Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[sir fly]

Speaking about the double, we should keep in mind that Riis has 3 failures in his managing career.
And although two of them can be taken with a pinch of salt, it's a double-edged sword in every sense.
But when you have the material - you should try.
That's what was annoying me during Postal/Disco years. Never even thought about the double.

 

[Carols]

"I am going to bow out and leave you all to it " Your words.
Yet the very next page you post a thread calling an old poster or someone
" a soon to die crumply faced metal walker" these are my words not yours.
I myself was older than my mum when she was born.
You see my point and its a simple one.
Bertie is " the greatest rider of his generation"

And I bet you 23p and a small cold fusion device that Bertie will win all 3 grand tours.

Bring it.

Absolutely Laughed Out Loud until the tears were running down my old and crumpled face! Ray you brighten my day

BTW I can still ride a century, miles not km, on a metal bike (not walker) but it takes the best part of a day now.

Anyway Alberto: In a separate interview with AS published on Tuesday, meanwhile, Contador added that while he will not ride for Spain at this year?s World Championships,

Crap!!! The Worlds are finally within ~300 miles from me (~500km) and he won't be coming. He has no chance on that course anyway. I will most likely still get my old bones down there as I've never seen a Worlds live!

 

[Publicus]

Speaking about the double, we should keep in mind that Riis has 3 failures in his managing career.
And although two of them can be taken with a pinch of salt, it's a double-edged sword in every sense.
But when you have the material - you should try.
That's what was annoying me during Postal/Disco years. Never even thought about the double.

Agreed. The more I learned about cycling (I'm a relative newby only picking the sport up in 2003), the more I couldn't understand why Lance didn't try for the double.

 

[Carols]

Oh my.....so much for saving himself for the Tour

Contador continued: ?To double up in the Giro and Tour is a risk, but it?s not going to change my contract. It?s a personal challenge, a motivation, a goal. ? You have to arrive at a grand tour in the best possible condition to have options of winning, and later, you see how it goes. But my style of racing makes it hard for me to check myself, and I don?t see myself calculating my forces with the Tour in mind.?

Other great quotes in the article:
Read more at http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...r-giro-tour-double_361571#1VKdoyoeAeeuWqIp.99

 

[Red Rick]

So he plans on causing death and destruction in Italy?

 

[Carols]

So he plans on causing death and destruction in Italy?

It would seem so

And there?s something else, I enjoy my job, but I also like to see the public enjoy the race, and I will do everything possible to make it a beautiful Giro.?

 

[LaFlorecita]

I myself was older than my mum when she was born.

This is some deep stuff

 

[Kwibus]

Absolutely Laughed Out Loud until the tears were running down my old and crumpled face! Ray you brighten my day

BTW I can still ride a century, miles not km, on a metal bike (not walker) but it takes the best part of a day now.

Anyway Alberto: In a separate interview with AS published on Tuesday, meanwhile, Contador added that while he will not ride for Spain at this year?s World Championships,

Crap!!! The Worlds are finally within ~300 miles from me (~500km) and he won't be coming. He has no chance on that course anyway. I will most likely still get my old bones down there as I've never seen a Worlds live!

Go, you don't get that much opportunities in the US.

 

[Angliru]

Go, you don't get that much opportunities in the US.

So true. I missed mine years ago when they had the championships in Hamilton, Ontario. I've been kicking myself ever since. So close and I missed it!

 

[contador977]

Oh my.....so much for saving himself for the Tour



Other great quotes in the article:
Read more at http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...r-giro-tour-double_361571#1VKdoyoeAeeuWqIp.99

"I don't see myself calculating my forces with the Tour in mind."

I dont believe him. In my opinion, he has to be stronger at the Tour than the Giro to win both cuz no one will push him like Froome at the Tour. I think Alberto wants to seal the Giro early on and ride defensively in the second half, follow wheels, limit his losses in the long TT, if any to the GC guys. To some degree start "resting" for the Tour before the Giro is over.

 

[Dr. Juice]

He said he will race Tirreno and Catalunya...then 40 days without competing going into the Giro. The Giro has to be the ultimate training for the Tour. You can't be at 100% in both races but you can be at 85 -90% at the Giro and at 100% in the Tour. Indurain did that. Dr. Ferrari says it's possible to do it that way.
He will be a bit short of competing at the Giro. 40 days is a lot of time. If he has no crashes and seals the Giro after 15 days...the Giro will be the BEST preparation for the Tour.

He also said in that bicicilismo interview that he feels very comfortable on his TT bike despite only having used it 4 times over the winter. He changed "some things" regarding TTing whatever that may be.

 

[Dr. Juice]

We must pray for 62 crash free days. I am more afraid of crashes. I'm almost sure that his form at the Tour will be better than at the Giro (which is needed).

 

[Netserk]

The other times Bjarne has tried Giro-Tour it has all the times been with monster shape in the Giro.

I could very well see Alberto try the same approach as Basso in 2006.

 

[SeriousSam]

The problem with shifting form from the Giro to the Tour is that the probability of the 0 out of 2 outcome increases.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

If he has a monster shape in the giro, wouldn't he be less tired after it? as in instead of having to give 100% to win in 80% shape, he could instead give 80% in 100% shape.


Not that it will matter when Aru destroys him, but still

 

[Miburo]

If he has a monster shape in the giro, wouldn't he be less tired after it? as in instead of having to give 100% to win in 80% shape, he could instead give 80% in 100% shape.


Not that it will matter when Aru destroys him, but still

80%? 50% will be more than enough

 

[LaFlorecita]

If he has a monster shape in the giro, wouldn't he be less tired after it? as in instead of having to give 100% to win in 80% shape, he could instead give 80% in 100% shape.

he would be less tired but he would be in trouble at the Tour because there's no way he can be in 100% form for almost 3 full months.

 

[TANK91]

yes, I think Alberto's recovery is better, and in those three weeks it is more likely that Froome will have an off-day or get ill or crash, than in one week. Besides, there's the cobble stage and potential echelons that can be an advantage for Alberto over Froome.

What a fail post Flo, unlike Froome we actually seen the best Contador for years imo ride the cobbles and he terrible. You do know Froome never reached the cobbles right? I aint even concerned at that stage unless it rains then everyone is concerned. Of course alot can go wrong, puncture or something but Froome has nothing to fear on Contador over the cobbles.

 

[Netserk]

What a fail post Flo, unlike Froome we actually seen the best Contador for years imo ride the cobbles and he terrible. You do know Froome never reached the cobbles right? I aint even concerned at that stage unless it rains then everyone is concerned. Of course alot can go wrong, puncture or something but Froome has nothing to fear on Contador over the cobbles.

How many times has Contador raced on cobbles? How many times have you seen him do that? How did he do those times?

 

[TANK91]

yes, I think Alberto's recovery is better, and in those three weeks it is more likely that Froome will have an off-day or get ill or crash, than in one week. Besides, there's the cobble stage and potential echelons that can be an advantage for Alberto over Froome.

Cancellara a great ITT rider who is great on cobbles, Wiggins a great ITT rider and TDF winner good on cobbles. Froome a good ITT rider a former TDF winner i said it many times Tony Matin if he really tried could do well on Roubaix i honestly do not see especially on dry pave Froome being really bad he as a big engine. Froome did fall alot so i can see how you think that but how do we know last year as just a unlucky year? I mean since being a great rider 2011 it is only 2013 where he was crashing alot.

 

[LaFlorecita]

What a fail post Flo, unlike Froome we actually seen the best Contador for years imo ride the cobbles and he terrible. You do know Froome never reached the cobbles right? I aint even concerned at that stage unless it rains then everyone is concerned. Of course alot can go wrong, puncture or something but Froome has nothing to fear on Contador over the cobbles.

Alberto did great on the cobbles in 2010 and also in Eneco Tour in 2012. His bike handling skills are much better than Froome's period. (Boonen even said, when asked which GC rider he thinks could do well in the classics, that he has always thought Alberto could do well)

 

[TANK91]

How many times has Contador raced on cobbles? How many times have you seen him do that? How did he do those times?

I have seen him twice he did well once if i remember correctly. Ill ask you a stupid question now did you watch Froome in 2011,2012 and 2013? How many times did he crash?

You're response is laughable nowhere did i say Frome distances him he as nothing to fear that is all especially if it is DRY. Froome is likely to attack you know this, he showboats all the time if he is in great shape he will probably attack if there is loads of GC guys together, he did it in a early stage of 2013 just put a nice lil dig in same as last year when Nibali won.

 

[TANK91]

Alberto did great on the cobbles in 2010 and also in Eneco Tour in 2012. His bike handling skills are much better than Froome's period. (Boonen even said, when asked which GC rider he thinks could do well in the classics, that he has always thought Alberto could do well)

lol and Contador has big adv over Froome im out bye bye.

 

[Netserk]

I have seen him twice he did well once if i remember correctly. Ill ask you a stupid question now did you watch Froome in 2011,2012 and 2013? How many times did he crash?

I'd guess about as often as Frank Schleck usually does. Or someone like Sastre did.

 

[Dr. Juice]

2010 and 2014 there were cobbles. And in 2010 he was very good and would have arrived with the front group without that accident.
Last year he was cautious in the rain and didn't have his best day, but overall he is not BAD on cobbles.
People trolling again

I was so eager to see Froome on the cobbles but then he retired before arriving there. I am sure that he will have a lot of trouble if the cobbles are somewhat similar to last year. I'm also sure that he would have lost 4-5 minutes with his bike handling skills. This is an assumption, we will see this year how it goes. If it's dry he might limit his losses due to a good team.
He is neither a good descender nor particularly able in racing situations like echelons etc. His position on the bike is not the best for cobbles.

I secretly hope that Alberto gains time on the cobbles. No matter how the Tour goes...Froome will be in hell this year with Alberto in good shape unlike 2013 and a great cobbles rider and fighter like Nibali in the mix.
Froome won the Tour in a year where Nibali did not participate and Alberto was in a horrible shape. Every other year he would have won that Tour with the time gained on stage 13 + Froome fading in the third week.

Froome has to be a lot stronger than his competition this year or he most likely won't win. The combo Contador+ Nibali is underrated IMO (synergistic effect).