Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Red Rick]

Pretty sure its between Henao and Contador tomorrow. They look pretty even uphill.

Anyone know how Henao's descending is?

 

[LaFlorecita]

I think Alberto is able to pace himself better uphill but Henao is definitely super strong. I guess Thibaut can lose some time uphill but it is not certain. Argh, the suspense is killing me

 

[Miburo]

Re:

I think Alberto is able to pace himself better uphill but Henao is definitely super strong. I guess Thibaut can lose some time uphill but it is not certain. Argh, the suspense is killing me

Fleur that one attack from contador was really really good. His best attack this year and against a great field. He's ready for le tour.

Besides Sagan he's been the man of the year until now in my objective opinion of course

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I think Alberto is able to pace himself better uphill but Henao is definitely super strong. I guess Thibaut can lose some time uphill but it is not certain. Argh, the suspense is killing me

Fleur that one attack from contador was really really good. His best attack this year and against a great field. He's ready for le tour.

Besides Sagan he's been the man of the year until now in my objective opinion of course

Somebody call Oleg

 

[Miburo]

Contador is the best rider in hilly ITT. I can only remember one bad ITT (PV 2013). Except for that one he has always won it or at least top 3'd.

Even in the tour of 2013 he was really good in it. Tomorrow it should be in the bag although it's not the best kinda hilly ITT for him. Still should be no excuse.

 

[cellardoor]

After what I saw today I'm confident he'll win it tomorrow. He should take time on Pinot on the climb and time on Henao on the flat.

 

[BlurryVII]

He did a recon, so even the descent will be in his favor. He deserves to win so much, he's so generous in efforts and has been so consistent. Harshly losing PN and Catalunya for pretty much nothing, now I feel it's his turn to celebrate. None of his main rivals (especially Thomas and Quintana) have been up there in all those races.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Contador is the best rider in hilly ITT. I can only remember one bad ITT (PV 2013). Except for that one he has always won it or at least top 3'd.

Even in the tour of 2013 he was really good in it. Tomorrow it should be in the bag although it's not the best kinda hilly ITT for him. Still should be no excuse.

After what I saw today I'm confident he'll win it tomorrow. He should take time on Pinot on the climb and time on Henao on the flat.

Argh, I know you two are right but these days I just can't be sure anymore

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

He did a recon, so even the descent will be in his favor. He deserves to win so much, he's so generous in efforts and has been so consistent. Harshly losing PN and Catalunya for pretty much nothing, now I feel it's his turn to celebrate. None of his main rivals (especially Thomas and Quintana) have been up there in all those races.

Yes Blurry, I am praying to the cycling gods, he deserves this win so much. He is strong, the TT suits him, he's done a recon, surely this is his moment

 

[JRanton]

Have to admit this is very impressive from Contador especially with his heavy racing schedule (PN-Catalunya-Pais Vasco back to back is very hard). Being able to race that schedule without getting ill (or at least without it effecting his results) is crazy really considering the conditions they've ridden in.

This isn't 2014 Contador but he's certainly much stronger than last year. It's game on for July.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Have to admit this is very impressive from Contador especially with his heavy racing schedule (PN-Catalunya-Pais Vasco back to back is very hard). Being able to race that schedule without getting ill (or at least without it effecting his results) is crazy really considering the conditions they've ridden in.

This isn't 2014 Contador but he's certainly much stronger than last year. It's game on for July.

Nice words especially coming from you makes me happy

 

[JRanton]

Re:

Pretty sure its between Henao and Contador tomorrow. They look pretty even uphill.

Anyone know how Henao's descending is?

Henao's descending is pretty good but it's the flat bits that will cost him. There seems to be quite a bit of false flat at the top of tomorrow's climb and that will really hurt him. The way Contador closed the gap so quickly after the Aia climb yesterday I think is the ''tell'' as to who is going to win this race.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Pretty sure its between Henao and Contador tomorrow. They look pretty even uphill.

Anyone know how Henao's descending is?

Henao's descending is pretty good but it's the flat bits that will cost him. There seems to be quite a bit of false flat at the top of tomorrow's climb and that will really hurt him. The way Contador closed the gap so quickly after the Aia climb yesterday I think is the ''tell'' as to who is going to win this race.

good point

 

[JRanton]

Have to admit this is very impressive from Contador especially with his heavy racing schedule (PN-Catalunya-Pais Vasco back to back is very hard). Being able to race that schedule without getting ill (or at least without it effecting his results) is crazy really considering the conditions they've ridden in.

This isn't 2014 Contador but he's certainly much stronger than last year. It's game on for July.

Nice words especially coming from you makes me happy

I think it's going to be a very interesting Tour, just like 2014 what have been had either Contador or Froome (or both) not crashed out. Nibali was in super condition that Tour but you just need one of the other two to remain in the race and it would have been a big battle.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Pretty sure its between Henao and Contador tomorrow. They look pretty even uphill.

Anyone know how Henao's descending is?

Henao's descending is pretty good but it's the flat bits that will cost him. There seems to be quite a bit of false flat at the top of tomorrow's climb and that will really hurt him. The way Contador closed the gap so quickly after the Aia climb yesterday I think is the ''tell'' as to who is going to win this race.

Yes, good point. I think Pinot will be more dangerous than Henao, but it seems like it will be an exciting stage either way. Only one thing is certain - I will either be ecstatic or devastated after the stage

 

[harryh]

So Alberto was over a minute slower than in 2009 in a climb lasting under 15 min. Froome will destroy him (again) on Ventoux.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I see what you're trying to do but in 2014 Poels' time was 13:04, Contador was a few seconds slower. And today was a brutal day.

 

[bajbar]

Re:

So Alberto was over a minute slower than in 2009 in a climb lasting under 15 min. Froome will destroy him (again) in Ventoux.

Hw would go much quicker if he didn't have Henao with him. Not 2009 like, but 20-30 seconds quicker would be possible. You have to take into consideration that today was wet and that they had a killer stage even before the final climb. But expecting he would equal his 2009 super-extra-beast Arrate climb is, well, not real... Even though he came close to his 2007 numbers on Eze in Paris Nice which definitely tells something!

 

[harryh]

Alperto needs to be at 2009 level to beat Froome in Tour de France.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Alperto needs to be at 2009 level to beat Froome in Tour de France.

We will see in July

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Re:

Alperto needs to be at 2009 level to beat Froome in Tour de France.

Is he alpberto because he goes well in the alps?

 

[harryh]

Re: Re:

Alperto needs to be at 2009 level to beat Froome in Tour de France.

Is he alpberto because he goes well in the alps?

alpberto, alperto, alpuerto...who cares

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

Alperto needs to be at 2009 level to beat Froome in Tour de France.

We will see in July

He's right about that Fleur but comparing those climbing times of course is *** cause it lacks context.

Real champions always go out with a bang, with one last effort. Look at MJ with the bulls, look at Kobe getting 2 more rings when he wasn't in his prime anymore, there are many other examples.

Aslong as he doesn't win the tour again, the story isn't complete. Just one more time.

 

[Jelantik]

6 seconds off Henao. So far Henao looks really strong. Matched Contador stride for stride. I don't know if 6 seconds is another.. "too close but yet it's still too far". A heartbreak precious second dejavu just like PN and Catalunya. I think woulda coulda shoulda, doesn't really matter. I really hope he still has something more in his leg for tomorrow. But taking 6 seconds off Henao won't be that easy. I just want to see, at least out of his 4 races, he won't got beaten 3 times by sky domestiques. Tomorrow, I have no expectation, just to wish him good luck. May the strong man win.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Alperto needs to be at 2009 level to beat Froome in Tour de France.

We will see in July

He's right about that Fleur but comparing those climbing times of course is *** cause it lacks context.

Real champions always go out with a bang, with one last effort. Look at MJ with the bulls, look at Kobe getting 2 more rings when he wasn't in his prime anymore, there are many other examples.

Aslong as he doesn't win the tour again, the story isn't complete. Just one more time.

According to a few, Contador only needs to be close to his 2014-level to win the Tour!