Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I'm starting to get a sense this is not quite the invincible Bertie of last year...

Because he does not win the sprints, mountain tops, time trials from march to October?

because his tt ride was probably his worst tt placement ever as a pro apart from the vuelta stage where he didn't give a crap

it was also probably the shortest TT his ever raced

 

[LaFlorecita]

I wouldn't worry too much about Contador's form, at the moment. Only if he gets beaten by a large margin on Terminilo and more than one or two riders, everything should be just fine.
His Andalucia shape was really good and a drop should be expected here or in Catalunya.

Well if he isn't the strongest on Terminillo I'd start to get a little worried....

 

[roundabout]

Re: Re:

it was also probably the shortest TT his ever raced

I think I am going to go with a no on this one

 

[burning]

Re: Re:

I'm starting to get a sense this is not quite the invincible Bertie of last year...

Because he does not win the sprints, mountain tops, time trials from march to October?

because his tt ride was probably his worst tt placement ever as a pro apart from the vuelta stage where he didn't give a crap

2013 Dauphine could be worse, he was 2 second faster than N. Sorensen and got caught by Porte

Edit: Well, that was close, he was barely better in that Dauphine TT.

it was also probably the shortest TT his ever raced

I think I am going to go with a no on this one

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=3556

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

Because he does not win the sprints, mountain tops, time trials from march to October?

because his tt ride was probably his worst tt placement ever as a pro apart from the vuelta stage where he didn't give a crap

it was also probably the shortest TT his ever raced

He has won shorter...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

it was also probably the shortest TT his ever raced

I think I am going to go with a no on this one

you are right, in 2007 and 2006 he raced a few that were shorter

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

He has won shorter...

now I'm intrigued...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

2013 Dauphine could be worse, he was 2 second faster than N. Sorensen and got caught by Porte

Edit: Well, that was close, he was barely better in that Dauphine TT.

Stage 1 was in fact his worst result ever in a TT. However, is it no reason for panic even though roundabout is trying to make it look like it is.

 

[BlurryVII]

I wouldn't worry too much about Contador's form, at the moment. Only if he gets beaten by a large margin on Terminilo and more than one or two riders, everything should be just fine.
His Andalucia shape was really good and a drop should be expected here or in Catalunya.

Anything other than winning by a reasonable margin on Terminillio would be worrying given his performance at Andalucia almost climbing at Horner's Vuelta 13' level. It would mean he's gotten worse since that day all the way to Tirreno and there's nothing worse than getting weaker race after race. It's just contrary to the principle of a build up, the last time this has happened to AC was 2013 (Oman ---> Tirreno, Dauphiné ---> Tour) . It'd show there's a real problem somewhere.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

He has won shorter...

now I'm intrigued...

Hmm, my memory is failing me. I thought one of the prologues he won in the past was 4km

 

[LaFlorecita]

I wouldn't worry too much about Contador's form, at the moment. Only if he gets beaten by a large margin on Terminilo and more than one or two riders, everything should be just fine.
His Andalucia shape was really good and a drop should be expected here or in Catalunya.

Anything other than winning by a reasonable margin on Terminillio would be worrying given his performance at Andalucia almost climbing at Horner's Vuelta 13' level. It would mean he's gotten worse since that day all the way to Tirreno and there's nothing worse than getting weaker race after race. It's just contrary to the principle of a build up, the last time this has happened to AC was 2013 (Oman ---> Tirreno, Dauphiné ---> Tour) . It'd show there's a problem somewhere.

Exactly. He needs to drop the other GC contenders on Terminillo.

 

[arvc40]

Contador will dominate this race over next 3 days

Will he win the sprint stage too

Sorry ! No, stage 6 not for him.

 

[etymology]

Re:

I'm starting to get a sense this is not quite the invincible Bertie of last year...

yes - it's because now that contador has signed through the 2016 season, he can be the the natural born slacker everyone knows him to be.

































kidding!

the way i see it, alberto had a bad prologue day, that's all. better a bad day in a prologue than a bad day in the mountains!

 

[gregrowlerson]

I wouldn't worry too much about Contador's form, at the moment. Only if he gets beaten by a large margin on Terminilo and more than one or two riders, everything should be just fine.
His Andalucia shape was really good and a drop should be expected here or in Catalunya.

Anything other than winning by a reasonable margin on Terminillio would be worrying given his performance at Andalucia almost climbing at Horner's Vuelta 13' level. It would mean he's gotten worse since that day all the way to Tirreno and there's nothing worse than getting weaker race after race. It's just contrary to the principle of a build up, the last time this has happened to AC was 2013 (Oman ---> Tirreno, Dauphiné ---> Tour) . It'd show there's a real problem somewhere.

Either or either, the jury will still be out on this. Entering this season I would have expected very little from Contador in one week races, given the supposed need to not burn too many matches before two grand tour winning attempts. I am surprised that he is doing so many one week races really. Is it realistic to aim for a mini peak here (which he also arguably had in Andalucia) and then major peaks in May and July? As a Contador fan I would like to see him smash his opposition on Terminillio, but if he doesn't - and is even dropped - it isn't necessarily a bad sign for the Giro/Tour.

 

[phanatic]

Either or either, the jury will still be out on this. Entering this season I would have expected very little from Contador in one week races, given the supposed need to not burn too many matches before two grand tour winning attempts. I am surprised that he is doing so many one week races really. Is it realistic to aim for a mini peak here (which he also arguably had in Andalucia) and then major peaks in May and July? As a Contador fan I would like to see him smash his opposition on Terminillio, but if he doesn't - and is even dropped - it isn't necessarily a bad sign for the Giro/Tour.

Maybe he wants a triple peak to prepare for his Giro-Tour-Vuelta in 2016.

 

[LaFlorecita]

He's going to lose the race to Poels meh

 

[BlurryVII]

What a joke, Poels just came out of nowhere and has actually 32 seconds on Contador. Wasn't expecting that at all. And with AC looking pretty bad to be honest, it's already over before terminillio lmao

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

What a joke, Poels just came out of nowhere and has actually 32 seconds on Contador. Wasn't expecting that at all. And with AC looking pretty bad to be honest, it's already over before terminillio lmao

Very disappointing

 

[Arredondo]

A good Contador surely would have attacked on the final climb. But 32 seconds on Poels is still possible.

It's only Poels, the guy who always chokes under pressure and was so-so in Oman, despite given the team leadership.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

A good Contador surely would have attacked on the final climb. But 32 seconds on Poels is still possible.

It's only Poels, the guy who always chokes under pressure and was so-so in Oman, despite given the team leadership.

32 seconds is a very big gap and Contador just couldn't come any closer to Poels on the climb. Clearly Poels is in super shape.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

A good Contador surely would have attacked on the final climb. But 32 seconds on Poels is still possible.

It's only Poels, the guy who always chokes under pressure and was so-so in Oman, despite given the team leadership.

32 seconds is a very big gap and Contador just couldn't come any closer to Poels on the climb. Clearly Poels is in super shape.

He didn't even try, images were sloppy though.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

A good Contador surely would have attacked on the final climb. But 32 seconds on Poels is still possible.

It's only Poels, the guy who always chokes under pressure and was so-so in Oman, despite given the team leadership.

32 seconds is a very big gap and Contador just couldn't come any closer to Poels on the climb. Clearly Poels is in super shape.

He didn't even try, images were sloppy though.

he seemed to be the first rider behind Caruso, Poels and the AG2R (?)

 

[BlurryVII]

Looking back at the final kms, Contador actually tried to follow Poels, and didn't manage to bridge any gap, barely got to Pozzo at the summit. I'am now psychologically set for major disappointment tomorrow, you better not expect anything AC fans. Something is wrong with his form.
And if he does good, then it will be a good surprise.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

A good Contador surely would have attacked on the final climb. But 32 seconds on Poels is still possible.

It's only Poels, the guy who always chokes under pressure and was so-so in Oman, despite given the team leadership.

32 seconds is a very big gap and Contador just couldn't come any closer to Poels on the climb. Clearly Poels is in super shape.

But the images were not that good to really see if Contador really couldn't follow Poels. Perhaps he didn't give himself 100% when he saw it was Poels who attacked. We have to wait for Terminillio.

 

[rm7]

Do people think Contadors form has regressed since Andalusia?

To me it seemed that when Caruso og Poels went away, Contador only put a little bit pressure on. There were way to many people in the group to make a big selection, and if he went everybody would react, and someone would counter him. Kreuziger also dropped, so maybe he would've been alone on the descent with Purito or somebody else ahead.