Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Taxus4a]

Had Contador to help Froome in Farrapona or Ancares? o, he was inn red,.. the same Purito in Vuelta 2012.

 

[jilbiker]

Did anyone hear anything about Contador and Trek? how come they haven't announced the signing yet? Waiting until the olympics? (with Cancellara won, that's a huge win for Trek)

Yes, I am also baffled at the silence. I am wondering if there is a contingency on how well he does at Vuelta. Could it be they said 2million and Bertie said 3mil, then they both agreed lets see how you do in the Vuelta before we decide on a final number. Just speculating...

 

[ILovecycling]

Did anyone hear anything about Contador and Trek? how come they haven't announced the signing yet? Waiting until the olympics? (with Cancellara won, that's a huge win for Trek)

Yes, I am also baffled at the silence. I am wondering if there is a contingency on how well he does at Vuelta. Could it be they said 2million and Bertie said 3mil, then they both agreed lets see how you do in the Vuelta before we decide on a final number. Just speculating...

They have announced Degenkolb today, so I guess Alberto is next

 

[LaFlorecita]

They have announced Degenkolb today, so I guess Alberto is next

Perhaps after the Vuelta
Questions will be inevitable, poor Alberto will have to keep his face straight in so many interviews. He already failed horribly at Burgos

 

[Jakub]

They have announced Degenkolb today, so I guess Alberto is next

Perhaps after the Vuelta
Questions will be inevitable, poor Alberto will have to keep his face straight in so many interviews. He already failed horribly at Burgos

What did he (not) say?

 

[LaFlorecita]

They have announced Degenkolb today, so I guess Alberto is next

Perhaps after the Vuelta
Questions will be inevitable, poor Alberto will have to keep his face straight in so many interviews. He already failed horribly at Burgos

What did he (not) say?

http://www.marca.com/ciclismo/2016/08/05/57a46bc0e5fdeab3648b45e1.html
Watch the video

 

[Jakub]

They have announced Degenkolb today, so I guess Alberto is next

Perhaps after the Vuelta
Questions will be inevitable, poor Alberto will have to keep his face straight in so many interviews. He already failed horribly at Burgos

What did he (not) say?

http://www.marca.com/ciclismo/2016/08/05/57a46bc0e5fdeab3648b45e1.html
Watch the video

ah, spanish sounds nice but unfortunately I don't understand a single word. Actually I'd like to learn spanish and polish, but I am not sure if I'll make it!

 

[filipepc]

They have announced Degenkolb today, so I guess Alberto is next

Perhaps after the Vuelta
Questions will be inevitable, poor Alberto will have to keep his face straight in so many interviews. He already failed horribly at Burgos

What did he (not) say?

http://www.marca.com/ciclismo/2016/08/05/57a46bc0e5fdeab3648b45e1.html
Watch the video

I agree with him when he says that sky is stronger than Froome. I understand what he means.
Is more or less what i think about it.

I think Froome is actually the best rider in GT´S, but Contador is the best rider in general to GT´S. But when you have to deal with a super guy that has a super team, that is almost impossible without having or a fantastic and commited team with you, or without some helps by another teams with GC guys.

We don´t know how much Froome would have to wear out if he has to respond to all attacks... We don´t know. He just didn´t need to do nothing, just follow, because he has a superb team, the best ever to a GT.

Maybe some people will understand badly what Contador said, but i agree with him.

I just hope he stays out of trouble in this vuelta, it will be very tought, with very hilly mountains.

I have a doubt about how Landa will be... Let´s see... It´s 3 GT´s participation... Too much i guess

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

After his win in Tour of Denmark, Bennati said he wants to ride the Vuelta. Great guy for Contador to have for the flats.
Do we know which other riders might make the team?

I already speculated baout that, I think that:

Berto
Bennati
Boaro
Bodnar
Valgren
Kreuziger
Hansen
Poljanski
Rovny/Trofimov if raised from death/Kiserlovski if recovered/Paulinho/McCarthy

Benna, Boaro, Bodnar and Valgren are needed for TTT (and flat)
Kreuziger, Hansen und Poljanski for mountains...I know - it is weak, but Tinkoff is a weak team.
Then I expect Rovny or Paulinho or Robert Kiserlovski in case he softpedalled the end of tour and can recover. No idea what's Jay McCarthy doing, could be also useful.

I don't say that this is the only possibility, but looking at the squad (minus Sagan (mtb) and minus doubleGTlegs (Majka, Tosatto)) I can't see any better variants, so I am afraid that if the managers don't follow me, they will **** it up.

Vuelta team just got even weaker, Hansen broke his collarbone during training.

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

 

[Sciocco]

Re: Re:

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

Who would even be the last five during the TTT on that squad... not good. Contador doesn't really need climbing doms though.

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

Who would even be the last five during the TTT on that squad... not good. Contador doesn't really need climbing doms though.

Oh, you see 4? Who is the 4th?

I disagree, he needs mountain domestiques to save energy and for the cases when something happens, I don't wanna see him running up the hill
If it wasn't for Brambilla and Hermans he wouldn't have won Burgos. So I hope they are both riding

 

[Sciocco]

Re: Re:

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

Who would even be the last five during the TTT on that squad... not good. Contador doesn't really need climbing doms though.

Oh, you see 4? Who is the 4th?

I disagree, he needs mountain domestiques to save energy and for the cases when something happens, I don't wanna see him running up the hill
If it wasn't for Brambilla and Hermans he wouldn't have won Burgos. So I hope they are both riding

I see three and then just question marks.

Tinkoff's Burgos team was rather similar and they finished the TTT with Contador-Trofimov-Gogl-McCarthy-Rovny-Hernandez.

Based on that, I'd imagine the last five for Tinkoff will be Contador-Bennati-Boaro-Gogl-Trofimov.

Here's to hoping the roster isn't finalized I guess.

Contador just needs to not bleed a ton of time on the TTT. Better to take the Red late with a weak team anyway.

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

Who would even be the last five during the TTT on that squad... not good. Contador doesn't really need climbing doms though.

Oh, you see 4? Who is the 4th?

I disagree, he needs mountain domestiques to save energy and for the cases when something happens, I don't wanna see him running up the hill
If it wasn't for Brambilla and Hermans he wouldn't have won Burgos. So I hope they are both riding

Why does he need a mountain train when most of the Vuelta mountain stages have exactly one mountain?

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

Who would even be the last five during the TTT on that squad... not good. Contador doesn't really need climbing doms though.

Oh, you see 4? Who is the 4th?

I disagree, he needs mountain domestiques to save energy and for the cases when something happens, I don't wanna see him running up the hill
If it wasn't for Brambilla and Hermans he wouldn't have won Burgos. So I hope they are both riding

Why does he need a mountain train when most of the Vuelta mountain stages have exactly one mountain?

Because of that one mountain?

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

So, I read on twitter, that the team is:

Contador, Bennati, Boaro, Gogl, Hernández, Kiserlovski, Paulinho, Rovny, Trofimov.

I hope it is not true, but I am afraid it is. It's a big mistake not to bring Bodnar and Valgren, Hansen is off, dunno about Poljanski.

Who would even be the last five during the TTT on that squad... not good. Contador doesn't really need climbing doms though.

Oh, you see 4? Who is the 4th?

I disagree, he needs mountain domestiques to save energy and for the cases when something happens, I don't wanna see him running up the hill
If it wasn't for Brambilla and Hermans he wouldn't have won Burgos. So I hope they are both riding

I see three and then just question marks.

Tinkoff's Burgos team was rather similar and they finished the TTT with Contador-Trofimov-Gogl-McCarthy-Rovny-Hernandez.

Based on that, I'd imagine the last five for Tinkoff will be Contador-Bennati-Boaro-Gogl-Trofimov.

Here's to hoping the roster isn't finalized I guess.

Contador just needs to not bleed a ton of time on the TTT. Better to take the Red late with a weak team anyway.

I just pray that tomorrow the roster including Bodnar and Valgren will be announced. Especially Bodnar.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Laughable team.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Bennati - Boaro - Contador - Gogl is very solid for a TTT. The rest is pretty bad though.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Laughable team.

Not all teams have as much depth as Sky and Movistar. This is the best possible team.

 

[Netserk]

I'm sure Contador will be worried when he is isolated 3km from the line :lol: #CrapRoute

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

I'm sure Contador will be worried when he is isolated 3km from the line :lol: #CrapRoute

Lol yeah , ...this is vuelta folks
Im really looking forward to this race. But I must say that my expectations are lower than in 2014.

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

Laughable team.

Not all teams have as much depth as Sky and Movistar. This is the best possible team.

yes + ?

best possible team? Don't you miss Bodnar and Valgren for TTT + flat? Pawel Poljanski instead of Dropimov?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Laughable team.

Not all teams have as much depth as Sky and Movistar. This is the best possible team.

I know, but it doesn't really seem to be the best possible team....

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Laughable team.

Not all teams have as much depth as Sky and Movistar. This is the best possible team.

I know, but it doesn't really seem to be the best possible team....

Many of their riders have other objectives or have already raced 1 or 2 GTs. Valgren will presumably ride the Canadian races as will Bodnar, Majka has raced 2 GTs, Kreuziger doesn't want to ride most likely, Hansen is injured. I don't know about Poljanski, but perhaps the team feels 2 GTs is too much for him.
What it comes down to is, the team know Alberto is a huge contender for this race, the favorite in the eyes of many. They'll look to put together the best possible combination of riders to maximize Alberto's chances of winning the race. This is why I often get annoyed when people complain. The team may not be very strong but on paper, whatever team they select should be the best possible. Whether the riders will deliver is another question, but that is not simple to predict even for the team.

 

[damian13ster]

Poljanski is/was fighting some nasty virus entire season. This is the reason that he was weak this year, havent raced for a while, and wasnt in the olympics (seemed like a shoe-in preseason)

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

Laughable team.

Not all teams have as much depth as Sky and Movistar. This is the best possible team.

I know, but it doesn't really seem to be the best possible team....

Many of their riders have other objectives or have already raced 1 or 2 GTs. Valgren will presumably ride the Canadian races as will Bodnar, Majka has raced 2 GTs, Kreuziger doesn't want to ride most likely, Hansen is injured. I don't know about Poljanski, but perhaps the team feels 2 GTs is too much for him.
What it comes down to is, the team know Alberto is a huge contender for this race, the favorite in the eyes of many. They'll look to put together the best possible combination of riders to maximize Alberto's chances of winning the race. This is why I often get annoyed when people complain. The team may not be very strong but on paper, whatever team they select should be the best possible. Whether the riders will deliver is another question, but that is not simple to predict even for the team.

Well, the difference between us is that I believe the Tinkofg managers are bunch of idiots. Or they follow the tinkoff idiot himself. It has all started when tinkoff bought Sagan instead of securing a decent team for Bertie. To send Bodnar to Canada (who cares about Canada?) instead of Let him help with TTT ( could be a difference of a few seconds and that's not irrelavant in Vuelta) is a stupid mistake.