Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[ray j willings]

Taxus is in love with Froome everytime I post this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YScKkvHIxwE

he never responds

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

My personal feeling is that if Contador wins the Tour, he'll go to the Olympics and the Vuelta, a course which I'm sure they'll pretty much design for him to ensure he goes in his 'final' year. If he goes on to win the Vuelta, he will ride the 100th Giro…he'd have to be an idiot not to try for one last time to hold all three Tours in a row and being able to focus on the hardest one - the Giro - for 2017 would make the task a lot easier than trying to do the double the other way. And it needn't involve announcing it as an intention…all predicated on what happens at the Tour in 2016.

But in many ways, though it makes me sad, I won't be sorry to see Contador retire. GTs are becoming more and more about team power and less about individual brain and brawn, IMO, and it is to the detriment for my enjoyment of the sport. It makes it a much more power vs. intelligence race than previously and generally much more leaning towards the defensive than an attacking strategy, which is more predictable. Aside from stage 2 and Nibali's antics on 19, the Tour didn't really do it for me. Nairo attacked far too little too late, and there was no way he was ever going to make up the time he needed on Alpe unless Froome had a mechanical. I'll admit had Contador won, I might have felt happier, but even so, despite the course, it didn't really take off.

The Indurain years were the same and so were the Armstrong years. Those years it got kind of boring and if Froome and Sky can go back to back multiple years the Tour will get boring again. The Giro and Vuleta have always been more open races that is why they are favored by more 'cycling fans' than the Tour, IMO.

Personally I don't think Froome will win more than 1 more Tour, he is already 30. People forget he didn't become a phenom until he'd been in the peloton for many years. Everyone acts as if he started in 2011 LOL!

Which is why I totally stopped watching in the LA years - hated them, and why I look with a jaundiced eye on the future of GT racing. Don't want a teams' arms race, just doesn't do it for me. Indurain I had more time for - they still didn't have the massive team dominance then, so whilst he was dominant, it was still individual.

I actually think 5th, under the circs., plus crash (plus fever, which I didn't know about until now) is pretty good. Can't expect the guy to be superhuman, and he just didn't have the required form. I also happen to think Basso's diagnosis must have had a big effect on the whole team in the days immediately following. Can't think it was much of a 'rest' day on an emotional / mental level

I don't know about Froome. I'd like to think it is true, but I fear 'the organisation' Whether it's Froome, or G. or Landa 2.0, what they serve up as a winning formula will not produce the type of racing I enjoy much.

On a happier note, that 1:9 looks like a good bet. I'm hoping for a full on 2014 beast mode from Alberto next year…I think he'll be pretty motivated...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Why is this in Alberto's thread? It would be better in Froome's, yes?

If you look at the posts above Froome's stem antics are mentioned

At least Alberto was in those pictures!!

I can't find a photo of Bertie looking at his stem. oh wait try this ,,,,

He's admiring his pink SRM (do you guys think he got a special pink stem also, Froome surely got a yellow one ) or maybe he wants to avoid a conversation with Oleg.

 

[jsem94]

Oleg's pink hair is funny AF.

 

[ray j willings]

The Giro bike

 

[ray j willings]

Oleg looks huge on Berties bike

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

The Giro bike

I want that bike

 

[Nilsson]

Not sure if it has already been posted here, but some months ago a Belgian TV program came to visit Alberto in Lugano with his 'friend' Remi De Moor, a Belgian millionaire who's been involved in cycling for a very long time (as a sponsor, a friend, whatever they needed) especially in the Bjarne Riis teams.

http://www.vier.be/theskyisthelimit/videos/sky-limit-maar-dit-slaat-alles/679680

Apparently he's also helping out with Alberto's youth teams.

http://www.vier.be/theskyisthelimit/videos/de-valpartij-deel-2/635890

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

The Giro bike

I want that bike

Good luck with that

its beautiful tho (for me to pinkinsh but nice)

 

[ILovecycling]

btw in CN article saxo DS confirmed that Alberto's season is now officialy over.He should do some party's and eat properly for few months ...and then starve and train to top form

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Not sure if it has already been posted here, but some months ago a Belgian TV program came to visit Alberto in Lugano with his 'friend' Remi De Moor, a Belgian millionaire who's been involved in cycling for a very long time (as a sponsor, a friend, whatever they needed) especially in the Bjarne Riis teams.

http://www.vier.be/theskyisthelimit/videos/sky-limit-maar-dit-slaat-alles/679680

Apparently he's also helping out with Alberto's youth teams.

http://www.vier.be/theskyisthelimit/videos/de-valpartij-deel-2/635890

thanks for posting this. Even though I didn't understand the language, just watching Alberto's friend got emotional for receiving a jersey with Alberto's signature.. boy brought tears to my eyes...

 

[BlurryVII]

In a symmetrical logic, AC will win the Tour next year .

2010 -2011 -2012 -2013 -2014 -2015 -2016
Tour - Giro - Vuelta ////// Vuelta - Giro -Tour

Illuminati confirmed

 

[Jspear]

Re:

In a symmetrical logic, AC will win the Tour next year .

2010 -2011 -2012 -2013 -2014 -2015 -2016
Tour - Giro - Vuelta ////// Vuelta - Giro -Tour

Illuminati confirmed

Of course! What else could that possibly mean?

 

[ray j willings]

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

 

[TI-Raleigh]

Re:

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

Kinda makes one miss Andy, doesn't it?

 

[robin440]

Re: Re:

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

Kinda makes one miss Andy, doesn't it?

yes, i prefer andy over froomey.

White socks and white shoes! nice! his weird black shoes / grey socks combo is terrible.

 

[B_Ugli]

Re: Re:

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

Kinda makes one miss Andy, doesn't it?

yes, i prefer andy over froomey.

White socks and white shoes! nice! his weird black shoes / grey socks combo is terrible.

That's a very rare photo, he's not looking around for his brother........

 

[SeriousSam]

Great balance, showing the youngsters how you do a trackstand.

 

[the-big-bad-wolf]

Re: Re:

In a symmetrical logic, AC will win the Tour next year .

2010 -2011 -2012 -2013 -2014 -2015 -2016
Tour - Giro - Vuelta ////// Vuelta - Giro -Tour

Illuminati confirmed

Of course! What else could that possibly mean?

the signs were always there

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

In a symmetrical logic, AC will win the Tour next year .

2010 -2011 -2012 -2013 -2014 -2015 -2016
Tour - Giro - Vuelta ////// Vuelta - Giro -Tour

Illuminati confirmed

We'll thought out!! Makes perfect sense!!

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

Kinda makes one miss Andy, doesn't it?

Not at all LOL! Whine, whine, whine!

 

[ray j willings]

Re: Re:

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

Kinda makes one miss Andy, doesn't it?

yes, i prefer andy over froomey.

White socks and white shoes! nice! his weird black shoes / grey socks combo is terrible.

I see what you mean

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Sorry for diverting but I love this photo. Both bikes look so cool ,,,Andys with his Berner rear mech looks like Bertie has one to.
Slammed stems lean and mean ,,,,Awesome

Kinda makes one miss Andy, doesn't it?

Not at all LOL! Whine, whine, whine!

Yep, but he was a great cyclist with great talent and abilities, also with nice smooth style, I miss him.

 

[Angliru]

What it makes me think about are the "what if's"... If Andy were still racing and at the high level that he had reached before his injuries and retirement, it would be quite interesting in the mountains. He and Contador had established among the gc riders that one doesn't have to just give up after losing time. Epic attacks in the mountains stir up the gc, entertains the fans and scares the hell out of opposing ds's and opponents. They don't always work but they gain the rider making the attacks greater respect among the fans and their peers. It was rare to see a grand tour contender after losing a minute or more in a itt or ttt go on a serious offensive in the mountains to gain the time back. Most have been content to simply defend their current position in the gc with the token attack here or there on a penultimate climb with no real commitment to it's success or a the requisite attack in the closing km's of a mountainous stage, with the thinking being they will attempt to take the time back one stage at a time, knowing that it's quite unlikely.

 

[ray j willings]

Re:

What it makes me think about are the "what if's"... If Andy were still racing and at the high level that he had reached before his injuries and retirement, it would be quite interesting in the mountains. He and Contador had established among the gc riders that one doesn't have to just give up after losing time. Epic attacks in the mountains stir up the gc, entertains the fans and scares the hell out of opposing ds's and opponents. They don't always work but they gain the rider making the attacks greater respect among the fans and their peers. It was rare to see a grand tour contender after losing a minute or more in a itt or ttt go on a serious offensive in the mountains to gain the time back. Most have been content to simply defend their current position in the gc with the token attack here or there on a penultimate climb with no real commitment to it's success or a the requisite attack in the closing km's of a mountainous stage, with the thinking being they will attempt to take the time back one stage at a time, knowing that it's quite unlikely.

Quite agree...if Andy was in Quintana's position in the tour he would have walked it " not literally"