rm7 said:
I have this idea that if Contador get dropped in the Tour, then some people will say that he is done at toplevel.
IF that happens a lot of people will say that he never really reached the 2014 level this year, not even once.
If people should compare the first race in the season vs Froome in Andalucia and the Contador in the Giro. Have he improved, or was it the same? what do you think?
I think he was a the same level to be honest. But he was definitely a little better in the Giro than in T-A and Catalunya.
I really hope it's all part of the plan, so he'll be at his best in the Tour. I think that's the plan, but there is a long way to make a plan, and then really execute it
You should be prepared for that, Contador is likely to get dropped at least once at the Tour but that doesn't mean he'll not win it. He might win it tactically Vuelta 12' style.
Of course there will be plenty of people / haters who will say that, that he just can't win the Tour anymore, doesn't have that level bla bla bla but who cares? Most people on this forum get excited and react in the heat of the moment.
You just cannot bring expectations on the table now after such a demanding Giro, from what he stated today, it looks like he is absolutely drained at the moment and finished this very short. You just gotta hope for him to have that decent minimal form to hang on with the best and if he happens to be in flying form then it will be a pleasant surprise. But at the moment, I just can't see how he can reach his Tour 14' levels.
To answer your other questions, there is absolutely no doubt Contador is MUCH stronger than he was in TA and catalunya and also than Andalucia where he was not consistent al all. People are really underestimating his Giro form, just because of Finestre (off day) and Aprica (worked his ass off on that stage) which don't reflect at all his global form .
To be honest, I would be really glad he just manages to keep this Giro form for the Tour, without fading this time around like he did yesterday. People are deluded thinking AC will get crushed in this kind of form by NQF , completely deluded . The only danger would be Froome in super shape.