Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Carols]

Re:

If someone of his caliber can't win the Tour at this stage in his career, he should consider retirement. What does winning another Vuelta mean? Another Giro?

A champion's mentality has got nothing to do with it. He hasn't won the Tour in six years and he isn't competative in this race. He can't seem to stay upright, when in form, or shows up and gets clobbered. He's too good for that.

I'm glad Alberto has a winning mentality!

 

[mufana]

Re: Re:

No champion mentality at all in this forum. Alberto Contador didn't become great by giving up everytime something goes wrong.

It´s over, Ratta. He is destroyed. He should rest now and focus on La Vuelta.

What?

You know what I (and I think 90% of cycling enthousiasts) like about Contador!? it's the simple fact that he does not quit. He doesn't go down without a fight, even when it might seem impossible to win, he will keep trying. And risk everything in the process. That's why I'm a fan of this guy. And it's that spirit that made him a 9 time GT winner. And it's that spirit that's makes him such a fierce rider and a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Sciocco]

Even if the Tour is doomed (I still have faith) wouldn't it be worthwhile to stay in a bit for KMs in the legs to race Rio?

 

[Jungle Cycle]

https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/749654900527624192
didnt look to be potentially that important, besides that fact that it was the 2nd in 2 days...

 

[Lexman]

I just got home and am very disapointed he fell again and lost time today, can't he just stay upright on his bike...

My TdF is lkready ruined and Froome hasn't even attacked once, dreams come early to an end this year where summer is completely absent as well

waht a terrible year 2016

 

[bob.a.feet]

I don't think this is over for Contador yet and here's why:

Stage 5: After two flat stages he will have recovered a good bit and could attack in the last kilometre to gain 10 seconds or so.
Stage 7: If his form is good after stage 5 then he might attack on the Aspin.
Stage 8: No time losses for any of the main contenders.
Stage 9: Froome will attack and probably gain between 20-50 seconds (he won't be as strong due to his different preparation)
Stage 12: He will lose time to Froome
Stage 13: If Froome attacks on the Ventoux then he will probably pay for his efforts the next day.

After that it could go any way depending on what form people are in.

Note: This is just my prediction and it be entirely wrong.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

I don't think this is over for Contador yet and here's why:

Stage 5: After two flat stages he will have recovered a good bit and could attack in the last kilometre to gain 10 seconds or so.
Stage 7: If his form is good after stage 5 then he might attack on the Aspin.
Stage 8: No time losses for any of the main contenders.
Stage 9: Froome will attack and probably gain between 20-50 seconds (he won't be as strong due to his different preparation)
Stage 12: He will lose time to Froome
Stage 13: If Froome attacks on the Ventoux then he will probably pay for his efforts the next day.

After that it could go any way depending on what form people are in.

Note: This just my prediction and it be entirely wrong.

This, it all comes down to stage 5, if he's able to recover enough until then he still has a chance, otherwise it will be a long Tour for him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Of course he shouldn't retire, but he should clearly give up on winning the Tour. I completely understand that he wants to prove the doubters wrong but it's just not meant to be. The race doesn't like him.
This is/was probably the last chance to win. He won't get any younger and Quintana and other young riders will just get stronger.
If he focuses on the Tour again next year, I will scream.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/749654900527624192
didnt look to be potentially that important, besides that fact that it was the 2nd in 2 days...

I don't know, Matthews crashed onto his head, that will give him some sore muscles in his neck and shoulders.
The Giant rider fall on top of him pretty heavily as well (and his foot is in his crotch - ouch), seems like quite a bit impact.

 

[Pedaaldanser]

Re:

Of course he shouldn't retire, but he should clearly give up on winning the Tour. I completely understand that he wants to prove the doubters wrong but it's just not meant to be. The race doesn't like him.
This is/was probably the last chance to win. He won't get any younger and Quintana and other young riders will just get stronger.
If he focuses on the Tour again next year, I will scream.

Of course he should focus on the tour. It's the biggest race and he's still a good enough rider to have a chance to win it again!

 

[Fernandez]

I dont think he cant blame everything on the crashes. I dont think he has the level anymore. At least the level of Froome and Quintana.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I dont think he cant blame everything on the crashes. I dont think he has the level anymore. At least the level of Froome and Quintana.

There is absolutely no evidence that that's the case. But of course, it's just your thoughts, you are allowed to have a different opinion.

 

[perico]

Who cares about another Giro. He needs to recover and show what he can do when the mountains hit. Another Giro adds nothing to his legacy. He should attack the mountains and if the lead is out of reach, prove that he should've won had he not crashed. I love the Giro, but it doesn't mean anything against the likes of Amador or He needs to show something against Froome and Nairo.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Of course he shouldn't retire, but he should clearly give up on winning the Tour. I completely understand that he wants to prove the doubters wrong but it's just not meant to be. The race doesn't like him.
This is/was probably the last chance to win. He won't get any younger and Quintana and other young riders will just get stronger.
If he focuses on the Tour again next year, I will scream.

Of course he should focus on the tour. It's the biggest race and he's still a good enough rider to have a chance to win it again!

Honestly, a "chance to win" is not enough. And that chance will only get smaller and smaller. This year he was a distant 3rd favorite. It won't get any easier for him to win.
In his last years, I'd rather see him win another Giro or Vuelta instead of racing for a podium place at the Tour.

 

[rhubroma]

Re: Re:

If someone of his caliber can't win the Tour at this stage in his career, he should consider retirement. What does winning another Vuelta mean? Another Giro?

A champion's mentality has got nothing to do with it. He hasn't won the Tour in six years and he isn't competative in this race. He can't seem to stay upright, when in form, or shows up and gets clobbered. He's too good for that.

I'm glad Alberto has a winning mentality!

It's got nothing to do with a winning mentality, but effectively winning. He's a winner and a winner needs to win, or morituri te salutant...

 

[Tonton]

I can understand that Contador's many fans want to cling on any gleam of hope. It's very understandable and I respect that.

Tonight will be another bad night for AC, and Froome will sleep well. It's unrealistic to hope that he recovers between now and Wednesday. Every bad night increases the gap between him and the healthy riders. Recovery is key in a GT. There's no way around it.

Suggesting that he should go for stages, or anything short of the final win doesn't make much sense: he's Alberto Contador. No one doubts his bravery, but why keep going at this point? He has nothing to prove to us or to himself. Let's face it: Berto has lost the Tour.

 

[mufana]

Re:

Of course he shouldn't retire, but he should clearly give up on winning the Tour. I completely understand that he wants to prove the doubters wrong but it's just not meant to be. The race doesn't like him.
This is/was probably the last chance to win. He won't get any younger and Quintana and other young riders will just get stronger.
If he focuses on the Tour again next year, I will scream.

I don't see why he should give up the Tour. I mean, last year he had to put to much efforts to win the giro. I can remember he looked tired at the start of the tour. The year before that he had bad luck with his crash. But, so did Froome. And he did win the Vuelta that year. The year before that he wasn't good enough.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

If you'd told me in July 2009 that Contador was never going to win the Tour again, I'd have said you were bonkers.

Hell, in 2011 some were even talking of Bertie going for the treble!

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Of course he shouldn't retire, but he should clearly give up on winning the Tour. I completely understand that he wants to prove the doubters wrong but it's just not meant to be. The race doesn't like him.
This is/was probably the last chance to win. He won't get any younger and Quintana and other young riders will just get stronger.
If he focuses on the Tour again next year, I will scream.

Of course he should focus on the tour. It's the biggest race and he's still a good enough rider to have a chance to win it again!

Honestly, a "chance to win" is not enough. And that chance will only get smaller and smaller. This year he was a distant 3rd favorite. It won't get any easier for him to win.
In his last years, I'd rather see him win another Giro or Vuelta instead of racing for a podium place at the Tour.

But contador isn't nibali...

 

[Red Rick]

The whole distant favourite thing all came down to how people interpreted recent results

 

[Gigs_98]

How can one hope he abandons? Even if he loses minutes in the pyrenees he should cause an epic final week if he actually is in a good shape. I honestly think that it would be more remembered if he causes a great show this year than just another vuelta win. Pantani is still one of the most popular cyclists and that guy won 2 gt's. I think its very obvious the number of his victories is not the reason for his popularity.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

The whole distant favourite thing all came down to how people interpreted recent results

Of course, but I'm sure very few people thought it was going to be a walk in the park for him. Everything pointed to a tough battle between him and Froome/Quintana.

 

[LaFlorecita]

How can one hope he abandons? Even if he loses minutes in the pyrenees he should cause an epic final week if he actually is in a good shape. I honestly think that it would be more remembered if he causes a great show this year than just another vuelta win. Pantani is still one of the most popular cyclists and that guy won 2 gt's. I think its very obvious the number of his victories is not the reason for his popularity.

Very selfish maybe but I want to see him win, not die trying. I'd take a Vuelta win over "epic" racing with just a 3rd or 4th place as a result any day.
Of course, it's his choice, and I will support any decision he makes.

As for Pantani, I have to wonder if he would be such a mythical rider if he hadn't passed away tragically.

 

[nairoman]

Contador needs to do la vuelta and return at le tour next year and he'll still have good chances to win

 

[samhocking]

He lost some time from injury today, Porte lost time from a puncture, other GC contenders will loose time from illness, poor tactics, mechanical i'm sure too, that's how it goes. It's a shame to see such bad luck on two GC leaders, but it's a long way still. The amount of energy the body uses to repair itself shows on a stage finish like today, I think if AC can just repair enough over the next 3 days and not loose too much more, things can easily turnaround for him before the mountains.