gooner said:
I am going to say it now. I think Contador is done for this year's Tour. It's not happening for him this year and taking the form we have seen right from the start of the season along with Brian Smith's and Robert Millar's comments where a teammate said he was struggling in training, suggests there is not much evidence of an upturn in form in the near future. Now the argument is it's all about the Tour. This was also used after Oman where it was said he would perform in T-A and when it didn't happen there for him it was put off until Pais Vasco and then the Dauphine when he was found wanting there. Just denying the obvious. It's happening too regularly now in one race after the other and on what I have seen so far just inside the top 10 would be about the best result(if he's lucky) he would attain at the Tour.
That is,He is doing exactly the same year than others, but with less level. He was in Arrate one minute and a half behind himself in 2009, and sucking wheel.
He has always excuses, but always in the road very strong, the happy times for it finished.
Except something strange happen, he is just to be top ten in The Tour, no more, even Rogers could do it better probably, or Kreuziger.
I understand his fans try to think in other way...but...
Valverde was bad today, ok, just 8 second better than Alberto, but with Valverde you dont know, he is maybe here taking easy... but Alberto always taking easy Dauphine did podium. He won Vuelta a andalucia, was ok in Ardennes, he will do Vuelta for sure, is another thing, The same for Purito, but Purito was good for this parcous.