Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Lexman]

shouldn't he be on a bike training instead of receiving a virus from his dog lol ?

 

[portugal11]

I think he isn't training very hard for this vuelta. He will take it easy for the first time in his career

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't think he cares much anymore, which I guess would be understandable.
Although allegedly he uploaded a file to Strava some days ago which collected some KOMs in the mountains around Madrid but I didn't see it and he seems to have deleted it now.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

I don't think he cares much anymore, which I guess would be understandable.
Although allegedly he uploaded a file to Strava some days ago which collected some KOMs in the mountains around Madrid but I didn't see it and he seems to have deleted it now.

I think the same too.

 

[Red Rick]

I think it's a strange situation. I don't think Contador has a lot of pressure to win the GC, if at all. However, I think there is pressure to go out on a high note, and that is no small task in itself.

As for the instagram post, it says nothing at all. Contador did have his legs up, so it may have been post training.

One last thing I want to see, I want to see him going all out on the beard.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I dont follow Contador on instagram or wherever he posted those pictures, but taking a few snaps with his dog is no indication of anything really. Cannot be dancing up mountains all the time, especially not ahead of the 2 GT.

Seems more like expectation management than anything else.

 

[RedheadDane]

His upcoming retirement is really making me feel old... I mean; it wasn't that long ago he suddenly burst onto the Grand Tour scene, is it? I know it is... but it... isn't. It can't be.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Vuelta director Guillén has said they'll have a special tribute for Alberto in Madrid. "But the main tribute will be from the public, day after day".

https://as.com/ciclismo/2017/08/16/vuelta_espana/1502873940_446171.html

 

[Electress]

Re:

Sharing an ice cream with his dog gosh I will miss him

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXxqc4KlMSA/

I know. Me too.

It's going to take me some time to stop looking for him in the peloton.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

shouldn't he be on a bike training instead of receiving a virus from his dog lol ?

Dude even if he trained for 6 hours every single day he would still have time to post pictures with his dog.

Anyways. I expect his performance to be similar to his Tour. He might get a top 10 GC. I'm hoping he'll get a stage win since there's more chances.

 

[arvc40]

I think he will go very well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

The Fundacion Contador team will go Conti next season and will be a feeder team for Trek-Segafredo led by Basso.

 

[Red Rick]

Nice

 

[Valv.Piti]

Just watched the Cuitu Negru stage from 2012. Never seen Jesus that strong, he smashed the peloton, but holy smokes that attack by Contador around the 2 km mark was violent (just after Quintana went up the road for no reason at all at the start of the wall). Watching it I was sure Purito would drop, even a full genius Froome would have had difficulties responding to that attack. Contador wasn't amazing that Vuelta, but that particular attack was just insane. And Purito didnt give a *** on those 25% gradients.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Just watched the Cuitu Negru stage from 2012. Never seen Jesus that strong, he smashed the peloton, but holy smokes that attack by Contador around the 2 km mark was violent (just after Quintana went up the road for no reason at all at the start of the wall). Watching it I was sure Purito would drop, even a full genius Froome would have had difficulties responding to that attack. Contador wasn't amazing that Vuelta, but that particular attack was just insane. And Purito didnt give a **** on those 25% gradients.

Yeah, Contador was getting closer to breaking Purito. On the Ancares he was clearly better judging by how that ended, on the Covadonga he was waiting very long to react at one point and on Cuitu Negro he was almost done for. It spoke heaps and bounds that he couldn't sprint for much longer than a few seconds and barely put a second into Contador in the final sprint to the line.

 

[gregrowlerson]

It is nearly that time.

I believe in the possibility of Contador winning this Vuelta (yes, let a man have his delusions one last time). It is really difficult to know what his form will be like though. For starters, he has never ridden the Vuelta after finishing the Tour; therefore unlike Froome, we don't have any history here to go off for expectations. He has done doubles before though, the most recent of which was the Giro-Tour in 2015. He was 'only' 5th in that Tour, but the top level of the Tour is higher than the top level of the Vuelta.

How much higher?

This isn't 2015 either, and Contador's 2017 Tour form doesn't rank with his 2015 Giro form. But where his third week in that Giro was his worst, his third week in this Tour was his best. I am encouraged by the better form shown in the Alps and final ITT.

However, he needs to be at least close to his Tour form (which doubling up may not be possible) and to have Froome be some way off his.

Or he could have a lot of luck. And then there is that word: AMBUSH

 

[wheresmybrakes]

You don't know what you gonna get with him recently. He could be out of contention before they get to Spain! I'm hoping he has a good last GT and gets at least a podium, also to give his die hards something to enjoy during his last major race. Good luck to him.

 

[Pennino]

I just cannot wait anymore. I somehow also enjoy illuding myself to the absolute max, being fully aware of the potential disaster that it could be .
Vamos grrrrrande Alberto!

 

[Jspear]

Re:

It is nearly that time.

I believe in the possibility of Contador winning this Vuelta (yes, let a man have his delusions one last time). It is really difficult to know what his form will be like though. For starters, he has never ridden the Vuelta after finishing the Tour; therefore unlike Froome, we don't have any history here to go off for expectations. He has done doubles before though, the most recent of which was the Giro-Tour in 2015. He was 'only' 5th in that Tour, but the top level of the Tour is higher than the top level of the Vuelta.

How much higher?

This isn't 2015 either, and Contador's 2017 Tour form doesn't rank with his 2015 Giro form. But where his third week in that Giro was his worst, his third week in this Tour was his best. I am encouraged by the better form shown in the Alps and final ITT.

However, he needs to be at least close to his Tour form (which doubling up may not be possible) and to have Froome be some way off his.

Or he could have a lot of luck. And then there is that word: AMBUSH

Lol yes I guess you can be delusional one last time.

You state you believe he can win, and then go on to give logical reasons as to why he probably won't win!

 

[portugal11]

He will do a 2016 quintana. All on board to his fourth vuelta!!

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

He will do a 2016 quintana. All on board to his fourth vuelta!!

2012 Valverde could be closer.

But yeah, scenario's with good form.

 

[benzwire]

I have a good feeling for Contador on this Vuelta. Can't wait for the race to start. I think this will be the best of the grand tours this year as far as racing goes.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm taking the very safe bet of it being the 2nd best GT of the year.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Interesting article about today's press conference http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-im-at-the-vuelta-to-fight-for-it-and-to-enjoy-it/

 

[DFA123]

Great chance for a top 3 here I think for Contador. Lots of things in his favour: he's going to be extra motivated, he handles the heat pretty well, his form was improving through the Tour, the level of competition isn't that high and there are loads of chances to do 'ambushes' throughout the three weeks.

I'd make him second favourite behind Froome right now, maybe alongside Aru. I think the heat will be too much for Nibali, Chaves hasn't done enough miles this season to have a proper base yet, and the rest just aren't genuine contenders for the win imo.