Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Cyivel]

There is a Contador thread in the correct section.

Thank You Brother.

 

[airstream]

1. take it to the clinic
2. I'd rather watch a sole cheater providing exciting racing than a bunch of cheaters making every race more boring the the last one (might belong in the clinic)

Froome is able to improve to go ballistic in a Verbier style. Believe.
Will you start supporting him? I doubt.

 

[airstream]

I know that you subscribe to the notion that other riders have improved to the extent that they can challenge Contador. While I agree with this in part I believe more that Contador has dropped a few levels.

It is too debatable question to take one of the sides entirely. Truth is always in the middle. One gets weaker others start looking better on one's background, other gets stronger and one looks weaker compared to other and so on...

Contador came in today with Uran, this simply wouldn't have happened with Contador of old.

Uran was weaker when they competed in person last time. The difference between riders rarely stays constant.

 

[woodenswan]

2. I'd rather watch a sole cheater providing exciting racing than a bunch of cheaters making every race more boring than the last one

right on

1010101010101010

 

[_nm___]

Like I said in another thread, Contador needs to stay behind the Sky train until the final few km's, and then go completely berserk. He did the exact opposite today. He's not far above anyone else, as if it was 2009, but this is reality. He needs to stop believing his fairytale self he once was, but he seems a little bit stuck there.

Time for AC to get serious and race more like Froome did today. Harsh for himself and his fans, but realistic.

yes, that's one good solution

another good solution is to do multiple attacks from far out like at the vuelta last year. Valverde and Rodriguez will be at the tour de france this year, with the 3 of them, and any other rider willing to attack, they should be able to isolate Froome relatively early on

multiple, strong attacks will/should manage to derail team sky's train:
today when Contador attacked at 6km, Cataldo popped
when Nibali attacked at 1.9km, Haeno popped

that's 2 sky riders popping in 3 attacks - Contador (at 6km, 2.3km), Nibali (1.9km)

once Froome is isolated it will turn a bit into "Froome against the national spanish team" and the advantage will be for Contador

 

[airstream]

Like I said in another thread, Contador needs to stay behind the Sky train until the final few km's, and then go completely berserk.

If a working decision had been that simple, Contador would have guessed.

I'm asking not to consider my words a ridicule — I'm being serious — but Froome could win today's stage going solo in a more spectacular fashion too, but the plan was to use team tactical building maximally because this option was more realiable.

 

[ferryman]

It is too debatable question to take one of the sides entirely. Truth is always in the middle. One gets weaker others start looking better on one's background, other gets stronger and one looks weaker compared to other and so on...

Uran was weaker when they competed in person last time. The difference between riders rarely stays constant.

Uran has never competed against Contador period. Yet he drives up a mountain like a madman and counters everything else thrown at Sky to deliver his boss and can still be within 5 seconds. Your ridiculous assertions are starting to wear very thin with this mod.

 

[ferryman]

If a working decision had been that simple, Contador would have guessed.

I'm asking not to consider my words a ridicule — I'm being serious — but Froome could win today's stage going solo in a more spectacular fashion too, but the plan was to use team tactical building maximally because this option was more realiable.

No, I don't think you are being serious, I think you are surfing the edge of trolling and baiting.

 

[airstream]

Uran has never competed against Contador period. Yet he drives up a mountain like a madman and counters everything else thrown at Sky to deliver his boss and can still be within 5 seconds. Your ridiculous assertions are starting to wear very thin with this mod.

I know that you are an adherent of opinion about a big difference between Alberto and other guys, but Andy and I respect your opinion, BUT Uran was approximately 15 th in the 2011 Tour. If he hadn't crashed on the Izoard descent, he could have won the Maillot Blanc and could of been 10-11th. He finished 6th in the Giro. 6th in the Giro (I'm saying about an abstact guy, no matter who) and Contador is not already a gulf, especially considering Uran's age. Sure, we can look into bare names (palmares) and riders' actual strength and it is stupid to compare their names and titles, however their actual strength is quite comparable, howsoever it could be painful.

 

[Pentacycle]

Uran has never competed against Contador period. Yet he drives up a mountain like a madman and counters everything else thrown at Sky to deliver his boss and can still be within 5 seconds. Your ridiculous assertions are starting to wear very thin with this mod.

Yet, this comment sounds more like clinic talk to me... Airstream is making a fair point here. Contador is nowhere near his best career form and Uran is nearing the best years in his career. Of course they should be very close now, Uran worked hard and Contador attacked a lot.

 

[airstream]

No, I don't think you are being serious, I think you are surfing the edge of trolling and baiting.

I'm prophesying Froome Verbier show since Pena Cabarga and to me it is rather logical. He'll necessarily indulge us one day. You dislike my opinion. OK, I can understand your disappointment...

Your ridiculous assertions are starting to wear very thin with this mod.

I suppose you are a conservator who doesn't want to put up with thought that some guy are eager to achieve Contador's level and work hard for it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador will perhaps never be at his pre-ban level again

Maybe he is too old

You know it's bad when even the most optimistic guys lose faith

I hate that ****ing ban, it ruined everything, ruined Alberto's whole career

 

[Miburo]

You know it's bad when even the most optimistic guys lose faith

I hate that ****ing ban, it ruined everything, ruined Alberto's whole career

You know it's bad when i'm not thinking you're being crazy right now

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

You know it's bad when i'm not thinking you're being crazy right now

What we don't know is how much scope there is for AC to improve. With Froome appearing so strong it's easy to conclude that AC is finished. Ban aside, nearly all top cyclists in the peloton go through a bad period and are written off. Boonen pre 2012. Gilbert looked like a shadow of his former self at the start of last year etc

 

[Publicus]

I'm still very optimistic about Alberto's chances. From what I can deduce, neither he nor anyone from his team is at peak form; whereas I think Froome and Co are pretty close to their peak (there 95% preparedness level). I think there is room for AC to improve but I think the real challenge will be finding the discipline to accept that strategy/tactics will play a much more prominent role in his future success than it has in the past. He's always been an impulsive racer and while it has merited him success in the past, I think others have figured out how to neutralize the effectiveness of his attacks.

It won't be easy, but it is doable.

 

[Miburo]

I'm still very optimistic about Alberto's chances. From what I can deduce, neither he nor anyone from his team is at peak form; whereas I think Froome and Co are pretty close to their peak (there 95% preparedness level). I think there is room for AC to improve but I think the real challenge will be finding the discipline to accept that strategy/tactics will play a much more prominent role in his future success than it has in the past. He's always been an impulsive racer and while it has merited him success in the past, I think others have figured out how to neutralize the effectiveness of his attacks.

It won't be easy, but it is doable.

But he's always good in march. And i really doubt sky is close to their peak. I hope it BUT i doubt it very much.

Normally Contador doesn't really need tactics, he just goes. That's what so awesome about him.

I don't want that to go away but maybe it's the only way.

No way Sky would have been able to contain a contador of '09 or '11. I want to see him back so badly

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

But he's always good in march. And i really doubt sky is close to their peak. I hope it BUT i doubt it very much.

Normally Contador doesn't really need tactics, he just goes. That's what so awesome about him.

I don't want that to go away but maybe it's the only way.

No way Sky would have been able to contain a contador of '09 or '11. I want to see him back so badly

Well, to be honest Uran and Henao today is probably better than Scarponi 11, so this might be AC from 11

 

[Dutchsmurf]

I'm still very optimistic about Alberto's chances. From what I can deduce, neither he nor anyone from his team is at peak form; whereas I think Froome and Co are pretty close to their peak (there 95% preparedness level). I think there is room for AC to improve but I think the real challenge will be finding the discipline to accept that strategy/tactics will play a much more prominent role in his future success than it has in the past. He's always been an impulsive racer and while it has merited him success in the past, I think others have figured out how to neutralize the effectiveness of his attacks.

It won't be easy, but it is doable.

Sky didn't get any weaker last year during the year, I doubt they suddenly will this year. But on the other hand Contador isn't at the level he was at the Vuelta at the moment, so there is room for improvement.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Does anyone know Froome's schedule? Just checking whether Alberto will have any chance to win a race.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Sky didn't get any weaker last year during the year, I doubt they suddenly will this year. But on the other hand Contador isn't at the level he was at the Vuelta at the moment, so there is room for improvement.

Don't think there is much of a difference between Alberto at the Vuelta and Alberto here tbh.

 

[The Hitch]

This was a great stage no matter what.

Not really. The strength of the field raised interest but as a stage it was very meh.

 

[Miburo]

Does anyone know Froome's schedule? Just checking whether Alberto will have any chance to win a race.

lol he doesn't do basque I think so yeah

Contador:

Today was a hard stage at Tirreno with uphill finish, sensations were not the best, but we were pretty close. Tomorrow more!

At least he'll attack on lanciano

 

[Publicus]

Sky didn't get any weaker last year during the year, I doubt they suddenly will this year. But on the other hand Contador isn't at the level he was at the Vuelta at the moment, so there is room for improvement.

I don't think I suggested Sky would get weaker over the course of this year. I think they will be much like they were again this year--operate at a high level in the lead up to the grand tours. What I think is that they are operating at or near their peak--at least based on how they've self-described their approach.

And I agree. I don't think Contador is near his best level. I think he may need to devote a block of high altitude training to focus on riding a high tempo for extended periods of time. His explosiveness isn't going anywhere anytime soon. And his teammates need to seriously get themselves in gear. I thought this team was going to be much stronger on paper. The fact that only one of them was able to ride with Alberto up the mountain today was a worrisome sign (especially when Sky had most of their team there).

 

[postmanhat]

Hopefully, he's learned from today and Oman. Just stick on Froome till the last K and give it the full beans. Might work?

He (and Nibali) looked so beaten at the end today. They and their teams have to try something else.

 

[jens_attacks]

Don't think there is much of a difference between Alberto at the Vuelta and Alberto here tbh.

he is way weaker now. that's why the pre-ban comparison don't make any sense.
this might be the plan i have no idea. now don't suddenly imagine that in le tour he will be dropped by kwiatkowski or santambroggio.