Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Kokoso]

Very bad perfomance in the final stage of TDS by Kreuziger

Kreuziger needs to work on his form seriously

I'd say he was about same shape as last year TdS.

Zaugg rode well yesterday but he didn't help Kreuziger much stage before. How long was he pulling? Like 400 metres? Not much.

Interesting is that all guys who attackes on Verbier weren't very good yesterday. Chaves, Kreuziger, even Mollema.

 

[indianfanboy]

Allberto trained at Gavia today for some more altitude training to polish his form

 

[trevim]

Allberto trained at Gavia today for some more altitude training to polish his form

What's next? Crostis+Zoncolan?

 

[42x16ss]

I beg to differ. The best since Lemond, perhaps.

Stage racer? Certainly. Overall? Not so sure. Don't forget Lemond was a solid 1 day rider as well, if Berto gets a WC or big classic then there's no debate at all.

Lemond got 2xWC + 2x2nd and podiums at LBL, MSR, GdL along with 4th at PR. I'd say they're pretty even but only because of the diversity of Lemond's palmares.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Stage racer? Certainly. Overall? Not so sure. Don't forget Lemond was a solid 1 day rider as well, if Berto gets a WC or big classic then there's no debate at all.

Lemond got 2xWC + 2x2nd and podiums at LBL, MSR, GdL along with 4th at PR. I'd say they're pretty even but only because of the diversity of Lemond's palmares.

Yeah I agree. Overall they are pretty even but Contador is by far a better stage racer (and climber).

Hope Bertie shifts his focus to the one week stage races he hasn't won yet and the classics in a couple years

 

[murali]

i dont understand this deep craving for him to win 1-day classics.

He is the best stage racer in the current era. Period.

the field was different in the past, so were the opponents. If a 30yo Lemond or Hinault or any other stage racing legend were to compete with a 30 yo AC, who would hav won? I dont think that we can empirically answer that question.


When was the last time AC was the solo leader of a WC team. i hav only seen him as co-leader or riding for others.

 

[trevim]

i dont understand this deep craving for him to win 1-day classics.

He is the best stage racer in the current era. Period.

the field was different in the past, so were the opponents. If a 30yo Lemond or Hinault or any other stage racing legend were to compete with a 30 yo AC, who would hav won? I dont think that we can empirically answer that question.


When was the last time AC was the solo leader of a WC team. i hav only seen him as co-leader or riding for others.

The thing is he can win Liege, Fleche, Lombardia and Emillia on his day. Not a top favourite but his climbing/explosivity is good enough for it. And it would certainly add a totally new dimension to his palmares.
I get why he doesn't want to focus on it, considering how good his recovery is in stage races.

 

[LaFlorecita]

i dont understand this deep craving for him to win 1-day classics.
.

It would be cool

 

[ILovecycling]

It would be cool

I agree,Im still fvcked he didnt win that FW

 

[LaFlorecita]

I agree,Im still fvcked he didnt win that FW

Yeah he could have won but went too early

 

[Jack_89]

Lombardy. Liege and FW are three classics that he could / can win.

Especially the FW this year. Do not forget the first stage of pais vasco when on a similar climb to the steep mure de Huy dopped Valverde.

 

[ILovecycling]

Yeah he could have won but went too early

bloody evans,ouhh I hate this guy


EDIT: for those who havent seen it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIQg8e5yKCE (FW 2010)

 

[Carols]

i dont understand this deep craving for him to win 1-day classics.

How many guys in history have palmares with all 3 GTs plus a classic? You can count them on one hand. That is why Puts him in the league of the very best all over cyclists ever.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Lombardy. Liege and FW are three classics that he could / can win.

Especially the FW this year. Do not forget the first stage of pais vasco when on a similar climb to the steep mure de Huy dopped Valverde.

Yeah! When I saw Valverde crush everyone else I immediately wondered what Alberto could have done....

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

would be awesome if he tried to go for LBL, because the only way he can win it is to go ballistic with his team from km 0 and make the race as hard as possible

 

[Akuryo]

would be awesome if he tried to go for LBL, because the only way he can win it is to go ballistic with his team from km 0 and make the race as hard as possible

Otherwise it will be a sprint between Valverde, Gerrans and Kwiatkowski again. Not that I would mind a win of my polish hero, but it was kind of boring this year.

 

[movingtarget]

bloody evans,ouhh I hate this guy


EDIT: for those who havent seen it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIQg8e5yKCE (FW 2010)

One of Evans best wins.

 

[Miburo]

would be awesome if he tried to go for LBL, because the only way he can win it is to go ballistic with his team from km 0 and make the race as hard as possible

Nah, he just needs a lot of luck and really good legs. He could have won it in '10 and the race wasn't that hard at all until the roche aux faucons.

 

[ILovecycling]

would be awesome if he tried to go for LBL, because the only way he can win it is to go ballistic with his team from km 0 and make the race as hard as possible

I hope so,cuz this LBL was so unbelievably boooooooooooooooooooring

 

[IndianCyclist]

I donot think he can win the classics. He does not train for them. He is not at correct race weight. For classics you need more power climbing than the steady long climbs, bringing into play a lot more anaerobic muscles.

 

[Miburo]

I donot think he can win the classics. He does not train for them. He is not at correct race weight. For classics you need more power climbing than the steady long climbs, bringing into play a lot more anaerobic muscles.

Contador proved he can win classics in '10 despite not winning any, there's just a lot of luck (strategy) involved. And he doesn't wanna rely on that, winning stage races is less luck based and more on a consistent level which is his strong point.

 

[murali]

so the argument is that he has the capability of winning.

if he targets Giro instead of Tour, then can he win any of the spring classics?

he had stopped racing after the Basque race.

Another doubt: shudnt he be having better sprinting skills to win the one day races?

 

[Jack_89]

I think that next year he will do Giro for a number of reasons: it is his favorite ride, he does not participate for 4 years ecc.
so he can do some classics. for example ,new Milano-Sanremo is suitable for him with the climb of Pompeiana...

 

[murali]

do riding classics increase the uci points available to grab?

and do TS guys have to worry abt points anymore? i mean, with Kreu, majka, etc making pts, can AC do wht he wants from now on without points pressure?

 

[LaFlorecita]

so the argument is that he has the capability of winning.

if he targets Giro instead of Tour, then can he win any of the spring classics?

he had stopped racing after the Basque race.

Another doubt: shudnt he be having better sprinting skills to win the one day races?

Better sprint skills?

Stage 5 Results
SLO 1 MEZGEC, Luka (GIANT-SHIMANO) 5:16:00
FRA 2 ALAPHILIPPE, Julian (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP)
FRA 3 DUMOULIN, Samuel (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
GER 4 MARTENS, Paul (BELKIN)
NED 5 KREDER, Michel (WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT)
ESP 6 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF-SAXO)
GBR 7 YATES, Adam (ORICA GreenEDGE)
FRA 8 REZA, Kévin (EUROPCAR)
BEL 9 VAN DER SANDE, Tosh (LOTTO BELISOL)
ITA 10 VIGANO, Davide (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA)

Stage 7 Results
NED 1 WESTRA, Lieuwe (ASTANA) 2:36:14
GER 2 BURGHARDT, Marcus (BMC RACING) + 1:22
FRA 3 VOECKLER, Thomas (EUROPCAR)
POL 4 PATERSKI, Maciej (CCC POLSAT POLKOWICE) + 1:26
FRA 5 BAGOT, Yohan (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) + 1:36
SLO 6 POLANC, Jan (LAMPRE - MERIDA) + 2:07
ESP 7 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF-SAXO)
FRA 8 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
FRA 9 JEANNESSON, Arnold (FDJ.fr)
ESP 10 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA)
DEN 11 FUGLSANG, Jakob (ASTANA)
BEL 12 BAUGNIES, Jérôme (WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT)
USA 13 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING)
USA 14 TALANSKY, Andrew (GARMIN SHARP)
COL 15 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR)