Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Today makes me wonder which methods Contador has for measuring his training records.

He beat everyone by 8s on the 2nd part of the TT. That's pretty huge.

I'm quite confident he just does a MTT on "his climb"
And if that's the case the 'better than ever' story suddenly makes sense

 

[Pennino]

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

 

[arvc40]

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Today makes me wonder which methods Contador has for measuring his training records.

He beat everyone by 8s on the 2nd part of the TT. That's pretty huge.

I'm quite confident he just does a MTT on "his climb"
And if that's the case the 'better than ever' story suddenly makes sense

Exactly. And this, unfortunately, leads him to claim too much from himself, covering his eyes

 

[Climber123]

Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

Agrees, he has a great chance there. Vuelta 2014 and Giro 2015 repeat?

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

If only the Tour had 21 mountain TTs... He would win by ten minutes... He was so much faster (again) than anyone on the climb today... No wonder he is so optimistic before any race. This is how he does his mountain tests. And I bet the times are fantastic. But the endurance is there no longer... I cannot find any other explanation. He was 12 or 13 seconds faster than Froome in the second sector (with the climb). That is massive...

https://twitter.com/velofacts/status/888783102604185600

I totally agree. He goes out and does testing and it's Wow I can beat them all. But he tires late as we've seen multiple times this tour.

I'd like to see him go rest and build for a Giro/Vuelta next year. If he wins the Giro; Retire!!!

He has form now, go do the Vuelta! The route suits him perfectly.

But then if he wins he should Retire! My way we get him for next year.....

 

[arvc40]

Tour needs Contador !!!!! Encourage him to try again I say !.

 

[Climber123]

Re:

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

No way a Tour podium is better than a Giro win. It's not even comparable in status.

 

[Pennino]

Re: Re:

Today makes me wonder which methods Contador has for measuring his training records.

He beat everyone by 8s on the 2nd part of the TT. That's pretty huge.

I'm quite confident he just does a MTT on "his climb"
And if that's the case the 'better than ever' story suddenly makes sense

Do you know he has ever simulated a GT in training, maybe during his ban, like Basso did during his, although he had 2 full years to do that (according to Di Luca's book he simulated 5 (!) GT's)? Maybe he should do that too. Behind a scooter.

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

If only the Tour had 21 mountain TTs... He would win by ten minutes... He was so much faster (again) than anyone on the climb today... No wonder he is so optimistic before any race. This is how he does his mountain tests. And I bet the times are fantastic. But the endurance is there no longer... I cannot find any other explanation. He was 12 or 13 seconds faster than Froome in the second sector (with the climb). That is massive...

https://twitter.com/velofacts/status/888783102604185600

I totally agree. He goes out and does testing and it's Wow I can beat them all. But he tires late as we've seen multiple times this tour.

I'd like to see him go rest and build for a Giro/Vuelta next year. If he wins the Giro; Retire!!!

He has form now, go do the Vuelta! The route suits him perfectly.

But then if he wins he should Retire! My way we get him for next year.....

I agree with that, winning the Vuelta this year and retiring would be epic. Go out at the top, the field at the Vuelta will be weak except for Froome and Nibali. Try again!

 

[Gigs_98]

After this tour suddenly really everything makes sense. I remember seeing an interview a few weeks before the Dauphine where he was asked how his shape is compared to other years. You could see that he was uncertain about that question but said that he thinks his numbers are good enough to compete for the win in the tdf. Back then I expected it to be a typical lie for his sponsors but now I really think that he himself was misled by his training numbers since he was as strong es ever when he trained but he already noticed that in the races he couldn't really show the shape he had in short training efforts.

 

[Pennino]

Re: Re:

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

No way a Tour podium is better than a Giro win. It's not even comparable in status.

And on top of that, what does Contador have to prove against Froome? Froome will never be as great as Contador was in his absolute prime. Contador is pure class, poetry, grinta, a lion heart, a true champ.

Froome's legacy will always be linked with some high-tech science nerdy stuff. 0,1% gain here, 0,1% gain there. He's a funny guy, a good lad, but unfortunately just not even close to a great champion in European style.

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

No way a Tour podium is better than a Giro win. It's not even comparable in status.

IMO Tour podium trumps it. Uran and Bardet will both target Tour next year, same reason. Froome has shown zero interest in Giro. As far as winning is concerned any rider would swap a Giro/Spain for a Tour

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

No way a Tour podium is better than a Giro win. It's not even comparable in status.

IMO Tour podium trumps it. Uran and Bardet will both target Tour next year, same reason. Froome has shown zero interest in Giro. As far as winning is concerned any rider would swap a Giro/Spain for a Tour

Of course any rider would swap a Giro or Vuelta win for a Tour win. No one would swap a Giro or Vuelta win for a Tour podium.

 

[Gigs_98]

There might be a few years in which a tour podium is harder to achieve than a giro win but that doesn't mean it's more prestigious.

 

[Matteo.]

Well said again laflo.

 

[LaFlorecita]

After this tour suddenly really everything makes sense. I remember seeing an interview a few weeks before the Dauphine where he was asked how his shape is compared to other years. You could see that he was uncertain about that question but said that he thinks his numbers are good enough to compete for the win in the tdf. Back then I expected it to be a typical lie for his sponsors but now I really think that he himself was misled by his training numbers since he was as strong es ever when he trained but he already noticed that in the races he couldn't really show the shape he had in short training efforts.

Yeah. I really hope he and his trainers will realize this as well, it probably can't be countered completely but maybe a part of it can be countered by training. It just explains everything and as you say now suddenly his uncertainty before the race makes sense, his training data didn't match his performance and hasn't for a while.

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

No way a Tour podium is better than a Giro win. It's not even comparable in status.

IMO Tour podium trumps it. Uran and Bardet will both target Tour next year, same reason. Froome has shown zero interest in Giro. As far as winning is concerned any rider would swap a Giro/Spain for a Tour

Of course any rider would swap a Giro or Vuelta win for a Tour win. No one would swap a Giro or Vuelta win for a Tour podium.

Tour win>Giro/Vuelta win>Tour podium>Giro/Vuelta podium.

 

[Climber123]

After this tour suddenly really everything makes sense. I remember seeing an interview a few weeks before the Dauphine where he was asked how his shape is compared to other years. You could see that he was uncertain about that question but said that he thinks his numbers are good enough to compete for the win in the tdf. Back then I expected it to be a typical lie for his sponsors but now I really think that he himself was misled by his training numbers since he was as strong es ever when he trained but he already noticed that in the races he couldn't really show the shape he had in short training efforts.

Yeah. I really hope he and his trainers will realize this as well, it probably can't be countered completely but maybe a part of it can be countered by training. It just explains everything and as you say now suddenly his uncertainty before the race makes sense, his training data didn't match his performance and hasn't for a while.

At least we know his engine is still certified to factory HP

 

[Valv.Piti]

After this tour suddenly really everything makes sense. I remember seeing an interview a few weeks before the Dauphine where he was asked how his shape is compared to other years. You could see that he was uncertain about that question but said that he thinks his numbers are good enough to compete for the win in the tdf. Back then I expected it to be a typical lie for his sponsors but now I really think that he himself was misled by his training numbers since he was as strong es ever when he trained but he already noticed that in the races he couldn't really show the shape he had in short training efforts.

Yeah. I really hope he and his trainers will realize this as well, it probably can't be countered completely but maybe a part of it can be countered by training. It just explains everything and as you say now suddenly his uncertainty before the race makes sense, his training data didn't match his performance and hasn't for a while.

Tbh that has always been kind of a weakness, even in his greatest year, it has just been more obvious now. He absolutely annihilated fields on easier courses, Verbier, Montagne de Lure, Mende etc. etc., but had some trouble, for example in LGB in 2009 (I dont think he could drop Schleck like on Verbier), Gardeccia in 2011 (he lost a lot in the end, despite he was the best still - he was just that much better than everybody else still), Galibier 2011.

 

[Carols]

Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

3 GTs in a row is a lot to ask of a 35 year old.... Tour, Vuelta, Giro. Especially since he is looking tired and lacking endurance in this one.

 

[iGROTROn]

Top10
1.Froome 28:21 +0
2.Contador 28:36 +15
3.Uran 28:46 +25
4.Landa 29:06 +45
5.Barguil 29:24 +1:03
6.Aru 29:31 +1:10
7.Yates 29:49 +1:30
8.Meintjes 29:49 +1:30
9.Martin 30:07 +1:46
10.Bardet 30:18 +1:53


I didnt expect that incredible cycling from Alberto. today

 

[Pennino]

After this tour suddenly really everything makes sense. I remember seeing an interview a few weeks before the Dauphine where he was asked how his shape is compared to other years. You could see that he was uncertain about that question but said that he thinks his numbers are good enough to compete for the win in the tdf. Back then I expected it to be a typical lie for his sponsors but now I really think that he himself was misled by his training numbers since he was as strong es ever when he trained but he already noticed that in the races he couldn't really show the shape he had in short training efforts.

Yeah. I really hope he and his trainers will realize this as well, it probably can't be countered completely but maybe a part of it can be countered by training. It just explains everything and as you say now suddenly his uncertainty before the race makes sense, his training data didn't match his performance and hasn't for a while.

Let's hope that. This man has still more class in his little toe alone than all of the guys that finished above him together except Froome. Maybe, when just riding like Bardet or Uran, he could have easily made the top 5 (considering his time losses due to the crashes would happen the same), but then he and us prefer this cracking attacking any day above just following the Sky train.

 

[arvc40]

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

 

[Pennino]

Re:

Top10
1.Froome 28:21 +0
2.Contador 28:36 +15
3.Uran 28:46 +25
4.Landa 29:06 +45
5.Barguil 29:24 +1:03
6.Aru 29:31 +1:10
7.Yates 29:49 +1:30
8.Meintjes 29:49 +1:30
9.Martin 30:07 +1:46
10.Bardet 30:18 +1:53


I didnt expect that incredible cycling from Alberto. today

To be fair, who you'd have expected to procede him out of these? Maybe an astonishing Uran, but all the rest are very mediocre ITT''ists.