountain is the thing that should feel honoured

 

[The_Cheech]

Re:

Lol at pact. Why would Contador need to make a pact?

Three things, Aru would't attack him, Fabio would put time on third place and an Astana would win the stage.

It happens in cycling all the time.

Come on folks, don't look at me like I have three head. Where have you been these past 100 years?

 

[Carols]

I've watched the sport for 35 years and whether or not he is a pure climber or not is irrelevant. He's one of the three best climbers I've seen, maybe even the best.

+100 Well said.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

Lol at pact. Why would Contador need to make a pact?

Three things, Aru would't attack him, Fabio would put time on third place and an Astana would win the stage.

It happens in cycling all the time.

Come on folks, don't look at me like I have three head. Where have you been these past 100 years?

Contador has already won this Giro. He doesn't care if Aru attacks. All he wants now is a stage win.

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

Lol at pact. Why would Contador need to make a pact?

Three things, Aru would't attack him, Fabio would put time on third place and an Astana would win the stage.

It happens in cycling all the time.

Come on folks, don't look at me like I have three head. Where have you been these past 100 years?

Last I checked, Aru was getting dropped when his team mate attacked with AC following. No pact...
You talk to us like we just dropped in here on accident. That's comical. lol

 

[casati]

Re: Re:

Did someone just say Contador is not a pure climber? Leave the building please, he's one of the most natural climbers we have seen...it's just that he is so polished all over that people neglect that his climbing is his main strength...Quintana a more pure climber? You're only suggesting that because Quintana is rather average everywhere else. Contador is in the top 5 climbers of all time. In fact I'd only rank Pantani and Impe above him for certain.

No, he is not.He is the best stage racer of last 2 decades.One of the best GT riders of all time, but no he is not a pure climber.

btw http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/pure

So "pure" climbers are those riders that are not quite as good at climbing as the best GT climbers like Armstrong and Contador, and worse at everything else?
yep, thats a pure climber for me (and I guess for almost everybody else who knows that word )

If Contador could not time trial, descend well, did not know how to race, he would be considered one of the best "pure" climbers in history, would u not agree?

 

[Metabolol]

There was no pact. It was just a case of Landa being strong and Alberto not wanting to open himself to a counterattack from Aru. Alberto wasn't weak, he was just evenly matched on this climb by Landa.

Landa couldn't drop Alberto and Alberto couldn't drop Landa. Had it been mano a mano it would have been a sprint between those two.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Froome if fit is the real test. Normally Contador would be dropping Landa. This is not good for the TDF. Probably the effect of the TT Lets see after the rest day

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Lol at pact. Why would Contador need to make a pact?

Three things, Aru would't attack him, Fabio would put time on third place and an Astana would win the stage.

It happens in cycling all the time.

Come on folks, don't look at me like I have three head. Where have you been these past 100 years?

Contador has already won this Giro. He doesn't care if Aru attacks. All he wants now is a stage win.

But why did he not attack then? It makes no sense. He did a few weak-hearted accelerations, saw Landa wouldn't drop easily and just gave up. Surely if he desperately wants a stage win he would have gone all out.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Froome if fit is the real test. Normally Contador would be dropping Landa. This is not good for the TDF. Probably the effect of the TT Lets see after the rest day

See this is why I want Alberto to go all out and crush everyone on at least one stage. People will keep saying "oh but he couldn't even drop Landa bla bla so he wasn't strong at all" etc. C'mon Alberto, don't let me down. Full ***, just once.

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

Froome if fit is the real test. Normally Contador would be dropping Landa. This is not good for the TDF. Probably the effect of the TT Lets see after the rest day

See this is why I want Alberto to go all out and crush everyone on at least one stage. People will keep saying "oh but he couldn't even drop Landa bla bla so he wasn't strong at all" etc. C'mon Alberto, don't let me down. Full ***, just once.

He went full *** yesterday, and would have won if the conditions were even close to the same for all.

 

[The_Cheech]

Re: Re:

Lol at pact. Why would Contador need to make a pact?

Three things, Aru would't attack him, Fabio would put time on third place and an Astana would win the stage.

It happens in cycling all the time.

Come on folks, don't look at me like I have three head. Where have you been these past 100 years?

Contador has already won this Giro. He doesn't care if Aru attacks. All he wants now is a stage win.

Oh really? Did you see what happened to him the other day? He lost ONLY 40 seconds because his teammate went full-obstacle-course on other riders and bicycles to give him his bike.

Aru has shown to have, just like Nibali, a lot more race craft than Contador. And a much better team.

If you think Alberto is letting his guard down, think again.

 

[mufana]

It surprises me how many people underestimate Contador. Or how many people overestimate Froome. Froome won what? 1 Tour in a year where Contador clearly was not at his best. And he still placed 4th in that tour. So why is a fit Froome a real test for Contador? isn't it the other way round. A fit Contador is a real test for Froome?

 

[The_Cheech]

Re:

Froome if fit is the real test. Normally Contador would be dropping Landa. This is not good for the TDF. Probably the effect of the TT Lets see after the rest day

He not only dropped Landa yesterday, he handed his ass back to him.

Does that count?

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Alberto's weakest point is his team.

Too much emphasis is being put on why he did or didn't attack.

It's RK or MR giving up after 5Ks on a non-impressive climb.

Somebody at Tinkof has to put the hammer down.

It's really unacceptable.

This! When your team is history with 1.5 mountains and 30km to go and you're in an Astana sandwich with 6 of them there it is Totally Unacceptable. TS better get their act together......

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

Alberto's weakest point is his team.

Too much emphasis is being put on why he did or didn't attack.

It's RK or MR giving up after 5Ks on a non-impressive climb.

Somebody at Tinkof has to put the hammer down.

It's really unacceptable.

This! When your team is history with 1.5 mountains and 30km to go and you're in an Astana sandwich with 6 of them there it is Totally Unacceptable. TS better get their act together......

Agreed!

 

[BlurryVII]

Re:

Froome if fit is the real test. Normally Contador would be dropping Landa. This is not good for the TDF. Probably the effect of the TT Lets see after the rest day

That's one dumb post. First Landa is in incredible form and If anything, it's good sign he's not litterally crushing everyone right now, it'd mean he 's perhaps peaking for the Tour. But all I know is that his form is gonna be different in july.

Saying he can't drop Landa on one MTF right now, where he didn't have his best day, maybe affected by his lastest crash and yesterday's incredible TT effort means he won't be able to drop Froome in a month is just straight up stupid.

 

[Miburo]

I hope he doesn't attack on tuesday, just follow wheels. After mortirolo it's still a long way.

He can for the stage on friday.

 

[The_Cheech]

Re:

It surprises me how many people underestimate Contador. Or how many people overestimate Froome. Froome won what? 1 Tour in a year where Contador clearly was not at his best. And he still placed 4th in that tour. So why is a fit Froome a real test for Contador? isn't it the other way round. A fit Contador is a real test for Froome?

Because people can't, by and large, read a stage.

Much less a race.

Froome going ballistic in a local competition if irrefutable proof that he is one of the men to beat.

Someone with multiple TdF, Giros and Vueltas... not so much.