Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Miburo]

Thats why i said oficially. I still have deluded hope that 10 years from now some court will overturn the decision to strip him of the 2011 giro.

He could have gone to the ECHR. He would have won according to a professor of law (not sure which area it was, prob human rights) in a interview. His right to presumption of innocence was violated.

But i think that term has been expired.

 

[Angliru]

Try to discover it by yourself.

I'll leave it as one of the world's unsolved mysteries.

 

[serfla]

I'll leave it as one of the world's unsolved mysteries.

Pity.
It would've been an outstanding discovery.

 

[LaFlorecita]

nice picture of vino teaching Alberto ATTACK!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto about the Giro-Tour double

and about the classics:

That said, he does like the idea of winning his first spring Classic. It’s a question of metering out his energy, though, with the specific demands of the one day races meaning that he would have to aim to be at a peak. If he’s also trying to do the same for the Giro and the Tour, it’s difficult for the body to be able to raise itself each time.

“I think I could win a Classic if I completely prepared to get one, but you have to consider what you would be risking,” he said. “To do that, I’d need to have more training that for stage races; they [the Classics] don’t rely on recovery, which is my best quality. There’s also the issue of spring allergies.

“The only year that I was well trained I rode at a good level, but the effort is very large and are not entirely compatible with the Tour de France.”

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

nice picture of vino teaching Alberto ATTACK!

New profile pic right there

 

[LaFlorecita]

New profile pic right there

that was my goal

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

that was my goal

LaFlorecita, the master manipulator

 

[Carols]

Alberto about the Giro-Tour double

and about the classics:

Wow seems he is seriously considering going for the double! If he attempts it I wish him well; it'll be a tough ask. Giro has 90km+ of TT for Wiggo to get time so Giro is no gimme, he'll have to battle hard. Tour isn't that easy this year either.

But with a strong team and really good form he might be able to pull it off.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Wow seems he is seriously considering going for the double! If he attempts it I wish him well; it'll be a tough ask. Giro has 90km+ of TT for Wiggo to get time so Giro is no gimme, he'll have to battle hard. Tour isn't that easy this year either.

But with a strong team and really good form he might be able to pull it off.

yea 90 km but that is including the ttt and the mtt, in those he won't lose that much time

 

[The Hitch]

Alberto about the Giro-Tour double

and about the classics:

This seems to be based on the interview we were discussing yesterday. No new information.

Hopefully he grows some.braincells though and does the vuelta and worlds.

 

[Miburo]

yea 90 km but that is including the ttt and the mtt, in those he won't lose that much time

He'll win time

 

[LaFlorecita]

This seems to be based on the interview we were discussing yesterday. No new information.

Hopefully he grows some.braincells though and does the vuelta and worlds.

I don't know if he can do worlds even if he wants to because of MPCC thing

 

[TheEnoculator]

If Contador does the Giro/Tour, I don't think he'll get the double this time even if he doesn't crash or has no bad luck.

Sure, the routes are more balanced, and his team is stronger, but the biggest obstacle for him is Froome, whom Contador admits he's afraid of the most. Froome will be fresh and ready. And if Wiggins does the Giro, which he most likely will, Froome will likely captain the Tour. Brailsford would have to be an idiot to have Wiggins captain the Tour after the Giro.

With Purito, Nibali, Hesjedal and Wiggins there, Contador can't soft pedal to win the Giro. Contador will be tired by the third week of the Tour at the latest.

 

[LaFlorecita]

He'll win time

Of course

 

[Miburo]

If Contador does the Giro/Tour, I don't think he'll get the double this time even if he doesn't crash or has no bad luck.

Sure, the routes are more balanced, and his team is stronger, but the biggest obstacle for him is Froome, whom Contador admits he's afraid of the most. Froome will be fresh and ready. And if Wiggins does the Giro, which he most likely will, Froome will likely captain the Tour. Brailsford would have to be an idiot to have Wiggins captain the Tour after the Giro.

With Purito, Nibali, Hesjedal and Wiggins there, Contador can't soft pedal to win the Giro. Contador will be tired by the third week of the Tour at the latest.

Contador was at his best in the last week of the tour 2011. Not giro-form of course.

Without all these crashes and time-loss it would have been completely differently.

Also take into account that Contador has experienced how it feels now and also very important to keep in mind that the giro is not so hard as 2 years ago.

He can do it.

But i won't lie, if one guy is holding Contador down to do this then it's Froome, no doubt.

 

[serfla]

Contador was at his best in the last week of the tour 2011. Not giro-form of course.

Contador at his best wouldn't have to let the group on Galibier.
Maybe he was at his best in that particular edition of the race.

But i won't lie, if one guy is holding Contador down to do this then it's Froome, no doubt.

I don't agree.
I'm expecting a decline in Froome's form this season. And even if it doesn't decline, Froome still doesn't have what it takes to win the Tour.

Targeting the Giro is seriously jeopardizing Sky's chances at the Tour.

 

[Carols]

yea 90 km but that is including the ttt and the mtt, in those he won't lose that much time

Hopefully not lose to much in the TTT! Sky is pretty formidable TTT team no? MTT yes he shouldn't lose to much.

Still he's not going to get to just ride around, it will be Work and Energy. IMO winning both is a Big Ask. But hey go for it Alberto at least both races should be more exciting for us

 

[LaFlorecita]

Hopefully not lose to much in the TTT! Sky is pretty formidable TTT team no? MTT yes he shouldn't lose to much.

Still he's not going to get to just ride around, it will be Work and Energy. IMO winning both is a Big Ask. But hey go for it Alberto at least both races should be more exciting for us

Sky is a great tt team but strangely enough they haven't won many ttts. Saxo has always done ok-ish and next year they have some good guys like Rogers, Bennati and Kreuziger

 

[Carols]

Sky is a great tt team but strangely enough they haven't won many ttts. Saxo has always done ok-ish and next year they have some good guys like Rogers, Bennati and Kreuziger

Hopefully the new guys have melded into the team well, especially in TTT. Saxo did okish because Bertie did much of the hard work.

He will need to save energy to take on Wiggins in the Giro followed by Froome in the Tour. Both, and a host of others, should be fresh and on form for their respective assignments...

 

[nikohale]

If Contador does the Giro/Tour, I don't think he'll get the double this time even if he doesn't crash or has no bad luck.

Sure, the routes are more balanced, and his team is stronger, but the biggest obstacle for him is Froome, whom Contador admits he's afraid of the most. Froome will be fresh and ready. And if Wiggins does the Giro, which he most likely will, Froome will likely captain the Tour. Brailsford would have to be an idiot to have Wiggins captain the Tour after the Giro.

With Purito, Nibali, Hesjedal and Wiggins there, Contador can't soft pedal to win the Giro. Contador will be tired by the third week of the Tour at the latest.

I think you underestimate Contador. There is also one very big difference between 2011 and now. This time he is doing his own schedule and will be prepared in advance for both. In 2011 he didn't know if he would ride Giro then he didn't know if he would ride TDF due to the ban. Now he knows he could ride both and can plan everything from A-Z starting of today.

Plus he doesn't have any pressure as far as expecting a ban is concerned. Believe me only this thought in mind could cost you seconds in stages.

And one last thing which many of you will take very lightly and only people that are interested in Astrology would get me: In Contador's birth chart his Mars (the planet of war, sports, fighting) is in its exaltation in Capricorn. Meaning this is the best position you can possibly get. Plus it is in the 28th degree of Capricorn which the only degree of SuperExalation out of 30. This is extremely rare thing. Just a comparison - roughly during only 2 consecutive days per 2 years you can get Mars in Capricorn in SuperExaltation.

So what I want to say is if someone can do Giro Tour double nowadays my bet would be on Contador by a mile!

 

[blaxland]

If anyone these days is possible of doing two grand tours sucessfully than Alberto is the man"But me thinks Bjarne wont push him towards both of these objectives,knowing that if he focused on one only then it would be a formality.This year will be big for saxo/tinkoff bank

 

[serfla]

I wonder how Wiggo's latest announcement will effect Contador's plans.
It would be a bit too much to start a thread named: "If Wiggins rides the Giro, will Contador still ride it?" since Contador only mentioned a possibility, but Contador now knows where he can meet sharped Wiggins.
It would be true champions' manner to go for the double now and confirm reputation of the best GT rider.
Otherwise, Wiggo's fans can say Contador was afraid and backed off. At least Contador's fans are doing so. Even when it's unfounded.

 

[Miburo]

I wonder how Wiggo's latest announcement will effect Contador's plans.
It would be a bit too much to start a thread named: "If Wiggins rides the Giro, will Contador still ride it?" since Contador only mentioned a possibility, but Contador now knows where he can meet sharped Wiggins.
It would be true champions' manner to go for the double now and confirm reputation of the best GT rider.
Otherwise, Wiggo's fans can say Contador was afraid and backed off. At least Contador's fans are doing so. Even when it's unfounded.

How disrespectful to even consider this

Contador won 7 (5) GT's. Wiggins won 1 GT while his teammate was better.

I don't buy the story that Wiggins wants to be a legend and win the giro for that reason.

Not froome is the biggest reason why he doesn't ride the tour to go 100% but Contador is. That's at least my opinion.

Why would Contador be afraid of someone who he crushed many times? While Contador never lost a GT since 2007 besides the tour 2011 for obvious reasons.

 

[The Hitch]

I wonder how Wiggo's latest announcement will effect Contador's plans.
It would be a bit too much to start a thread named: "If Wiggins rides the Giro, will Contador still ride it?" since Contador only mentioned a possibility, but Contador now knows where he can meet sharped Wiggins.
It would be true champions' manner to go for the double now and confirm reputation of the best GT rider.
Otherwise, Wiggo's fans can say Contador was afraid and backed off. At least Contador's fans are doing so. Even when it's unfounded.

According to cq Wiggins has only ever once in his life beaten Contador at a race (overall not stages)

That was the 2005 tour down under after Contador had just turned 22 where he came 23rd to Contadors 28th.

Ever since then in race after race after race Contador has finished ahead of Wiggins. Even in races wiggins ended up abandoning Contador was always ahead of him.

So i dont see how Contador can be said to be afraid of wiggins, if he always beat him.