Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[masking_agent]

Alonso , Contador, Riis for 2017 ?

 

[Marco Pantani]

I just saw a picture of him during the Fundacion Contador team and- god damn-he looks skinny

He looks scarily thin. Ammattipyoraily noticed it too.
https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/699198892588601344?s=09

Never seen him this thin at this point, hopefully the engine is working too. And we will see if his TT skills have been compromised.

Jesus .........................is alive.

Holy Jesus, he's easily 4 kgs lighter than last may, what the hell.

 

[Marco Pantani]

Video from that event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpLgx3seKJc

 

[KyoGrey]

Re:

Alonso , Contador, Riis for 2017 ?

More like Fran & Alberto Contador. No Alonso needed here

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

The setting up of a project was gonna happen for sure so yea he was lying. You're in some serious denial if you think Contador was considering retiring when he's only 33.

Can we speculate about a possible Contador-Riis collaboration?

Oh yes please, Saxo, Riis and Alberto. Bring it on!!!!

 

[staubsauger]

Don't forget about the Manolo possibility.

 

[KyoGrey]

Re:

Don't forget about the Manolo possibility.

It seems that Manolo is going in another way, linked with the Cafe Baque amateur structures in Biscay and trying to grow it into a professional continental team.

Another old master that is rumoured to bring back a team is Minguez with the sponsorship of an insurance company.

But in my opinion, it wont happen for both of them. For Contador there are more possibilities.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Don't forget about the Manolo possibility.

It seems that Manolo is going in another way, linked with the Cafe Baque amateur structures in Biscay and trying to grow it into a professional continental team.

Another old master that is rumoured to bring back a team is Minguez with the sponsorship of an insurance company.

But in my opinion, it wont happen for both of them. For Contador there are more possibilities.

Lately Manolo is just whinging about everything Alberto says and does so I think they've burned all bridges.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Video from that event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpLgx3seKJc

Thanks
I haven't seen him like this very often

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Don't forget about the Manolo possibility.

It seems that Manolo is going in another way, linked with the Cafe Baque amateur structures in Biscay and trying to grow it into a professional continental team.

Another old master that is rumoured to bring back a team is Minguez with the sponsorship of an insurance company.

But in my opinion, it wont happen for both of them. For Contador there are more possibilities.

Lately Manolo is just whinging about everything Alberto says and does so I think they've burned all bridges.

Oh, okay. I din't know that.

Look ain't no bad sponsor to start with, either. They need a big professional team to support after their fallout with Cofidis.

 

[Cannibal72]

If Contador-Riis-Saxo goes ahead, and they buy Tinkoff's licence, I think Majka could stay on. I don't know how well he gets on with Contador, but he'd be in contract anyway and presumably Contador would only race one more season, so Majka might think he had a good chance of TdF leadership after Contador's gone.

 

[infeXio]

Well... Riis and Lars Seier's (Saxo Bank as a company aren't involved) press conference next week should shed light on their plans, be it with or without Contador. Last week, though, Seier categorically denied having bought the Tinkoff-team. He did state their ambitions to be bigger than a "mere" team in the world of cycling, although cycling will indeed be involved in some way or another.

http://www.b.dk/sport/lars-seier-vi-har-ikke-koebt-tinkoff-tilbage

I guess only time will tell whether their project does indeed contain a pro cycling team (among other things) or not.

 

[TMP402]

If Contador-Riis-Saxo goes ahead, and they buy Tinkoff's licence, I think Majka could stay on. I don't know how well he gets on with Contador, but he'd be in contract anyway and presumably Contador would only race one more season, so Majka might think he had a good chance of TdF leadership after Contador's gone.

On the other hand Majka would be 29 in the 2018 season when he is finally the sole leader, and it would be his fifth year as a world class, GT-contending talent.

 

[rhubroma]

I just saw a picture of him during the Fundacion Contador team and- god damn-he looks skinny

He looks scarily thin. Ammattipyoraily noticed it too.
https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/699198892588601344?s=09

Never seen him this thin at this point, hopefully the engine is working too. And we will see if his TT skills have been compromised.

You know what Flo, it reconfirms what I thought about him last year after 2014. I couldn't understand why he was visibly heavier at both the Giro and Tour. I mean 2013 was a lesson, 2014 was to set things straight...and he did.

2015 though was a step backwards and now 2016 he is leaner than ever, even than 2014! The whole thing is weird. It's almost as if something led him astray last year, or didn't permit him to be in top shape??? But how, I asked myself then, was that possible, given the adjustments made between 2013 and 2014? He knew in 2015 what shape he needed to be in to be the best, while 2014 gave him the formula, but he wasn't even close. And now, presto, he's either going to miss the target due to an accident, or else he's going to crush it like never before. But Froome, to the contrary, has been just as lean, or leaner, without loosing any power, for the last several years. This after being a more robust, mediocre pro at the begining of his career. While Alberto, who quickly asserted himself as the best, is now more eradic in form from one year to the next??? It doesn't make sense.

Something doesn't add up.

 

[Carols]

I just saw a picture of him during the Fundacion Contador team and- god damn-he looks skinny

He looks scarily thin. Ammattipyoraily noticed it too.
https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/699198892588601344?s=09

Never seen him this thin at this point, hopefully the engine is working too. And we will see if his TT skills have been compromised.

You know what Flo, it reconfirms what I thought about him last year after 2014. I couldn't understand why he was visibly heavier at both the Giro and Tour. I mean 2013 was a lesson, 2014 was to set things straight...and he did.

2015 though was a step backwards and now 2016 he is leaner than ever, even than 2014! The whole thing is weird. It's almost as if something led him astray last year, or didn't permit him to be in top shape??? But how, I asked myself then, was that possible, given the adjustments made between 2013 and 2014? He knew in 2015 what shape he needed to be in to be the best, while 2014 gave him the formula, but he wasn't even close. And now, presto, he's either going to miss the target due to an accident, or else he's going to crush it like never before. But Froome, to the contrary, has been just as lean, or leaner, without loosing any power, for the last several years. This after being a more robust, mediocre pro at the begining of his career. While Alberto, who quickly asserted himself as the best, is now more eradic in form from one year to the next??? It doesn't make sense.

Something doesn't add up.

It's called aging....... I just hope he doesn't get sick he is so thin this early.

 

[peloton]

Fingers crossed he won't get sick.

Contador, meanwhile, looked trimmer than ever, barely filling out his business suit as he met reporters Monday ahead of his season debut at the Volta ao Algarve on Wednesday.
“I starved myself over the winter to get thin,” Contador said. “The big goal of the season is the Tour de France. I am very motivated for this season.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/02/news/contador-needs-20-million-euro-in-45-days-for-new-team_395485

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

The setting up of a project was gonna happen for sure so yea he was lying. You're in some serious denial if you think Contador was considering retiring when he's only 33.

It's not that weird if the rumors are true, that he doesn't really want to make the sacrifices anymore. Carlos Arribas wrote in Rouleur Magazine that he is "tired, sad, misunderstood and very lonely" in other words he does not want to be a cyclist anymore.

Which issue of Roleur was that?

55 I think, I got pictures of the pages sent to me (don't tell anyone ) so not sure
I thought the article was a bit sensationalist but still some interesting quotes in there. Also from infamous Dr Celaya

Okay, thanks!

 

[Angliru]

I just saw a picture of him during the Fundacion Contador team and- god damn-he looks skinny

He looks scarily thin. Ammattipyoraily noticed it too.
https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/699198892588601344?s=09

Never seen him this thin at this point, hopefully the engine is working too. And we will see if his TT skills have been compromised.

You know what Flo, it reconfirms what I thought about him last year after 2014. I couldn't understand why he was visibly heavier at both the Giro and Tour. I mean 2013 was a lesson, 2014 was to set things straight...and he did.

2015 though was a step backwards and now 2016 he is leaner than ever, even than 2014! The whole thing is weird. It's almost as if something led him astray last year, or didn't permit him to be in top shape??? But how, I asked myself then, was that possible, given the adjustments made between 2013 and 2014? He knew in 2015 what shape he needed to be in to be the best, while 2014 gave him the formula, but he wasn't even close. And now, presto, he's either going to miss the target due to an accident, or else he's going to crush it like never before. But Froome, to the contrary, has been just as lean, or leaner, without loosing any power, for the last several years. This after being a more robust, mediocre pro at the begining of his career. While Alberto, who quickly asserted himself as the best, is now more eradic in form from one year to the next??? It doesn't make sense.

Something doesn't add up.

I think it was combination of what Carol says, aging and the fact that he was in uncharted territory trying to do the Giro and the Tour as a predetermined plan for his 2015 season. Maybe ride himself into shape over the course of the Giro, building form and hopefully dropping pounds with the intent of peaking at the Tour. I know with me as I've gotten older it becomes harder and harder to keep the pounds off and pass up second helpings of the foods that I really enjoy. Add to that motivations just tends to lag a bit. Maybe doing only 3 instead 4 repeats of a climb, or of an interval or any particular workout. He looks scarily lean in that shot though. I'm quite curious to see him at Algarve. I'm hoping for the best.

 

[Jakub]

Fingers crossed he won't get sick.

Contador, meanwhile, looked trimmer than ever, barely filling out his business suit as he met reporters Monday ahead of his season debut at the Volta ao Algarve on Wednesday.
“I starved myself over the winter to get thin,” Contador said. “The big goal of the season is the Tour de France. I am very motivated for this season.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/02/news/contador-needs-20-million-euro-in-45-days-for-new-team_395485

We are gonna get 2009 Bertie. In 2014 he said about winter: I kept my mouth shut.
Now he's said he had starved himself. This is gonna be the best year of his career.

I think it is possible, that after 2014 he either thought or knew that it would be impossible for him to control his weight for one more year in a row, thus he made a compromise, Giro and Tour in a bit fatty shape with calculation that it's better to present it like that than to simply skip TdF and since the Tour was over he's in thin modus again, concentrated on the last starving year. Makes sense to me.

However it could also be a good topic for another part of this forum

 

[zoolander]

Re: Re:

Don't forget about the Manolo possibility.

It seems that Manolo is going in another way, linked with the Cafe Baque amateur structures in Biscay and trying to grow it into a professional continental team.

Another old master that is rumoured to bring back a team is Minguez with the sponsorship of an insurance company.

But in my opinion, it wont happen for both of them. For Contador there are more possibilities.

currently, Manolo is managing an U23 team sponsored by an local electric sales company, Aldro. No more relations with Cafe Baque ( even David Etxebarria is with him at Aldro).

 

[rhubroma]

I just saw a picture of him during the Fundacion Contador team and- god damn-he looks skinny

He looks scarily thin. Ammattipyoraily noticed it too.
https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/699198892588601344?s=09

Never seen him this thin at this point, hopefully the engine is working too. And we will see if his TT skills have been compromised.

You know what Flo, it reconfirms what I thought about him last year after 2014. I couldn't understand why he was visibly heavier at both the Giro and Tour. I mean 2013 was a lesson, 2014 was to set things straight...and he did.

2015 though was a step backwards and now 2016 he is leaner than ever, even than 2014! The whole thing is weird. It's almost as if something led him astray last year, or didn't permit him to be in top shape??? But how, I asked myself then, was that possible, given the adjustments made between 2013 and 2014? He knew in 2015 what shape he needed to be in to be the best, while 2014 gave him the formula, but he wasn't even close. And now, presto, he's either going to miss the target due to an accident, or else he's going to crush it like never before. But Froome, to the contrary, has been just as lean, or leaner, without loosing any power, for the last several years. This after being a more robust, mediocre pro at the begining of his career. While Alberto, who quickly asserted himself as the best, is now more eradic in form from one year to the next??? It doesn't make sense.

Something doesn't add up.

I think it was combination of what Carol says, aging and the fact that he was in uncharted territory trying to do the Giro and the Tour as a predetermined plan for his 2015 season. Maybe ride himself into shape over the course of the Giro, building form and hopefully dropping pounds with the intent of peaking at the Tour. I know with me as I've gotten older it becomes harder and harder to keep the pounds off and pass up second helpings of the foods that I really enjoy. Add to that motivations just tends to lag a bit. Maybe doing only 3 instead 4 repeats of a climb, or of an interval or any particular workout. He looks scarily lean in that shot though. I'm quite curious to see him at Algarve. I'm hoping for the best.

Well he's certainly motivated now! Why not last year?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Maybe the failure gave him extra motivation both now and 2 years ago

 

[Jakub]

Re:

Maybe the failure gave him extra motivation both now and 2 years ago

Maybe, and maybe he really cannot stay skinny for two consequent years. We should ask him

 

[peloton]

Re:

Maybe the failure gave him extra motivation both now and 2 years ago

How is winning the Giro ever a failure

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Maybe the failure gave him extra motivation both now and 2 years ago

How is winning the Giro ever a failure

His goal was the double and he failed to achieve that. And he was not at his best level.