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Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

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Miburo

Miburo

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Contadoraus Schlecks said:
Even if he hadn't done the Giro, do you think it would have been lack of motivation that would have prevented him winning the 2009 TDF?
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No but he could have ended up 3th, i think the lack of motivation is a stupid argument.

I was just pointing out some things you were writing that didn't make sense.
 
airstream

airstream

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jens_attacks said:
well he could have top 5'ed

anyway, sastre in terms of talent was never close to lance,alberto or andy
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I disagree. Rather Sastre was too shy and too unlucky and always turned out to be in the teams with a bit stronger rider. Sastre is too soft and to gentle for this ruthless GT massacre. In addition, the 2009 Tour situation can not be looked into account only from sporting perspective. By and large Sastre occupied a few posts on Cervelo: manager, top rider and consultant. I read he had to solve many problems around the team. Besides, we remember how press pestered him prior the Tour. ASO preview book even didn't list him among the favorites while journos always asked: 'Does it hurt you, hey?!' In short, even an iron Sastre gave up and started doing crazy pointless attacks.
 
xrayvision

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airstream said:
I disagree. Rather Sastre was too shy and too unlucky and always turned out to be in the teams with a bit stronger rider. Sastre is too soft and to gentle for this ruthless GT massacre. In addition, the 2009 Tour situation can not be looked into account only from sporting perspective. By and large Sastre occupied a few posts on Cervelo: manager, top rider and consultant. I read he had to solve many problems around the team. Besides, we remember how press pestered him prior the Tour. ASO preview book even didn't list him among the favorites while journos always asked: 'Does it hurt you, hey?!' In short, even an iron Sastre gave up and started doing crazy pointless attacks.
Click to expand...

According to Riis, Sastre was the most difficult rider he ever worked with, lack of team spirit, hard to please, sometimes difficult to make him work and train the way Riis wanted him to etc etc, in short, Sastre was probably his own biggest enemy, and not the world around him.

EDIT: But still Riis believed he had greater potential than Sastre did himself.
 
Angliru

Angliru

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greenedge said:
He still came 3rd in the Giro though and won 2:confused: stages the year after his win in the TDF- so he did not completely lose motivation.
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Yes, I agree he did ride a great Giro. Now I didn't say he (Sastre) completely lost his motivation and I failed to mention the difference in age of Sastre and Evans compared to Contador, which is a major a factor . Another factor for Sastre is the number grand tours he had ridden over the course of his career, often 2 in one season in addition to his other races AND the fact that he's done the triple (all 3 grand tours in one year) at least once (maybe more, I can't recall). They obviously takes a toll on a rider.

As far as Contador, his actual annual race days may not be high compared to many riders but the events that he enters are always with intention of being a factor in the ultimate outcome which has to be equaling as taxing as racing more days but more for the purpose of training and prep target events.
 
Jelantik

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I'm very impressed at these riders ability to speak other language than their native tounge. It makes them closer to the fan if they can speak other language. (even though I have no idea what they are saying :D:D). I was wondering, Alberto is missing from this interview? Does he speak Italian? Froome seems to be the one that's not as fluent as the rest, but hey, he is not bad either.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720...=7a180970-85c1-11e2-bb64-66569e18b70c&yr=2013
 
Carols

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Jelantik said:
I'm very impressed at these riders ability to speak other language than their native tounge. It makes them closer to the fan if they can speak other language. (even though I have no idea what they are saying :D:D). I was wondering, Alberto is missing from this interview? Does he speak Italian? Froome seems to be the one that's not as fluent as the rest, but hey, he is not bad either.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720...=7a180970-85c1-11e2-bb64-66569e18b70c&yr=2013
Click to expand...

Bertie knows a tiny bit of English but otherwise it is all Spanish. LaFlo will know :)
 
Carols

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King Boonen said:
Well, we shouldn't really call him out on that one should we?
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Guess you never saw Overcoming; give it a watch. Sastre didn't want to use heart rate monitor, power putout#s, etc. He was old school; all sensations; And computer 'couldn't understand me' remarks, there it is on film very reluctant to try anything scientific. Bjarne was pulling out what bits of hair he still had LOL!!!

I'm sure Alberto drives him crazy also; all that attacking. But as Bjarne says 'what can I say he is Alberto, he will attack'.
 
King Boonen

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Carols said:
Guess you never saw Overcoming; give it a watch. Sastre didn't want to use heart rate monitor, power putout#s, etc. He was old school; all sensations; And computer 'couldn't understand me' remarks, there it is on film very reluctant to try anything scientific. Bjarne was pulling out what bits of hair he still had LOL!!!

I'm sure Alberto drives him crazy also; all that attacking. But as Bjarne says 'what can I say he is Alberto, he will attack'.
Click to expand...

Sounds good, I'll try find it. I always liked Sastre, at the time I only ever really watched the Tour but I always liked to see him race.
 
Angliru

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xrayvision said:
According to Riis, Sastre was the most difficult rider he ever worked with, lack of team spirit, hard to please, sometimes difficult to make him work and train the way Riis wanted him to etc etc, in short, Sastre was probably his own biggest enemy, and not the world around him.

EDIT: But still Riis believed he had greater potential than Sastre did himself.
Click to expand...

Carlos, as I understand it was old school in his training habits and beliefs as are many in the pro ranks. The new technology was something he accepted but did not necessarily embrace. His supposed lack of team spirit was maybe due to his being looked over in favor of the bumbling Schleck's. A rider that rides at the service of multiple riders at the Tour for years upon years and finally when all is lost due to the tt challenged Frank and the young, having-bonked-on-a-previous-stage-and-dropped-out-of-gc-contention-Andy, pulls victory from the arms of failure with a career defining attack on one of the most storied climbs in the Tours history. I would think Riis would be trumpeting the work ethic and professionalism of the rider that gave him his first Tour win as a director sportif. I would hazard a guess that all was fine publicly in their relationship until Sastre felt he had the leverage after his Tour win to air his grievences.

Edit: Carols already summed up most of what I said.
 
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