Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Carols]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/10-01-2015/contador-100442528493.shtml

Berto is asked what he thinks about shortening the GTs. His reply: Thanks for asking because it's very important to me. No, they have to stay as they are! They are called "grand" because at the end of the 3 weeks the best comes out on top, the one who recovers best. If you change the length, they lose their charm.

Berto <3 <3

Of course he is correct. To shorten them would dishonor all those who came before in cycling history. It would be a travesty and cheapen all future winners. If they shorten them I hope I'm dead and not around to see it happen.

 

[Miburo]

Crazy Tommeke

http://www.ciclo21.com/boonen-conta...asicas/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter



"Which GT racer could play a prominent role in the Monuments?"

Tommeke: the cobbled stage at the TDF was really, really hard, and is not a good example of who could do well and who wouldn't. Everyone suffers a lot and not everyone knows how to handle a bike on wet cobbles, but I've always thought Contador could do well in these races. His bike-handling skills aren't too bad and if dry, I think he could do well.

We've 2 references of him on the cobbles.

Dry in 2010, he did extremely well. I remember that he did some risky things on his bike in that stage.

Wet in 2014, very poor.

Actually we've a 3rd reference, eneco tour 2012 but that was on a hill and a weaker field.

 

[Electress]

This is why the man is so special . The mind and attitude of an all time great. With the talent and body to accomplish epic deeds.

He can do it no matter the naysayers. If he fails it will be a spectacular failure, one to remember.

Absolutely. His physical abilities are one thing - not to be sniffed at, mind you! - but his mentality is something else. I think it is the difference, in the end, between the very good, and the great.

As for the GTs - I think it is linked to this attitude: Making them shorter is making them more manageable, and therefore less extraordinary for any to complete. It is inspiring to watch people trying to do the extraordinary. The sheer toughness of the GTs is what makes them more than 'just another race'. I feel the same about Paris-Roubaix. It's the fact that it is so damn brutal that makes it great.

The trouble with sport management is that they frequently equate making stuff 'more manageable' (for them - not necessarily the riders or the public watching it) with making stuff 'better', when more manageable usually means more organised - which can be good, I'll admit - but also more predictable and less challenging, and ultimately, can seriously diminish the allure and the romance of the race.

 

[trevim]

Crazy Tommeke

http://www.ciclo21.com/boonen-conta...asicas/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter



"Which GT racer could play a prominent role in the Monuments?"

Tommeke: the cobbled stage at the TDF was really, really hard, and is not a good example of who could do well and who wouldn't. Everyone suffers a lot and not everyone knows how to handle a bike on wet cobbles, but I've always thought Contador could do well in these races. His bike-handling skills aren't too bad and if dry, I think he could do well.

He makes good point but I think he forgets that Contador is like 60kg

 

[Poursuivant]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/10-01-2015/contador-100442528493.shtml

Berto is asked what he thinks about shortening the GTs. His reply: Thanks for asking because it's very important to me. No, they have to stay as they are! They are called "grand" because at the end of the 3 weeks the best comes out on top, the one who recovers best. If you change the length, they lose their charm.

Berto <3 <3

Couldn't agree with him more.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Matt Stephens @RealStephens · 16h 16 hours ago
Today's ride was eventful. Sagan and Contador interviewed on the bike then crashed..brakes 'wrong' way round..

Matt Stephens @RealStephens · 16h 16 hours ago
Fair play to @albertocontador First to ride up to me to see how I was. So glad I didn't take any other @tinkoff_saxo riders with me!
#gent

 

[Carols]

Matt Stephens @RealStephens · 16h 16 hours ago
Today's ride was eventful. Sagan and Contador interviewed on the bike then crashed..brakes 'wrong' way round..

Matt Stephens @RealStephens · 16h 16 hours ago
Fair play to @albertocontador First to ride up to me to see how I was. So glad I didn't take any other @tinkoff_saxo riders with me!
#gent

Holy Crap, the British press trying to take out Tinkoff

We all knew Alberto is a gent

 

[ILovecycling]

We've 2 references of him on the cobbles.

Dry in 2010, he did extremely well. I remember that he did some risky things on his bike in that stage.

Wet in 2014, very poor.

Actually we've a 3rd reference, eneco tour 2012 but that was on a hill and a weaker field.

I dont think it was extremely great,it was 'really good'

extremely great was nibali last year.

 

[Electress]

We all knew Alberto is a gent

Quoted for truth.

 

[Miburo]

I dont think it was extremely great,it was 'really good'

extremely great was nibali last year.

I didn't say extremely great, don't misquote someone.

And if it wasn't for crashes Contador would have been up there, by himself he was catching guys, vino only helped on the flat. Contador was alone.

 

[Jspear]

Frome: "AC is my biggest TdF rival, but Nibali and Quintana deserve respect."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-contador-is-my-biggest-tour-de-france-rival-but-nibali-and-quintana-deserve-respect

 

[Electress]

Frome: "AC is my biggest TdF rival, but Nibali and Quintana deserve respect."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-contador-is-my-biggest-tour-de-france-rival-but-nibali-and-quintana-deserve-respect

Froome: me personally I know how hard it is to do two Grand Tours back to back and to be going for the win in both Grand Tour

When did this happen? I must have misunderstood but I thought that Brad Wiggins chap went for the win in of the TdF in 2012?

Or is there another time Froome doubled up and went for the win both times?

 

[LaFlorecita]

 

[Electress]

He looks happy - like a kid with a new bike! (And what a glorious bike it is, I must say!)

I see the Sagan plague is spreading!

 

[nepetalactone]

Or is there another time Froome doubled up and went for the win both times?

Maybe this can settle the, "who would have won the 2012 TDF if Froome had been riding to win" debate. It appears, by his own admission, that he was riding to win!

 

[Electress]

Maybe this can settle the, "who would have won the 2012 TDF if Froome had been riding to win" debate. It appears, by his own admission, that he was riding to win!

I can't help feeling this is another little rewriting of history, just like some of the stuff from 'The Climb'. Makes him sound, somehow, like he has comparable career experience to Contador. Or even - if I'm being extremely uncharitable - he has 'been there and done that' and moved on.

But I'm not to be trusted as quite rational on the subject of Froome.

 

[Poursuivant]

Thought it was pretty obvious that he was talking about Tour-Vuelta.

 

[Electress]

Thought it was pretty obvious that he was talking about Tour-Vuelta.

Which Tour Vuelta though? You reckon he was talking about 2014?

 

[ILovecycling]

Which Tour Vuelta though? You reckon he was talking about 2014?

2012.

10char

 

[Electress]

2012.

10char

So he was riding to win in 2012 was he? Mmm.

 

[Rollthedice]

2012.

10char

How on earth was he going for the win in TdF 2012 when Wiggo was the leader and programmed to win? Froome is talking nonsense.

 

[Electress]

How on earth was he going for the win in TdF 2012 when Wiggo was the leader and programmed to win? Froome is talking nonsense.

Quite.

10 chars.

 

[Electress]

Friend just sent me this - from Twitter I think:

 

[nepetalactone]

Nah. I'm really warming up to the idea that, try as he might, Dawg just couldn't beat Wiggo.

 

[Kwibus]

So he was riding to win in 2012 was he? Mmm.

He rode that TdF at his higest form and went all out, maybe he held back a little on the final k's of the Mtf, but let's be fair he certainly went deep that TdF. It's not like he was cruising around and happened to finish 2nd. So after that TdF he went to the Vuelta trying to win it.