Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[movingtarget]

Re:

Hopefully Felline's main task this season isn't to help Contador. He's much better than that.

Well Contador probably won't ride the classics.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Just seen the startlist for Andalucia confirmed: Contador, Brandle, Cardoso, Felline, Hernandez, Irizar, Zubeldia. What do people think will be Felline's role will be in the race: a helper for Contador or given a free role to stage hunt, and maybe even try to go high in GC himself? If they could get him to buy into Contador's GC hopes this season then I think he could be a major asset - could be the equivalent of someone like Thomas. I thought they may be kept on separate sides of the team with Contador targetting GC in stage races and Felline targetting stages in different events, but it seems not. Rest of the team looks a bit on the old side, but it's not such a hard race so should be OK here.

Zubeldia still riding ? I thought he was retiring after last season.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Maybe Felline+Contador settle this in the morning just before Formigal... worked out GREAT!!

 

[thehook]

Have to disagree Flo. Brandle is the big Roulere. AC needs that at all times. RE:Tosato

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Have to disagree Flo. Brandle is the big Roulere. AC needs that at all times. RE:Tosato

I agree he will definitely be important but I don't think he's one of "Berto's boys"

 

[Gigs_98]

Will Felline even ride the tdf? I thought he'd maybe like to ride the 100th giro considering his nationality. And what about other riders in trek? Will Degenkolb ride the tour? He probably wants to but if he doesn't get good results he, as a 2nd class sprinter behind the likes of Kittel, Greipel and Cav, might only be a wasted spot in a team with a main gc contender.
Are Treks plans already known?

 

[thehook]

Re: Re:

Have to disagree Flo. Brandle is the big Roulere. AC needs that at all times. RE:Tosato

I agree he will definitely be important but I don't think he's one of "Berto's boys"

Agree, But IMHO. What AC needs is 2 mountain men who can get him in the right spot going up hill. Pantano? Bauke?
And a RED Guard. Big strong Rouler type. To shuttle him around. He had NONE of that at Tinkoff.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Re: Re:

Have to disagree Flo. Brandle is the big Roulere. AC needs that at all times. RE:Tosato

I agree he will definitely be important but I don't think he's one of "Berto's boys"

Agree, But IMHO. What AC needs is 2 mountain men who can get him in the right spot going up hill. Pantano? Bauke?
And a RED Guard. Big strong Rouler type. To shuttle him around. He had NONE of that at Tinkoff.

I am probably remembering this wrong but isn't that what Bennati and Sagan where for?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Benna and Toso, rather

 

[Publicus]

ac always had those types of folks around, the problem is ac tends to get lost at various times during stages. at least that's how it appears to me.

 

[LoSqualo]

What AC needs is just to have no bad luck this year in the preparation to the Tour and the first week itself. The lack of having a great team wasn't the main problem last year at all.

 

[Pennino]

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

 

[LoSqualo]

Re:

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

That's a bit harsh. Degenkolb can certainly win a mass sprint after a hard stage, I hope he won't have to work in those stages for Contador.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

That's a bit harsh. Degenkolb can certainly win a mass sprint after a hard stage, I hope he won't have to work in those stages for Contador.

Obviously. I highly doubt Degenkolb will have to work for Contador except in emergency situations.

 

[Pennino]

Re: Re:

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

That's a bit harsh. Degenkolb can certainly win a mass sprint after a hard stage, I hope he won't have to work in those stages for Contador.

Of course he will be a protected rider himself, but he could be extremely useful when the going gets tough on the flat or within the hills. And also by attacking for example. Such a rider is never a wasted spot on the team nor a dead weight to carry. Just by following Dege all stage long, who's following himself the domestiques on the flat, Contador will have the best company he could wish for. Just like the situation with Sagan. It was the weakness in the mountains what was annoying at Tinkoff.

 

[Matteo.]

Thursday will say much about his possibilities for this 2017.out of the top 5 I see it as a very bad signal

 

[LoSqualo]

Re:

Thursday will say much about his possibilities for this 2017.out of the top 5 I see it as a very bad signal

It's only a prep race man.

 

[LoSqualo]

Re: Re:

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

That's a bit harsh. Degenkolb can certainly win a mass sprint after a hard stage, I hope he won't have to work in those stages for Contador.

Of course he will be a protected rider himself, but he could be extremely useful when the going gets tough on the flat or within the hills. And also by attacking for example. Such a rider is never a wasted spot on the team nor a dead weight to carry. Just by following Dege all stage long, who's following himself the domestiques on the flat, Contador will have the best company he could wish for. Just like the situation with Sagan. It was the weakness in the mountains what was annoying at Tinkoff.

No, he had bad luck at the Tour, that was the problem. We'll never know of course but I'm sure that Majka, Kreuziger and Kiserlovski would have been of great/enough help in the mountains.

 

[kingjr]

Re: Re:

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

That's a bit harsh. Degenkolb can certainly win a mass sprint after a hard stage, I hope he won't have to work in those stages for Contador.

Obviously. I highly doubt Degenkolb will have to work for Contador except in emergency situations.

I think he will do so anyways on harder stages (that will not end in a sprint), for as long as he's capable.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Thursday will say much about his possibilities for this 2017.out of the top 5 I see it as a very bad signal

It's only a prep race man.

Of course, but in his best seasons he was always strong from the first race

 

[LoSqualo]

Re: Re:

Thursday will say much about his possibilities for this 2017.out of the top 5 I see it as a very bad signal

It's only a prep race man.

Of course, but in his best seasons he was always strong from the first race

True, and I think he will be this week as well. It's his first race for his new sponsor, teammates,.. so I think he wants to show himself.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Thursday will say much about his possibilities for this 2017.out of the top 5 I see it as a very bad signal

Out of top 2 would be a bad signal

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Thursday will say much about his possibilities for this 2017.out of the top 5 I see it as a very bad signal

Out of top 2 would be a bad signal

It kinda would..

 

[Pennino]

Re: Re:

And that is why Degenkolb can be a great ally for Alberto at the Tour. He has nothing to achieve in the pure sprint stages but even more to offer in terms of support of Contador and getting results in some stages as well.

That's a bit harsh. Degenkolb can certainly win a mass sprint after a hard stage, I hope he won't have to work in those stages for Contador.

Of course he will be a protected rider himself, but he could be extremely useful when the going gets tough on the flat or within the hills. And also by attacking for example. Such a rider is never a wasted spot on the team nor a dead weight to carry. Just by following Dege all stage long, who's following himself the domestiques on the flat, Contador will have the best company he could wish for. Just like the situation with Sagan. It was the weakness in the mountains what was annoying at Tinkoff.

No, he had bad luck at the Tour, that was the problem. We'll never know of course but I'm sure that Majka, Kreuziger and Kiserlovski would have been of great/enough help in the mountains.

Last Tour they had a decent squad indeed, too bad all this stuff happened. This Tour was made for him for Jesus sake :Neutral: . But in general, let's say the Giro 2015, Vuelta 2016, the other races that he aimed for, it wasn't all too great.

Ah, and forget about what I've said yesterday. He must show try to show something from the first day on.

 

[peloton]

I'm hearing he's already in good shape, should be great racing!

I just hope he (or anyone) won't crash