Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[DanielSong39]

Contador has a decent chance at second place; don't be surprised if he gains time on Froome from here on out.

 

[BetOrLose]

Stop with that *** about Froome stopped the Mount Ventoux stage. Try to listen to the interview with Brian Holm from Etixx Quickstep how said that all the riders where scared after the crash with Simon Gerrans, Etixx management wanted to drive on but the riders would not !

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Fwiw, Contador also f***ed up big time today imo. There is no way he should have finished behind Quintana today, who was focused fully on Froome and didn't care that much about Contador.

With 50km left, when the gap had well and truly been established and was going to succeed:
"Hey Nairo, none of my doms are working until you help them push on the flat." You reckon Nairo wouldn't have agreed to that and let Froome back into the race? At that point, either Movistar burn themselves out and delay the inevitable or Quintana starts working instantly. Either way Quintana becomes tired and suddenly Contador isn't just gaining time on Froome.

And also pls stop focusing on MacBAir's posts, he doesn't speak for us Froome fans

I just want to point out that Quintana took plenty of pulls well before the last climb. I'm not sure why people here think he didn't... The cameras showed him doing so multiple times even with ~90 km to go in the stage.

Indeed, the greater ride was from Quintana, not Contador:

Rider A: Follows Brambilla into an early break, puts in a couple of digs to help it stay away and gets his team-mates to work on the front, before dropping off with 3km to go. Result: Moves up a couple of places to be in with a better chance of reaching the podium.

Rider B: Follows Brambilla and a few other riders into an early break, gets his team-mates to take big pulls whilst occasionally working himself. The remainder of his team-mates completely disrupt the chase behind. Despite being in the break all day, is at the front for the entire last 8km, riding nearly everyone off his wheel (including rider A) without even attacking . Result: Gains over two minutes on his only real GC threat and, barring crashes, in a position where he should win the race.

Contador's ride was great and has cemented his podium ambitions. But Quintana's ride was on a different level. Has Contador ever even attacked like that whilst in the race lead in a GT?

I'm fairly certain he has but has he had to? Quintana needed to add to his lead with the flat itt looming so his attacking has been a constant since he gained the leaders jersey.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Stop with that ****** about Froome stopped the Mount Ventoux stage. Try to listen to the interview with Brian Holm from Etixx Quickstep how said that all the riders where scared after the crash with Simon Gerrans, Etixx management wanted to drive on but the riders would not !

And Valverde probably was angry because he noticed that he always immediately gets scared when someone crashes. And Froome was even so scared that he had to piss. Poor guys.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Well clearly he didn't force Quintana to work on the flat enough. Contador held all the cards there. If Brambilla was able to follow Quintana, there's no excuse for Contador to have been too tired to follow Quintana yesterday

I know he initiated the attack and would have spent a lot there but there's absolutely no way Contador shouldn't have finished first out of the GC guys yesterday

What? Quintana is just stronger uphill, it's been that way the entire Vuelta. Brambilla didn't do as much work as Contador and Quintana which is why he could stay with Quintana.
In what way should Contador have forced Quintana to take pulls? He was taking pulls. Should Contador have told his teammates not to work anymore? It was in his best interest to get a large gap as well. And would a couple more pulls by Quintana have made him those 30s slower? Wouldn't other riders have been present as well, if Quintana had been slow enough that Contador could stick with him? Would Quintana have been willing to give Contador the stage or would Contador have had to beat him in the sprint as well? I suppose you could argue Contador should have done way less work and let Quintana do way more work, but do you think Movistar and the other members of the break would have agreed with that?

Surely if Contador is only interested in the win, making Movistar do all the work would have been the best strategy. Or, if they didn't, then try to attack them again - at least once a reasonable gap had been established. As it is, he is further behind the lead than he was at the start of the day.

If he was riding for the podium and the highest possible position,then he did well and it was a great move and good tactics. If he was aiming to win the race, it was a poor move that has left him further behind.

Nothing ventured nothing gained. Quintana was always going to gain time on Contador once he joined the break as he has shown repeatedly that he is the stronger of the two. For Contador to attack Quintana he would have had to have sensed weakness, and there was none. It would have resulted in even more time lost. He moved back up in the gc, put major time into Froome and if by chance that either or both of them should falter in the coming stages, he has set himself up to to have a major effect on the race's final outcome.
To say he messed up in a major way is a vast exaggeration of the situation. To encourage cooperation in such a group to gain the most time some compromises have to be made.

 

[peloton]

Well...

Nairo Quintana said:

"Last night, the whole team really deserved a glass of cava to celebrate, as we did really well, but we had to remain serene after all. It really was needed to rest up well and keep our feet on the ground for today's nerves and the tough, difficult days ahead in the final week of race. Not only Froome will be a rival: there's also Contador - even if he's also trailing behind, he's one you must keep an eye on for the entire race. Also Chaves, the whole Orica block in fact... Nothing should be taken for granted.

“ In days like yesterday, we see movements and strategy from riders like Alberto Contador but also from others who are not in the peloton like ‘’Purito’’ Rodriguez. Both of them are really great at strategists and my first grand tour was the Vuelta 2012, I was involved in the epic stage of Fuente De when Alberto took the Vuelta from Purito. I told myself that if some day I could become a big name in cycling I would always have to be wary of Alberto. A lot of people expected a lot from me on the Tour but I could not give 100 percent. I came here motivated and I keep learning.

http://cyclingquotes.com/news/reactions_from_stage_16_of_the_vuelta_a_espana/

Very much doubt Nairo would've gone in the break had Alberto not been there. And as has been pointed by many, great ride by all who made it in the break yesterday, that was a great stage

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Let's get it straight how the break came about.

Brambilla attacked, Contador and others followed, Froome was caught off guard, but reeled them in. Then Contador immediately attacked on the downhill, pushing max for several kilometres, and the rest is history.

I finally found the stage 15 full coverage, so I can actually watch what really happening. I can't believe my eyes to see how far back Froome while Quintana and Contador were up front following a push by several riders, until Brambilla went clear and Contador/Quintana joined him. Even after Froome reeled them in briefly, he was still too far back when Contador attacked… I can't believe my eyes... Well, looks like Froome is another version of Purito: "napping on the job". What also fun to watch, Froome is frantically asking Chavez... then later Simon to ride when all Orica stops riding. :lol:

All and all it was a great ride by Contador. Too bad he run out of gas at the end, otherwise he would have been in the podium (yes, yes, he doesn't care), and closer to Froome. Hey, even if he doesn't win it, I think he plays a part of choosing who is the winner :lol: . That alone is another satisfaction for me.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Contador quickly went from one of my favorites to number 1 enemy, as far as cycling goes.

He won exactly 0 with this stage. He burned himself out just for Froome to lose, for some reason. He is now a sellout that does moves like this (at least since his last GC win) out of despair and to try and stay relevant, not to win at all.

Froome is the guy that doesn't f*** around. Froome is the guy that attacked on descents and won stages like that. Froome is the guy that attacked on the flat with Sagan. Froome is the guy that actually tried and win the Vuelta after winning the Tour. Froome is the guy that also tried to win and actually won medals at the Olympics. Froome also competed during the year.

He did all of that this year. He deserves all of the respect of honest cycling fans. He is extremely polite on and off his bike, an warrior and doesn't f*** around.

I just don't know how so many members could cheer for all of those riders helping Quintana (that barely worked until the last climb. He was by far the rider that worked less.), some of those with nothing to win or could only win an anonymous GC placing, and criticize Astana, for example.

Orica also raced like useless cowards, waking when it was too late.

Froome is a champion, but exhausted. It seems to me that Contador selling out and being such an hypocrite just killed this Vuelta.

I hope Alberto keeps getting demolished on any important race, from now on. It's also funny to me that Froome will end with a much better Palmares than Alberto, after everything is said and done.

*scratching my head*.. trying to be objective. It's called a bike racing? Nothing is a done deal until the fat lady sing. You tried everything until you run out of a road. So what Contador should do, just soft pedal the entire stages for sight seeing? He is trowing a spagetti bowl on the wall and see which one sticks. Quintana happened to be very alert and Froome caught napping. That's what an ambush is for. Try to outwit your opponent when your back against the wall.

Remember the Giro? Nibali was 4 minutes back, no chance of wining. He kept pushing Kreusjwijck, out of the blue, he crashed.. and guess what out of podium and Nibali won.

So what you're saying... Froome deserved to win Vuelta because he has won TDF, Olympic and your word "he doesn't *** around".. lol. Since when entitlement is part of winning a bike race? Froome deserved to loose Vuelta because what how he rode on stage 15. What the hell he was doing far back from his main rival? Arrogance? Napping? or feeling entitlement? Under estimating Contador? "Ow, no one should dare to attack while I'm enjoying the view of Vuelta." The last time I checked .. it's a bike racing, not a miss Universe pageant.

What Contador did was his way of trying to win the Vuelta. He took a big risk for a big reward. Sorry, that your hero Chrissy caught napping on the back. Next time set up an alarm clock..

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

Fwiw, Contador also f***ed up big time today imo. There is no way he should have finished behind Quintana today, who was focused fully on Froome and didn't care that much about Contador.

With 50km left, when the gap had well and truly been established and was going to succeed:
"Hey Nairo, none of my doms are working until you help them push on the flat." You reckon Nairo wouldn't have agreed to that and let Froome back into the race? At that point, either Movistar burn themselves out and delay the inevitable or Quintana starts working instantly. Either way Quintana becomes tired and suddenly Contador isn't just gaining time on Froome.

And also pls stop focusing on MacBAir's posts, he doesn't speak for us Froome fans

I just want to point out that Quintana took plenty of pulls well before the last climb. I'm not sure why people here think he didn't... The cameras showed him doing so multiple times even with ~90 km to go in the stage.

Indeed, the greater ride was from Quintana, not Contador:

Rider A: Follows Brambilla into an early break, puts in a couple of digs to help it stay away and gets his team-mates to work on the front, before dropping off with 3km to go. Result: Moves up a couple of places to be in with a better chance of reaching the podium.

Rider B: Follows Brambilla and a few other riders into an early break, gets his team-mates to take big pulls whilst occasionally working himself. The remainder of his team-mates completely disrupt the chase behind. Despite being in the break all day, is at the front for the entire last 8km, riding nearly everyone off his wheel (including rider A) without even attacking . Result: Gains over two minutes on his only real GC threat and, barring crashes, in a position where he should win the race.

Contador's ride was great and has cemented his podium ambitions. But Quintana's ride was on a different level. Has Contador ever even attacked like that whilst in the race lead in a GT?

I´ll be here to point your lies out everytime i can.

The breakaway was made by Contador, not by Brambilla.

Quintana didn´t attack at all. He just followed wheels like he´s been doing all along since 2013.

And don´t make me laugh saying Quintana took more pulls than Alberto in the break before the final climb.

Okay. here's the proof. (froome clawed back: 31:33 Alberto attack: 32:16 - 33.45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sqp4nErX48&channel=UC67f6yzfxlD_C7lwObhLE7Q

Frist attack: Brambilla alone. Then, everyone clawed back to him and backed together. Froome reeled them in (but still way at the back).

Second attack: Contador (followed by several riders). Split the group. After the group split, Brambilla then Moreno moser (i think, it was Cannondale guy) took turn with Contador in the front.

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

Fwiw, Contador also f***ed up big time today imo. There is no way he should have finished behind Quintana today, who was focused fully on Froome and didn't care that much about Contador.

With 50km left, when the gap had well and truly been established and was going to succeed:
"Hey Nairo, none of my doms are working until you help them push on the flat." You reckon Nairo wouldn't have agreed to that and let Froome back into the race? At that point, either Movistar burn themselves out and delay the inevitable or Quintana starts working instantly. Either way Quintana becomes tired and suddenly Contador isn't just gaining time on Froome.

And also pls stop focusing on MacBAir's posts, he doesn't speak for us Froome fans

I just want to point out that Quintana took plenty of pulls well before the last climb. I'm not sure why people here think he didn't... The cameras showed him doing so multiple times even with ~90 km to go in the stage.

Indeed, the greater ride was from Quintana, not Contador:

Rider A: Follows Brambilla into an early break, puts in a couple of digs to help it stay away and gets his team-mates to work on the front, before dropping off with 3km to go. Result: Moves up a couple of places to be in with a better chance of reaching the podium.

Rider B: Follows Brambilla and a few other riders into an early break, gets his team-mates to take big pulls whilst occasionally working himself. The remainder of his team-mates completely disrupt the chase behind. Despite being in the break all day, is at the front for the entire last 8km, riding nearly everyone off his wheel (including rider A) without even attacking . Result: Gains over two minutes on his only real GC threat and, barring crashes, in a position where he should win the race.

Contador's ride was great and has cemented his podium ambitions. But Quintana's ride was on a different level. Has Contador ever even attacked like that whilst in the race lead in a GT?

I´ll be here to point your lies out everytime i can.

The breakaway was made by Contador, not by Brambilla.

Quintana didn´t attack at all. He just followed wheels like he´s been doing all along since 2013.

And don´t make me laugh saying Quintana took more pulls than Alberto in the break before the final climb.

Okay. here's the proof. (froome clawed back: 31:33 Alberto attack: 32:16 - 33.45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sqp4nErX48&channel=UC67f6yzfxlD_C7lwObhLE7Q

Frist attack: Brambilla alone. Then, everyone clawed back to him and backed together. Froome reeled them in (but still way at the back).

Second attack: Contador (followed by several riders). Split the group. After the group split, Brambilla then Moreno moser (i think, it was Cannondale guy) took turn with Contador in the front.

Thanks for posting! I hadn't been able to find the whole stage.

 

[jens_attacks]

he will bury quintana tomorrow.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

he will bury quintana tomorrow.

Honestly I would love to see that, as it would be spectacular. But it ain't going to happen.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

he will bury quintana tomorrow.

Luv your optimism Jens

To be fair, his best performance was probably on Peña Cabarga, which was also after a rest day... if he's improved a bit more.......

 

[Miburo]

We're at the 3rd week, the real race starts now

 

[LaFlorecita]

He did a recon of tomorrow's MTF this morning

https://twitter.com/dipcas/status/773119071135105025

 

[gregrowlerson]

Quality article. Tells of how much Alberto took control of the race; he was 'the great one' who really made it happen.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vuelta-a-espana-how-quintana-and-contador-tore-up-the-script/

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Quality article. Tells of how much Alberto took control of the race; he was 'the great one' who really made it happen.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vuelta-a-espana-how-quintana-and-contador-tore-up-the-script/

"Alberto and Castroviejo did most of the work in the break itself, but it was Alberto who organised it all, who started it off and it was simply up to us to follow him. He was the one who really dealt with it all," Omar Fraile added to Cyclingnews.

 

[hrotha]

I mean, that's not surprising, is it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I mean, that's not surprising, is it.

I don't know, I'd have expected Trofimov and Rovny to do more work than their leader

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

I mean, that's not surprising, is it.

I don't know, I'd have expected Trofimov and Rovny to do more work than their leader

Contador is like Lebron leading the Cavs in all statistical categories :lol:

 

[Matteo.]

So if Albero wouldn't have work so much, he would have won on Formigal. Is this the hidden message?

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

So if Albero wouldn't have work so much, he would have won on Formigal. Is this the hidden message?

It's the elephant in the room....not particularly well hidden

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

There was also plenty of pre warning that Alberto would try an ambush given the history of the stage:

"In fact, the last ascent of the 14-kilometre Aramon-Formigal, previously climbed twice in the Vuelta a Espana, is only vaguely famous (for those looking hard for a reason) for being the Vuelta's first ever summit finish, back in 1972. That day, Spanish climbing legend Jose Manuel Fuente aka El Tarangu, already a double stage winner in the Tour de France and King of the Mountains in the Giro d'Italia, first shone in his home Grand Tour.

Earlier on the Formigal stage, Fuente went on a joint attack with Spain's Jose Grande, and then dropped Grande on the Monrepos climb. As he opened a huge gap on the field, Vuelta boss Luis Bergareche drove up behind him and pleaded with Fuente's sports director, Anton Barrutia, to tell him to stop because in Bergareche's opinion Fuente was not famous enough to warrant such a prestigious role as leading the Vuelta."

It was just another stage with the "shitty climbs".

: D

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

So if Albero wouldn't have work so much, he would have won on Formigal. Is this the hidden message?

Hopefully it means he's getting stronger and will rock in the final week

 

[IMA]

Re:

So if Albero wouldn't have work so much, he would have won on Formigal. Is this the hidden message?

"The hidden message" is that he only knows to ride like what he is. A true champion.

"We stayed all together a long way. You have to bear in mind that a stage on the 15th day, after such a hard start, is naturally going to have a lot of riders who are strong," De la Cruz said. "At the same time, everybody had something to get out of it, Omar Fraile was going for the mountains, so was Elissonde, then Tinkoff, Movistar and Cannondale, we all had something to gain. It was easy to collaborate.

"At first, seeing the intensity of the first kilometres, I thought it was going to be very tough, we could end up paying at the end of it, it was impossible to go so fast. But it was equally crazy fast behind, they were losing riders at the first. From about halfway on, I thought, this is going to stick. Contador was really interested, and he commands a lot of respect. Whenever he talks, people tend to listen and act as a unit . He talked to absolutely everybody, insisting that it could work out, he was really the guy who sorted things out in the first part of the stage,


I guess some people will keep thinking Quintana and Brambilla made the break. Of course Alberto was a mere witness and he was just fighting for the podium.