Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Arredondo]

Based on what? The many classics contador has raced?

It's way harder in lombardia and for contador way WAY more important

Contador isn't that good at races at + 250 km. Just a fact

 

[Jack_89]

Doesn't mean anything. It will be a different race at Lombardia.

it's true ... but in the end, everyone is waiting Bergamo Alta. Yes, that is a hard climb but too short and in favor of Valverde ,Purito, Kwiat.ecc. And Berbenno, in addition to being easy, it is almost 30km away!

Bad route this year: '' easy '' and even more unsuited to its features. If there was Virgano I was more confident.

 

[Jspear]

Based on what? The many classics contador has raced?

It's way harder in lombardia and for contador way WAY more important

Based on the fact that AC does better with long hard proper climbs, something Lombardia doesn't have. I think one of the reasons why AC hasn't raced many classics is because it isn't really his specialty. That said, I do think he will try. He seems to really want to be on top of the UCI placings.

 

[BlurryVII]

Based on the fact that AC does better with long hard proper climbs, something Lombardia doesn't have. I think one of the reasons why AC hasn't raced many classics is because it isn't really his specialty. That said, I do think he will try. He seems to really want to be on top of the UCI placings.

On the other side, AC never showed up in top condition for a classic race so you can't really judge.

But I do agree, I think his form isn't very good, if he can't make the difference on a summit finish which quite suits him, he'll never do it in Lombardia.

I was thinking, if he wants to win Lombardia he'll need a one shot deadly attack on the last bump/ repecho near the finish. But looking at what happened today, he doesn't have that kind of form which would enable him to do so. It's understandable though, he must be really tired after a long season.

The other solution is to win on tactics but very unlikely.

 

[LaFlorecita]

It's understandable though, he must be really tired after a long season.

If that's the case he should just skip Beijing. Else we might see another 2013.

 

[Miburo]

Contador isn't that good at races at + 250 km. Just a fact

Give me feats to back up these facts, please do so.

Nevermind you won't do it cause there aren't any.

2013 can't be used since contador was **** in every race, thus your argument is invalid in that year.

LBL2010, great performance. Lombardia 2012, good performance.

Now please tell me in which race of 250km, that contador seriously raced on a parcours that has some hill in it, he big time failed?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Give me feats to back up these facts, please do so.

Nevermind you won't do it cause there aren't any.

2013 can't be used since contador was **** in every race, thus your argument is invalid in that year.

LBL2010, great performance. Lombardia 2012, good performance.

Now please tell me in which race of 250km, that contador seriously raced on a parcours that has some hill in it, he big time failed?

He never failed big time. However, it's quite obvious Alberto is stronger on medium length stages than the very long ones.

 

[Electress]

On the other side, AC never showed up in top condition for a classic race so you can't really judge.

But I do agree, I think his form isn't very good, if he can't make the difference on a summit finish which quite suits him, he'll never do it in Lombardia.

I was thinking, if he wants to win Lombardia he'll need a one shot deadly attack on the last bump/ repecho near the finish. But looking at what happened today, he doesn't have that kind of form which would enable him to do so. It's understandable though, he must be really tired after a long season.

The other solution is to win on tactics but very unlikely.

I don't know. I'm quite expecting to be surprised…Not sure why. (Hope he isn't surprisingly rubbish… )

I really don't think the M-T performance is either a surprise or a big deal. I haven't watched it, but it sounds like there was nothing very decisive from either AC or Aru. As for next year, I guess I basically trust he knows what he's capable of and how he's feeling and will know if going to Beijing or not will be a bust.

 

[ILovecycling]

He never failed big time. However, it's quite obvious Alberto is stronger on medium length stages than the very long ones.

I dont think its really obvious.Maybe it is true, but far from obvious imo

 

[Red Rick]

I don´t think he ever raced much on stages/races that were particularly long. Do we really want to take conclusion out of the 2 250k+ races he actually raced to win?

I was among the top 3 on the hills in LBL in 2010 (only time he did it seriously). He was like 2nd or 3rd on the final hill in Lombardia 2012 (only time he was in decent shape doing it), he never raced to win at the olympics or the worlds. He did win the 240k+ MTF stage in the Tirreno this year

 

[Jelantik]

On the other side, AC never showed up in top condition for a classic race so you can't really judge.

But I do agree, I think his form isn't very good, if he can't make the difference on a summit finish which quite suits him, he'll never do it in Lombardia.

I was thinking, if he wants to win Lombardia he'll need a one shot deadly attack on the last bump/ repecho near the finish. But looking at what happened today, he doesn't have that kind of form which would enable him to do so. It's understandable though, he must be really tired after a long season.

The other solution is to win on tactics but very unlikely.

I think if there's a choice, AC won't even bother to ride classic. I don't know how many time i read him saying, I'm a stage racer. If it's not because of the WT ranking, he won't even show up!But hey, he might try to win it, but like so many people here said, that the climb isn't tough enough or he has to do Lanciano attack to have a chance. And his form doesn't sound like very stelar either.

So i think, he is probably spending most of his time marking Valverde. After all it is Valverde that he is competing with for the WT point. If Valverde goes then AC has to do whatever to latch on him. If there's opportunity to win (like long range attack or whatever), then AC won't certainly hesitate to go for the kill. But he won't be doing that if he knows he got no form to back it up and and if he knows Valverde will get more point that him. To me that's more make sense. It's like.. winning is a bonus, but target one is to get more points (not necessarily win it) and hold off Valverde to gain points. Just IMO.

 

[ILovecycling]

I think if there's a choice, AC won't even bother to ride classic. I don't know how many time i read him saying, I'm a stage racer. If it's not because of the WT ranking, he won't even show up!But hey, he might try to win it, but like so many people here said, that the climb isn't tough enough or he has to do Lanciano attack to have a chance. And his form doesn't sound like very stelar either.

So i think, he is probably spending most of his time marking Valverde. After all it is Valverde that he is competing with for the WT point. If Valverde goes then AC has to do whatever to latch on him. If there's opportunity to win (like long range attack or whatever), then AC won't certainly hesitate to go for the kill. But he won't be doing that if he knows he got no form to back it up and and if he knows Valverde will get more point that him. To me that's more make sense. It's like.. winning is a bonus, but target one is to get more points (not necessarily win it) and hold off Valverde to gain points. Just IMO.

Very good post, I agree. his result depends on his form imo.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Valverde will ride Beijing too, I guess Alberto can forget about the WT ranking

 

[pink_jersey]

Valverde will ride Beijing too, I guess Alberto can forget about the WT ranking

Isn't a mountain finish in Beijing this year?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Isn't a mountain finish in Beijing this year?

Yeah but it's better suited to Valverde it's 5% average

 

[Jack_89]

At this point, if after Lombardia Alberto is still ahead ,he can think to participate otherwise closes the season . Simple

 

[SeriousSam]

Would be a tragedy if Contador ended as #1, being a specialist stage racer. The #1 should go to riders like Valverde or Purito that can do well in more than just stage races.

 

[Carols]

Would be a tragedy if Contador ended as #1, being a specialist stage racer. The #1 should go to riders like Valverde or Purito that can do well in more than just stage races.

Gee I thought it went to whoever scored the most points, regardless of who thinks they do/do not deserve it. Athletic contests are funny like that .

 

[Carols]

At this point, if after Lombardia Alberto is still ahead ,he can think to participate otherwise closes the season . Simple

This. Makes total sense!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Would be a tragedy if Contador ended as #1, being a specialist stage racer. The #1 should go to riders like Valverde or Purito that can do well in more than just stage races.

Whatevs, Alberto has beaten Valverde throughout the season so naturally he deserves to win it more.

It's pretty impressive a specialist stage racer could win the ranking, even more so because he missed his biggest goal.

I can understand that some people would prefer Valverde as the winner, but to call it a tragedy is just absurd.

 

[pink_jersey]

For me the points system isn't fair.Tirreno earns as much points as LBL....Maybe a LBL victory should earn 120 points or something like this.

 

[No_Balls]

Valverde will ride Beijing too, I guess Alberto can forget about the WT ranking

100% right. Whowever takes it at this point between them is a deserving winner imo.

 

[No_Balls]

Gee I thought it went to whoever scored the most points, regardless of who thinks they do/do not deserve it. Athletic contests are funny like that .

Of course this. Whoever wins between them at this point is a deserving winner IMO.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

For me the points system isn't fair.Tirreno earns as much points as LBL....Maybe a LBL victory should earn 120 points or something like this.

This is why I use my own ranking system based on who wins the monuments and the tour.

 

[BlurryVII]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N48_m_GjbuU

This is pretty much the kind of ride Contador needs to repeat for Lombardia.

Then again, form is the key word here .