Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

The only way for Contador to win a stage is to be better than froome and quintana.

Sadly, I feel this is true. There may be a small possibility to get away when Froome and Quintana are looking at each other, a few km from the finish, but he would have to be up there and would need to get a sufficient gap, in other words he would need to be pretty strong anyway.

 

[Miburo]

Movistar and astana also used some of their guys on pra loup, contador was all alone. Can't compare it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

How did Contador's Pra Loup time compare to Quintana/Froome?

Don't quote me but I read somewhere he was faster. This might be nonsense though, because Contador was up against Movi train, change of a new bike, and injuries of nasty crash

The bike change was before the start of the climb though wasn't it? So it wouldn't affect his time. Still I feel there is no way he was faster.

 

[ray j willings]

Bertie will try again tomorrow.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re: Re:

How did Contador's Pra Loup time compare to Quintana/Froome?

Don't quote me but I read somewhere he was faster. This might be nonsense though, because Contador was up against Movi train, change of a new bike, and injuries of nasty crash

The bike change was before the start of the climb though wasn't it? So it wouldn't affect his time. Still I feel there is no way he was faster.

Yes it might've been actually

 

[Poursuivant]

Re:

Bertie will try again tomorrow.

Agree. Think Nibali will try early doors too, their problem won't be sky but movistar.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Bertie will try again tomorrow.

Yes definitely unless he is hurt nothing to lose

 

[gazr99]

Re: Re:

How did Contador's Pra Loup time compare to Quintana/Froome?

Don't quote me but I read somewhere he was faster. This might be nonsense though, because Contador was up against Movi train, change of a new bike, and injuries of nasty crash

The bike change was before the start of the climb though wasn't it? So it wouldn't affect his time. Still I feel there is no way he was faster.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/col-dallos-crash-all-but-ends-contadors-giro-tour-de-france-double-dream

At the start of it, so he wouldn't have gained any momentum he had on to the start of the climb

 

[ray j willings]

if I was Tinko I would get a few riders across the road in front of Valverde and block him if Bertie attacks.

 

[Poursuivant]

So is it for sure he won't go Giro nex year?

Will it be Tour-Vuelta?

Also, will he definitely retire do you think, or will it depend on what happens?

 

[gazr99]

Re:

So is it for sure he won't go Giro nex year?

Will it be Tour-Vuelta?

Also, will he definitely retire do you think, or will it depend on what happens?

Wouldn't be surprised if he tried to win the Tour-Vuelta next year. Can't see him retiring for a couple of years

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

So is it for sure he won't go Giro nex year?

Will it be Tour-Vuelta?

Also, will he definitely retire do you think, or will it depend on what happens?

Can't see him retiring til he wins another GT, so will depend on what happens

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

Contador has improved a bit ( at least in a relative sense) but he had no realistic chance of winning anyways. Maybe he can win on alpe d'huez if Quintana and Froome get tangled up and focus on each other. He has to attack before the final climb though. But the crash might have put an end to that hope.

I would love that but unfortunately I think Froome is targeting that stage. So Froome most likely will achieve that if it's his goal.

That is true but considering the time gap to Contador he might still play it safe so he doesn't create any openings for Nairo. So Sky might actually give Contador some room. Movistar normally wouldn't give Alberto an inch but this is the last opportunity for Nairo so maybe that will create an opening for Contador to win that stage.

i would have agreed from Froome's point of view. Contador is 6+ minutes back and as far as froome's concern contador isn't going to be a threat for him. Thomas might, but I don't think sky will protect thomas spot. Valverde though.. will see contador's attack as a threat. So it's either moviestar has to chase contador to save their 3rd place or trying to overtake Froome by letting go 3rd place. Sky is actually in a perfect place if Contador attacks, so they are more likely to let contador go. If moviestar is too greedy, they might end up loosing both podium. Unless valverde is willing to go w/ contador (left quitana) and mano a mano on the last climb.

 

[leon993]

Some years ago I read Contador say "I hope it won't be necessarily to attack from far out". Now he is in the position to do just that. Even if he is not at the level of that Contador years ago. Podium is not a target for him. He attacks and dies with his boots on. And this is why his fans love him. Who else does that? Nibali has a bit of the same, so tomorrow Contador and Nibali GO GO GO

 

[Pricey_sky]

Nice to see Alberto have a go today, unfortunately Movistar are obsessed with getting both riders on the podium so it was not meant to be. Now he's lost another 2 minutes I have a feeling sky would happily let him go if he wanted a stage win, I cant see Movistar doing the same though.

 

[Poursuivant]

Question: When you look at Contador's GC record, he is pretty much first or nothing. Last year, let's be brutally honest, it was Froome or Contador for the win in theTDF, and they both seemed relatively evenly matched on the climbs although, in my opinion, in the Dauphine, Froome was stronger. Anyway, next year, with Contador targeting TDF first, what do you children make of that? Have we heard anything on next years tour route, i.e. what is the amount of TT in it?

 

[ninjadriver]

Re: Re:

Really pathetic seeing Movistar being more focused on catching Contador and then distancing him after his crash, than they were on pressuring Froome. Only Nibali and Contador seem to have a greater will to win than fear of losing in this race...
We need an alliance between Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo to make this race interesting.

Except.. I have the impression Astana turned a relatively easy Giro into an incredibly hard one, not because they had any hope of winning, but instead to wear Contador out and prevent the double. Not exactly natural allies.

Landa would have been able to fight for the victory. After all he was the best climber but the idiot team wanted to win with Aru

Anyone can be a coach after the fact..... I would like you to direct me to the post, pre-Giro - where you said Landa could/should ride for the overall win...... because otherwise, you calling Astana an "idiot team" now, is in fact idiotic

Not before but during.
It was clear that Landa was a lot better than Aru.
On the Mortirolo for exemple ( but there are more) , Astana had the chance to win letting go Landa when Alberto was behinh and Aru , from the beginning of climb, was in difficult to follow Landa. It was clear.
But the truth was that they wanted an italian to try winning Giro....

and i'm an italian too but it was a stupid choise

I agree with you totally, Matteo. Landa clearly was stronger than Aru at the Giro, although Aru miraculously revitalized himself, somehow, over the last two mountain stages. Simply miraculous. Incredible.

In fact, the British Eurosport announcers said that Contador himself postulated that Astana was "backing the wrong horse," meaning Aru instead of Landa.

Astana clearly wanted an Italian to win, and I think it cost them the race. I believe Landa would have overtaken El Pistolero, despite the 5 minute gap; he was that strong and Contador was that exhausted. And I'm a HUGE Contador fan.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

Question: When you look at Contador's GC record, he is pretty much first or nothing. Last year, let's be brutally honest, it was Froome or Contador for the win in theTDF, and they both seemed relatively evenly matched on the climbs although, in my opinion, in the Dauphine, Froome was stronger. Anyway, next year, with Contador targeting TDF first, what do you children make of that? Have we heard anything on next years tour route, i.e. what is the amount of TT in it?

Contador showed that he could follow Froome manic accelerations last year. No one else has shown the ability to do so. If Contador can get back to the form he had in 2014, and depending on the amount of tt kms, he will be the one left challenge Froome. Quintana if he continues to mature will be be just bit below them IMO. Nibali needs to make the same sacrifices he made in 2014 to reach his Tour level that year to be a factor. I don't see him doing so.

 

[ninjadriver]

Re:

Contador has improved a bit ( at least in a relative sense) but he had no realistic chance of winning anyways. Maybe he can win on alpe d'huez if Quintana and Froome get tangled up and focus on each other. He has to attack before the final climb though. But the crash might have put an end to that hope.

Contador doesn't have the legs to attack effectively.

Wash - Rinse - Repeat

Contador doesn't have the legs to attack effectively.

 

[ninjadriver]

Re:

Some years ago I read Contador say "I hope it won't be necessarily to attack from far out". Now he is in the position to do just that. Even if he is not at the level of that Contador years ago. Podium is not a target for him. He attacks and dies with his boots on. And this is why his fans love him. Who else does that? Nibali has a bit of the same, so tomorrow Contador and Nibali GO GO GO

Neither Contador nor Nibali has the legs to do a Landis attack. Contador can't even do a 50 meter attack.

It's great to be optimistic, but the images on the television don't lie....

 

[BlurryVII]

Re: Re:

Astana clearly wanted an Italian to win, and I think it cost them the race. I believe Landa would have overtaken El Pistolero, despite the 5 minute gap; he was that strong and Contador was that exhausted. And I'm a HUGE Contador fan.

Some people have got to stop with that.

Landa would have NEVER overtaken Contador, in any scenario. He attacked on Finestre, went for it and got caught up on Sestrière from there he worked for Aru because he couldn't maintain his lead.

If he had attacked earlier on the Mortirolo, he would've been alone in the descent and flat section before Aprica against Contador and Kruiskwijk relaying each other behind. And he would've been less strong up Aprica as well. Because he wouldn't have been wheelsucking for the last 30 kms.

Then what? No where else he could've taken time. He finished 3 minutes off. 3 minutes. Even if he was leader, when the *** would he have taken those 3 minutes back?

 

[ninjadriver]

Re: Re:

Astana clearly wanted an Italian to win, and I think it cost them the race. I believe Landa would have overtaken El Pistolero, despite the 5 minute gap; he was that strong and Contador was that exhausted. And I'm a HUGE Contador fan.

Some people have got to stop with that.

Landa would have NEVER overtaken Contador, in any scenario. He attacked on Finestre, went for it and got caught up on Sestrière from there he worked for Aru because he couldn't maintain his lead.

If he had attacked earlier on the Mortirolo, he would've been alone in the descent and flat section before Aprica against Contador and Kruiskwijk relaying each other behind. And he would've been less strong up Aprica as well. Because he wouldn't have been wheelsucking for the last 30 kms.

Then what? No where else he could've taken time. He finished 3 minutes off. 3 minutes. Even if he was leader, when the **** would he have taken those 3 minutes back?

I know Contador after watching him closely for 7 years, and he was more than vulnerable to Landa, whom Astana called back to help Aru repeatedly.

We disagree. Fair enough. We'll never know, although it would have been terrific had Contador skipped the TDF, where he had no chance off of his Giro efforts, and locked horns with Landa again at this year's Vuelta.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Contador winning the Tour in future is very dependent on weather.

If the weather had been as bad this year, as last year, I would argue he would be either leading or in second behind Quintana at this point in time.... irrespective of having done the Giro.

Sadly, whenever the weather at the Tour is warm and sunny, he always struggles with his allergies, because of the race happening in July..... but, when it rains or is cold, he can match Froome uphill and outclass him downhill.... and then hope to not lose too much in the ITT.

I'm hoping for bad weather the next 3 days, so we get to see what he is really capable of.... but realisticly, he should focus on the Giro and Vuelta for the remainder of his career, and let Majka captain the team in the Tour (not gonna happen, but it would be the smart choice).

 

[BlurryVII]

On all the stages expect the Finestre one, Contador and Landa were on the same level. If Landa dropped him on Aprica, it's because Contador punctered and made a huge effort to get back on Mortirolo.

Then he worked with Kruijwijk on the flat as well while Landa was patiently waiting behind. At the end, it didn't matter that much, because AC burried Astana as payback on Ologno, and was actually faster than Landa.

Now where you find your 3 minutes for Landa, is a mystery.

 

[BlurryVII]

Re: Re:

Astana clearly wanted an Italian to win, and I think it cost them the race. I believe Landa would have overtaken El Pistolero, despite the 5 minute gap; he was that strong and Contador was that exhausted. And I'm a HUGE Contador fan.

Some people have got to stop with that.

Landa would have NEVER overtaken Contador, in any scenario. He attacked on Finestre, went for it and got caught up on Sestrière from there he worked for Aru because he couldn't maintain his lead.

If he had attacked earlier on the Mortirolo, he would've been alone in the descent and flat section before Aprica against Contador and Kruiskwijk relaying each other behind. And he would've been less strong up Aprica as well. Because he wouldn't have been wheelsucking for the last 30 kms.

Then what? No where else he could've taken time. He finished 3 minutes off. 3 minutes. Even if he was leader, when the **** would he have taken those 3 minutes back?

I know Contador after watching him closely for 7 years, and he was more than vulnerable to Landa, whom Astana called back to help Aru repeatedly.

We disagree. Fair enough. We'll never know, although it would have been terrific had Contador skipped the TDF, where he had no chance off of his Giro efforts, and locked horns with Landa again at this year's Vuelta.

The fact that you've watched him closely for 7 years, is irrelevant to the discussion and doesn't give your deluded opinion more value.
I don't think you're a fan of Contador either, you just have no idea of his abilities. You're almost bashing him is some of your posts, calling yourself a fan is laughable.

I get the "ZEROOOO SHOTTTT" you kept on repeating again and again about the double but now you're going on the wrong terrain. Contador won the Giro, there's no "we'll never know ", he beat Landa and would've beaten him in any scenario. End of the story.