Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Michele]

Sorry mods but donno where to ask this, I was wondering about Kreuzinguer's schedule; will he follow Alberto's or different one?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Sorry mods but donno where to ask this, I was wondering about Kreuzinguer's schedule; will he follow Alberto's or different one?

This is his schedule according to procyclingstats.com

30.03 Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
01.04 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
14.04 Amstel Gold Race
17.04 La Flèche Wallonne
21.04 Liège - Bastogne - Liège
23.04 Tour de Romandie
29.06 Tour de France

 

[wwabbit]

I might be making my own assumption here, but it seems like most people on here are assuming Froome is at a pretty high level already, Berto is at a low level and only Berto will improve.

I'm not sure I see any evidence for that to be honest, if Berto improves I see no reason that Froome won't improve at a similar rate.

The evidence is in his 2011 Giro form, he has reached it before so he will reach it again for the tour.

 

[virandociclista]

It's look like cycling is without a king now...

Alberto is not the same.... In yesterday stage, Purito was with Alberto.. few meters from Nibali and Sagan... Purito could bridge... Alberto was just trying to survive...

very sad................

 

[Michele]

This is his schedule according to procyclingstats.com

30.03 Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
01.04 Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
14.04 Amstel Gold Race
17.04 La Flèche Wallonne
21.04 Liège - Bastogne - Liège
23.04 Tour de Romandie
29.06 Tour de France

Grazie!

xxx

 

[LaFlorecita]

It's look like cycling is without a king now...

Alberto is not the same.... In yesterday stage, Purito was with Alberto.. few meters from Nibali and Sagan... Purito could bridge... Alberto was just trying to survive...

very sad................

Aww you're making me sad too all because of the stupid ****ed up ban, I am sure if he hadn't been banned he would still be the old Alberto

 

[King Boonen]

The evidence is in his 2011 Giro form, he has reached it before so he will reach it again for the tour.

You seem to have completely missed the point of my post. I was saying Berto wouldn't improve, I was saying the assumption he will improve much more than Froome will seems flawed.

 

[LaFlorecita]

You seem to have completely missed the point of my post. I was saying Berto wouldn't improve, I was saying the assumption he will improve much more than Froome will seems flawed.

Think wwabbit was being sarcastic

 

[Publicus]

I might be making my own assumption here, but it seems like most people on here are assuming Froome is at a pretty high level already, Berto is at a low level and only Berto will improve.

I'm not sure I see any evidence for that to be honest, if Berto improves I see no reason that Froome won't improve at a similar rate.

Speaking for myself, I think Froome is at around 90%+ simply because that was Sky's approach last year--I don't have the exact quote but basically they try to remain just below their peak level all year (95%) Obviously it could be a team-wide exercise in sandbagging but I think the results show otherwise.

I also seem to recall Contador saying at the start of the year he was going to take a different approach to ensure he was at top form by the TdF. Again, I don't know how much of that was sandbagging (Contador is notorious for that), but the results seem to support that statement.

Of course if my recollection is faulty, dismiss this post in its entirety

 

[virandociclista]

Aww you're making me sad too all because of the stupid ****ed up ban, I am sure if he hadn't been banned he would still be the old Alberto

He can not win so easy anymore.. but he will win yet... Remember that Froome was worse than Alberto Yesterday... so.. it is not a very good sample.

But it is good for cycling.. a lot of contenders is better than one.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Speaking for myself, I think Froome is at around 90%+ simply because that was Sky's approach last year--I don't have the exact quote but basically they try to remain just below their peak level all year (95%) Obviously it could be a team-wide exercise in sandbagging but I think the results show otherwise.

I also seem to recall Contador saying at the start of the year he was going to take a different approach to ensure he was at top form by the TdF. Again, I don't know how much of that was sandbagging (Contador is notorious for that), but the results seem to support that statement.

Of course if my recollection is faulty, dismiss this post in its entirety

I hope Alberto is indeed planning to reach good form a little later, otherwise this will be a lost season for him

 

[LaFlorecita]

He can not win so easy anymore.. but he will win yet... Remember that Froome was worse than Alberto Yesterday... so.. it is not a very good sample.

But it is good for cycling.. a lot of contenders is better than one.

.... it is not good for me though

 

[King Boonen]

Speaking for myself, I think Froome is at around 90%+ simply because that was Sky's approach last year--I don't have the exact quote but basically they try to remain just below their peak level all year (95%) Obviously it could be a team-wide exercise in sandbagging but I think the results show otherwise.

I also seem to recall Contador saying at the start of the year he was going to take a different approach to ensure he was at top form by the TdF. Again, I don't know how much of that was sandbagging (Contador is notorious for that), but the results seem to support that statement.

Of course if my recollection is faulty, dismiss this post in its entirety

Very reasonable opinion. I personally think Berto is around 80-85%, but it's hard to say as he's been away.

 

[virandociclista]

.... it is not good for me though

Ever Merckxx could not win all the races that he entered. We need to support Alberto when he win and when he can not win.

One thing is true, he always try 100% to win. So, there is nothing to blame.

 

[wwabbit]

Remember that Froome was worse than Alberto Yesterday... so.. it is not a very good sample.

Froome was worse at Chieti too...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Very reasonable opinion. I personally think Berto is around 80-85%, but it's hard to say as he's been away.

Cue airstream coming in saying it's impossible to finish 3rd in a race at 80-85%

 

[Miburo]

Contador wasn't good enough. He got beaten. If you wanna get a champion even more motivated that's how it should go.

Don't forget that riis might have a master plan

The competition was also fierce but that's not an excuse, meh we'll see in criterium and pais basque.

I'm already a bit worried now, i can be very worried in april

 

[airstream]

Cue airstream coming in saying it's impossible to finish 3rd in a race at 80-85%

a GT
...........

 

[Beech Mtn]

He can not win so easy anymore.. but he will win yet... Remember that Froome was worse than Alberto Yesterday... so.. it is not a very good sample.

But it is good for cycling.. a lot of contenders is better than one.

Yes, but yesterday was an exceptional, unusual stage. If we'd had a more traditional, controllable stage, Froome would've likely ridden the Sky train to victory.

We are not likely to see stages like yesterday in stage races very often (or never again, if Acquarone's tweets are to be believed)

 

[Miburo]

a GT
...........

If contador hadn't lost time in the tour of 2011 in the first day he would have been 3th on 80%

 

[Beech Mtn]

Very reasonable opinion. I personally think Berto is around 80-85%, but it's hard to say as he's been away.

I would agree with this - and I'm hoping a large part of it is because of plans to start off the season slower and race later into the year than usual.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador wasn't good enough. He got beaten. If you wanna get a champion even more motivated that's how it should go.

Don't forget that riis might have a master plan

The competition was also fierce but that's not an excuse, meh we'll see in criterium and pais basque.

I'm already a bit worried now, i can be very worried in april

Riis has to have a master plan he has to

 

[King Boonen]

I would agree with this - and I'm hoping a large part of it is because of plans to start off the season slower and race later into the year than usual.

I hope so too. I'm not really a fan of Berto, but he can make a race exciting which is all I really want.

 

[airstream]

,

If contador hadn't lost time in the tour of 2011 in the first day he would have been 3th on 80%

we can discuss it but i fear you wont answer.

I don't know what is 50%, 80%, etc. These % are utterly conditional and their embodiment is a difference between one and others. And this difference varies pretty widely too. In 2007 he had one 100%, in 2009 - others in 2010 - one more 100% percent. They are all different. So I'd contemplate with a category of 'actual 100%' because the last impression is the main base of estimations. So Contador's actual 100% is the 2012 Vuelta.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto Contador ‏@albertocontador
Already finished @TirrenAdriatico 2013, a very hard race and marked by the rain. Finally third.Congrats Vincenzo.

Alberto Contador ‏@albertocontador
Thanks guys for you big help in this Tirreno,very happy with team's work and the fantastic ambiance @TeamSaxoTinkoff