Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

So Froome now has the same number of TdF's as Contador.

Hopefully next year we finally see both go head to head in at least close to their best condition. I know who my money will be on. The lion of the Savannah!

Froome has more days in yellow and more stage wins. But yes hopefully Froome and Contador will both hit the Tour in top form next year.

Surely one, just one year where they both arrive in peak shape at the same GT is not too much to ask for.

And Contador has 2(3) Giro wins, Froome 0. Contador has 3 Vuelta wins, Froome 0. Contador has 2 Paris-Nice Froome 0. Contador has 1 Tirreno-Adriatico Froome 0.

Froome is just about to win the Tour and the KoM. I do not believe Contador has ever accomplished that feat. You know who has? Bartali, Coppi, Merckx.

Didn't you just return from a ban for trolling?

 

[sir fly]

He's targeting the Olympic's next year.
...And the Tour, but talked less about it.

 

[Red Rick]

Anyone tell him that whilst the olympics are a 3week event the actual road race is only one day?

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Contador can win the Tour next year if he peaks for it. After watching this Tour and the performance of Froome and Quintana, it's clear that it's possible as long as he has he can avoid crashes, comes in with good shape and a team that can back him up. You can't win the Tour without a good team.

This exactly.
We know a 2014 AC can stay with Froome. He could simply follow Froome around for the first 2 weeks of the Tour and then unleash his fury on Froome in the 3rd week. Froome wouldn't have any response.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Anyone tell him that whilst the olympics are a 3week event the actual road race is only one day?

ssshhh... don't tell Oleg that. He thinks olympic road race is 3 weeks.

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

Contador can win the Tour next year if he peaks for it. After watching this Tour and the performance of Froome and Quintana, it's clear that it's possible as long as he has he can avoid crashes, comes in with good shape and a team that can back him up. You can't win the Tour without a good team.

This exactly.
We know a 2014 AC can stay with Froome. He could simply follow Froome around for the first 2 weeks of the Tour and then unleash his fury on Froome in the 3rd week. Froome wouldn't have any response.

agreed. Froome amo is always go postal on the first mountain stage (2013, 2015). He practically decimated everyone. So if Contador can follow him on the first climb.. week 3, he can eat froome for breakfast every mountain stage . But he does need to have a strong team to back him up. So far the signing from last year, only Sagan performs better (not on classic but mid season result). Basso, kiserlovski, some russian are so so.

 

[Big Doopie]

Re: Re:

[quote="BlurryVII
And why would Contador's 'consistent standard' be the Tour 11' - 13' and 15? [/quote]

Because it is post Tour 2010.

LOL!

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Anyone tell him that whilst the olympics are a 3week event the actual road race is only one day?

Contador was a monster in the first part of the olympic ITT of 2008

 

[snccdcno]

My dream is Tour next year and then Giro and Vuelta in 2017 so the great one can retire with twelve grand tour wins.

 

[cantpedal]

I think he should target the 1 GT that suits him best next year. 10+ years at the top is a long tjme. all those miles in the legs. To me that's whats remarkable about him. those 10 years.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

My dream is Tour next year and then Giro and Vuelta in 2017 so the great one can retire with twelve grand tour wins.

Yes! That would be ideal.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

My dream is Tour next year and then Giro and Vuelta in 2017 so the great one can retire with twelve grand tour wins.

Amen Brother

 

[Ludwig's Olaf]

See, that's why the TdF sucks. Everybody gets something out of this tedious race, the Froome fans, the Quintana fans, and the Nibali fans, just not those of Berti because the TdF isn't made for him. Too few mountains, too gentle gradients, too many dull flat stages back to back in the first weeks, no mountain time trial.

 

[infeXio]

See, that's why the TdF sucks. Everybody gets something out of this tedious race, the Froome fans, the Quintana fans, and the Nibali fans, just not those of Berti because the TdF isn't made for him. Too few mountains, too gentle gradients, too many dull flat stages back to back in the first weeks, no mountain time trial.

Ehhhh?

 

[Scarponi]

Re:

I think he should target the 1 GT that suits him best next year. 10+ years at the top is a long tjme. all those miles in the legs. To me that's whats remarkable about him. those 10 years.

Exactly right there seems to be a correlation of all riders once they hit 15-18 GTs at the top and then maybe even 1-5 as a young guy not in contention. The body cannot cope sitting at the front of almost every race for 10 years.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Mortirolo and the Giro time trial were Contador's peak this year.
If he can reach it and hold it for a longer time next year - he might win the Tour again.

Agree 100% with this. And those were pretty high peaks.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Here's hoping for 2014 form at next year's Grand Depart. Contador and Nibali may be the only two top GC guys who aren't afraid to attack Froome and the Sky train, and of the two, I think Contador's the only one with the top-end to make it stick.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Here's hoping for 2014 form at next year's Grand Depart. Contador and Nibali may be the only two top GC guys who aren't afraid to attack Froome and the Sky train, and of the two, I think Contador's the only one with the top-end to make it stick.

yep. And for Quintana, he can loose in the wind again .. and will wait again until contador/froome/nibali fade to make his attack on the last mountain to gain 3+ minutes he lost while waiting for valverde.. (in the mean time pinot will snatch the stage win again from him)

 

[jsem94]

See, that's why the TdF sucks. Everybody gets something out of this tedious race, the Froome fans, the Quintana fans, and the Nibali fans, just not those of Berti because the TdF isn't made for him. Too few mountains, too gentle gradients, too many dull flat stages back to back in the first weeks, no mountain time trial.

You're talking about a three-time Tour winner. Twice fifth after winning the Giro the same year. He handles the Tour just fine IMHO.

And also, what's this about gentle gradients? One of his most iconic victories is on Verbier. 8.7km @ 7.5%, not at all an insane climb. Andorra Arcalis, Plateau de Beille etc are no Zoncolan's either.

 

[Big Doopie]

You're talking about a three-time Tour winner.

Yeah, i was a huge fan of pollentier when he dropped hinault at l'alpe and won the Tour in 1978!

Totally amazing!

 

[ad9898]

I think having seen Contador in this Tour considering he had to beat the entire Astana team at the Giro, finishing quite high up and being there or there abouts at the end of stages....It says to me that if he peaks for the Tour next year which he says he will, no one in this race could stay with him save Froome on Stage 10, that's it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I think having seen Contador in this Tour considering he had to beat the entire Astana team at the Giro, finishing quite high up and being there or there abouts at the end of stages....It says to me that if he peaks for the Tour next year which he says he will, no one in this race could stay with him save Froome on Stage 10, that's it.

I agree with you. This Tour has given me a lot of confidence for next year.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

I think having seen Contador in this Tour considering he had to beat the entire Astana team at the Giro, finishing quite high up and being there or there abouts at the end of stages....It says to me that if he peaks for the Tour next year which he says he will, no one in this race could stay with him save Froome on Stage 10, that's it.

Take it easy. Quintana in the Alps would have followed him without a doubt.

Contador is still a world class rider, but not the best by any means. Let's just wait how the situation is next july.

 

[ray j willings]

After watching this tour Froome fans must now realise that Contador's Vuelta win was a true result. Froome cannot perform better than that as he showed in this tour.
Bertie was not even 100% at the Vuelta

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto confirmed he will race Clasica San Sebastian, and that's his last race of the season.