Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Electress]

Re:

My favourit is still.

"My legs were bad"
"But you attacked"
"It was gonna hurt anyway, best if it hurts them too"

And that's why I love the guy.

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

There were also rumors about two camps in Astana a year or two ago: an Italian camp and an Eastern-European camp.

Then it's a big failure by the Astana management. A team needs to be united, not broken into camps.

Astana was always crappy at dealing with their employees.

 

[Jakub]

Re:

If this:
Contador
Sagan
Majka
Kreuziger
Kiserlovski
Trofimov
Hansen
Valgren
Bodnar
is the team

1 Spaniard
2 Poles
1 Slovakian
1 Russian
1 Croatian
1 Czech
2 Danes

That is quite a big difference with two years ago:
2 Spaniards
2 Italians
1 Portuguese
1 Irishman
1 Australian
1 Czech
1 Dane
Not sure if I like this Eastern European influence think Alberto feels more comfortable with West/South Europeans

Ah, I know it's only a question of terms, but which kind of east-european influence? Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia - that's central-europe, as well as for example Germany and Austria. Croatia is south-east and suffers from Balkani-mentality, that's not that different to Italia There is only Trofimov from east, no riders from Ukraine, Belarus or so.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe

 

[LaFlorecita]

Eh, I bet that for many people from the west of Europe, anything east of Germany is Eastern Europe Basically anything east of the historical Iron Curtain.
You're right that officially Czech Republic is central Europe, Croatia is in the south etc but it's just a question of what words you decide to choose. I was rather pointing to a difference in culture than a geographical division.
I know he gets along well enough with for example Kreuziger and the Danes, and also Klödie in the past, I just fear he will feel a bit lost in a team with no Southern Europeans whatsoever (Kiserlovski excluded). But anyway, it seems like Paulinho will be on the team.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Oh and this is still one of my favorite photos, Alberto with Tomas Vaitkus

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Is that a smile or a grimace of pain?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Is that a smile or a grimace of pain?

Vaitkus was probably twice as heavy as Alberto so it could be the latter

 

[Valv.Piti]

Damn, as a male, thats honestly a pretty sweet picture right there.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

No Daniele Bennati, Matteo Tosatto, Manuele Boaro, Adam Blythe, Oscar Gatto, Michael Gogl, Ivan Rovny, Juraj Sagan, Erik Baška or Nikolay Trusov in the Tour according to this: http://feltet.dk/nyheder/tinkoffs_tour-hold_snaevrer_sig_ind/

Bodnar seems pretty certain then, I think.

Contador
Sagan
Majka
Kreuziger
Kiserlovski
Trofimov
Hansen
Valgren
Bodnar

maybe?

who would be the road captain for this group? it can't be Contador. Sagan?

Probably Kreuziger in the role of Mick, as was mentioned above. Bodnar to call the shots on the flat.

I don't know that Kreuziger has the tactical nous for that role...but maybe inherits it by default. Or Contador plays road captain, in which case, there will be a fair number of impulsive moves

Kreuziger is used to this role and is proven for it.

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

Eh, I bet that for many people from the west of Europe, anything east of Germany is Eastern Europe Basically anything east of the historical Iron Curtain.
You're right that officially Czech Republic is central Europe, Croatia is in the south etc but it's just a question of what words you decide to choose. I was rather pointing to a difference in culture than a geographical division.
I know he gets along well enough with for example Kreuziger and the Danes, and also Klödie in the past, I just fear he will feel a bit lost in a team with no Southern Europeans whatsoever (Kiserlovski excluded). But anyway, it seems like Paulinho will be on the team.

So, Czechs are mentally more like Russians, or like Danes or Germans? And Slovaks? And what about Austrians? ...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

So, Czechs are mentally more like Russians, or like Danes or Germans? And Slovaks? And what about Austrians? ...

They are closer to Germans but are they closer to Spaniards or Russians, that's THE question but Kreuziger lives in Italy (I think) so he is used to the mediterranean livestyle

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

So, Czechs are mentally more like Russians, or like Danes or Germans? And Slovaks? And what about Austrians? ...

They are closer to Germans but are they closer to Spaniards or Russians, that's THE question but Kreuziger lives in Italy (I think) so he is used to the mediterranean livestyle

I always thought Germany is Western Europe. Guess you LaFlo changed that, or else I don't quite understand. According to you Contador likes more Western and Southern Europe, Czechs are more like Germans, but question is, whether they are more like Russians or Spaniards. So question is, whether Germans are more like Russians or Spaniards and ultimately whether Spaniards are more like Russians or Spaniards. Or it may be bollocks.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

So, Czechs are mentally more like Russians, or like Danes or Germans? And Slovaks? And what about Austrians? ...

They are closer to Germans but are they closer to Spaniards or Russians, that's THE question but Kreuziger lives in Italy (I think) so he is used to the mediterranean livestyle

Or if you are pointing to Czechs being more like Russians than Spaniards...well, I frankly don't know.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

So, Czechs are mentally more like Russians, or like Danes or Germans? And Slovaks? And what about Austrians? ...

They are closer to Germans but are they closer to Spaniards or Russians, that's THE question but Kreuziger lives in Italy (I think) so he is used to the mediterranean livestyle

Or if you are pointing to Czechs being more like Russians than Spaniards...well, I frankly don't know.

I don't know, I am asking. What is probably certain, though, is that Spain is more similar in culture to Portugal, Italy or France than to Poland or the Czech Republic and generally people get along better with people of the same/a similar culture (that doesn't mean it's always the case).

 

[sir fly]

What are you talking about, people?
Is Tinkoff team becoming a folklore ensemble?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

What are you talking about, people?
Is Tinkoff team becoming a folklore ensemble?

 

[Jakub]

Re:

Eh, I bet that for many people from the west of Europe, anything east of Germany is Eastern Europe Basically anything east of the historical Iron Curtain.

Yes, I know it is called ignorance.
Anyway it doesn't matter. I just think that the real problem is that the squad is pretty poor. Two years ago Roche was able to put all favourites on limit and Bertie put a massive attack afterwards. Three years ago was Roman the best donestique at Tour and the team was able to attack on flat. Since last year it is a tragedy.

 

[Publicus]

i just saw on Alberto's twitter TL that he was training with Majka and Tossato. I think Tossato may make the team after all.

 

[bajbar]

Re:

i just saw on Alberto's twitter TL that he was training with Majka and Tossato. I think Tossato may make the team after all.

Yeah, I think Kiserlovski was with them as well.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Eh, I bet that for many people from the west of Europe, anything east of Germany is Eastern Europe Basically anything east of the historical Iron Curtain.

Yes, I know it is called ignorance.
Anyway it doesn't matter. I just think that the real problem is that the squad is pretty poor. Two years ago Roche was able to put all favourites on limit and Bertie put a massive attack afterwards. Three years ago was Roman the best donestique at Tour and the team was able to attack on flat. Since last year it is a tragedy.

Its not ignorance,its a reality.Iron curtain was there for freakin 40 years,czech is east,like it or not,and we are more like russians than germans,but thats for a hours of conversation(why and etc)
And still our posts will be deleted for off topic

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Eh, I bet that for many people from the west of Europe, anything east of Germany is Eastern Europe Basically anything east of the historical Iron Curtain.

Yes, I know it is called ignorance.
Anyway it doesn't matter. I just think that the real problem is that the squad is pretty poor. Two years ago Roche was able to put all favourites on limit and Bertie put a massive attack afterwards. Three years ago was Roman the best donestique at Tour and the team was able to attack on flat. Since last year it is a tragedy.

The squad was poor in last year's Giro but Contador still won because he was in good form and Astana was doing stupid things with their tactics but this year Sky and Movistar look much better than Contador's team while Astana still look strong as well. Kreuziger looked great in the 2013 Tour but never got back to that sort of form. Rogers presence is probably missed as well. Very experienced and a good road captain.

 

[nesvik]

I agree his team is not very good anymore and if you compare it to his rivals it becomes terrible. That beeing said, it has never stopped Contador before cause he has always been so much better than anyone else and I suspect that will happen again this year, curious about Quintana tho!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

i just saw on Alberto's twitter TL that he was training with Majka and Tossato. I think Tossato may make the team after all.

I saw those photos too, I'm really hoping, but Tinkoff posted on their website a few days ago that Tosatto would be in Livigno for a training camp in July, it doesn't make much sense.

 

[LaFlorecita]

https://twitter.com/albertocontador/status/744558243192705025?s=09

 

[BigMac]

Re:

https://twitter.com/albertocontador/status/744558243192705025?s=09

A message to all those who'd dare call a downhill TT insane.

Val Thorens - Moûtiers contre-la-montre for next year's TDF, please.