Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[dacooley]

the point people keep constantly missing in the thread is that cycling changes and today there are quintana, landa and froome, the guys even fully fresh and fit bertie should look up to at 100%. you are a bit harsh to contador imo. even bertie in very solid form is entitled to have moments of weakness. nothing was lost yesterday, nothing plain and square. if he gives away a gc win to landa, henao or pinot in time trial yes that won't be an encouraging sign, but thus far that is wholly under control.

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

A top Contador would smoke every rider no matter how steep the gradient of the climb. A top Contador could smoke any rider in a 4/5% gradient climb.
A top Contador wouldn't need a ITT to gain time on climbers.
Moreover, Contador's fans know this, but they are by all means trying to ignore it.
There was a time when Contador was feared because he could gain time on climbs. Today he's kind of feared because he can win the time he has lost in climbs in ITTs. It's a huge difference and trying to ignore this is just sad.

Don't overdo it now, otherwise soon we will say he has been God himself

 

[Põhja Konn]

Although his spring results thus far been inconclusive (as evidenced by the frequent mood changes in this very thread), he should be on course for the Tour. That in a sense of realistically challenging Froome and Quintana unlike last year or 2013.

It would be altogether healthier to compare his current spring season to that of 2013, instead of the what-if year of 2014. And when comparing this year with his low-point one, things take on a much brighter look, provided one doesn't expect Contador to be the dominant favourite in the Tour. Performance wise, his 2016 thus far have been far superior to 2013, even if results havn't been good enough for his own liking, or that of his fans. And that's what matters when guessing his potential level in July.

Imo, he was far better in Paris-Nice (his main early season target), than at any point in 2013 and thus should be able to reach good enough form to be a serious challenger in the Tour.

 

[Miburo]

Tomorrow he's gonna win with 20 seconds. He might gift it to navarra though.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Tomorrow he's gonna win with 20 seconds. He might gift it to navarra though.

You might want to tell if this is sarcasm or not so as to avoid certain post-race reactions.

 

[Fernandez]

Re: Re:

A top Contador would smoke every rider no matter how steep the gradient of the climb. A top Contador could smoke any rider in a 4/5% gradient climb.
A top Contador wouldn't need a ITT to gain time on climbers.
Moreover, Contador's fans know this, but they are by all means trying to ignore it.
There was a time when Contador was feared because he could gain time on climbs. Today he's kind of feared because he can win the time he has lost in climbs in ITTs. It's a huge difference and trying to ignore this is just sad.

Don't overdo it now, otherwise soon we will say he has been God himself

Mount Etna Giro 2011.
Like I said in the past, the best Contador has been the one at Tour 2009 and the one at Giro 2011.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Tomorrow he's gonna win with 20 seconds. He might gift it to navarra though.

You might want to tell if this is sarcasm or not so as to avoid certain post-race reactions.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Tomorrow he's gonna win with 20 seconds. He might gift it to navarra though.

You might want to tell if this is sarcasm or not so as to avoid certain post-race reactions.

Better just ignore whatever he says

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I read Contador not good anymore on steep short gradients and not indicative of his form?...

You're probably talking about Quintana, he's the one who can be average or even bad on those punchy climbs and still be in top form when it comes to longer climbs.

But you can see just about everywhere if Contador is in good form or not. His performance on any type of climb reflects his overall form. In the Tour 15', after Mur de Huy, I knew it was going to be a complicated Tour. In the Tour 2014', on every little climb from Yorkshire to Gerardmer, I could see Contador 100% of the time out of the saddle, almost not breathing. You just know how he's gonna do even before the first MTF. He's so predictable.

Don't fool yourself, if AC doesn't do well on a punchy climb, he's in average form or even bad and that will last long.

That will apply to the Tour 2016, stage 2. Short steep finish on Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, I swear if he's struggling that day, forget about the win. Sounds crazy, but I've watched him long enough to know that for sure.

This is what I have been saying for Pais Vasco. When Contador is on, he smokes everybody at +7%, it doesn't really matter. Sure, he'll probably prefer a 10 km climb at 8% (his strongest, no?), but +10% never scared him, rather the opposite at his peak. The climb yesterday was very similar to Mende in stats which was a climb he dominated at his peak.

BUT, I think your outlook is a little too negative. If it wasn't for Contador smoking (SMOKING) people on Malhao or being super strong in P-N, I think you are right on the money, but he has proved something in spring 2016 that he didn't in 2013 or 2015 (partly due to the Giro I assume). We will know much more in June, in 2014 he was matching Froome before he crashed.

 

[Miburo]

Not sarcasm. I told alberto, fleur needs a victory.

I'm doing it for her mental health, and she calls me a rude person

 

[Miburo]

When he retires, i think you'll miss these discussions with me fleur.

We should find another rider to be obsessed about.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

A top Contador would smoke every rider no matter how steep the gradient of the climb. A top Contador could smoke any rider in a 4/5% gradient climb.
A top Contador wouldn't need a ITT to gain time on climbers.
Moreover, Contador's fans know this, but they are by all means trying to ignore it.
There was a time when Contador was feared because he could gain time on climbs. Today he's kind of feared because he can win the time he has lost in climbs in ITTs. It's a huge difference and trying to ignore this is just sad.

Don't overdo it now, otherwise soon we will say he has been God himself

Mount Etna Giro 2011.
Like I said in the past, the best Contador has been the one at Tour 2009 and the one at Giro 2011.

No. He attacked and went alone in a middle section of 3km at 8.5%.
Goes alone on 4-5% gradientbina long climb is impossible for any humans

 

[arvc40]

Re:

A top Contador would smoke every rider no matter how steep the gradient of the climb. A top Contador could smoke any rider in a 4/5% gradient climb.
A top Contador wouldn't need a ITT to gain time on climbers.
Moreover, Contador's fans know this, but they are by all means trying to ignore it.
There was a time when Contador was feared because he could gain time on climbs. Today he's kind of feared because he can win the time he has lost in climbs in ITTs. It's a huge difference and trying to ignore this is just sad.

Sad is a bit heavy ! Crikey !

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Not sarcasm. I told alberto, fleur needs a victory.

I'm doing it for her mental health, and she calls me a rude person

You're completely nuts

 

[fantomas]

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

Not sarcasm. I told alberto, fleur needs a victory.

I'm doing it for her mental health, and she calls me a rude person

You're completely nuts

Come on fleur, i know you can see the irony there. But i've always been respectful to you, girls like you are rare. Very rare

 

[BlurryVII]

Calm the *** down lol

 

[ray j willings]

Re:

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

"just didn't want to risk being counterattacked"

Well that tells you in six words that Bertie is not at his best and does not have the legs or confidence in his ability to attack. I love Bertie but he's not what he used to be and needs to conserve energy and ride smarter.
The days of Bertie blowing riders away have long gone. What we have now is a Bertie who can attack and gain time on anyone but has to ride smart. His legs ain't what they used to be. But if he gets near his 2014 form that will be good enough to win the tour.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

"just didn't want to risk being counterattacked"

Well that tells you in six words that Bertie is not at his best and does not have the legs or confidence in his ability to attack. I love Bertie but he's not what he used to be and needs to conserve energy and ride smarter.
The days of Bertie blowing riders away have long gone. What we have now is a Bertie who can attack and gain time on anyone but has to ride smart. His legs ain't what they used to be. But if he gets near his 2014 form that will be good enough to win the tour.

A level near 2014 will be good enough to win the Tour Lets remember Froome still won the 2 first stages of Dauphine, it was not like Contador was otherworldly. He was just super good, like Froome and Quintana isn't exactly a pushover at this point either.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: Re:

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

"just didn't want to risk being counterattacked"

Well that tells you in six words that Bertie is not at his best and does not have the legs or confidence in his ability to attack. I love Bertie but he's not what he used to be and needs to conserve energy and ride smarter.
The days of Bertie blowing riders away have long gone. What we have now is a Bertie who can attack and gain time on anyone but has to ride smart. His legs ain't what they used to be. But if he gets near his 2014 form that will be good enough to win the tour.

That's seven words.

(See, you're not getting ignored!)

 

[blackmamba]

Re: Re:

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

"just didn't want to risk being counterattacked"

Well that tells you in six words that Bertie is not at his best and does not have the legs or confidence in his ability to attack. I love Bertie but he's not what he used to be and needs to conserve energy and ride smarter.
The days of Bertie blowing riders away have long gone. What we have now is a Bertie who can attack and gain time on anyone but has to ride smart. His legs ain't what they used to be. But if he gets near his 2014 form that will be good enough to win the tour.

A level near 2014 will be good enough to win the Tour Lets remember Froome still won the 2 first stages of Dauphine, it was not like Contador was otherworldly. He was just super good, like Froome and Quintana isn't exactly a pushover at this point either.

Is so for Contador if hes somewhat near his closest top lvl

 

[Valv.Piti]

My point is, just to be near that level won't win him the Tour under normal circumstances. He will have to be just as good as he was 2 years ago.

 

[ray j willings]

Re: Re:

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

"just didn't want to risk being counterattacked"

Well that tells you in six words that Bertie is not at his best and does not have the legs or confidence in his ability to attack. I love Bertie but he's not what he used to be and needs to conserve energy and ride smarter.
The days of Bertie blowing riders away have long gone. What we have now is a Bertie who can attack and gain time on anyone but has to ride smart. His legs ain't what they used to be. But if he gets near his 2014 form that will be good enough to win the tour.

A level near 2014 will be good enough to win the Tour Lets remember Froome still won the 2 first stages of Dauphine, it was not like Contador was otherworldly. He was just super good, like Froome and Quintana isn't exactly a pushover at this point either.

Come week 3 of the tour and Froome like always will lose time. Quintana IMO just does not have a full tour winning package.
Come July , come Astana come Aru, they will attack at every chance they get and IMO only Bertie will be able to cope like he did in the Giro. I expect Aru to be much better at the tour and consistent like he was at the Vuelta. He is a real threat and is laying low right now.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think Froome and Quintana perfectly are able to cope with Aru since they are the 2 best climbers in the world. Why shouldn't they be able to that? Contador just got to ride faster than Quintana and especially Froome uphill and that is very questionable, a 2014-level is required, not anything less.

 

[ray j willings]

Re: Re:

I think he looked quite comfortable both yesterday and today. At first i was dissapointed with him yesterday, letting Landa and Kelderman go, but I believe he might have been able to follow them, just didn't want to risk being counterattacked. He did respond to Landa's first attack. In the final 1,5 K he was just as fast as Landa and Kelderman, and being gapped by Henao and Samu in the final 100 metres is normal.

I did miss him attacking, though. :-D

"just didn't want to risk being counterattacked"

Well that tells you in six words that Bertie is not at his best and does not have the legs or confidence in his ability to attack. I love Bertie but he's not what he used to be and needs to conserve energy and ride smarter.
The days of Bertie blowing riders away have long gone. What we have now is a Bertie who can attack and gain time on anyone but has to ride smart. His legs ain't what they used to be. But if he gets near his 2014 form that will be good enough to win the tour.

That's seven words.

(See, you're not getting ignored!)

I love you man Its more of an experiment [ no one likes me thread] to see what happens. I'm cool like a ice man