Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Vino attacks everyone]

Just got back from France, climbed Alpe d'huez on 1:05, how these guys gets down to 40 min is beyond me Hope AC takes a Pantani this year

 

[Afrank]

There is also a very interesting Contador interview with him in The Independen from yesterday:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/p...l-chris-froome-on-tour-de-france-8673812.html

Some quotes from it:

"I then started to build things up at the Critérium du Dauphiné and I was actually happy with how it went. I got stronger and stronger as the race went on and I'm now, form-wise, where I want to be."

Other people might take Sky's superiority at the Tour de France for granted after 2012 but Contador warns: "Not me. I've no intention of being a conformist in this race. Not in the slightest."

Being an unpredictable racer is something he relishes. "I could have lost everything in that race (EDIT: the vuelta 2012)," he says, "I risked it all with one big attack. I learnt there that sometimes you've got to rip up the script and act on instinct. It's never all about calculation."

"Cycling is not all about mathematics," he says. "You have to see what your rivals are doing. Fortunately, we're not machines and circumstances inside a race can change so fast. This sport isn't one that you can control as easily as others. This Tour, in particular, could continue to be wide-open right up until the final mountain top finish at Annecy on the second last day."

I really like hearing things like this, especially the underlined. In the modern era of cycling there is a lot of conservative racing and riding according to how much work your powermeter says you can do. So it is refreshing to hear there are still riders who will ride with their heart as opposed to their screen. And who aren't afraid to risk it all if need be.

 

[xrayvision]

Just got back from France, climbed Alpe d'huez on 1:05, how these guys gets down to 40 min is beyond me Hope AC takes a Pantani this year

That´s a pretty good time IMO, nice ride.

 

[jens_attacks]

Just got back from France, climbed Alpe d'huez on 1:05, how these guys gets down to 40 min is beyond me Hope AC takes a Pantani this year

one minute and 5 seconds is fast even for vino
i hope you had fun, alpe this july will be ballistic with full sprinting from the bottom... andy, alberto and froomey








and kash

 

[LaFlorecita]

one minute and 5 seconds is fast even for vino
i hope you had fun, alpe this july will be ballistic with full sprinting from the bottom... andy, alberto and froomey








and kash

Ha ha well done jensie chapeau

I would do Alpe in 30 minutes I think... the first 1km that is

 

[Cimber]

I really like hearing things like this, especially the underlined. In the modern era of cycling there is a lot of conservative racing and riding according to how much work your powermeter says you can do. So it is refreshing to hear there are still riders who will ride with their heart as opposed to their screen. And who aren't afraid to risk it all if need be.

Froome might be the stronger rider at the moment, but for exactly the reasons you pinpoint Contador got so many fans of many nationalities. They don't root for him cos he is Spanish but for the reasons highlighted in that interview.

Sky's approach might be "smarter" or at least more logical. But Contadors more intuitive approach is just considered much more likeable by many people. Including me.

 

[The Hitch]

Just got back from France, climbed Alpe d'huez on 1:05, how these guys gets down to 40 min is beyond me Hope AC takes a Pantani this year

Well done sir. Even though i consider Alpe the most overrated climb in the world , i doubt i would even be able to climb it. 1.05 is about 13km/h, for 1 hour up 8.5% gradient, is really impressive.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

thanks
Got pushed by my brother and a couple speed skaters so it was full gas from the bottom indeed

 

[BigC24]

I hope Alberto has a great tour. I'm not a big fan of his but he sure can make the racing interesting if he is on form. And I'd much rather see a closely contested race for the whole 3 weeks.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Next you should do Rohtang pass ...manali to rohtang pass. I have done it. sometimes i thought i was gonna die

 

[shinoda13]

Just found this among the CN 100th Tour gallery. Gotta love Armstrongs face and look on that picture

Lance: "Not bad".

 

[xrayvision]

Next you should do Rohtang pass ...manali to rohtang pass. I have done it. sometimes i thought i was gonna die

So Zam you wanna kill Vino, shame on you

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

So Zam you wanna kill Vino, shame on you

Vino can't be killed, and neither can we apostles

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Next you should do Rohtang pass ...manali to rohtang pass. I have done it. sometimes i thought i was gonna die

was thinking about trying out zoncolan or something next (trying out the most famous climbs, just for the fun of it), but i'll surely check it out

 

[Zam_Olyas]

So Zam you wanna kill Vino, shame on you

Nahhh lol .....btw rohtang la Elevation 3,979 m (13,054 ft)

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nahhh lol .....btw rohtang la Elevation 3,979 m (13,054 ft)

that is a tall mountain indeed, how is the average %?

 

[The Hitch]

was thinking about trying out zoncolan or something next (trying out the most famous climbs, just for the fun of it), but i'll surely check it out

Yes, go for Zonc is my advice. That will make you a cyclotourist god.

Do you race a lot on your domestic scene btw, or just these holliday cycles?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Yes, go for Zonc is my advice. That will make you a cyclotourist god.

Do you race a lot on your domestic scene btw, or just these holliday cycles?

just holidays and local races

 

[Jelantik]

Ha ha well done jensie chapeau

I would do Alpe in 30 minutes I think... the first 1km that is

i would do it in 10 minutes with my car slalom to the top. And wait for you guys to catch up with a hot coco on my hand.

 

[xrayvision]

New negotiations with main sponsors, maybe some news before the tour.
The danish tabloid BT claims to know Riis is more or less retiring from the team, he want´s a less public figure.

I think it would be a bad thing for the team if he makes that choice, unless he can get a very charismatic substitute to take over.

http://sporten.tv2.dk/2013-06-26-riis-forhandler-om-ny-hovedsponsoraftale

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/her-er-hans-plan-bjarne-riis-traekker-sig

 

[Cimber]

He said he was at 75% in Dauphiné. Now, at the start of the Tour he says he reckons he is at about 90%.

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/contador-savner-ikke-riis-ved-sin-side

Hopefully 100% by the 3rd week

Also he doesnt rule out attacking on Corsica already

Furthermore, he says the route allows for the posibility of early attacks if needed

http://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/cykling/article2024229.ece

 

[LaFlorecita]

He said he was at 75% in Dauphiné. Now, at the start of the Tour he says he reckons he is at about 90%.

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/contador-savner-ikke-riis-ved-sin-side

Hopefully 100% by the 3rd week

Also he doesnt rule out attacking on Corsica already

Furthermore, he says the route allows for the posibility of early attacks if needed

http://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/cykling/article2024229.ece

Oh yeah I'm becoming more and more optimistic

Oh and Riis can't leave the team...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Read on twitter there will be high pollen levels in france. Does anyone know if this is true?

 

[Pentacycle]

Read on twitter there will be high pollen levels in france. Does anyone know if this is true?

http://www.weeronline.nl/Europa/Frankrijk/Hooikoorts-Porto-Vecchio/4285476

 

[theyoungest]

http://www.weeronline.nl/Europa/Frankrijk/Hooikoorts-Porto-Vecchio/4285476

The solution is simple: avoid the grass.