Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Arredondo]

F***, F***, F***. 2 seconds But what a show! I'm glad he still has the panache, bravery and stamina to go from 52km+ out to try to take it all. This is why he'll always be remembered in the annuals of the sport as a great champion while Henao winning one PN will be soon forgotten.

Why handing a sneer to Henao? He fought really hard to win this PN. When he was dropped with 50 km to go, i thought his chances were zero to win this bike race anymore. Hats off to him that he was able to turn things around.

No need to downplay his riding to upgrading Alberto's riding. Both did a tremendous job. Lovely stage!

 

[Matteo.]

As he always says, that's cycling. Anyway this result gives confidence ahead of PV and why not TdF

 

[Scarponi]

Re: Re:

A rider in the break, anyone would have been perfect

Yeah. Tactical mistake by Trek not to send anyone. It would likely have changed the outcome in the end. But I'm just not sure anyone (except for Pantano) could really have made it to the break today. The rest of the team has not been looking too good in the mouintains.

Yeah only hamair theoretically could have climbed but he wouldn't have been strong that flat between climbs where Contador struggled the most

 

[Forever The Best]

And Catalunya has a TTT of 41(!) km

 

[perico]

Legend.

Also, this team continues to impress. Haven't seen Alberto with a teammate that strong on a climb since Roman in 2013. With Mollema, Pantano, Zubeldia, Felline, it's much stronger than any of the alternatives he had when he signed with Trek.

 

[rune1107]

Words can't describe the disappointment. Seems like he looses every race he's in with 2". In these late stages of his career, a P-N win is huge. Sadly, it just doesn't seem to work out in his favor the last couple of seasons. Let's hope it changes for the better in Catalunya!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Legend.

Also, this team continues to impress. Haven't seen Alberto with a teammate that strong on a climb since Roman in 2013. With Mollema, Pantano, Zubeldia, Felline, it's much stronger than any of the alternatives he had when he signed with Trek.

Not really. His Tinkoff teams from 2014 and 2015 were also stronger, especially from 2014 - they just never really get to show it for whatever reason. The team from 2014 with Roche and especially Majka and Rogers (who both were extremely good) would be scary in the mountains with a fit Contador.

 

[Netserk]

At the top of Eze, I was searching for images from Return of the King

 

[Scarponi]

Legend.

Also, this team continues to impress. Haven't seen Alberto with a teammate that strong on a climb since Roman in 2013. With Mollema, Pantano, Zubeldia, Felline, it's much stronger than any of the alternatives he had when he signed with Trek.

Not really. His Tinkoff teams from 2014 and 2015 were also stronger, especially from 2014 - they just never really get to show it for whatever reason. The team from 2014 with Roche and especially Majka and Rogers (who both were extremely good) would be scary in the mountains with a fit Contador.

Rojers in hindsight was an amazing team mate

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

All those 2nd places he's so unlucky, things never go his way
At the top of Eze I really believed he could do it
And again he would have won if he'd managed to win the stage. With 1.5km to go it looked good.
In the interview he was close to tears

 

[AlexNYC]

I can't understand people who want him to retire. Even at his age, he's stronger than 98% of his peers. Stages like today's would not happen without Contador in them.

 

[lenric]

Chapeau to Contador. Riders like him and Nibali are needed. Risk-takers.

Too bad he's declining, but it still was a great move.

I highly doubt he will win this year's TDF however, or la Vuelta, but I honestly hope he ends his career with a GT win.

 

[perico]

Legend.

Also, this team continues to impress. Haven't seen Alberto with a teammate that strong on a climb since Roman in 2013. With Mollema, Pantano, Zubeldia, Felline, it's much stronger than any of the alternatives he had when he signed with Trek.

Not really. His Tinkoff teams from 2014 and 2015 were also stronger, especially from 2014 - they just never really get to show it for whatever reason. The team from 2014 with Roche and especially Majka and Rogers (who both were extremely good) would be scary in the mountains with a fit Contador.

Yes on 2014. At the same time, we saw how incredibly bad they could also be at the 2015 Giro. When's the last time we saw one of Cobtador's teammates overtake the Skybot train? 2015 Ruta del Sol with precancer Basso?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Pantano <3

 

[Carols]

F***, F***, F***. 2 seconds But what a show! I'm glad he still has the panache, bravery and stamina to go from 52km+ out to try to take it all. This is why he'll always be remembered in the annuals of the sport as a great champion while Henao winning one PN will be soon forgotten.

Why handing a sneer to Henao? He fought really hard to win this PN. When he was dropped with 50 km to go, i thought his chances were zero to win this bike race anymore. Hats off to him that he was able to turn things around.

No need to downplay his riding to upgrading Alberto's riding. Both did a tremendous job. Lovely stage!

Do you really think anyone will remember who won PN 50 years from now? I should have said Winner and not mentioned the name..... EDITTED original post.

 

[DFA123]

Great ride from Contador today - with some nice assistance from de la Cruz. Just faded slightly too much in the run in. He may well have won if he attacked with 25km to go instead of 50km; after all, he had nearly a minute lead after the first 25km of the break - but I guess he wasn't to know that Henao was as vulnerable as he was.

Still, made for a very entertaining race and I guess today's work will have done more to give him form and sharpness than probably all his other racing days put together so far this season.

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

Re: Re:

All those 2nd places he's so unlucky, things never go his way
At the top of Eze I really believed he could do it
And again he would have won if he'd managed to win the stage. With 1.5km to go it looked good.
In the interview he was close to tears

yep. I watched that interview and I also think I saw him very close to tears. Tears of frustration. He tried to fool us into not seeing that by saying the right words. I'm so sad for him too.

He's very close to burning out. I'd say he has to take his pedal off the gas, at least until July, to avoid mental/physical breakdown.

 

[yaco]

Contador was philosophical in the interview and hardly close to tears.

 

[rune1107]

Re: Re:

All those 2nd places he's so unlucky, things never go his way
At the top of Eze I really believed he could do it
And again he would have won if he'd managed to win the stage. With 1.5km to go it looked good.
In the interview he was close to tears

yep. I watched that interview and I also think I saw him very close to tears. Tears of frustration. He tried to fool us into not seeing that by saying the right words. I'm so sad for him too.

He's very close to burning out. I'd say he has to take his pedal off the gas, at least until July, to avoid mental/physical breakdown.

What is this based on? It's only his second race of the season, in which he is the captain, and he is already breaking down mentally? Of course he was disappointed today, and rightfully so after being so close to winning both the stage and the GC. It is completely natural to be emotional after such a performance, but without the payout. This however is not an indication of breaking down mentally. He probably has the strongest mindset in the entire peloton, and will have his entire focus on Catalunya by tomorrow. That is what makes him special, and still capable of pulling off a stunt like todays, at the age of 34.

 

[Pantani_lives]

The only thing more painful than a defeat is a moral victory.

 

[Red Rick]

Anyway. Form doesn't seem worse than last year. Last 2 stages of PN turned out very similar to last year, and I think the only difference is that the group didn't get back together before the Col d'Eze

 

[Gigs_98]

Which gc contenders will ride Catalunya? Maybe he'll at least win that race.

 

[rune1107]

Which gc contenders will ride Catalunya? Maybe he'll at least win that race.

I believe these are the main rivals for him: Valverde, Froome, Zakarin, Adam Yates, Majka, Fuglsang

 

[Gigs_98]

Which gc contenders will ride Catalunya? Maybe he'll at least win that race.

I believe these are the main rivals for him: Valverde, Froome, Zakarin, Adam Yates, Majka, Fuglsang

Will Quintana ride? He also did in his preparation for the giro 2014.
Anyway I think Contador should be the favorite. Trek also has some very good riders for the TTT so I hope that won't be a big problem either.

 

[rune1107]

Which gc contenders will ride Catalunya? Maybe he'll at least win that race.

I believe these are the main rivals for him: Valverde, Froome, Zakarin, Adam Yates, Majka, Fuglsang

Will Quintana ride? He also did in his preparation for the giro 2014.
Anyway I think Contador should be the favorite. Trek also has some very good riders for the TTT so I hope that won't be a big problem either.

No, Quintana won't ride. Yeah I guess he is the favorite, but it will be interesting to see how Froome is doing. Other than him, I don't see who should challenge Alberto, especially if he Trek rides a good TTT