gthx_gthx_ said:
In 2011 he was a new arrival from Astana. This is really his first full season at Saxo, and the goal will be 100% about winning the tour with nothing compromising that goal.
In 2011 he was a new arrival from Astana. This is really his first full season at Saxo, and the goal will be 100% about winning the tour with nothing compromising that goal.
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As long as Bertie is up there consistently, I won't give up the hope of him being able to win the Tour. Maybe his approach is different this year, maybe he really struggles form wise. Either way, a rider with his class will always be a factor in the Tour.
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JimPanzen said:
I'm not worry about contador when it comes to the Tour. But his team. that's what I'm disappointed. They can't even handle 6 sky boys in one week race (well technically only 3). I read this forum everyday, and people keeps saying about contador can beat sky train. I don't believe it. He needs his team to match the sky team period. His team on paper should be a strong team. But so far, I haven't see anyone in Saxo roaster beside contador gets podium. Since Oman, sky already got their domestique (not even their star), winning the race or in the podium. Contador can't win TDF or at least have a fair chance with Froome if his team is weak period. You hear me here first.
jens_attacks said:
If I were Sky I'd be afraid of Contador and the guy who lost the 2007 Tour to Contador
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Jelantik said:
Absolutely true. But I think this will just become a major problem if Contador is in yellow and Saxo has to control the race. Before that every train is good to jump from or wear out competitors, no matter what jersey the riders wear. But one or two good helpers that can last long in the last climb are never a bad thing, that's for sure. Let's see how Kreuziger, Roche and Rogers will develop...
icefire said:If I were Sky I'd be afraid of Contador and the guy who lost the 2007 Tour to Contador
Vino? Leipheimer?
JimPanzen said:
Contador has never really won grand tours because of his team. It was his individual performances in the TT and on the MTFs and if he can't do that this year he can't win. His domestiques are not in the same league as Sky's.
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movingtarget said:
That's what I meant. It doesn't matter whos pulling, he downs't need a special set up. But if there are teams that have more options in the gc (like Sky or maybe Movistar) it can be hard to control the race due to multiple attacks or attacks from far out. But I agree...it will not depend on his team too much wether Contador will or won't win the Tour.
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movingtarget said:
That might be true few years ago before sky comes along. Like it or not, they are revolutionizing the cycling now. Their training method certainly can turn some no name into a power house. Sky to me shows a collective of strength rather than just one man show. Even if Contador in his 2011 Giro shape, there's NO way he can win TDF by himself this year. One vs froome, porte, wiggin, kireynka, uran, henao? Not a chance. He needs Roman, Mic, Roche, Majka to destroy and match sky domestique, before contador can have froome or wiggin mano a mano. Until saxo team is as strong as sky team, Contador's chances of winning is getting less everyday. The last time i checked, cycling is a team sport. Sky is actually just showing us how it's done correctly. So I disagree, if people say that team doesn't have necessary impact on the outcome. I haven't seen any contender can attack and sustain, after sky "collective team strength" turns the screw. The fact that sky have multiple options + strong team, that should be a game over for everyone, if no one can match the strength of Sky team. Moviestar seems to show some spark of strength against the sky. But they got no Contador
Jelantik said:That might be true few years ago before sky comes along. Like it or not, they are revolutionizing the cycling now. Their training method certainly can turn some no name into a power house. Sky to me shows a collective of strength rather than just one man show. Even if Contador in his 2011 Giro shape, there's NO way he can win TDF by himself this year. One vs froome, porte, wiggin, kireynka, uran, henao? Not a chance. He needs Roman, Mic, Roche, Majka to destroy and match sky domestique, before contador can have froome or wiggin mano a mano. Until saxo team is as strong as sky team, Contador's chances of winning is getting less everyday. The last time i checked, cycling is a team sport. Sky is actually just showing us how it's done correctly. So I disagree, if people say that team doesn't have necessary impact on the outcome. I haven't seen any contender can attack and sustain, after sky "collective team strength" turns the screw. The fact that sky have multiple options + strong team, that should be a game over for everyone, if no one can match the strength of Sky team. Moviestar seems to show some spark of strength against the sky. But they got no Contador
But even Movistar don't ride like Sky. Contador has not got the team to ride like Sky. Sky lost at Tirreno, Catalunya and Pais and of course they are shorter races but a Contador in form will have some opportuntities. The TDF has less TT kms and a different route this year. Other teams are not riding like Sky simply because they can't and it would be very dull if every team rode like that. It would be like 200 km team time trials. Other teams will have to do more with tactics and find other ways of weakening Sky which is easier said than done.
Seems to me that when AC is not in his best shape, he can hang on in the mountians, but his tt starts to really suck. Even a hilly tt seems to be to much for the no longer choosen one
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Forunculo said:I agree but not enough good... how are you Flo?
I am ok, very happy Nairo won
And yes 10 is not good enough for Berto but we know he is not in good form so I think everyone expected ths, but it is not pathetic eitherHe´ll start at tomorrow´s Klasika Primavera, then he planned to not race until Dauphiné, which seems quite long.
He certainly skips the Ardennes, but there were rumours of him doing the Giro, which would be a big change, and which I honestly can´t believe.
I, however, could well imagine he could do Madrid, which is down to one day (1.1) this year, on the Saturday when the Giro takes off (4th of May).
I also, actually, would like to see him race TdS instead of Dauphiné, once again, like he did back in his Liberty Seguros days.
He certainly skips the Ardennes, but there were rumours of him doing the Giro, which would be a big change, and which I honestly can´t believe.
I, however, could well imagine he could do Madrid, which is down to one day (1.1) this year, on the Saturday when the Giro takes off (4th of May).
I also, actually, would like to see him race TdS instead of Dauphiné, once again, like he did back in his Liberty Seguros days.
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movingtarget said:
Sure it be would dull. But the "leader" will have their strength exposed. That would be a proper duel, since the team is being nulled. Then we'll see more fireworks from the leader instead of watching a black and blue motorbike all the way to the top while some riders just hanging at back for a dear life. Don't you think?
And you said moviestar didn't try to match sky? well i forget what stage that was, it's either 4 or 5, when they got 2 guys move in the front and taking over kireynka pace making. That's what I'm trying to say. I don't disagree with you that the team shouldn't ride like sky. But sky is using the oldest trick in the book, ride as hard as you can to prevent an attack. The stronger your team, the more km to the top they can keep their team intact. It's not a rocket science to see the result if you keep everyone close to red, how can you attack? unless you are gifted physically and got super high V02 max or whatever advantage genetically you got, to defy the science.
Back to Contador. He may not win, but at least he is consistent. He wasn't dropped that far in the climb. We just didn't see him attack as usual. Maybe he is cooking his recipe to destroy Sky. After T-A, I think in the interview he was saying something about how Sky's Sram looked like. So he might be experimenting now to find away to dismantle sky without doing too many attack. Because it certainly hasn't worked as it used to be.
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Dekker_Tifosi said:HE WAS BEATEN BY ****ING PIETER WEENING
It's terrible
So? Weening is in good form, it doesn't surprise me at all
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