Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[bajbar]

He has to survive tomorrow without any time loss. He should be fine by Wednesday. I've just read that they are using some special high-tech skin repair method (cell replacement), which is nice to hear

 

[buchanan]

In an article on Velonews he is quoted as saying the following:

“There was a lot of tension because we were fighting for positions at the front to avoid the wind,” said Contador. “We were paying attention but I saw a central reservation too late and the front wheel went to the side. It’s bad luck, I’m screwed.”

He has been very crash prone at the Tour for whatever reason. Crashed in all the Tours he's competed at since since 2011. Some of his crashes more serious than others obviously. This one could have been very serious.
Watching the replay of his crash today, it looks like what he himself said - that he saw the central reservation too late, and in his late reaction, crashed the bike. I wish he could just stay on his bloody bike!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

He was trapped in and that caused him to crash. I'm not saying he is stupid or he chose to crash. I am saying he should never have been in the situation in the first place. And yes, I'm fully aware of how to ride a bike race, the fact it is the first stage was pointed out in my post.

I don't know whose fault it was, either his or his teams, but he is a GC favourite riding the first stage of the tour. Everyone knows it's nervous and he should have been either front and centre or at least in the middle of the road and either he or his team didn't do that. Some crashes are just bad luck, but the chance of crashing is much higher if you end up in the gutter or next to road furniture. Someone, either him, his team mates or his team car should have been making sure he kept himself away from the edge of the road.

But he really wasn't that close to the traffic island. If his wheel hadn't slipped on those road markings he wouldn't have crashed.

Of course, I doubt many riders knew there was a traffic island after that curve at all.

Not sure what he did wrong in terms of positioning. It was just shitty luck.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Re: Re:

I have no idea what a GC favourite is doing getting himself trapped in against a traffic island at 80km to go in the first stage of the tour. Very poor positioning.

And I have no idea what you're talking about.

Seems fairly obvious to me, I'm not sure I can explain it any clearer.

It seemed to me it was the crash that got him trapped against the traffic island. Are you saying he was stupid for crashing? Do you suppose he chose to go down there?

As for his positioning, are you aware that the peloton was really nervous because of possible echelons which meant GC contenders tried to be at the front?

He was trapped in and that caused him to crash. I'm not saying he is stupid or he chose to crash. I am saying he should never have been in the situation in the first place. And yes, I'm fully aware of how to ride a bike race, the fact it is the first stage was pointed out in my post.

I don't know whose fault it was, either his or his teams, but he is a GC favourite riding the first stage of the tour. Everyone knows it's nervous and he should have been either front and centre or at least in the middle of the road and either he or his team didn't do that. Some crashes are just bad luck, but the chance of crashing is much higher if you end up in the gutter or next to road furniture. Someone, either him, his team mates or his team car should have been making sure he kept himself away from the edge of the road.

KB, you're supposed to just say "lots to learn"

 

[casati]

I disagree with you King Boonen: he was in the flow of riders, it's racing, it could have happened to anyone. No one to blame but Lady Luck...

Looks like it was all his own fault looking at the replay.

https://twitter.com/cyclingnieuws1/status/749285418013691904?s=09

I have to disagree, bookwalter, who is an experienced pro, has his front wheel overlapping, so as contador goes into the corner he gets his back wheel clipped, to no fault of his own, wouldn't have matter where he was in the pack. One of the first things you learn when riding in a pack is not to overlap wheels, so blame bookwalter, but this is race conditions and *** happens.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

KB, you're supposed to just say "lots to learn"

Lance must have been shaking his head while watching today's stage

 

[LaFlorecita]

https://twitter.com/brentbookwalter/status/749296249245929472?s=09

 

[buchanan]

Yes, so Bookwalter didn't touch him. He crashed on his own.

 

[Red Rick]

Blaming is not really important. The impact the crash had and the stage of tomorrow are. If we really want to blame someon, let's all blame me for not performing my anti-crash dance ahead of the stage, and be done with it

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Yes, so Bookwalter didn't touch him. He crashed on his own.

Hearing/Reading Contadors comments on the crash he was hardly aware how he crashed. It went pretty freaking fast.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Blaming is not really important. The impact the crash had and the stage of tomorrow are. If we really want to blame someon, let's all blame me for not performing my anti-crash dance ahead of the stage, and be done with it

You better start your dance every dat from now on. a bit late, but better late then never!

 

[LaFlorecita]

the Inner Ring ‏@inrng
Loyalty: holding your teammate's insole in your mouth while he changes his shoe

 

[Beech Mtn]

Re:

Blaming is not really important. The impact the crash had and the stage of tomorrow are. If we really want to blame someon, let's all blame me for not performing my anti-crash dance ahead of the stage, and be done with it

If this dance really works, there are going to be a lot of rubles in your future

 

[casati]

Re:

https://twitter.com/brentbookwalter/status/749296249245929472?s=09

I see it now from a different angle, nice words from bookwalter

 

[rhubroma]

I seriously thought he might crash. In the sense that every top rider, no matter who, might go down in the opening stages of the Tour.

$hit happens. Nothing to be done about it, so let us move on.

 

[Taxus4a]

Sorry about my words before. I could see Contador crash from other view and it is harder than I thought, and he hit the flor, note the pavement. He wont have a good night. but I think anyway in 2 days the crash wont afect him.

 

[peloton]

Sucky start for the Tour, but hopefully he'll be ok. Crash was his own fault, hope others are ok too

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

If you look closely, Bookwalter's wheel didn't touch Contador. 100% his own fault for what it is worth.

I looked closely and thought that Bookwalter was on top of Berties wheel. They looked to be touching to me.

Ehm, no. I didn't see it that way at all. All Bertie.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

the Inner Ring ‏@inrng
Loyalty: holding your teammate's insole in your mouth while he changes his shoe

Hmmhhm, hmmhmhm, delicous.

 

[contador_attacks]

The crash was really stupid. As King Boonen said, he never should have been there. The team needs to wake-up! There is so much at stake! You have to be in the front! No excuses!!!

 

[damian13ster]

The team and the rider himself. They are being ridiculously stupid with positionning lately. Grab some sense and learn how to navigate a bike in peleton

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

The crash was really stupid. As King Boonen said, he never should have been there. The team needs to wake-up! There is so much at stake! You have to be in the front! No excuses!!!

He was literally right at the front.

 

[jmdirt]

For those who said that he shouldn't have "been there" WTH?! That was good positioning. KB, he didn't get pinned by the traffic furniture, had his wheel not slid out, he would have had a perfect rail through that corner.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-contador-crash-video-stage-1-injury-update/

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Some armchair analysts on Twitter are saying 100% of the blame is on him. Bah.

 

[portugal11]

I won't see this tour until is over