Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Von Mises]

If he can get clear of JRod, he can use his TT-Skills to distance him. But the thing is, that even if Bertie gets clear, JRod won't be isolated and will at least have one teammate with him to drag him back. Furthermore, it's not a heads up race between Purito and Bertie so other riders play in there as well.

To sum up...Bertie will try anyway

Climbbybike.com actually shows that climb is 24 km and 3,2% average, so it is even less steep. It is not just Rodriguez who has teamates around, but I am sure that group will be very large. Maybe there is possible to make aatack during last 2-3 km´s, it will become steeper, but I am not sure that Contador has advantage here. Maybe its vice versa and Rodriguez can take another couple of seconds.

 

[Miburo]

Contador was too scared of Froome both times he got a gap on Rodriguez.

Exactly but yeah at that point we didn't call it *** orso. And logic would say that purito would drop again but that didn't happen sadly enough

 

[LaFlorecita]

Climbbybike.com actually shows that climb is 24 km and 3,2% average, so it is even less steep. It is not just Rodriguez who has teamates around, but I am sure that group will be very large. Maybe there is possible to make aatack during last 2-3 km´s, it will become steeper, but I am not sure that Contador has advantage here. Maybe its vice versa and Rodriguez can take another couple of seconds.

You now, at the beginning of the climb there are 0-2% parts. Of course the average is very low when you add those km. Look at Bola del Mundo, the profile on climbbybike makes it 25 km (I think) long but actually the "real" climb (4-5%+) is only 13 km long.

 

[roundabout]

Well, after yesterday and Sunday when Contador made even more mistakes I am beginning to think that he isn't the sharpest tactician in the bunch.

Hell, with all the lost chances it's now supposedly down to Contador's mythical ability to ride away from everyone on a roleur climb.

Never mind that he doesn't have the form to do it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Well, after yesterday and Sunday when Contador made even more mistakes I am beginning to think that he isn't the sharpest tactician in the bunch.

What mistakes did he make?

Hell, with all the lost chances it's now supposedly down to Contador's mythical ability to ride away from everyone on a roleur climb.

Never mind that he doesn't have the form to do it.

This I agree with.

 

[Netserk]

7 km that are steep enough.

 

[roundabout]

Dropping back on Cobertoria when Rodriguez was about 40 places back in a stretched group.

Waiting til the last 6km on Covadonga. The sustained difficult bits are practically over and it's ramp-rest-ramp-downhill-ramp from there.

Slightly OT, there is also that attack in Barcelona that went nowhere and he lost 20 seconds on that day.

 

[cineteq]

Purito's comments today:
"Voy día a día y sinceramente pienso que estoy tan tranquilo porque creo que (Contador) aún me puede ganar. Y si es el caso, me ganaría el mejor corredor del mundo".

"I go day by day and honestly I'm in peace because I still think Contador can beat me. And if that's the case, I would be beaten by the best rider in the world".

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=55174

 

[LaFlorecita]

http://deportes.terra.com.ar/otros-...1f62171994199310VgnVCM20000099cceb0aRCRD.html

P. ¿Por quién apostaría en una quiniela?

R. Por mí, hay que ser optimista y no engañarse a sí mismo.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Purito's comments today:
"Voy día a día y sinceramente pienso que estoy tan tranquilo porque creo que (Contador) aún me puede ganar. Y si es el caso, me ganaría el mejor corredor del mundo".

"I go day by day and honestly I'm in peace because I still think Contador can beat me. And if that's the case, I would be beaten by the best rider in the world".

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=55174

What That's the complete truth.

 

[cineteq]

Dropping back on Cobertoria when Rodriguez was about 40 places back in a stretched group.

He shouldn't have dropped back, but obviously that wasn't a good place to attack, since there was headwind.

Waiting til the last 6km on Covadonga. The sustained difficult bits are practically over and it's ramp-rest-ramp-downhill-ramp from there.

He said he didn't feel that well that day.

The only big mistake he's made was in Jaca.

 

[No_Balls]

Climbbybike.com actually shows that climb is 24 km and 3,2% average, so it is even less steep. It is not just Rodriguez who has teamates around, but I am sure that group will be very large. Maybe there is possible to make aatack during last 2-3 km´s, it will become steeper, but I am not sure that Contador has advantage here. Maybe its vice versa and Rodriguez can take another couple of seconds.

His most successful attack this far were on the easier parts at Ancares (its where he gained 11). Maybe Purito eased back confident he would reeling him in later on but i doubt it since he couldnt take for granted that AC would run short as he did. He could (and probably will) attack from the steepest part Epinama (6,3%) or even from the 9 mark. He should have the same opportunities as he had on Etna, where the peloton was pretty large, in other words.

 

[LaFlorecita]

The only big mistake he's made was in Jaca.

How is having a cramp a mistake

 

[roundabout]

What? There were 4 team mates with him. Accelerate, fracture the group. Make Katusha work.

Instead they ride like cretins on the Cobertoria, then mostly blow themselves up before the wall at Pajares (the gap stayed at 5.30 a lot longer than it should have) and subsequently chauffeur Rodriguez to a place where Contador was likely to attack.

And on the Covadonga he played it safe. Way too safe. He was still doing most of the attacking, but apparently was afraid of blowing up should he be aggressive earlier? Way to beat Rodriguez.

 

[cineteq]

How is having a cramp a mistake

Well, he said he should've been more hydrated, and he attacked earlier wasting energy, as he recognized he thought it was the last climb.

 

[vcampbell]

Looking towards the Bola del Mundo, a climb he knows very well from training given it is just an hour's drive from his home in Pinto, and asked whether he would place a long-distance attack as he did on the Galibier in the Tour 2011 when he was on the point of losing the race, Contador said, "it'll depend on the day. But I'd advise people to watch the stage."

Love this guy

 

[roundabout]

He had already lost the Tour by the Alpe d'Huez stage. He had nothing to lose by attacking early.

Love how it's yet another route that doesn't suit him when he can't win.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

He had already lost the Tour by the Alpe d'Huez stage. He had nothing to lose by attacking early.

Love how it's yet another route that doesn't suit him when he can't win.

?
would say this Vuelta is pretty good for him. Sure it is absolutely perfect for JRod, but if he cant drop JRod, well then he cant drop JRod

edit: could probably need a couple more of them multi mountainpass stages

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto Aren't you a legend

 

[Wigwan]

Does anyone else think that Contador is trying to put the UCI under pressure by saying that he'll not go to China unless his points count?

It's like if he were saying " if you want me there, give me points".

 

[roundabout]

?
would say this Vuelta is pretty good for him. Sure it is absolutely perfect for JRod, but if he cant drop JRod, well then he cant drop JRod

edit: could probably need a couple more of them multi mountainpass stages

If there was a climb close to the finish on one stage where I could attack from further out rather than having to wait for the last four to five kilometres to make my move, that would be ideal. And we've only really had 13.5 kilometres of flat time trial [on the 39.4 kilometre race against the clock from Cambados to Pontevedra] to the first checkpoint.

or in Spanish

No queda mucho, es difícil. No hay crono al final como en el Tour. En todo el recorrido he echado de menos un puerto cerca de meta, para atacar de lejos.

Strangely I haven't really seen him trying to attack as early as possible on the last climbs. The Covadonga was a prime example of doing nothing until only a few ramps remained.

And when he did get a gap relatively early he didn't ride.

But it's the route. A few climbs more and his form wouldn't have mattered...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Does anyone else think that Contador is trying to put the UCI under pressure by saying that he'll not go to China unless his points count?

It's like if he were saying " if you want me there, give me points".

I think it's more like "why bother if I'm not gonna earn points anyway"

 

[Miburo]

I think it's more like "why bother if I'm not gonna earn points anyway"

no no he's putting the UCI under pressure

 

[LaFlorecita]

no no he's putting the UCI under pressure

No Alberto would never do that

Oh by the way Alberto if you go don't eat steak

 

[vcampbell]

...

"More racing would have blown away any dirt there was in the engine. But I lack punch. I'm not in the same form as I have had in other races.

"But the route is what it is, and we have to adapt to that."