Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Miburo]

I gotta admit: in this forum Contador fans are by the worst.

He wins an uphill prologue with a good margin against the best, then he almost loses time in an uphill sprint and so many fans start panicking.

Pretty hilarious and disgusting at the same time xD

 

[TheYouyou7]

Giro 2011 he lost time in Montevergine (steeper climb) Will you pretend he was bad ?

 

[BlurryVII]

I mentioned the Montevergine possiblility, there's no reason to panic. At the Vuelta 14' early stages, he dropped back like today in a flatish uphill finish.

The base is there so it should be fine. But you just never know, I'm not expecting anything from him in this Dauphiné.

 

[filipepc]

I'm very disappointed today... what a terrible ride by contador,he almost lost time in a third category. Froome is very strong and i fear that he will crush contador on saturday.

Nonsense. He *almost* lost time today in a flat sprint. That is in no way the same as a climb.
Froome may still crush Contador, but we can't say that after today.

Totaly agreed. I don´t know why this panic. Maybe we will loose in the high mountains, maybe... But until then, i just didn´t see nothing special to say that Froome it was much stronger... This was the type of climb that doesn´t suit Contador, and he is not a good finisher, so to me it was normal...

By some of yours comentaries, if Froome destroyed Contador, Herrada destroyed Froome, lolololol... This isn´t the type of day to say that kind of things. Lets wait for the first big summit and then we will see.

Nevertheless i´m a Contador Fan, i want a good fight and in the end that the best win. Just that.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Giro 2011 he lost time in Montevergine (steeper climb) Will you pretend he was bad ?

Why go so far when you've algarve this year where the same thing happened?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Giro 2011 he lost time in Montevergine (steeper climb) Will you pretend he was bad ?

Why go so far when you've algarve this year where the same thing happened?

That was pretty extreme tho...

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

I'm very disappointed today... what a terrible ride by contador,he almost lost time in a third category. Froome is very strong and i fear that he will crush contador on saturday.

Lol, you are funny

 

[sir fly]

I just looked after the leader's jersey but that's not the objective to think about one day. The objective is to work towards July and the Tour,

I'm happy but I want to have the yellow jersey on Sunday, it's not really about wearing it today,

They are here with a clear objective and that's to win the GC,

For us it's a little different. They have four or five riders with options for this but our race is calm at the moment and we'll carry on taking it day by day and work on training all ahead of July.

Really incoherent statement.
He's, obviously, insecure after today's stage.

 

[Electress]

Re:

I just looked after the leader's jersey but that's not the objective to think about one day. The objective is to work towards July and the Tour,

I'm happy but I want to have the yellow jersey on Sunday, it's not really about wearing it today,

They are here with a clear objective and that's to win the GC,

For us it's a little different. They have four or five riders with options for this but our race is calm at the moment and we'll carry on taking it day by day and work on training all ahead of July.

Really incoherent statement.
He's, obviously, insecure after today's stage.

Sounds pretty standard stuff he's been saying since the get go as far as I can see. Nothing new. Just a rehash of the same old post-race soundbites. Reading anything into anything these guys say post race is always more about what one wants to believe than anything else IMO.

I think Tinkoff did okay today. Didn't go chasing off like hares every time someone attacked and had both Ettix and BMC doing a lot of the work. Sky tested a little bit but couldn't make it stick, which I have to say, was a bit of a surprise. All teams probably found out some little chinks in one another's armour, which is probably all any of them expected before the latter stages.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

I just looked after the leader's jersey but that's not the objective to think about one day. The objective is to work towards July and the Tour,

I'm happy but I want to have the yellow jersey on Sunday, it's not really about wearing it today,

They are here with a clear objective and that's to win the GC,

For us it's a little different. They have four or five riders with options for this but our race is calm at the moment and we'll carry on taking it day by day and work on training all ahead of July.

Really incoherent statement.
He's, obviously, insecure after today's stage.

Sounds pretty standard stuff he's been saying since the get go as far as I can see. Nothing new. Just a rehash of the same old post-race soundbites. Reading anything into anything these guys say post race is always more about what one wants to believe than anything else IMO.

I think Tinkoff did okay today. Didn't go chasing off like hares every time someone attacked and had both Ettix and BMC doing a lot of the work. Sky tested a little bit but couldn't make it stick, which I have to say, was a bit of a surprise. All teams probably found out some little chinks in one another's armour, which is probably all any of them expected before the latter stages.

So, is he targeting the overall or not?
Was the beating of Sky in prologue a surprise or not, considering they're the team chasing the overall, and Contador is just preparing for the Tour.
He looks funny trying to stir up Sky minds. Doesn't have a clue how to do it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Really incoherent statement.
He's, obviously, insecure after today's stage.

He just says that he wants to have the jersey on the last day, it doesn't matter if he loses it in one of the following stages as long as he can win it back later. That's why he says he'll take it day by day. Incoherent? What the hell, dude.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

So, is he targeting the overall or not?
Was the beating of Sky in prologue a surprise or not, considering they're the team chasing the overall, and Contador is just preparing for the Tour.
He looks funny trying to stir up Sky minds. Doesn't have a clue how to do it.

You're reading way too much into it. Trying to see things that aren't there.
He's obviously very calm and relaxed. He looks happy.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Really incoherent statement.
He's, obviously, insecure after today's stage.

He just says that he wants to have the jersey on the last day, it doesn't matter if he loses it in one of the following stages as long as he can win it back later. That's why he says he'll take it day by day. Incoherent? What the hell, dude.

At the same time he's just preparing for the Tour, without thinking about Dauphine overall, and wanting the jersey on Sunday.
Also, he's not chasing the overall, but wasn't surprised by beating Froome in the prologue (who's allegedly targeting this race).
He wasn't good today. And he's aware of it.

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

So, is he targeting the overall or not?
Was the beating of Sky in prologue a surprise or not, considering they're the team chasing the overall, and Contador is just preparing for the Tour.
He looks funny trying to stir up Sky minds. Doesn't have a clue how to do it.

You're reading way too much into it. Trying to see things that aren't there.
He's obviously very calm and relaxed. He looks happy.

Exactly. Who is honestly not going to want to win if possible? But there's a difference between 'targeting' it, and taking good opportunities where they don't significantly undermine the bigger goal. I'm sure he'll try and win because that's his temperament. But I don't think it's an all out 'defend the jersey' at this point.

As for stirring up Sky minds - as always, he does that a lot better on the road.

We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Really incoherent statement.
He's, obviously, insecure after today's stage.

He just says that he wants to have the jersey on the last day, it doesn't matter if he loses it in one of the following stages as long as he can win it back later. That's why he says he'll take it day by day. Incoherent? What the hell, dude.

At the same time he's just preparing for the Tour, without thinking about Dauphine overall, and wanting the jersey on Sunday.
Also, he's not chasing the overall, but wasn't surprised by beating Froome in the prologue (who's allegedly targeting this race).
He wasn't good today. And he's aware of it.

Sure thing, mate

 

[sir fly]

With the careless approach about Dauphine overall he's making himself space for an excuse in the case of failure.
Being bullish one day, and humble next is a reflection of insecurity. In himself as well in mind games approach.
I'm afraid Contador hasn't got it (preparation) right again.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Two funny things from today

Berto blowing a kiss to his teammates when he was on the podium and they were just rolling in really cute
https://twitter.com/vamosalberto/status/740206522802790400?s=09

And Alberto had so many podium duties that his team forgot about him and closed the door of the bus before he was inside
https://twitter.com/GazetteDesSport/status/740212116771209216?s=09

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

And Alberto had so many podium duties that his team forgot about him and closed the door of the bus before he was inside
https://twitter.com/GazetteDesSport/status/740212116771209216?s=09

Is that Gallopin's wife, at the beginning?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

And Alberto had so many podium duties that his team forgot about him and closed the door of the bus before he was inside
https://twitter.com/GazetteDesSport/status/740212116771209216?s=09

Is that Gallopin's wife, at the beginning?

Yeah, she is reporter for French Eurosport

 

[LaFlorecita]

And for those interested, here is a CN article with some more photos of Alberto's new custom bike
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contadors-specialized-s-works-tarmac-gallery/

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

I think Quintana would've struggled as well on a finish like this, Froome has definitely more power and can compete on these low gradient sprints.

Indeed, but I'll give you it somewhat worrisome since the final was so relatively hard that he should make up for his lack of explosiveness to some extent.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the answers, but less than stellar today, especially compared to the prologue. No worries.

I think Contador showed more power in the prologue, at least everybody talked about wattage that day...

Pierre Roland have more power??

Contador has been podium in Fleche Valone, beated Valverde in Mende... Contador is quite explosive, not as Purito, but more explosive than Froome.. Froome couldnt follow Landa at 4 Km to the finish when he got a better position in the field.. but later he was building up his body, progressing, and at the end he got a good position (8th)

Gosh, you don't see the difference between a LOW gradient sprint like today and Mur de Huy or Mende?

Massive facepalm.

Of course I do, I was just answering my friend valv.pity.

He talked about wattage and i answering about that... I dont think today is just a question of the lat Km, it was a 21 Km long climb...but Contador was worse than Rolland and Hesjedal... and we talked about wattage...So I am not agree it was just wattage.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm not sure if I need to drink less or more to understand that.

Probably more

 

[arvc40]

If you want some idea of Contadors form i suggest having another look at the TT. Says it all really. And he is never going to let anybody know what he is thinking !

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I'm not sure if I need to drink less or more to understand that.

Probably more

I can try to explain it, I thought it was pretty straightforward:

The harder the course/climbs are before, the less it comes down to pure explosiveness and high wattages. So, in this case, Taxus' point is that it was disappointing due to them climbing for 15 kilometres before the last kick - you'd expect Contador was more fresh in the end due to the relative hard terrain before.

 

[portugal11]

I don't understand why contador was so happy after today's stage... he didn't loose time but he showed weakness, and i don't care about dauphine, i only care about contador's sensations. It's more important a rider feeling good than win a race but have a average shape