Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Dazed and Confused]

so just when Andy appears to look ok-ish, Contador comes across as a $100k bottle fetcher. Can we please have both in top shape for the tour?

 

[Carols]

...Because he is going to get his asz spanked in the Tour.

Love your new avatar Netserk Finally admitting Fabu is one of the Classic Greats???

 

[Netserk]

Love your new avatar Netserk Finally admitting Fabu is one of the Classic Greats???

[OFF TOPIC]Have I ever said otherwise? I do think he is amongst the few active legends, but that doesn't mean that he isn't overrated ('Cause he is overrated!). I have him as my avatar due to an avatar bet.[/OFF TOPIC]

I don't expect much from Alberto in Dauphine. Top-5 should be enough.

 

[Miburo]

[OFF TOPIC]Have I ever said otherwise? I do think he is amongst the few active legends, but that doesn't mean that he isn't overrated ('Cause he is overrated!). I have him as my avatar due to an avatar bet.[/OFF TOPIC]

I don't expect much from Alberto in Dauphine. Top-5 should be enough.

Too good is not good in the dauphine except you're in sky of course

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't expect a whole lot from dauphiné. Top 5 at best. Froome will obviously win. The tt will also be interesting.

 

[Netserk]

2010: 2nd Dauphine
2009: 3rd
2007: 6th

I expect him to end up somewhere between 3rd and 5th.

 

[ferryman]

I'm not worried one little bit about Contador's season so far. It has always been about July this year. He did his bit today when he didn't have to or indeed want to. True Pro.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I'm not worried one little bit about Contador's season so far. It has always been about July this year. He did his bit today when he didn't have to or indeed want to. True Pro.

I hate to say this ferryman but Alberto isn't Andy. He races all year long and he would never ever deliberately lose races. That's not his style and his ego doesn't allow him to do that. In January people said "it's just January" but right now he should be showing some form. The fact that he is only getting worse is imo a sign that something is wrong. You can't simply ignore it.

 

[jens_attacks]

I hate to say this ferryman but Alberto isn't Andy. He races all year long and he would never ever deliberately lose races.

things change. in order to beat froomey you must have plenty of energy in reserve for le tour,you gotta peak like an angel to beat him. bjarne knows it and alberto get the memo. in july, we'll have a showdown that's for sure. alberto will be stronger than he ever was

 

[Carols]

I hate to say this ferryman but Alberto isn't Andy. He races all year long and he would never ever deliberately lose races. That's not his style and his ego doesn't allow him to do that. In January people said "it's just January" but right now he should be showing some form. The fact that he is only getting worse is imo a sign that something is wrong. You can't simply ignore it.

I agree with La Flo.....something is wrong He isn't just playing a waiting game, he is chasing form, unsuccessfully to date. There is still time, but it is running out now.... I hope he has had a full medical checkup since his illness and there is no lingering issues! The reports that he hasn't quite recovered yet are somewhat encouraging.

 

[LaFlorecita]

things change. in order to beat froomey you must have plenty of energy in reserve for le tour,you gotta peak like an angel to beat him. bjarne knows it and alberto get the memo. in july, we'll have a showdown that's for sure. alberto will be stronger than he ever was

Jensie this is why we love you but I think you're wrong this time.

 

[maxmartin]

things change. in order to beat froomey you must have plenty of energy in reserve for le tour,you gotta peak like an angel to beat him. bjarne knows it and alberto get the memo. in july, we'll have a showdown that's for sure. alberto will be stronger than he ever was

absolutely agree

 

[jilbiker]

From his interview, didn't seem that he wanted to do Ardeness in the first place. Maybe lack of form plus lack of motivation = lame ride. He reminded me of nibali when canondale forced him to race in USA while he wanted to do vuelta for sponsor reason. Well .. I'm still holding up my hope come Dauphene. At that point, he can't make any excuses..

I get the feeling somewhere between the end of last season and begining of the season AC lost his motivation. He just doesn't seem interested, I don't sense that hunger, that cannibal desire to win everything in sight. It could be riders go through such phases in their career, its impossible to be all wired up every single moment without being a bit psychotic. But one thing to note about AC is that he rides with his emotions, his feelings, Bruyneel has made that comment before too. That to me is not a good a thing, it means there will be highs and lows.

For all the negativeness we will say about LA, he treated cycling as a business and removed his feelings, I cannot imagine if it was AC in the 2003 TDF when LA had just had the divorce, AC would have probably finished last. AC needs to wake up, cycling is a business, but perhaps its different people, perhaps if he had that approach he would ride bluntly. Recall AC's great displays have an external motivation factor
2009 TDF - Battle with LA
2011 Giro - Proving he was wrongly accused
2012 Vuelta - Proving the ban was unjust and he was still a tiger

Even his 2008 Giro/Vuelta double he felt (correctly) he was unjustly banned from TDF because of Astana. Notice he was lacklusture at 2010 TDF, there was no gripe with anyone, no real motivation.

What is the motivation now? beating Sky? Plain competition like that is boring to AC, 2010 TDF was suppose to be the battle with Schleck but that was a snooze fest.

he needs a bit of a gripe or quarrel?? Ha-ha

 

[Miburo]

Jensie this is why we love you but I think you're wrong this time.

Exactly, gotta love jens. I believe him

 

[LaFlorecita]

I agree with La Flo.....something is wrong He isn't just playing a waiting game, he is chasing form, unsuccessfully to date. There is still time, but it is running out now.... I hope he has had a full medical checkup since his illness and there is no lingering issues! The reports that he hasn't quite recovered yet are somewhat encouraging.

I didn't see those reports? Do you have a link?

 

[thehook]

AC is 30. So yes he is in his "prime". However maybe we are taking his earlier years for granted? The guy was a monster at every race he entered. I think he is building form for July. Just by looking at him he appears to me to be losing weight now. If you look at him in Oman and today in LBL. He seems much leaner to me. I really think he is using these early season races as form building. And YES he always rides to win. But that does not mean he is not training hard in them.

 

[jens_attacks]

he is extremely lean already and by the tour he will be in the scary lean standards. he will be a beast

 

[Carols]

I didn't see those reports? Do you have a link?

I saw it in a post somewhere on this board this AM but can't find it now!

 

[LaFlorecita]

he is extremely lean already and by the tour he will be in the scary lean standards. he will be a beast

he will look like an alien. Where the F is zam

 

[Netserk]

he will look like an alien. Where the F is zam

Did somebody call me?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Did somebody call me?

Zam thinks Alberto looks like ET

 

[Zam_Olyas]

See, fleur .. i am never wrong other people also see it ..
why do you doubt dear Thomas?

 

[LaFlorecita]

See, fleur .. i am never wrong other people also see it ..
why do you doubt dear Thomas?

Who is thomas?

 

[Miburo]

Give us this man in july bjarne, i couldn't care less how, just do it

 

[ferryman]

I hate to say this ferryman but Alberto isn't Andy. He races all year long and he would never ever deliberately lose races. That's not his style and his ego doesn't allow him to do that. In January people said "it's just January" but right now he should be showing some form. The fact that he is only getting worse is imo a sign that something is wrong. You can't simply ignore it.

No problem but take a step back and review the season so far from an AC point of view. Negatives: He has been at 75% at best, he has been on his own (team wise) largely. Positives: He has been competitive (at 75%) since January, Sky haven't really managed to do a number on him, his team are at last starting to show some sort of form and the biggest plus for him potentially is that Andy might just be getting some form back also.

You really are a half glass empty sort of girl