Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Jspear]

“We're going day by day, I have some discomfort, but it don’t get any worse. I'm passing each day and that motivates me, but I also remain cautious."

At least it's not getting any worst....things don't sound perfect, but they don't necessarily sound horrible either.

http://cyclingquotes.com/news/contador_valverdes_attack_was_no_surprise/

 

[hrotha]

Why would you take anything he says at face value?

 

[Jspear]

Why would you take anything he says at face value?

I always take what he and his team say with a grain of salt. Reading what he says about himself though is no worst then listening to everyone here trying to figure out how he is based on their perception of his body language....

 

[ferryman]

I always take what he and his team say with a grain of salt. Reading what he says about himself though is no worst then listening to everyone here trying to figure out how he is based on their perception of his body language....

I know but I think forumites analysing Contador's climbing position in light of his knee is one of the things that is great about forums. And I must admit I did have a look but really couldn't see much to make a call.....Stage 6 will reveal all I guess..

 

[Jspear]

I know but I think forumites analysing Contador's climbing position in light of his knee is one of the things that is great about forums. And I must admit I did have a look but really couldn't see much to make a call.....Stage 6 will reveal all I guess..

I agree - I too enjoy hearing the different opinions/perspectives about his injury's ect. It can be very insightful at times. I guess I'm saying I'll listen to him as much as the forumites.

 

[Jelantik]

Sheesh and to think I always thought I was an extreme pessimist.

Yeah, like at Pais Vasco before he crushed Piti

with his condition right now.. nah. No pessimist, it's realist. I never compete in GT so i don't know what sort of form you have to be in order to compete with the likes of Froome, Quintana, Purito, Valverde and plus what happen if you compete with fracture leg. So I don't analyze what I see, I hear from the horse mouth. I know some suggest to take it as a grain of salt. yeah, yeah.. i know.. we are fans. we want to believe that he is is bluffing his way. But at the end of the day, he is the one that feeling the pain and discomfort. To me, that's not a good sign. I hope it doesn't get inflammation. So If he can hang with the rest of the GC guys on stage 6 and not loosing too much, I'll call it a miracle

Pais Vasco is a different circumstances. It was about his form. Vuelta is about his form + injury.

 

[Dr. Juice]

Imagine 10 riders on the front 2,5 km from the finish in La Zubia. 500 m later ....Alberto feels good , thinks " f**k it why not" and attacks - just to scare the sh!t out of his opponents ! Then comes in 6-7 seconds behind Purito and Froome just 10 mt behind Nairo

 

[cineteq]

Why would you take anything he says at face value?

Most people don't seem to hint Contador will most likely DNF la Vuelta.

 

[thehook]

Just watched the stage replay here in the US. I could not tell any difference in his climbing compared to the last time I got a good look at it in Dauphine. He seems to grind a bit now when in the group. But that has been like that all season.

What I did take note of was. He was very present in the front for the last 25ish K. So to me he is looking racey!

 

[murali]

Why would you take anything he says at face value?

Because it is better to evaluate him based on what he says instead of a whole bunch load of AHs complaining about what they think he should be doing.

This guy has come back to racing after a fracture. i dont think anyone has the right to speculate about his health or his possible victory.

If you have followed AC for any span of time, you should know that this is one rider who tries to win whether he is sick or not, whether he is in form or not.

Personally, i think he is doing decently well. but nothing can really be said till we hit the real mountain stages. stage 6 and 9 will only give an indication of how much he has recovered.

 

[Archibald]

Because it is better to evaluate him based on what he says instead of a whole bunch load of AHs complaining about what they think he should be doing.

This guy has come back to racing after a fracture. i dont think anyone has the right to speculate about his health or his possible victory.

If you have followed AC for any span of time, you should know that this is one rider who tries to win whether he is sick or not, whether he is in form or not.

Personally, i think he is doing decently well. but nothing can really be said till we hit the real mountain stages. stage 6 and 9 will only give an indication of how much he has recovered.

winner, winner, chicken dinner

 

[BlurryVII]

Because it is better to evaluate him based on what he says instead of a whole bunch load of AHs complaining about what they think he should be doing.

This guy has come back to racing after a fracture. i dont think anyone has the right to speculate about his health or his possible victory.

If you have followed AC for any span of time, you should know that this is one rider who tries to win whether he is sick or not, whether he is in form or not.

Personally, i think he is doing decently well. but nothing can really be said till we hit the real mountain stages. stage 6 and 9 will only give an indication of how much he has recovered.

This is a place where you can speculate, share your thoughts or theories, if you don't then there's nothing to say. And it's certainly not complaining.
I was one of the few who always believed AC could make it in the Vuelta, I was posting every update I could find on the web back at the end of July, and we all realised Vidarte was lying and AC reconsidered his decision. We were right from the beginning.

Also if you're a long time AC fan you should know that he's been bluffing a LOT throughout his career, and most of the time he does the exact opposite of what he says and or what he's hinting at:

Vuelta 2012"My rivals might be physically better than me at the beginning and I’ll possibly be fresher towards the end" "I'll take it easy the first days, and I hope to be stronger the last week" - 4 big Attacks on Arrate (4th stage)

Giro 2011 "Etna is not hard enough to make a difference"

Prior to Tour 2013 "I've beaten my personal records in Sierra Nevada" "I'm at least as good as I was in past years" He was worse than ever.

Etc. I get your point though, I always check out what he says, sometimes it's interesting and actually true but it doesn't have to prevent us from speculating before major upcoming stage.

 

[Cycle Chic]

I know something...the way he is rocking and rolling from side to side when he is out the saddle is becoming extremely ugly....he's making Froome look pretty to watch.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I know something...the way he is rocking and rolling from side to side when he is out the saddle is becoming extremely ugly....he's making Froome look pretty to watch.

only when it is going slow. At speed it is beatiful dancing

 

[LaFlorecita]

only when it is going slow. At speed it is beatiful dancing

yep.

10 characters

 

[Jack_89]

I just watched the video. Nothing makes me think he was a difficult, indeed. I think it went well, with its typical dance . Tomorrow we will know the truth , keep calm my friends

 

[gregrowlerson]

oh man, I remember stage 17, col de romme and especially col de la colombière, AC was like 99% of the time dancing on the pedals, I have no footage of him sitting on the bike lol, it was insane .

I remember that stage too, though more for other reasons



Love your signature by the way!

 

[Carols]

Well I'm just going to wait until after tomorrows stage for any further comments on form. People see things differently, so unless he gets totally dropped it is unlikely this group will agree Even if he loses 10 minutes peoples opinions will still vary

Meanwhile when a man coming off a broken leg says his leg hurts, well I Believe him!

 

[SeriousSam]

I know something...the way he is rocking and rolling from side to side when he is out the saddle is becoming extremely ugly....he's making Froome look pretty to watch.

 

[Coat-O]

Imagine 10 riders on the front 2,5 km from the finish in La Zubia. 500 m later ....Alberto feels good , thinks " f**k it why not" and attacks - just to scare the sh!t out of his opponents ! Then comes in 6-7 seconds behind Purito and Froome just 10 mt behind Nairo

That scenario is quite likely.

 

[Carols]

LOL. Berto and Nibs look so much better on the bike than Froome. So do many others in that shot .

 

[murali]

Well I'm just going to wait until after tomorrows stage for any further comments on form. People see things differently, so unless he gets totally dropped it is unlikely this group will agree Even if he loses 10 minutes peoples opinions will still vary

Meanwhile when a man coming off a broken leg says his leg hurts, well I Believe him!

i think i am going to say Carols is the best

btw, i dont believe tht he will lose 10 min on stage 6.

 

[infeXio]

That's painful to watch.

 

[Carols]

i think i am going to say Carols is the best

btw, i dont believe tht he will lose 10 min on stage 6.

I don't think he'll lose 10 mins either! I was just trying to find a figure big enough that people could agree he was out of the GC. But he'd probably have to abandon for people to agree on that

 

[No_Balls]

There is none here which i can recall who has doubted that he is feeling something in his leg. It would be strange otherwise. The question is how much? He has himself pointed out that it would be best described as "aching" and a "discomfort" after the race. And what does that mean anyway? Purito didnt felt that comforted either after the stage yesterday. The hospital-brigade around here ignores that, while dramatically exaggerating "pain" after he admitted such morning after the team time trial, which was a couple of days ago. The sense of "discomfort" was repeated yesterday.

The 6th stage cant come soon enough.

with his condition right now.. nah. No pessimist, it's realist.

Its not realism wanting to have him x-rayed because of his bouncing on the bike during a slow ride.

Pais Vasco is a different circumstances. It was about his form. Vuelta is about his form + injury.

Is he still injured?