Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[perico]

The decisions he'll make in the next days are about whether he will ride the Tour in 2018, not about retiring it sounds like.

If I go back to the Tour de France we'll know in a while. Maybe, maybe not. Now we have to rest, rethink things and look for goals

http://www.esciclismo.com/ampliada.asp?Id=43112

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

This is what I feared at the start of the year hopefully if he wants to ride the Vuelta the team will agree to remove those races from his schedule

Do you really think they would send him here??? Count me In!!!

Well, apparently it's what the sponsors want and what was decided at the start of the year. Only issue: all North American races (besides Utah which Trek aren't invited to) are during the Vuelta...

The only semi-appropriate race here is the Colorado Classic 8/10-8/13. Trek is listed as attending. Colorado is a mere 3500KM away, but still much closer than Spain.

However I will be touring in Scotland and Ireland during that time period .

There are the 3 one day races in Canada during Sept. Good races but I can't see him being relevant in those.

 

[Carols]

The decisions he'll make in the next days are about whether he will ride the Tour in 2018, not about retiring it sounds like.

If I go back to the Tour de France we'll know in a while. Maybe, maybe not. Now we have to rest, rethink things and look for goals

http://www.esciclismo.com/ampliada.asp?Id=43112

Okay, say 'No' Alberto do the Giro and Vuelta next year!

 

[Red Rick]

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

The only semi-appropriate race here is the Colorado Classic 8/10-8/13. Trek is listed as attending. Colorado is a mere 3500KM away, but still much closer than Spain.

However I will be touring in Scotland and Ireland during that time period .

There are the 3 one day races in Canada during Sept. Good races but I can't see him being relevant in those.

I'm still not completely convinced riding the Vuelta would be the right decision, it takes a long time to recover from a GT let alone 2 in a row. But if he feels strong and wants to ride, Trek would be foolish to send him to across the pond instead. Surely him doing well in one of the biggest races is better exposure for sponsors than cruising around aimlessly in races only half a dozen people care about.
If he isn't completely certain about the Vuelta, then please just skip it and by all means he can go to America then.
And please - don't return to the Tour...

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

The only semi-appropriate race here is the Colorado Classic 8/10-8/13. Trek is listed as attending. Colorado is a mere 3500KM away, but still much closer than Spain.

However I will be touring in Scotland and Ireland during that time period .

There are the 3 one day races in Canada during Sept. Good races but I can't see him being relevant in those.

I'm still not completely convinced riding the Vuelta would be the right decision, it takes a long time to recover from a GT let alone 2 in a row. But if he feels strong and wants to ride, Trek would be foolish to send him to across the pond instead. Surely him doing well in one of the biggest races is better exposure for sponsors than cruising around aimlessly in races only half a dozen people care about.
If he isn't completely certain about the Vuelta, then please just skip it and by all means he can go to America then.
And please - don't return to the Tour...

He would be a real attraction over here. Colorado is the cycling hotbed of the US. He would probably draw a lot of attention.

I just hope he doesn't come to the US while I'm in Europe!!! Its just not fair!

Meanwhile he's going to rest and we'll see what decisions are made. By his team and by him. We still don't know if he has even signed a 2018 contract!

 

[Beech Mtn]

The decisions he'll make in the next days are about whether he will ride the Tour in 2018, not about retiring it sounds like.

If I go back to the Tour de France we'll know in a while. Maybe, maybe not. Now we have to rest, rethink things and look for goals

http://www.esciclismo.com/ampliada.asp?Id=43112

Okay, say 'No' Alberto do the Giro and Vuelta next year!

Agreed. No more damned Tour. No! Ride Giro/Vuelta only!

 

[Sciocco]

I'm torn, I can't to fly to Europe by the end of 2018 so if he came to the US I could probably make it happen. Would be nice to see Contador race live once before he retires...

Everything for the 2018 Giro though, I believe in the win.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It makes sense that the sponsors would want him at Colorado, if the alternative option is him not doing much of significance in Europe. The US is an extremely important market for a big bike company and Colorado is a core part of the US cycling world. However, if he really wants to do the Vuelta and is likely to have good form, the sponsors aren't going to stop him for the sake of Colorado. If US appearances by Contador were so important to them that they'd actually overrule him going to the Vuelta, then they'd have scheduled Utah too.

From Trek's point of view: (a good) Contador at the Vuelta > Contador at Colorado > Contador twiddling his thumbs

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

He said if he goes to the Vuelta, he's going for the win.

Of course he is, he is Alberto Contador! Link please?

“In the team there are various interests. We also have good sprinters so the compatibility isn’t always perfect,” he said. “If I go to the Vuelta, I’d want to go to try and win it.”

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-eyes-vuelta-a-espana-after-tour-disappointment/

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

The only semi-appropriate race here is the Colorado Classic 8/10-8/13. Trek is listed as attending. Colorado is a mere 3500KM away, but still much closer than Spain.

However I will be touring in Scotland and Ireland during that time period .

There are the 3 one day races in Canada during Sept. Good races but I can't see him being relevant in those.

I'm still not completely convinced riding the Vuelta would be the right decision, it takes a long time to recover from a GT let alone 2 in a row. But if he feels strong and wants to ride, Trek would be foolish to send him to across the pond instead. Surely him doing well in one of the biggest races is better exposure for sponsors than cruising around aimlessly in races only half a dozen people care about.
If he isn't completely certain about the Vuelta, then please just skip it and by all means he can go to America then.
And please - don't return to the Tour...

He would be a real attraction over here. Colorado is the cycling hotbed of the US. He would probably draw a lot of attention.

I just hope he doesn't come to the US while I'm in Europe!!! Its just not fair!

Meanwhile he's going to rest and we'll see what decisions are made. By his team and by him. We still don't know if he has even signed a 2018 contract!

well, I can tell you Colorado is a heaven for cyclist. If he shows up here, it's going to be good exposure for the sponsor for sure, since cycling is very popular here. One thing though, racing in Colorado means racing in altitude most of the time. You've already started in altitude and you'll be racing in altitude. That's quiet an adjustment for sea level people.

 

[gregrowlerson]

The decisions he'll make in the next days are about whether he will ride the Tour in 2018, not about retiring it sounds like.

If I go back to the Tour de France we'll know in a while. Maybe, maybe not. Now we have to rest, rethink things and look for goals

http://www.esciclismo.com/ampliada.asp?Id=43112

Okay, say 'No' Alberto do the Giro and Vuelta next year!

Agreed. No more damned Tour. No! Ride Giro/Vuelta only!

My thoughts on AC's potential thinking about doing the Tour again next year.

"I went in a little undercooked with far from peak form at the Dauphne, and given what happened on stage 9, this was a mistake. Plus of course those crashes effected me somewhat.

In the Pyrenees I wasn't too bad. I only had to hold on for half a km more on the Perysourde, and then have a little strength left for the final kick up to the line, and I would have been okay. I wouldn't have gone with the leaders, but I might have been there or thereabouts with Froome.

You saw my strength on the short stage the next day. Given that Landa was with me, that still would have been allowed to happen, well, so long as I wasn't ahead of Mikel on gc.

Anyway, in the Alps my legs were good. I could have rode with the gc guys up the Galibier without that attack on CDF; and without that attack Id also have better legs on Izoard. Hey, maybe I'd stick with Barguil and gain time on gc.

And you all saw how strong I was in the final ITT. 8 SECONDS. ON A 1 KM CLIMB. And haters are saying that I can't win the Tour no more?

Next year I will not go into the Tour undercooked (unless the route is seriously backended). And I am finally going to take it easier in the spring, cause I realise that I ain't no spring chicken anymore. I will aim for one mini peak, but only for a short period. It shall be Paris-Nice or Pais Vasco. I know that Greg really wants me to ride Paris-Nice, so I'll consider that. But I am not going to bother with less relevant races such as Catalunya. And come July I will be ready. I won't even need any hype."

So....have I read Alberto's mind?

 

[cellardoor]

I hope not because I think he would be lying to himself. Hopefully he realises that he can't win the Tour and focuses on the Giro.

 

[LaFlorecita]

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

Maybe it has something to do with San Sebastian. I notice he is on the attend list at steephill.tv

And the race is in a week, close to the ten days. I know most like to go out a winner ... Contador I can only suspect. If he wins, and he is inclined to retire, that might be the place.

He also said he won't ride San Sebastian

Trek just confirmed he will.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

Maybe it has something to do with San Sebastian. I notice he is on the attend list at steephill.tv

And the race is in a week, close to the ten days. I know most like to go out a winner ... Contador I can only suspect. If he wins, and he is inclined to retire, that might be the place.

He also said he won't ride San Sebastian

Trek just confirmed he will.

Seems that rider and team are not exactly on the same page here. Maybe supporting Mollema at San Sebastian is the punishment for such a poor Tour.

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

Maybe it has something to do with San Sebastian. I notice he is on the attend list at steephill.tv

And the race is in a week, close to the ten days. I know most like to go out a winner ... Contador I can only suspect. If he wins, and he is inclined to retire, that might be the place.

He also said he won't ride San Sebastian

Trek just confirmed he will.

Seems that rider and team are not exactly on the same page here. Maybe supporting Mollema at San Sebastian is the punishment for such a poor Tour.

They also confirmed Pantano for Poland Seems like there will be no Vuelta GC attempt by Trek. :sad:

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

They also confirmed Pantano for Poland Seems like there will be no Vuelta GC attempt by Trek. :sad:

That's a bit strange, although I still wouldn't be surprised to see Contador on the startlist there. If not, I guess they may be hoping then that Felline can perform miracles there like he did last year; because the route looks really bad for stage hunting for Degenkolb or one of their classics guys.

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

They also confirmed Pantano for Poland Seems like there will be no Vuelta GC attempt by Trek. :sad:

That's a bit strange, although I still wouldn't be surprised to see Contador on the startlist there. If not, I guess they may be hoping then that Felline can perform miracles there like he did last year; because the route looks really bad for stage hunting for Degenkolb or one of their classics guys.

Alberto was pretty clear he won't go without some GC support. Without Cardoso, Mollema, Pantano and Zubeldia there is almost nothing left.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

Maybe it has something to do with San Sebastian. I notice he is on the attend list at steephill.tv

And the race is in a week, close to the ten days. I know most like to go out a winner ... Contador I can only suspect. If he wins, and he is inclined to retire, that might be the place.

He also said he won't ride San Sebastian

Trek just confirmed he will.

You mean their lineup post on twitter? Seems they have deleted it now.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Alberto was pretty clear he won't go without some GC support. Without Cardoso, Mollema, Pantano and Zubeldia there is almost nothing left.

I haven't looked at the Vuelta route in detail yet but if it is a standard UniPublic/UniPuerto route Alberto and Pantano should be able to handle it on their own. Then add a few rouleurs and there's even some room left for Trek's 2nd tier sprinters that Guercilena so desperately wants to see in la Vuelta.

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

Maybe it has something to do with San Sebastian. I notice he is on the attend list at steephill.tv

And the race is in a week, close to the ten days. I know most like to go out a winner ... Contador I can only suspect. If he wins, and he is inclined to retire, that might be the place.

He also said he won't ride San Sebastian

Trek just confirmed he will.

You mean their lineup post on twitter? Seems they have deleted it now.

Website still has it --> http://www.treksegafredo.com/calendar-results/2017/clasica-ciclista-san-sebastian

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

Alberto was pretty clear he won't go without some GC support. Without Cardoso, Mollema, Pantano and Zubeldia there is almost nothing left.

I haven't looked at the Vuelta route in detail yet but if it is a standard UniPublic/UniPuerto route Alberto and Pantano should be able to handle it on their own. Then add a few rouleurs and there's even some room left for Trek's 2nd tier sprinters that Guercilena so desperately wants to see in la Vuelta.

Pantano won't ride France, Poland and Spain imho.

 

[DNP-Old]

Correct line-up #Klasikoa @EugenioAlafaci @laurent_didier @FabioFelline @MichaelGogl @Markelirizar @BaukeMollema @jarlinsonpantan @hzubeldia

 

[LaFlorecita]

There you have it