Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Miburo]

I find it hard to make such absolute statements, not taking into account a particular year, race or even stage.
2009 Verbier Contador was surely better then 2009 Verbier Schleck. But in 2010 they were already matching each other. I don't want to use 2011 Tour as an example of Schleck's superiority because Contador was doing a second GT, and battling injuries. But now it is Schleck that is troubled by them. Contador seems to have reached his peak in 2009. From his return until now he apparently coudn't get into that zone, and I don't want to speculate on the reasons for it.
Can we really honestly say that we have seen the peak form of Schleck? It might have come last year if it wasn't for injuries, but now we simply have no ways of knowing it. I would be very careful however to judge a guy who already in 2007 showed his potential at such young age climbing Zoncolan with such ability, as an inferior climber to anyone.

You say Contador was at his peak in 2009. Schleck was only a few months younger than that Alberto in 2011 and he barely could ride away from him after that giro. Contador in giro 2011 was close if not even to tour 2009 Contador.

Besides since when do you get the title best climber based on solely the tour? In the previous years Contador proved he was anywhere the best while Schleck couldn't even get close to top 10 in many races.

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

You say Contador was at his peak in 2009. Schleck was only a few months younger than that Alberto in 2011 and he barely could ride away from him after that giro. Contador in giro 2011 was close if not even to tour 2009 Contador.

Besides since when do you get the title best climber based on solely the tour? In the previous years Contador proved he was anywhere the best while Schleck couldn't even get close to top 10 in many races.

At the 2010 Tour Andy was dropping Alberto in the mountains. Chaingate ruined the party for him.

 

[Miburo]

At the 2010 Tour Andy was dropping Alberto in the mountains. Chaingate ruined the party for him.

He dropped him in on a rather flat part of a climb. That's it.

 

[Netserk]

Contador could have ridden away from Schleck on Tourmalet, but didn't since he was in yellow.

Contador was strongest.

 

[Miburo]

Contador could have ridden away from Schleck on Tourmalet, but didn't since he was in yellow.

Contador was strongest.

He could have won the sprint easily but i don't agree with ridden away from him.

He tried but it didn't work. I think he maybe had the legs to try it again but he didn't want to risk it.

 

[serfla]

Contador could have ridden away from Schleck on Tourmalet, but didn't since he was in yellow.

Contador was strongest.

Off course.
He can beat Chuck Norris, too.
Only if he wants.

 

[Contadoraus Schlecks]

Contador could have ridden away from Schleck on Tourmalet, but didn't since he was in yellow.

Contador was strongest.

If that is the case then why was Schleck dropping Alberto prior to Tourmalet?

As much as I like AC he got lucky that year

 

[Miburo]

If that is the case then why was Schleck dropping Alberto prior to Tourmalet?

As much as I like AC he got lucky that year

Ridiculous statement (put away ***, people can get sensitive). I know you're talking about chaingate.

What about Contador's flat tire in the last km's at the cobble stage? and i'm not even talking then about the time AS gained by that crash of his bro.

Contador deserved to win that tour. Simple as that.

AS shouldn't have been a p ussy and attack earlier on Morzine and don't give out such a s hit prologue.

 

[serfla]

Ridiculous statement (put away ***, people can get sensitive). I know you're talking about chaingate.

What about Contador's flat tire in the last km's at the cobble stage? and i'm not even talking then about the time AS gained by that crash of his bro.

Contador deserved to win that tour. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, he didn't win it.

 

[airstream]

Moreover, he didn't win it and seriously underminded his career with that. His disgusting behaviour played against him, he still pays for it and he'll continue to pay.

 

[airstream]

Off course.
He can beat Chuck Norris, too.
Only if he wants.

Don't pay attention to. That post is obvious provocation. First such posters say Contador didn't attack because was in yellow and then in 5 minutes write in other thread that Wiggins is anti cycling because he didn't attack being in yellow. Typical situation.

 

[Angliru]

At the 2010 Tour Andy was dropping Alberto in the mountains. Chaingate ruined the party for him.

Mende???? I recall Andy couldn't follow Contador at a crucial moment on that particular stage. Exactly when was Andy dropping Contador? Other than the initial mountain stage where Contador made the mistake of trying to answer each and every attack until he had nothing left when Andy and Samu made their move. I'd say they were pretty much evenly matched in 2010.

 

[Miburo]

Moreover, he didn't win it and seriously underminded his career with that. His disgusting behaviour played against him, he still pays for it and he'll continue to pay.

Tell me, did Andy wait when the yellow jersey crashed in the cobble stage?

Every great champion would have done the same as Contador. He made the right decision but he shouldn't have lied about it though and for sure not apologize to andy.

 

[Afrank]

Contador could have ridden away from Schleck on Tourmalet, but didn't since he was in yellow.

Contador was strongest.

If he really was strong enough to ride away from Schleck he would have. The only thing being in yellow did, was make him race more conservatively up the climb (I.E. only attacking once).

And Schleck was on the front for pretty much the whole way up the climb. From what I saw, Schleck looked much stronger up the climb IMO.

 

[Netserk]

Contador also didn't ride away on Sestriere, Ventoux and the stage to Le Grand-Bornand.

And yes in all three stages he could easily have ridden away, but chose not to. Just like Tourmalet.

 

[Miburo]

Contador also didn't ride away on Sestriere, Ventoux and the stage to Le Grand-Bornand.

And yes in all three stages he could easily have ridden away, but chose not to. Just like Tourmalet.

He was in a different shape then, besides he tried at le grand-bornand.

Sestriere, well he had to save strength for the tour and ventoux, well yeah he should have attacked there, blame that on armstrong

 

[Afrank]

Contador also didn't ride away on Sestriere, Ventoux and the stage to Le Grand-Bornand.

And yes in all three stages he could easily have ridden away, but chose not to. Just like Tourmalet.

How do you know he could have ridden away? Are you him?

 

[Netserk]

There's a difference between going for a jab and a K.O.

Or don't you think he could have dropped Nibali on Zonc for good earlier?

 

[serfla]

Contador also didn't ride away on Sestriere, Ventoux and the stage to Le Grand-Bornand.

And yes in all three stages he could easily have ridden away, but chose not to. Just like Tourmalet.

Yes.
And he gifted the whole 2011 Tour to Evans.

 

[Miburo]

Yes.
And he gifted the whole 2011 Tour to Evans.

Yes by deciding to ride the giro that year

 

[Afrank]

There's a difference between going for a jab and a K.O.

Or don't you think he could have dropped Nibali on Zonc for good earlier?

Don't see how that answers my question. Contador's a attacker, if he really could have ridden away, I imagine he would have done so. But he only put in one attack, which Schleck countered quite easily, and then didn't want to risk going again.

To the bolded: 2010 Schleck does not equal Nibali.

 

[serfla]

Yes by deciding to ride the giro that year

Obviously. But I think he pedaled very softly in that Tour, just to make sure.
Do you know that he does Bola del Mundo on a big ring in the training?

 

[airstream]

There's a difference between going for a jab and a K.O.

Or don't you think he could have dropped Nibali on Zonc for good earlier?

u overplay all the things. all gt attackers are able to attack more often than they do, however it doesn't happen because is fraught with the threat of fail tomorrow and on the next stages.

Contador lost Zoncolan because he was weaker than Anton on that day. His general Giro form is irrelevant in this aspect since no form can provide someone superiority on all of mountain stages.

 

[The Hitch]

Contador also didn't ride away on Sestriere, Ventoux and the stage to Le Grand-Bornand.

And yes in all three stages he could easily have ridden away, but chose not to. Just like Tourmalet.

You are kind of messing things up here for Contador fans. Contador was strong enough to stay with schleck so those who say schleck was unlucky not to win are stretching things. But to say Contador could easily have ridden away from schleck is as well. He couldn't drop schleck on tourmalet. They also finished together on the stage riblon won, ax 3 was it, and on Madeline.

One only needs to look at his pathetic tt that it wasn't Contador on form.

If he could have dropped schleck he would have.

 

[Netserk]

On Tourmalet the victory was already a sure thing. That's the reason why he didn't drop Andy.