Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[airstream]

Before 2005 the Giro had a terrible field overall so that's definitely possible. But things have changed. You shouldn't quote something from 7 years ago like it's reliable

From Contador's interview straight on the eve of the 2011 Giro "The difference between the Tour and other GTs is that the climbs are overpassed with an exceptionally high speed and flat stages exhaust you completely whereas the Giro stages are more tolerant for the riders".

 

[Eshnar]

From Contador's interview straight on the eve of the 2011 Giro "The difference between the Tour and other GTs is that the climbs are overpassed with an exceptionally high speed and flat stages exhaust you completely whereas the Giro stages are more tolerant for the riders".

Though it seems that numbers don't agree with him do they? It's even funny because AC said that before 2011 edition, then his only Giro was 2008, where he struggled on every single climb (due to lack of form I guess), much more than I had seen him struggling on any Tour climb (before 2011 ofc)... against the same Riccò who was dropping everyone like a stone on 2008 Tour... It's quite amazing that he claimed that Giro climbs were raced slower
EDIT: But I can trust him about the flat stages.

 

[LaFlorecita]

The proven cheat.

Clinic ffs.

 

[The Hitch]

Haven't really found anything after a (really) quick search, but looking at wikipedia picture, I would say it's not a steroid as it doesn't have steroid ring. It looks more like an amino acid derivate.

I know, i was poining out an error in the article

 

[Angliru]

From Contador's interview straight on the eve of the 2011 Giro "The difference between the Tour and other GTs is that the climbs are overpassed with an exceptionally high speed and flat stages exhaust you completely whereas the Giro stages are more tolerant for the riders".

...and afterwards (when the Giro was over) he was quoted as saying it was the toughest grand tour he had ever done.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

...and afterwards (when the Giro was over) he was quoted as saying it was the toughest grand tour he had ever done.

Yes because the course was incredibly tough. Nothing to do with the field or the average speed.

BTW why are we comparing the giro 2011 and Tour 2012 ?

 

[The Hitch]

in my opinion the tour is ridden the fastest but not by much in comparison to giro. and now,from all the riders accounts,vuelta in that heat ridden very fast is almost if not harder than le tour.

Wiggins said Vuelta is harder than the Tour, though he does contradict himself a lot, as does contador so these opinions should not be taken too seriously.

Cav was pretty clear about how much harder the Giro is, saying it was by far the most exhausted he has ever been.

 

[Arnout]

Wiggins said Vuelta is harder than the Tour, though he does contradict himself a lot, as does contador so these opinions should not be taken too seriously.

Cav was pretty clear about how much harder the Giro is, saying it was by far the most exhausted he has ever been.

But Cav is 100% on every mountain. Considering there are more mountains in the Giro than in the Tour, the Giro will be harder for him. Hardly a reference either in my opinion.

 

[airstream]

Yes because the course was incredibly tough. Nothing to do with the field or the average speed.

BTW why are we comparing the giro 2011 and Tour 2012 ?

Exactly. Aftell all, it can be explained by one of the numerous discrepancies his statements often bristle with.

 

[sartoris]

The proven cheat.

No one has proved he cheated. Did you read the sentence which banned him until today?

Anyway, if you're a hater, from today on you're gonna have plenty of reasons to hate him even more

ALBERTO CONTADOR, the best cyclist alive.

 

[richwagmn]

The best Vuelta was '99.

Until this years... ;-)

 

[The Hitch]

But Cav is 100% on every mountain. Considering there are more mountains in the Giro than in the Tour, the Giro will be harder for him. Hardly a reference either in my opinion.

You going bavarian rider on us here?

Surely its easier for Cav to ride in the grupetto up say luz ardiden than up mortirolo.

 

[Publicus]

the average speed of giro 2011 was not 41 km/h of course,it was around 39 km/h which is kind of stratospheric for that kind of route
in my opinion the tour is ridden the fastest but not by much in comparison to giro. and now,from all the riders accounts,vuelta in that heat ridden very fast is almost if not harder than le tour.

don't forget that that quote is from way back.now both giro and vuelta are ridden very fast.it was a hyperbole anyway




airstream as always wants to put some fire in this lovely thread.he still has a point though
no one barring his staff,knows froomy's limits. i feel that in the vuelta he will be way stronger than in le tour.and there was no slowmo riding in france either(mente,belles filles,the favourites riding peyresourde 2 seconds faster than alberto and rasmussen in 2007 etc). now imagine that froomy rode all these mountains just looking back and breaking

alberto can easily drop nibali,jurgen,or wiggo.no doubt
froomy?i guess we'll find out

Where do you come up with 39? I input the kilometers and Contador's finishing time into the calculator on the below website and it spit out the 41 kmh figure.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/csgtsd.html

 

[jens_attacks]

Where do you come up with 39? I input the kilometers and Contador's finishing time into the calculator on the below website and it spit out the 41 kmh figure.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/csgtsd.html

wikipedia...and i remember the official one was around that number too...media di 38,804 km/h

41 km/h on that route...pretty much impossible....that would be as fast as tdf 2004 which had something like 3 mountain stages

you probably put in the calculator 3479 km but it seems there were actually just 3263 km ridden.
that's because one stage was neutralized after the terrible death and also monte crostis area was cut.
mystery solved i guess

 

[Publicus]

wikipedia...and i remember the official one was around that number too...media di 38,804 km/h

41 km/h on that route...pretty much impossible....that would be as fast as tdf 2004 which had something like 3 mountain stages

you probably put in the calculator 3479 km but it seems there were actually just 3263 km ridden.
that's because one stage was neutralized after the terrible death and also monte crostis area was cut.
mystery solved i guess

I'd forgotten about them neutralizing the stage 4 after Wouter died and then eliminating the Monte Crostis (seems Steephill picked up the elimination of the climb so that figure was correct). Mystery solved indeed. Thanks for clarifying.

EDIT: Using 3263 km kicks out a figure of 38.805 kmh, which is close to the figure you noted in your comment.

 

[The Hitch]

Chapeau jens attacks

 

[Christian]

Kinda disappointed by LaFlorecita's new (old) sig. After the 99 day countdown I was expecting something a little more epic than a simple return to the old sig. Kind of a non-event ...

 

[ElChingon]

Kinda disappointed by LaFlorecita's new (old) sig. After the 99 day countdown I was expecting something a little more epic than a simple return to the old sig. Kind of a non-event ...

Very true.

We expect more LaFlorecita...

 

[No_Balls]

No one has proved he cheated. Did you read the sentence which banned him until today?

Anyway, if you're a hater, from today on you're gonna have plenty of reasons to hate him even more

ALBERTO CONTADOR, the best cyclist alive.

You are talking with a guy (started watching cycling in July) who are very concerned people should have benefit of the doubt during serious allegations such as these. Oh, if they are brits of course.

 

[No_Balls]

The best Vuelta was '99.

Ah great one. Olano was on form early (collapsed as he often did though), the introduction of Angliru were Ullrich and him sticked together, Heras for Kelme, Ullrich winning in the end after some scare from Igor.

 

[ElChingon]

 

[ElChingon]

 

[Forunculo]

Look at the looks, amazing

 

[Aguirre]

Look at the looks, amazing

more than amazing. A legend on wheels. Good seen from the cycling fans

 

[the asian]

Hopefully SBTB can protect him well and avoid any mishaps.
Is he riding San Sebastian as well?