Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I could not help but notice this ridiculous post in the CN comments section

"I like the idea of Contador riding the Giro but it depends upon the level of competition. If the level is as high as this year he is better off riding a race he can be competitive in like the Tour of California.

Regardless, he should focus on the Vuelta. While Contador has never been able to compete with the top echelon of riders when they are in top form he has shown the ability to keep a high level of riding all year. Subsequently, he has made a career out of riding against weaker, tired and out of form riders in the Vuelta. This should still be his focus rather than his annual crusade hoping to get a top 7 to 15 placement at the Tour. Mollema has fulfilled that role the last 8 years much better than Contador as Mollema has actually been relevant in the race. Trek should focus on Mollema and Pantano."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dauphine-guercilena-keen-to-keep-contador-as-he-builds-for-2018/

One of the funniest comments I've read in a while.

Literally only finished outside the top 5 once

At 22 years!

That post really reminds me of a poster on here, who has been posting a bit after a break of several years, most of their posts are troll posts about Contador going for a place between 5 and 10 at the Tour.
Would not be surprised if it's the same person

 

[LaFlorecita]

Interesting article though.

Guercilena is keen to keep the Spaniard and the feedback from inside the team is that the rider's wealth of experience on the bike – and with other manufactures – is a huge positive for their development.

There is no shortage of riders on the market and that doesn't exclude Contador. The Spaniard may be 34 but he has already indicated that he will carry on 2018 and the Giro d'Italia will almost certainly be his main focus next season. One rumour at the Dauphine is that he will retire after the race but the most likely situation is that he will race the full season. Trek are keen for him to race until the end of 2018. Either way, Guercilena is keen on retaining the Spaniard.

So there is a rumor going around at the Dauphiné that Berto will retire after the '18 Giro? Tbh, I'd expect him to do the Vuelta as a farewell.

 

[TheYouyou7]

Hmmmm... I hope he'll reconsider if he wins TDF.

 

[Singer01]

If he does stay on next year, i hope he is competitive in all 3 (assuming he does Tour, Giro, Vuelta) and wins at least 1 of them (i'd take that right now if offered).

 

[Valv.Piti]

Bertie hasn't cared much for the Vuelta anyways, so I wouldn't be surprised

 

[Red Rick]

Honestly if Contador wins it's the scenario in which him retiring seems the most probable.

I don't think Contador has had that big a sample size of post Tour seasons where he showed he didn't really care about the Vuelta. Only 3 years where it would've been a possibility, which were his 3 Tour wins, but the first one I can really understand it, and for 2010 clinic story had already come out.

I do think he hasn't had a particular affiliation with the Vuelta unlike many other Spaniards have had, but I think that's also had to do with him winning his first GT at the biggest stage already, and he's had nothing but good experiences riding the Giro.

Honestly, if I were the Vuelta I would throw the extremely obvious bone and have a stage finish (or go all out and penultimate day TT) in Pinto. Throw Contador that bone.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

Honestly if Contador wins it's the scenario in which him retiring seems the most probable.

I don't think Contador has had that big a sample size of post Tour seasons where he showed he didn't really care about the Vuelta. Only 3 years where it would've been a possibility, which were his 3 Tour wins, but the first one I can really understand it, and for 2010 clinic story had already come out.

I do think he hasn't had a particular affiliation with the Vuelta unlike many other Spaniards have had, but I think that's also had to do with him winning his first GT at the biggest stage already, and he's had nothing but good experiences riding the Giro.

Honestly, if I were the Vuelta I would throw the extremely obvious bone and have a stage finish (or go all out and penultimate day TT) in Pinto. Throw Contador that bone.

Bola del mundo would be a nice MTF on stage 20.

 

[Jelantik]

“We tried different materials. Trek is always working very well with this, and we made changes in the last moment, and today it felt a little strange, but we still have three weeks before the Tour.”

Contador used a modified handlebar setup that put him in a different aero position. The adjustments could be crucial for him to defend or perhaps even gain time against rivals in the Tour.

I thought he looked uncomfortable during ITT. No wonder, he looked like he was stretched out on his TT bike the other day.

 

[rghysens]

So there is a rumor going around at the Dauphiné that Berto will retire after the '18 Giro? Tbh, I'd expect him to do the Vuelta as a farewell.

Or even better: WC + Lombardia and winning both

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Honestly if Contador wins it's the scenario in which him retiring seems the most probable.

I don't think Contador has had that big a sample size of post Tour seasons where he showed he didn't really care about the Vuelta. Only 3 years where it would've been a possibility, which were his 3 Tour wins, but the first one I can really understand it, and for 2010 clinic story had already come out.

I do think he hasn't had a particular affiliation with the Vuelta unlike many other Spaniards have had, but I think that's also had to do with him winning his first GT at the biggest stage already, and he's had nothing but good experiences riding the Giro.

Honestly, if I were the Vuelta I would throw the extremely obvious bone and have a stage finish (or go all out and penultimate day TT) in Pinto. Throw Contador that bone.

In 2009 he was mentally broken after the drama with Lance; and Vino's return to the team in August didn't help. The clinic story in 2010 was made public after the Vuelta. IIRC his and Mosquera's adverse test results were announced the same day. But looking at how he finished the last ITT in that Tour, it was obvious he wasn't at his finest form to ride another GT.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah, lets not discount the fact that its a mountanious WC as well next year, altho I doubt how much he fancies his chances if at all in a one day race. No matter what, it would be nice of Contador to attend the Vuelta as he is Spanish after all.

 

[Red Rick]

I wonder what WC route it would take for Contador to get his own chance in a one day race besides Valverde.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

I wonder what WC route it would take for Contador to get his own chance in a one day race besides Valverde.

The type that there will never be. Extremely mountainous with a MTF.

 

[lenric]

______/\___/---\--/ (not hilly, obv)

(Don't know how to do it better, but I think my reasoning is understandable)

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

I wonder what WC route it would take for Contador to get his own chance in a one day race besides Valverde.

The type that there will never be. Extremely mountainous with a MTF.

That would finish in a sprint between Contador and Landa.

 

[Red Rick]

I really don't understand where the Contador sprint meme is coming from. It's not unusual for small climbers to not be able to sprint.

 

[movingtarget]

Most climbers can't sprint on the flat and even on a slope apart from Rodriguez, Evans and Valverde there hasn't been isn't many good ones in recent times. TJVG can't sprint but good enough to beat Landa ! Thomas, Froome, Rolland,Nibali,Contador and Wiggins can't sprint. Porte is terrible which is why he wins on the break all the time. The only exception really is Valverde at the moment and Martin. Valverde has a real advantage with time bonuses if he is climbing well. Quintana seems to be sprinting better than he used to. Mountain sprints are more about strength not speed and Valverde has both. Sanchez also used to have a good sprint for a climber. Bardet and Pinot are not too bad but not against Valverde. Froome could sometimes egg beat away from tired riders sometimes close to the finish, whether that is a sprint or a late break when he never gets out of the seat I don't know. Not elegant but effective.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Berto has had some decent sprint results in Catalunya in the past, but yeah, he isn't a great sprinter. I guess he isn't much worse than the average climber though.

 

[Netserk]

I doubt Alberto will ever win a sprint like this:

Nibali and Froome both have a far better sprint than Bert.

 

[LaFlorecita]

"He isn't much worse than the average climber" why would he have to win a sprint?

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=25732
6th of 34 ahead of some sprinty types even

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=25734
2nd of a group of 27 climby/GC types

I'm also convinced we usually see him struggle to even keep the wheel of the riders sprinting for the stage because of burning too many matches during the stage
Obviously he's no Valverde but if he's still rather fresh and is well positioned + picks the right wheel, he can finish decently. We even saw Quintana finish 2nd in a GC sprint this Giro, all while staying in Pinot's and later Jungels' slipstream.

 

[Netserk]

Sorry, I should have quoted movingtarget ("Thomas, Froome, Rolland,Nibali,Contador and Wiggins can't sprint.")

 

[Valv.Piti]

Theres a difference about sprinting ftw compared to finishing 2nd in a bunch sprinting for 6th, that rather comes down to positioning and actually wanting to sprint (for whatever reason).

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Sorry, I should have quoted movingtarget ("Thomas, Froome, Rolland,Nibali,Contador and Wiggins can't sprint.")

No problem I actually had Wiggins in the back of my mind thinking he probably did win some but not in memory ! Most track riders have some sprinting ability even pursuiters. Dennis has won sprints but I wouldn't regard him as much of a climber not elite anyway.

 

[Scarponi]

This is like asking why Marcel Kittel doesn't finish 20th on Monte Zoncolon

 

[Red Rick]

He's led a group home a few times, but unless its uphill and aerobic fatigue plays a role, he's not very good. When the sprint is longer (Vincenza, 2015) he does ok.