Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[The Hitch]

Contador stronger than last year. Still not 07 or 09 but strong enough today.

Will say this though, he has never had a weapon like Roman Kreuziger. In fact, I don't know if anyone has in some time.
Of course Froome 2012 and Porte 2013 were stronger domestiques, but all they did was ride in a train, and in the case of Froome he only did it for a couple of races and didn't like his leader.
Contador and Kreuziger is 2nd year now, Kreuziger seems loyal, they use him in all manner of ways.

 

[Jelantik]

Think he should beat Froome in Catalunya i no he was riding it but not sure, i want to see them race in same race so we have some answers, big mention to Porte and Kreuziger who were both very strong and not far from Contador's level.

Froome is riding Catalunya and so does Contador. Porte might be, dunno. But today quintana has the edge against porte. Yeah, yeah, porte pulls, but quintana attacks too.

 

[Jelantik]

Contador stronger than last year. Still not 07 or 09 but strong enough today.

Will say this though, he has never had a weapon like Roman Kreuziger. In fact, I don't know if anyone has in some time.
Of course Froome 2012 and Porte 2013 were stronger domestiques, but all they did was ride in a train, and in the case of Froome he only did it for a couple of races and didn't like his leader.
Contador and Kreuziger is 2nd year now, Kreuziger seems loyal, they use him in all manner of ways.

+1. I hope contador, let him win a stage at TDF (if he has the yellow jersey). They guy deserved a props with his attack. I was thinking that Tinkoff might let kreuziger won. But seeing nothing happening until the last km in order to gain overall lead, I assumed that they went to second option: winning the stage.

One thing was true. Tinkoff team really walks the walks, talks the talks today. They said they wanted stage win with alberto and with kreuziger putting the pressure. And today we just saw that. Just too bad they didn't get enough time to gain overall lead.

 

[The Hitch]

interesting to see what happens tomorrow..

I hope Kwia cracks on lanciano, cause I dont think Berto will get enough time on that wall. He needs like 30 seconds more at least.

Saxo just need to make it hard. It would help if they had another weapon other than Kreuziger to go earlier, try a fuente de type thing. Or make deal with Movistar that they will both send domestiques up so that Nairo and Alberto have someone to bridge to but teams don't do that no more

 

[Netserk]

The muro will be enough for Berto, if Lanciano is ridden hard.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Woop woop

 

[Miburo]

This Contador might be '10 or '11 level. Keep in mind that he wasn't godlike in march in that time. But ok that's too early to really judge.

Better than last year, that's certain

 

[LaFlorecita]

The muro will be enough for Berto, if Lanciano is ridden hard.

Hmmm... It is going to be very interesting that's for sure. He needs 30 seconds I think.

 

[Jelantik]

http://www.steephill.tv/players/you...oard=tirreno-adriatico&id=Q0AONkTWUz8&yr=2014

kreuziger made a gesture to get contador to his wheel. (4.17-4.20).

Either Contador was on his limit and decided that taking time from Kwiat it's too big of a task, or he has decided to save his leg for stage win all along. Either way, I'm curious what would happen tomorrow? Is TinkoffSaxo planning to take the overall tomorrow? Kwiat was 20's faster than alberto at Algarve ITT.

 

[LaFlorecita]

http://www.steephill.tv/players/you...oard=tirreno-adriatico&id=Q0AONkTWUz8&yr=2014

kreuziger made a gesture to get contador to his wheel. (4.17-4.20).

Either Contador was on his limit and decided that taking time from Kwiat it's too big of a task, or he has decided to save his leg for stage win all along. Either way, I'm curious what would happen tomorrow? Is TinkoffSaxo planning to take the overall tomorrow? Kwiat was 20's faster than alberto at Algarve ITT.

The Algarve ITT was a little longer though. I think Contador will lose about 15s. So he needs at least 31s on Kwiatkowski tomorrow. It will be difficult but I'm sure he'll try.

If only he'd attacked 200m earlier again he takes 10s in a very short distance.

 

[jaylew]

Hmmm... It is going to be very interesting that's for sure. He needs 30 seconds I think.

Sounds about right, but less if he wins the stage and gets the bonus seconds. I expect Kwia to gain 9-12 seconds in the ITT.

Loks like Kwia took 9" from him last year but both are going better this year so who knows?

 

[Jelantik]

The Algarve ITT was a little longer though. I think Contador will lose about 15s. So he needs at least 31s on Kwiatkowski tomorrow. It will be difficult but I'm sure he'll try.

If only he'd attacked 200m earlier again he takes 10s in a very short distance.

We can also say that Algarve ITT didn't come after racing some two days of 200+km. I hope that would make a difference how Kwiat will perform. On paper he might need 30s, but fatigue must play a role for everyone at the last stage. Cross my finger, hoping that ITT won't decide the winner.

 

[Pentacycle]

Finally Contador has realized attacks from 5-6k out won't work anymore, and it pays off. Let's see where this ends

 

[The Hitch]

Finally Contador has realized attacks from 5-6k out won't work anymore, and it pays off. Let's see where this ends

This was a weak *** mtf. No altitude, not much to tire people out before the final climb other than the distance, 5% average for the first 5km, 4th day of the race with the last 2 being sprints, of course he didn't attack 5-6k out.

Fuente de disproves the notion that attacking 5-6k out wont work. And last years gts froome floored everyone with attacks from that distance or further twice, and in the vuelta, Horner's biggest gap came from that stage where he also attacked everyone way way out.

 

[peloton]

Nice win today.

 

[rhubroma]

This was a weak *** mtf. No altitude, not much to tire people out before the final climb other than the distance, 5% average for the first 5km, 4th day of the race with the last 2 being sprints, of course he didn't attack 5-6k out.

Fuente de disproves the notion that attacking 5-6k out wont work. And last years gts froome floored everyone with attacks from that distance or further twice, and in the vuelta, Horner's biggest gap came from that stage where he also attacked everyone way way out.

Yes but this is a stage race (and in March you can't have high altitude finishes), not a Grand Tour, so all the contenders are fresh. Hence time gaps would not have been significantly major even on a harder climb. Although, in the final analysis, perhaps it was unwise to have sent Roman up the road so early. In that situation Contador was forced to ride the others' wheels, whereas had none of the major GC teams had a man up the road, the fireworks would necessarily have started earlier on the climb, which could have led to bigger time gaps at the finish and an even more ferocious battle.

It seems that Quintana, Porte and Contador were the strongest, with Scarponi right behind and probably Kreuziger, who was admirably resistant in the end. Perhaps this is another reason to not have 'sacrificed' him so soon.

At any rate, tomorrow's stage should be delightful.

 

[Pentacycle]

This was a weak *** mtf. No altitude, not much to tire people out before the final climb other than the distance, 5% average for the first 5km, 4th day of the race with the last 2 being sprints, of course he didn't attack 5-6k out.

Fuente de disproves the notion that attacking 5-6k out wont work. And last years gts froome floored everyone with attacks from that distance or further twice, and in the vuelta, Horner's biggest gap came from that stage where he also attacked everyone way way out.

Compared to Prati di Tivo last year this is a better Contador. And not only physically.

But it doesn't make sense comparing MTF's anyways, I'm just glad that Alberto's found his winning ways again.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador has now won stages in all major 1 week stage races

 

[MatParker117]

Compared to Prati di Tivo last year this is a better Contador. And not only physically.

But it doesn't make sense comparing MTF's anyways, I'm just glad that Alberto's found his winning ways again.

We will soon find out how those measure up against Froome.

 

[rhubroma]

Contador has now won stages in all major 1 week stage races plus the GTs

Major 1 day stage races. Isn't that an oxymoron LaFlo?

 

[Pentacycle]

Contador has now won stages in all major 1 week stage races

He still needs one in Eneco Tour

 

[LaFlorecita]

He still needs one in Eneco Tour

True true

 

[Red Rick]

Contador has now won stages in all major 1 week stage races that are not a disgraceful boring sprintfest

that's better

 

[Jspear]

"It's a great win, it gives me confidence and confirms that all the work that I've been doing in the winter is paying off. I'm happy to win but the GC is going to be hard to crack. I'll try though," ~ CN article

Contador is saying it will be hard to win....we shall see.

 

[The Hitch]

Contador has now won stages in all major 1 week stage races

We need a list to appreciate it.

Every WT stage race except Eneco? Damn he could have won the RVV stage there a few years back.