Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[rune1107]

Will be interesting to see how Froome is doing in DL next week. Hopefully he won't tear everything apart, and we will have a great duel on one of the MT stages. Do I have bad memory or would Contador take it easy in DL and only focus on a stage or two?

 

[bob.a.feet]

This Tour has a start which kinda suits Contador. The past few years he's already been down a few minutes before the mountains even start, but with a time trial to start he might be in a good position. The problem for Contador recently seems to be the first week, you never now what could happen to him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Will be interesting to see how Froome is doing in DL next week. Hopefully he won't tear everything apart, and we will have a great duel on one of the MT stages. Do I have bad memory or would Contador take it easy in DL and only focus on a stage or two?

No you don't; yes that's what he said

 

[bob.a.feet]

Will be interesting to see how Froome is doing in DL next week. Hopefully he won't tear everything apart, and we will have a great duel on one of the MT stages. Do I have bad memory or would Contador take it easy in DL and only focus on a stage or two?

No you don't; yes that's what he said

Hope he focuses on the Alpe

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Bardet has been crappy all year long, but if he finds his legs again (and he has another motivation this year with Pinot's Giro 4th place) he may be a considerable wild car.

I really don't think so. While Bardet is a nice and attacking rider, he doesn't (and never will) have the top-level that you need to win Tour de France in my book. And his TT is horrible.

That one made me laugh so hard . I could picture Alexandre reading it .

With regards to Bardet, if the other contenders don't want to take their responsibilities, he will. He doesn't hold back.

On topic, stage 9 should shuffle the cards in a big way. I can't imagine it to be raced defensively. This stage has Contador written all over it. Biche is very hard. Sky may control what's left of the peloton. But Froome's doms can't help him in the GC via Virieu if attacks take place. Then MDC via Yenne...there will be huge gaps. I could see Contador in yellow on rest day.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Interesting lineup, doesn't really make it much easier to figure out who will be on the Tour team! You'd think we'd have to add Degenkolb, De Kort, Pantano, Felline, Mollema and Brändle which means (at least) 5 of these riders will not be at the Tour. I don't see Jesus or Beppu being selected for the Tour but that still leaves 3 more to count out.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Having seen the full parcours I'd go for limited mountain support. Take Pantano to launch Berto, Zubeldia to pull on the front of a group for ages, and Gogl and Felline as "allrounders". Then ideally no Degenkolb but Rast, Brändle, Irizar and Theuns. Of course, Mollema, Degenkolb and most likely De Kort will surely be at the TDF which will leave Berto with a less than optimal team.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Just like the Giro the TTs will be important with only one ITT plus the TTT and the mountain stages don't look especially hard compared to other years. Depending on Froome's form this could be another very close race with the top five riders.

What TTT?

My mistake. I thought it was a TTT but it's a prologue, quite a long prologue, a pretty good one for some like Valverde but not so good for Porte or Froome who would have preferred longer. Also another 100 km novelty stage. Seems to be quite a different course this year. I guess the TT kms will blow out again next year just in time for Dumoulin to appear. This looks to be a better course for Quintana while the Giro looked better for Froome. The Tour looks to be a pretty good course for Contador as well with a few tricky stages where there is plenty of climbing but no MTF.

 

[yaco]

Re:

Having seen the full parcours I'd go for limited mountain support. Take Pantano to launch Berto, Zubeldia to pull on the front of a group for ages, and Gogl and Felline as "allrounders". Then ideally no Degenkolb but Rast, Brändle, Irizar and Theuns. Of course, Mollema, Degenkolb and most likely De Kort will surely be at the TDF which will leave Berto with a less than optimal team.

Your idea is fine and will fit in with Degenkolb's sprint ambitions - You could go Contador, Pantano,Zubeldia, Gogl, Felline, Degenkolb, De Kort, Rast and Irizar - All these riders can provide utility on mountainous days and have the strength to be involved in set piece breakaways - Team doesn't need Mollema.

 

[Red Rick]

I honestly like Contador's chances for GC better than Degenkolbs in these sprints.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Saw this in the TDF favorites' form ranking CN posted today

Well rested and motivated, he heads to another Dauphiné where he will look to take on Porte and Chris Froome for the top step on the podium. Last year Contador started brightly, wining the opening prologue at Les Gets before being pushed off the podium in the mountains but this year he will be looking for a consistently strong performance in which he starts on the front foot and maintains that level all the way through.

Was this written by one of the posters on here that seem to be able to read his mind?

 

[yaco]

Re:

I honestly like Contador's chances for GC better than Degenkolbs in these sprints.

Some of the so-called sprint stages may in fact be closer to classic type stages which will give degenkolb a chance - Though he'll have tough competition.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

meh, I believe he can do it. Why not. It's not like he's Noval

 

[Pennino]

Re:

Having seen the full parcours I'd go for limited mountain support. Take Pantano to launch Berto, Zubeldia to pull on the front of a group for ages, and Gogl and Felline as "allrounders". Then ideally no Degenkolb but Rast, Brändle, Irizar and Theuns. Of course, Mollema, Degenkolb and most likely De Kort will surely be at the TDF which will leave Berto with a less than optimal team.

Overthought it a bit and I totally agree with you. Let's hope Degenkolb at least can be also supportive for Berto, otherwise it's just a thrown away spot together with De Kort.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

Having seen the full parcours I'd go for limited mountain support. Take Pantano to launch Berto, Zubeldia to pull on the front of a group for ages, and Gogl and Felline as "allrounders". Then ideally no Degenkolb but Rast, Brändle, Irizar and Theuns. Of course, Mollema, Degenkolb and most likely De Kort will surely be at the TDF which will leave Berto with a less than optimal team.

Overthought it a bit and I totally agree with you. Let's hope Degenkolb at least can be also supportive for Berto, otherwise it's just a thrown away spot together with De Kort.

If I was Trek I'd just don't give Degenkolb any rider who only rides for him. There is not one single stage this year which really suits him and I don't think he has any chance in flat sprints against Cav, Kittel, Greipel and even guys like Sagan. He hasn't won a tdf stage in years in which he had shown great sprinting shape in spring, so I don't see why he could suddenly beat these guys in a year in which he hasn't had a good shape so far. De Kort can still be part of the team but if Contador needs him he should work for him and not for Degenkolb.
In my opinion the remaining six riders of the team should be Pantano, Zubeldia, Mollema, Felline, Theuns and Brändle.
Pantano, as his "leadout man" if he wants to attack, Zubeldia simply because he should be able to stay with the peloton in the mountains pretty long and Mollema because on a good day this guy is one of the strongest climbers in the world (ofc he has the giro in his legs but a guy who was the only one who could follow Porte and Froome on the Ventoux could be an incredible helper). Felline is one of the best allrounders in the peloton and should be useful both on mountain and flat stages, and Theuns and Brändle as helpers for flat stages. I think that should be a relatively balanced team

 

[Red Rick]

For those who see dark times in cycling after The Great One retires, a worthy successor is on his way

https://imgur.com/jz0Xlxc

 

[bajbar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LalJ_sALzkU

Here is a short video posted on Contador's youtube today. Basically explaining how his training is going, who is going to the Tour with him and how he will take on the Dauphine.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re:

For those who see dark times in cycling after The Great One retires, a worthy successor is on his way

https://imgur.com/jz0Xlxc

Thank God, I was worried I'd have no one to cheer for

 

[lenric]

He should keep the beard. But I guess there's some aerodynamic reason for him not to do it.

 

[TheYouyou7]

I'm a bit worried that he's having a 'test" approach to this TDF...

 

[Climber123]

I'm a bit worried that he's having a 'test" approach to this TDF...

I like this relaxed approach.

 

[LanLions]

Sounds to me as if he's taking a similar approach to what Nibali did in 2014 - Slightly lacking when Contador and Froome turned it on in the Dauphine, then fine tuning in an intense training camp, before having a super-peak in July. Such an approach is probably his only chance and he knows it. His age means that he needs to be as fresh as possible.

 

[Red Rick]

Have to say that the old approach didn't seem good enough anymore. Might as well try a different one.

 

[TheYouyou7]

Well, he could've gone with the same approach as in 2014 and 2016

 

[Climber123]

Well, he could've gone with the same approach as in 2014 and 2016

2016 seemed a bit desperate, I could be wrong.