samhocking said: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.
perico said: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.
Matteo. said:perico said: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.
It was the last chance, and now it's gone. He has already beaten Froome in 2014, and so? The real matter was to win again the Tour , not beat Froome or Quintana.
Try again to win the Tour in 2017 ? At 34- 35 years old? meh
Põhja Konn said:The most telling thing today was the attitude of his team as it was displayed on the road. The was of one, that did no longer believe in its leaders chance of being competitive. That is the reason I believe his chances are gone, as sad as it is to say.
But if he finishes the Tour, his chances to win the Vuelta will go down.peloton said:He is riding Vuelta, regardless what happens at Tour. If he isn't injured, of course he should continue.
buchanan said:I think he realizes that a great GC rider is judged on how he fared at the Tours de France against other great riders of his era. In the early and most successful part of his career, Contador won against riders like the Schleck brothers, Evans and an old, returning from retirement Lance Armstrong. All very good riders, but not greats.
It's different now with Froome. Alberto realizes that to truly cement his legacy as an all time great, he needs to defeat Froome at the Tour de France. I'm sure it stings him that he's never managed to do that.
Yeah , as Landis did the best long range attack since Coppi in Cuneo-Pinerolo :razz:mufana said:Matteo. said:perico said: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.
It was the last chance, and now it's gone. He has already beaten Froome in 2014, and so? The real matter was to win again the Tour , not beat Froome or Quintana.
Try again to win the Tour in 2017 ? At 34- 35 years old? meh
Well if Horner can do it...
LaFlorecita said: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.Gigs_98 said: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.
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.
buchanan said:I think he realizes that a great GC rider is judged on how he fared at the Tours de France against other great riders of his era. In the early and most successful part of his career, Contador won against riders like the Schleck brothers, Evans and an old, returning from retirement Lance Armstrong. All very good riders, but not greats.
It's different now with Froome. Alberto realizes that to truly cement his legacy as an all time great, he needs to defeat Froome at the Tour de France. I'm sure it stings him that he's never managed to do that.
Jungle Cycle said:https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/749654900527624192
didnt look to be potentially that important, besides that fact that it was the 2nd in 2 days...
Carols said:buchanan said:I think he realizes that a great GC rider is judged on how he fared at the Tours de France against other great riders of his era. In the early and most successful part of his career, Contador won against riders like the Schleck brothers, Evans and an old, returning from retirement Lance Armstrong. All very good riders, but not greats.
It's different now with Froome. Alberto realizes that to truly cement his legacy as an all time great, he needs to defeat Froome at the Tour de France. I'm sure it stings him that he's never managed to do that.
Froome has won a total of 2 GTs. Big whoop.....he has a lot to prove yet, not Alberto.
Carols said:"You need to be mentally strong to overcome a Tour start as bad as this one, especially after so much hard work," he said.
"But cycling is like that. I’ll have to try to be strong and not lose confidence. I have to think that it will be possible to recover when I get to my terrain (the mountains). I tried to minimize my losses but I gave away some time in only two days of racing.
"I can’t be downbeat but my morale is not intact. I want to fight on, otherwise I’d be keen to get out of here. The time loss is worse than the body blows."
Wow he is feeling bad![]()
As for Pantani, I have to wonder if he would be such a mythical rider if he hadn't passed away tragically.
Indeed, this is the Tour. Maybe in the next days other GC contenders crash, have time losses and then the world looks completely different. The tour is unpredictable.
buchanan said:Carols said:buchanan said:I think he realizes that a great GC rider is judged on how he fared at the Tours de France against other great riders of his era. In the early and most successful part of his career, Contador won against riders like the Schleck brothers, Evans and an old, returning from retirement Lance Armstrong. All very good riders, but not greats.
It's different now with Froome. Alberto realizes that to truly cement his legacy as an all time great, he needs to defeat Froome at the Tour de France. I'm sure it stings him that he's never managed to do that.
Froome has won a total of 2 GTs. Big whoop.....he has a lot to prove yet, not Alberto.
You are so wrong. He's won in dominant style 2 Tours (the most important and hardest GT to win) against a rider previously considered the best of his era and another rider (Quintana) regarded as a super talent of the present and future. He probably would have won a 3rd Tour already, but wasn't allowed to ride away from Wiggins in 2012. If he wins this Tour again, then Froome is easily the best Tour de France rider of the modern era since Indurain (assuming we exclude Armstrong).
Carols said:"You need to be mentally strong to overcome a Tour start as bad as this one, especially after so much hard work," he said.
"But cycling is like that. I’ll have to try to be strong and not lose confidence. I have to think that it will be possible to recover when I get to my terrain (the mountains). I tried to minimize my losses but I gave away some time in only two days of racing.
"I can’t be downbeat but my morale is not intact. I want to fight on, otherwise I’d be keen to get out of here. The time loss is worse than the body blows."
Wow he is feeling bad![]()