Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[ILovecycling]

Why the hell Majka lost time today!!!?

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

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

Contador said that... but he could be lying like when Karpets hit him and he said no.

Looking at the video, Contador dont lie this time, it was his blame:

Había mucha tensión porque luchábamos por estar delante para evitar el viento. Íbamos atentos pero en un bordillo he rectificado tarde y se me ha ido la rueda delantera hacia el lado. Hemos patinado y hemos tenido mala suerte, estoy fastidiado”.

But I hope the crash doesnt afect him. At least after the first rest day, it is a long way till that day, but the key stages are later. and previously just the usual inconveniences to slep and to mend the first 2 days. It was a good signal the quick he took his bike and the way he took the handlebar at a high speed.

It is anyway amazing how little afected is after a crak like this, although he was lucky to scrap more than hit...

I hope the same for Thomas, Bootwalker and the guys in the last Km crash, harder tan this one.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Why the hell Majka lost time today!!!?

Contador always want to have his team mates rested for the key stages... he saved some important energy by dro`ping in a hard stage like this one, for the wind...He has an strong team, but other have stringer teams, so he use to use that strategy. He is the only leader, climbers loosing time some flat stages...

 

[fantomas]

It looks like there's noone to blame for the crash but himself. No biggie, though, could happen to anyone - perhaps except Sagan. I'm sure he'll be fine. If it's only sore limbs, it shouldn't pose a problem on stage 2.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re:

It looks like there's noone to blame for the crash but himself. No biggie, though, could happen to anyone - perhaps except Sagan. I'm sure he'll be fine. If it's only sore limbs, it shouldn't pose a problem on stage 2.

I'm not. Not at all. It was bad enough that it will definitely take some of his energy away while he heals up.

 

[Jelantik]

French TV totally bashing Contador ("The crash was his own fault", "This rider just crashes a lot", etc.) and disregarding him as a Tour favourite ("Tomorrow we might see the first battle between Froome and Quintana"): this is so annoying, I cannot wait for these idiots to be proven wrong.

Good. I like when they keep Contador out of their hype talk. Every time the media hypes that so and so versus so and so. Guess what? someone of those hype never shows up (either they crashed out, sick, don't have form whatever). I like the fact that they underestimate Contador, and they will keep his name outside their hype. Call me superstitious. Too many name in Grand Tour that are being hype ended up crashed out or sick and out.

 

[Merckx index]

Re:

I'm sure he'll be fine. If it's only sore limbs, it shouldn't pose a problem on stage 2.

After just one stage, the news could hardly be worse. He's already 32 seconds behind Froome and Quintana, and there is a very technical descent followed by a short but very steep climb at the end of tomorrow's stage. Remember the Mur last year? An aching Contador could easily lose more time tomorrow.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

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

It's actually correct. He fell as if the road was slippery. No one caused him to crash. It's just one of those unlucky thing. Seeing how he slided to the street furniture with his shoulder, he could have broken his collarbone. I guess, he was lucky

Judge for yourself how he fell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLwZoTGhDyk&channel=TENDANCEOUEST

 

[Shame]

I think this will prove to be Contrador's undoing. Road rash injuries take energy and loss of sleep, which leads to less power, especially in the mountains. He's tough but you can't beat someone who's 100 percent healthy. Sorry. I see third place as the best he can do.

 

[contador_attacks]

Re: 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.

He wasn`t being protected! You have to be in the front and, obviously, you have to be protected! The crash was ugly! Imagine the damage... He could be out!!

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

I'm sure he'll be fine. If it's only sore limbs, it shouldn't pose a problem on stage 2.

After just one stage, the news could hardly be worse. He's already 32 seconds behind Froome and Quintana, and there is a very technical descent followed by a short but very steep climb at the end of tomorrow's stage. Remember the Mur last year? An aching Contador could easily lose more time tomorrow.

No. Same time. http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/classifications.html

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

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

Contador said that... but he could be lying like when Karpets hit him and he said no.

Looking at the video, Contador dont lie this time, it was his blame:

Había mucha tensión porque luchábamos por estar delante para evitar el viento. Íbamos atentos pero en un bordillo he rectificado tarde y se me ha ido la rueda delantera hacia el lado. Hemos patinado y hemos tenido mala suerte, estoy fastidiado”.

But I hope the crash doesnt afect him. At least after the first rest day, it is a long way till that day, but the key stages are later. and previously just the usual inconveniences to slep and to mend the first 2 days. It was a good signal the quick he took his bike and the way he took the handlebar at a high speed.

It is anyway amazing how little afected is after a crak like this, although he was lucky to scrap more than hit...

I hope the same for Thomas, Bootwalker and the guys in the last Km crash, harder tan this one.

He will be sore for at least a few days. He was lucky not to have broken his collarbone as his shoulder seemed to be pretty banged up.

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

I think this will prove to be Contrador's undoing. Road rash injuries take energy and loss of sleep, which leads to less power, especially in the mountains. He's tough but you can't beat someone who's 100 percent healthy. Sorry. I see third place as the best he can do.

So you are assuming that nothing bad will happen to any of the other GC guys?

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

I think this will prove to be Contrador's undoing. Road rash injuries take energy and loss of sleep, which leads to less power, especially in the mountains. He's tough but you can't beat someone who's 100 percent healthy. Sorry. I see third place as the best he can do.

So you are assuming that nothing bad will happen to any of the other GC guys?

He's got a point. And there's no reason to think that others will fall. Their chance of having something bad tomorrow or during any stage is the same as Contador. Except that today he fell, and they didn't.

Showing up at the Pyrenees after bad nights vs. rested guys can make a difference.

Now, for the "it's his fault" or "bad placement" argument, we should all know by now that the first week of the TdF always sets the stage for this. Everybody is nervous, all make small mistakes, but some pay the mistakes cash. It's luck. Be in the right place at the right time. It has nothing to do with skills,tactics. It's luck. Ask Froome: Defending champion, tons of crap the following year, comes back and wins.

Every Tour, some get lucky, some don't. The following year, somehow, flies harass a different donkey...no need for second guessing, judging...it's racing.

 

[rhubroma]

Why has CN not revised the finish times? Let's get with the program shall we.

As far as the crash is concerned they were swerving in and out at high speed and some road over the divide. Contador was well placed, but misjudged his line going into the second curve and bam! He was riding too far outside to make amends at that speed, although the roads have become increasingly hostile to bike racers: so many roundabouts, divides, narrowing courses in curves etc. It's become an issue and one questions the organization regarding some of the decisions about choosing some roads over others. At times they seem to invite crahes by the course choosen.

Having said that, today is going to be one challenge to deal with the pain and rough night's sleep. If he can not loose time at the finish that will boost confidence. There are still enough days before the big mountains to recover. In the abscence of broken bones its more of a mental thing. Being in pain makes one feel weakened, even if physically that's not the case. Still it's another hurdle to overcome that a rider who hasn't fallen and isn't in pain doesn't have to bother with. It all adds up. The only "positive" thing (apart from no broken bones), is that it happened right away and not the day before, or during a mountain stage.

PS. Interesting that Nibali says in la Gazzetta dello Sport that he was placed 5-6 positions behind Contador and that there was a "ventaglio" (a "fanning out") in the central part of the peloton he believes Cannodale initiated and this caused a brusque movement that pushed Contador toward the divide, which he thus could not have avoided.

 

[Campervan man]

Re:

Why has CN not revised the finish times? Let's get with the program shall we.

As far as the crash is concerned they were swerving in and out at high speed and some road over the divide. Contador was well placed, but misjudged his line going into the second curve and bam! He was riding too far outside to make amends at that speed, although the roads have become increasingly hostile to bike racers: so many roundabouts, divides, narrowing courses in curves etc. It's become an issue and one questions the organization regarding some of the decisions about choosing some roads over others. At times they seem to invite crahes by the course choosen.

Having said that, today is going to be one challenge to deal with the pain and rough night's sleep. If he can not loose time at the finish that will boost confidence. There are still enough days before the big mountains to recover. In the abscence of broken bones its more of a mental thing. Being in pain makes one feel weakened, even if physically that's not the case. Still it's another hurdle to overcome that a rider who hasn't fallen and isn't in pain doesn't have to bother with. It all adds up. The only "positive" thing (apart from no broken bones), is that it happened right away and not the day before, or during a mountain stage.

PS. Interesting that Nibali says in la Gazzetta dello Sport that he was placed 5-6 positions behind Contador and that there was a "ventaglio" (a "fanning out") in the central part of the peloton he believes Cannodale initiated and this caused a brusque movement that pushed Contador toward the divide, which he thus could not have avoided.

I agree with you, as yesterday I tried to find positive things to take on this bad crash and he has a maximum amount of time to recover before the First mountains. I was shocked by how bad he went down but in reality he is so lucky to have only bruised and battered his right side and not caused an injury that would've cost him more. Tinkoffs boys did really show great solidarity yesterday and Alberto is a true fighter. If he makes it to Ventoux within a small time gap to Nairo and Froome then he should be back in top condition for the Alps ahead. I hate these early stages with crashes galore let's hope the GC battle is not affected again by them.

 

[rhubroma]

It's yet another demonstration of what a difficult relationship he has with the Tour...almost as if he's damned at the start (I mean this ironically of course).

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: 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.

He wasn`t being protected! You have to be in the front and, obviously, you have to be protected! The crash was ugly! Imagine the damage... He could be out!!

Tosatto was leading the peloton, 3 positions ahead of him.
I don't see how a teammate could have "protected" him here, by the way.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Re: 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.

He wasn`t being protected! You have to be in the front and, obviously, you have to be protected! The crash was ugly! Imagine the damage... He could be out!!

Tosatto was leading the peloton, 3 positions ahead of him.
I don't see how a teammate could have "protected" him here, by the way.

If only Noval was still racing he would've long forseen this fall and made sure to use his beefy body as a pillow for AC in that corner

 

[Campervan man]

Re: 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.

He wasn`t being protected! You have to be in the front and, obviously, you have to be protected! The crash was ugly! Imagine the damage... He could be out!!

Tosatto was leading the peloton, 3 positions ahead of him.
I don't see how a teammate could have "protected" him here, by the way.

He couldn't have been protected and at that speed things like this happen, but he got off without major damage. He's very lucky in that respect. If there had been real pressure on and echelons yesterday his tour may have been over. I'm just glad he's still fighting and got the maximum amount of time now to recover. A little more fire in his belly if he ever needed it. A man that overcomes obstacles.

 

[peloton]

Contador this morning to #eurosport::
"I had a bad night but my moral is still very strong."

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Contador this morning to #eurosport::
"I had a bad night but my moral is still very strong."

Hard to know if that's 100% true, but it seems logical

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Contador this morning to #eurosport::
"I had a bad night but my moral is still very strong."

Focus on the bright side.

 

[Miburo]

You know what i think about that

This is one of my all time favorite lies "because of dislocated shoulder contador will lose at least 2sec each km"

Proceeds to crush the ITT

 

[cellardoor]

Sounds like the finish of today's stage is not as selective as I first thought. I don't think Contador will lose any time, despite the injuries, and in fact I predict he'll lead out Sagan for the stage win