Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[infeXio]

Re:

Is that team official? It's not on the site. Why on Earth would you take Basso to the Tour ahead of Kieserlovski? And please don't say it's because Alberto wants the right partner to sleep with.

Official, yes.

 

[bajbar]

Re: Re:

But it is strange since Kiserlovski showed good form in the Dauphine and was always meant to do the Tour. Well, at least they might win the TTT now - if they drop Basso soon enough that is.

Win the TTT no less?
I don't think they have the best team for the TTT. Basso is dead weight, Majka no help on the flat sections and Tossato no help on the hills. If they lose someone strong in the stages before that, they're in trouble.

Well, they almost won the Giro TTT (i know, it was flat, but it still doesn't make suuuch a big different - the Tour one is basically false flat or slight downhill for much of it, except the lat hill - simillar than at the Dauphine). Compared to the Giro squad, they now have Bennati, Sagan and Majka - who is very good in TTs this year, compared to Juul Jensen, Rovny and Paulinho. They have a (much) better TTT team that they had in the Giro. And they won't wait for Basso here

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

Ehm have you seen Majka TT lately? Im not saying his a expert or something but to say he will provide 0 help is rubbish hes actually become a more than decent TT (check TT in romandie he beat froome, check TT in suisse both decent TT from him )the basso part tho is right hes dead weight in that regard!

TTT is more than being able to do a decent TT. Many, many TTT have proven that. One thing that works against Majka is that he is slender and small, for instance, providing less shelter for his teammates than bigger riders.

 

[blackmamba]

Re: Re:

Ehm have you seen Majka TT lately? Im not saying his a expert or something but to say he will provide 0 help is rubbish hes actually become a more than decent TT (check TT in romandie he beat froome, check TT in suisse both decent TT from him )the basso part tho is right hes dead weight in that regard!

TTT is more than being able to do a decent TT. Many, many TTT have proven that. One thing that works against Majka is that he is slender and small, for instance, providing less shelter for his teammates than bigger riders.

Yes yes what do this have to do with you saying he will be useless on the flat? All I said was that he will not be useless on the flat, and he wont!! not claiming his a TTT expert just that he wont be useless.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Is that team official? It's not on the site. Why on Earth would you take Basso to the Tour ahead of Kieserlovski? And please don't say it's because Alberto wants the right partner to sleep with.

Sorry but that is the most likely explanation
& Basso is a big name which is nice for the sponsors

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Is that team official? It's not on the site. Why on Earth would you take Basso to the Tour ahead of Kieserlovski? And please don't say it's because Alberto wants the right partner to sleep with.

Official, yes.

Basso. I'm almost disgusted.......

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

Yes yes what do this have to do with you saying he will be useless on the flat? All I said was that he will not be useless on the flat, and he wont!! not claiming his a TTT expert just that he wont be useless.

Drag and speed are related quadratically. And speeds are higher on the flat. Hence, Majka may not do too poorly on the flat himself, but the help he provides for his teammates is limited. To win a TTT, any weaker link will cost you, certainly at that distance. That's why I don't see TS winning the TTT at all.

 

[deValtos]

Wait where the hell is Kiserlovski ?

I'm not sure you need all 3 of Bennati/Valgren/Tossato tbh. 2 of the 3 sure but one should be kiserlovski.

Seems like they are hedging their bets by getting success with Sagan rather than going all-in on Contador judging by thier article.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Wait where the hell is Kiserlovski ?

I'm not sure you need all 3 of Bennati/Valgren/Tossato tbh. 2 of the 3 sure but one should be kiserlovski.

True BUT
if one of them gets ill or crashes out, they would have a huge issue

 

[deValtos]

Well they'd still have Sagan to help out for flat stages also.

If really neccessary Rogers and Kreuziger are strong roulers too.

I really think they should of left one of tossato/valgren/bennati home.

 

[blackmamba]

Re: Re:

Yes yes what do this have to do with you saying he will be useless on the flat? All I said was that he will not be useless on the flat, and he wont!! not claiming his a TTT expert just that he wont be useless.

Drag and speed are related quadratically. And speeds are higher on the flat. Hence, Majka may not do too poorly on the flat himself, but the help he provides for his teammates is limited. To win a TTT, any weaker link will cost you, certainly at that distance. That's why I don't see TS winning the TTT at all.

Dude i understand everything you say and i agree but u switched the topic On the point that you dont think they will win the TTT I agree ( I do believe they will be right up there tho with the best, but dont win) and it wont be beacuse majka will be useless on the flat, strenght and power goes along way aswell and he has proven he got that that was my point.

 

[Publicus]

Im pretty pleased with the team, including Basso. I dont think they needed another skinny climber--Rogers, Kreuziger and Majka should be plenty of firepower. Basso is great for the mid-mountains and is a definite step up from Hernandez. Strong team (on paper) and they should be competitive for Green and Yellow.

 

[Scarponi]

Re:

Im pretty pleased with the team, including Basso. I dont think they needed another skinny climber--Rogers, Kreuziger and Majka should be plenty of firepower. Basso is great for the mid-mountains and is a definite step up from Hernandez. Strong team (on paper) and they should be competitive for Green and Yellow.

if Basso was not named Basso with the TDF and Giro form from 10 years ago the help he puts in the mid mountains would be praised. He is getting judged on Robobasso not Domestique basso

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

I see all these articles saying contador already failed the double in 2011 without giving any context to that at all.

Lost 2 minutes after 2 days, crashed multiple times and had a terrible day on the galibier. If he didn't have that bad day on the galibier he still could have won that tour (he said so himself and it was still possible for sure). All that after a very hard giro where he peaked for.

Now he hasn't peaked for the giro, i hope at least. And his team will be 10 times better than it was in 2011.

You can't say "If he didn't have that bad day on the galibier" because it could've been associated with that hard Giro before. And in 2011 Alberto was in absolutely superb form - I don't think he's as good this year. This years' Giro was also very demanding for Alberto and his competition at the Tour will be very tough. Doing the double will be very difficult and I don't think it will happen (although I'm his supporter).

The reason why i bring up the bay day is just bring into context that contador wasn't that far off from the victory as the media make it out to be

 

[Miburo]

Kiserlovski got robbed, unless they give Basso some medicine that makes him 10 years younger, i don't see the point

 

[SeriousSam]

However Contador does not see himself as the leading favourite to win the Tour. He argued that the four top contenders for the Tour –Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Vincenzo Nibali and himself, are all “at a very similar level right now. Speaking from my past experiences with him, even if there’s no long time trial, I would say Froome stands out [as favourite],” he said.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Sensible stuff from Alberto, as usual

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

https://instagram.com/p/31i2ybH-NT/?taken-by=acontadoroficial

Contador looks more fit now than he did two weeks ago.

Why can't TS always ride in that kit?

Because it's Alberto's custom training kit in the colors of his foundation/youth squads. Just like Sagan has one that is black with green accents and the logo of his cycling school

Thank you. Its so much nicer than the monstrosity in which TS currently ride.

 

[qwer]

contador knows that only froome could beat him in the mountains. nibali and quintana can't distance contador

 

[Teddy Boom]

Thank you. Its so much nicer than the monstrosity in which TS currently ride.

Assuming you mean their Giro kit, just wait until they break out the horrendous camo pattern for the Tour. I might have to get on the Froome bandwagon just because of it.
http://www.tinkoffsportshop.com/shop/tinkoff-saxo-2015-team-jersey-tdf-pm-346.html

Edit: Better or worse than the training kit?! I can't decide:
http://www.stadiumsnews.com/cycling/tinkoff-saxo-reveals-innovative-new-camouflage-training-kit/
I mean.. The militarism of the training kit is obscene and doesn't belong in the peleton, but at least there is some commitment to the look. The Tour kit is just stupid looking

 

[LaFlorecita]

What's so bad about fluo camo?

edit: besides the complete uselessness of fluo camo, of course

 

[Jelantik]

Wait where the hell is Kiserlovski ?

I'm not sure you need all 3 of Bennati/Valgren/Tossato tbh. 2 of the 3 sure but one should be kiserlovski.

Seems like they are hedging their bets by getting success with Sagan rather than going all-in on Contador judging by thier article.

I was a little surprise that they left out Kiserlovski. I thought for sure after the Giro team that they are so thin in the mountain, they will beef it up with a better mountain goat. Looks like TS thinks that the first 10 stages are more important to get through, that's why they add one more flat guy. I didn't expect that the TS will consist of 50% of their squad with Giro leg already (kreuziger, rogers, basso, tossato). Uff.. it's like the one who's doing the double isn't just Contador. I hope the fresh guy really peak and perform better than the Giro. Sagan and Benna showed some good form in their ITT Nationals (with Sagan won both title - ITT&Road). Valgreen was instrumental in helping CAS won his national road title... TS prefers Basso over Kiserlovski?... hmm interesting choice.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

However Contador does not see himself as the leading favourite to win the Tour. He argued that the four top contenders for the Tour –Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Vincenzo Nibali and himself, are all “at a very similar level right now. Speaking from my past experiences with him, even if there’s no long time trial, I would say Froome stands out [as favourite],” he said.

They both respect each other.

“He’s got an amazing Grand Tour résumé. I can’t write off guys like Nibali, [Nairo] Quintana, [Alejandro] Valverde, but Contador does stand out. He is the benchmark, the guy to beat," he told The Telegraph. He describes his relationship with Contador as “a healthy rivalry."

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Kiserlovski got robbed, unless they give Basso some medicine that makes him 10 years younger, i don't see the point

maybe because he is contador's roomie? .. agreed.. not sure why they left out Kiserlovski.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Is that team official? It's not on the site. Why on Earth would you take Basso to the Tour ahead of Kieserlovski? And please don't say it's because Alberto wants the right partner to sleep with.

Sorry but that is the most likely explanation
& Basso is a big name which is nice for the sponsors

I just can't imagine that when the stakes are so high they select a rider for the sponsors.