Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[RedheadDane]

But if professional cyclist was the only thing (Alberto) Contador dreamt of doing when he grew up, then he might have decided/realised that he'd just have to accept the media attention while he was "on".
Of course he's not private enough that he doesn't have a Twitter account.

 

[Merckx index]

Re:

But if professional cyclist was the only thing (Alberto) Contador dreamt of doing when he grew up, then he might have decided/realised that he'd just have to accept the media attention while he was "on".

Why would he dream of being a pro cyclist? As soon as you’re old enough to understand what pro sports are about, you also understand that it’s a life constantly in the glare of the media. Why do young people aspire to pro sports, except for the fame, proving you’re the best at something? As soon as you actually care about proving you’re the best, you’re saying you don’t care about privacy. Proving you’re the best by definition means throwing away your privacy. Comparing yourself to others, in a way that everyone else can judge, is a very public undertaking. It has to be.

You don't go into pro sports in spite of being a private person. You go into pro sports because you aren't a private person. A genuinely private person would have no need nor interest in proving that s/he was better at something than everyone else. Not saying there's anything at all wrong with this, just saying this is the way privacy works. Privacy doesn't care what the rest of the world knows or doesn't know about what one can or can't do.

 

[RedheadDane]

The fact that he dropped out of school at the age of 16 kinda indicates that a regular 9-5 job just wasn't his thing.

And I still think it's entirely possible to (strive to) prove that you're the best when you're "on" - including whatever media performance that might require you to do - yet still prefer to keep your private life, well, private when you're "off".
It's a simple matter of the difference between Alberto Contador the professional cyclist and Alberto Contador the man

 

[Red Rick]

There's obviously upsides and downsides to a famous athlete, and it's not that black and white. I don't think Contador minds being famous in the context of his sport, but you can still try to be bit of a private person outside that capacity.

 

[RedheadDane]

Exactly! Of course he's not 100% private - still has Twitter - but he didn't go out and make the pregnancy public as soon as he found out, and he didn't post a picture of the actual entire baby.
Basically saying: "Hey, look! I have a son, his name is Luca. However, what he actually looks like is none of your business."

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Exactly! Of course he's not 100% private - still has Twitter - but he didn't go out and make the pregnancy public as soon as he found out, and he didn't post a picture of the actual entire baby.
Basically saying: "Hey, look! I have a son, his name is Luca. However, what he actually looks like is none of your business."

Exactly. He basically only shares pictures of him on his bike & of his dog. He doesn't share much at all about his private life, which to me makes him a private person.
But maybe it's just his wife who is very private and forbids him from ever sharing anything except for the dog.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

You don't go into pro sports in spite of being a private person. You go into pro sports because you aren't a private person. A genuinely private person would have no need nor interest in proving that s/he was better at something than everyone else. Not saying there's anything at all wrong with this, just saying this is the way privacy works. Privacy doesn't care what the rest of the world knows or doesn't know about what one can or can't do.

What a strange argument he loves cycling and loves pushing himself to the limit (as is evident from his social media accounts even now he's retired). He is obviously a competitive person who dislikes losing, which is necessary to become a great champion. But why would it be impossible for those traits to be present in a person who also values his privacy? Isn't it possible he decided he wanted to become a professional cyclist because of his talent and love for the sport, and then quickly learned that success also comes with a loss of privacy. He decided to accept that but doesn't want to give it up entirely so is very careful about what he shares and doesn't share with the media/on social media.

 

[Netserk]

And back when he was 20 he would hardly know that he would be so successful. It's not like most pros are public personas. If he was a as private as MI says a private person is, when would he stop and so no to his passion?

 

[yaco]

I think it's fantastic that Contador shields his family from publicity - If only more were like Alberto.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Next Sunday Alberto will participate in the Douro Granfondo in Portugal. Rui Costa is another invitee.
The profile looks promising:

Will fans get more fuel for the "un año mas" campaign?

 

[Valv.Piti]

That last climb isn't hard enough to drop Rui Costa, unfortunately!

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

That last climb isn't hard enough to drop Rui Costa, unfortunately!

Solo from Muro do Cadao is the only choice

 

[perico]

Re: Re:

But if professional cyclist was the only thing (Alberto) Contador dreamt of doing when he grew up, then he might have decided/realised that he'd just have to accept the media attention while he was "on".

Why would he dream of being a pro cyclist? As soon as you’re old enough to understand what pro sports are about, you also understand that it’s a life constantly in the glare of the media. Why do young people aspire to pro sports, except for the fame, proving you’re the best at something? As soon as you actually care about proving you’re the best, you’re saying you don’t care about privacy. Proving you’re the best by definition means throwing away your privacy. Comparing yourself to others, in a way that everyone else can judge, is a very public undertaking. It has to be.

You don't go into pro sports in spite of being a private person. You go into pro sports because you aren't a private person. A genuinely private person would have no need nor interest in proving that s/he was better at something than everyone else. Not saying there's anything at all wrong with this, just saying this is the way privacy works. Privacy doesn't care what the rest of the world knows or doesn't know about what one can or can't do.

Charly Gaul says hello.

 

[ferryman]

Just watched a vid on You Tube with commentary (dubbed) I hadn't heard before. On Alberto's attack on Arcalis ' Contador looks back at Lance before he attacks, is that team work or a last *** you' Fuckin brilliant!!

 

[dusty red roads]

Oh yeh, love that one!

Speaking of past races, while I was trying to find the last 5km to yesterday's Giro stage, YT offered me this, Contador riding uninterrupted up Angliru - everything else that was going on in the race is edited out - complete with Japanese commentators! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSRff01vFYo

 

[Scarponi]

With Froome struggling in the Giro after crashes in his double attempt it really puts in perspective Contadors 2015 giro and how well he rode after that start.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Same with 2011 even though it isn't "official" anymore.

 

[Red Rick]

With Froome struggling in the Giro after crashes in his double attempt it really puts in perspective Contadors 2015 giro and how well he rode after that start.

Gotta say though that Froome basically waited for his peak to be over before even trying the double. He said in a promo video he'd regret it forever if he didn't try, though I guess that alludes to holding all 3 GTs

Now I wonder if he regrets not trying sooner.

Now I can't help but think how hyped we'd be if Contador had done another Tour centric season in 2018 lol.

 

[Scarponi]

With Froome struggling in the Giro after crashes in his double attempt it really puts in perspective Contadors 2015 giro and how well he rode after that start.

Gotta say though that Froome basically waited for his peak to be over before even trying the double. He said in a promo video he'd regret it forever if he didn't try, though I guess that alludes to holding all 3 GTs

Now I wonder if he regrets not trying sooner.

Now I can't help but think how hyped we'd be if Contador had done another Tour centric season in 2018 lol.

Both of them tried it past their peak, (contadors 2011 wasn't fully planned) and I commend both of them for trying. Contador 2009 or froome 2013 would have been epic trying the double

 

[Red Rick]

Contador was not past his peak in 2011. He wasn't as crazy as in 2009, but it's still well within his prime. In 2009 I think he would've won both if he had tried.

Ultimately, I think a double really means you have to have an incredibly high base level, and if you sort of have to reach to be competitive in the Giro or if you kind of mess that up then it snowballs the wrong way.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Now I can't help but think how hyped we'd be if Contador had done another Tour centric season in 2018 lol.

Lol yeah I was thinking this yesterday, but then again he'd probably have crashed 3 times in the first five days

 

[Gigs_98]

I think Contador retired at the exactly right moment. Ofc we would have hyped him once again but if he had failed again Contador would have been remembered as the guy who just couldn't achieve his last goal. Now the most recent memory of him will instead forever be how he was the most aggressive gc rider I have ever seen in the Vuelta 2017. And I also have to say, I think he would have failed again. He showed glimpses of his former self in last years Vuelta but something tells me that he didn't have another tour win in him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yeah, in hindsight it was the perfect moment. 2016 would have been too early, he didn't achieve much in 2017 but retiring after 2016 would have left a very bad taste. His first half of the season was good, with a couple great wins and he looked to be at a very high level. Then he tanked in the Dauphiné mountains, abandoned the Tour and achieved exactly nothing in La Vuelta. The win in Burgos was nice but even I forget about that one regularly. And that is just one side of the picture, with all the drama in the Tinkoff team, Oleg's spouting bile on the social media, knife in the back from Kreuziger, it would have been a sad ending.
Now in 2017, things didn't really go as planned. He seemed to be lacking in several departments. The loss in Paris-Nice was very unfortunate and if Bala hadn't been as strong Berto could have gotten a victory. But we have to be honest and realize that although the willpower was definitely still there, the body didn't really cooperate. The Tour was a disappointment and his decision to retire seemed logical. Then in the Vuelta, the Andorra disaster maybe was his salvation. There was no pressure anymore from his fans, the team or himself, and he could ride as he wanted. It was the best Berto we had seen in over a year, and of course many fans called for him to continue. But remembering the disappointments earlier the year, retiring was the best choice. He delivered excitement for the fans and showed some flashes of his best days, when he was flying uphill. He got to win the stage he probably wanted the most that Vuelta, and now he can enjoy his retirement while reading dozens of comments on social media each day of people asking him to come back or telling him cycling is less interesting without him. If he had retired in 2016, that wouldn't have happened. And I think if he had retired after 2018, that wouldn't have happened either. Retiring in the wake of the Vuelta hype, loved and supported by the fans, his teammates and a big part of the peloton, that was a glorious decision in the end. Peace out.

 

[Red Rick]

Honestly I'd could accept it if he hadn't crashed away his chances in all of 2014, 2016 and 2017. The flashes of brilliance were still there in 2017, in GTs more so than in 2016. At least being able to try to long range attacks in that Tour, and that image of him flying up that hill in the ITT faster than anyone else was brilliant.

I think that in his last 2 years he just had to work a little harder to be in shape, causing him to be a little less fresh and consistent. The last week of that Vuelta was puzzling cause it was that impressive.

I think the other alternative was to go on for one more Giro I think? Would've loved to have him race right now, but ending up an also ran would've been too painful, and nothing beats the fairytale ending Contador had in La Vuelta.

Think it was a pretty smart move of Trek to sign Contador for his final year, that Vuelta was some pretty sweet PR as a team.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Contador would have has as good shot as any to win the Giro this year, I believe. Just because I don't have any clue of who are going to win and the fact that he was very good in that Vuelta in 2017, he was truly elite on a couple of stages. Dumo isn't exactly woving people and Froome is declining pretty rapidly all of a sudden, after a slow and steady decline since Tour 2013.

Yeah in hindsight it was a good time to retire, but I would still have preferred one last Giro. He has only ridden the race three times and it has been great races all 3 times, 3 very different, yet still exciting and spectacular races in their own rights.