Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Carols]

Exactly, he was beat by 9 seconds, not 2 minutes.
My bet: Froome is showing fatigue and if Saxo can isolate him tomorrow...

AC´s strength is his ability to recover over 3 weeks, and they have far the strongest team, plus there are a couple of other contenders who will put some pressure on SKY the next days, this is not over by a mile.

Yep....Froome tiring a bit and still scared of Berto. Berto looking much better, 3 brutal stages to go, Purito and Movistar not done yet. Sky can be shredded. Big Job ahead but Froome isn't going to have a processional to Paris just yet

 

[LaFlorecita]

I prefer that Contador loses than wining cause Froome gifted it.

Champions don't get wins cause some alien wants to. They force it themselves.

Good sign anyways.

I don't. Froome is the best. He dominates everyone. We know it already. 4 or 5 stage wins, it doesn't really matter or at least that's what I think.

 

[Jelantik]

You know what Carol, I think they rode an incredible tour as a team, and no matter what happens from now on, they have a lot to build on, and all respect to the team and AC for trying, and making it an interesting tour to watch.

Good post xrayvision. I think saxo has a camaraderie within their squad now. They fight together as a team. They believe in their leader and collective strength as a whole. I've never seen alberto in a team full with big name united for one cause. I hope they get the win they after, either tdf win, podium, team gc etc. Next year, this team should be stronger.

On hindsight, maybe this is not AC year. But he can certainly take the lesson to improve next year. Rogers said that every team are playing catch up with sky's method, including saxo. They are all by a mile behind. But Saxo is slowly catching up. So next year will be a tell if they finally catch up with sky. Not winning is probably a good motivation of alberto to do better next year. I don't believe Froome will be able to hit this kind of performance again next year. He'll be strong but not this strong. Everyone is playing catch up now.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I was kind of hoping Froome-Dawg would gift this stage
to El Pistolero...as sort of a sign of the changing of the
guard...a final tip of the hat to the tired old warrior.

I actually agree with this. A stage win then end his career. Now he'll have to see if he'll ever win a stage again to go out as a winner.

 

[murali]

whats this **** about Froome interested in dominating? Why are you guys giving froome so much credit? He is scared. He is a sheep, It takes a wolf to beat a wolf. Expect more tactical mistakes from Froome. The race is not yet over.

And I don't understand the concept of gifting stages. AC is not some person in the bottom of GC who is only interested in stage wins.

 

[boladelmundo]

I actually agree with this. A stage win then end his career. Now he'll have to see if he'll ever win a stage again to go out as a winner.

But if Cadel Evans can win TdF when he was at 34 yo, why couldn't Bertie win any GT at 31 or 32 yo?

 

[murali]

Now he'll have to see if he'll ever win a stage again to go out as a winner.

Nice dream! A 75% AC is enough for podium place. AC still has a long career left.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nice dream! A 75% AC is enough for podium place. AC still has a long career left.

Podium is not good enough.

 

[xrayvision]

Good post xrayvision. I think saxo has a camaraderie within their squad now. They fight together as a team. They believe in their leader and collective strength as a whole. I've never seen alberto in a team full with big name united for one cause. I hope they get the win they after, either tdf win, podium, team gc etc. Next year, this team should be stronger.

On hindsight, maybe this is not AC year. But he can certainly take the lesson to improve next year. Rogers said that every team are playing catch up with sky's method, including saxo. They are all by a mile behind. But Saxo is slowly catching up. So next year will be a tell if they finally catch up with sky. Not winning is probably a good motivation of alberto to do better next year. I don't believe Froome will be able to hit this kind of performance again next year. He'll be strong but not this strong. Everyone is playing catch up now.

Yes you right, and they must have a good insight to how SKY is working with Jongh and Rogers, but implementing it into a working system will take more time and experts, but at least they have something to work with.

I don´t think Froome can copy this performance next year either, Wiggings couldn´t and also other teams now knows they have to make changes, and I also think Kreuziger could be a man for the future, lots of material for Saxo to work forward with.

Riis just been interviewed on TV, no secrets, there will be attacked all the way to Paris.

 

[murali]

But if Cadel Evans can win TdF when he was at 34 yo, why couldn't Bertie win any GT at 31 or 32 yo?

32 is not a bad age in cycling.

 

[xrayvision]

whats this **** about Froome interested in dominating? Why are you guys giving froome so much credit? He is scared. He is a sheep, It takes a wolf to beat a wolf. Expect more tactical mistakes from Froome. The race is not yet over.

And I don't understand the concept of gifting stages. AC is not some person in the bottom of GC who is only interested in stage wins.

Course its what he said in an interview.

 

[Carols]

I was kind of hoping Froome-Dawg would gift this stage
to El Pistolero...as sort of a sign of the changing of the
guard...a final tip of the hat to the tired old warrior.

Baloney.....Berto doesn't want any gifts and neither do we!

 

[airstream]

Chapeau to Contador. Man of the day obv. For the entire grand scale of drama ITT should have been the way it really was.

 

[xrayvision]

Baloney.....Berto doesn't want any gifts and neither do we!

10 fu.... char why in gods name dont you remove this BS rule?

 

[murali]

Podium is not good enough.

please read me initial comment. I said 75% AC is enough for podium. If AC is fully fit, then it is still impossible for anyone to beat him.

If AC was in full form, then he would not have lost time in the 2 MTFs. The only place where he would have lost time is the flat TT. In fact, i think that AC would have put Froome under stress way back in stage 8 itself.

Also, i don't think that AC understood Quintana's tactics before this tour.

in short, AC is still better than Froome.

 

[warmfuzzies]

2nd place is such an improvement versus the 15th place on the first ITT of this Tour. Chapeau to Contador. He limited his losses to Froome to a mere 9 seconds. I think Contador could win a future Tour, if he has a strong enough team to keep him protected.

 

[Carols]

Riis just been interviewed on TV, no secrets, there will be attacked all the way to Paris.

Bjarne Rain coming, Berto finding form, Purito and Movistar...there will be Fireworks! Froome going to bed saying 'do I have enough time, geez I just scraped past them today'.

 

[Miburo]

Bjarne Rain coming, Berto finding form, Purito and Movistar...there will be Fireworks! Froome going to bed saying 'do I have enough time, geez I just scraped past them today'.

Don't count on movistar and katusha, just don't. They'll be rather enemies than rivals.

 

[airstream]

Don't count on movistar and katusha, just don't. They'll be rather enemies than rivals.

What allies do you objectively hope (hoped) for?

 

[xrayvision]

Another great interview with Bjarne a minute ago, I try make a resume.

He was asked about the team competition, if it meant something, he said yeah, the guys feels it great, they worked hard for it, so its a great morale boost.

Then some rumors about the weather tomorrow, it said it could rain and thunder and another rumor was if that is the case the organizers could perhaps shorten the stage and only climb the alpe once.

Riis´s answer to that: Yes I heard the rumor to, but I hope it wont happen.
We want to race...with a sneaky smile on his face.

He has a plan and he expects fireworks tomorrow.

 

[boladelmundo]

Don't count on movistar and katusha, just don't. They'll be rather enemies than rivals.

As far as I know, Euskaltel are the only Spanish friend of Bertie in the peloton.
So, yeah, Movistar and Katusha are not going to help much.

 

[Carols]

Don't count on movistar and katusha, just don't. They'll be rather enemies than rivals.

They will help shred Sky to get Froome isolated. After that interests will diverge, but they will have helped Saxo in the process. No alliance just a common purpose then each on their own.

 

[Miburo]

Actually thinking about it.

Make a deal with movistar or katusha. Only one of them is possible, for the following reason.

Offer Kreuziger's 3th place to either of them. Belkin is not relevant anymore.

If they help them purito or quintana gets the 3th spot. Sky can't make that offer, saxo bank can.

Maybe quintana can take the 3th spot without help but does movistar wanna risk it? Saxo can just give it to him.

Riis is there, make the deal Riis.

 

[sacrifice&hardwork]

As far as I know, Euskaltel are the only Spanish friend of Bertie in the peloton.
So, yeah, Movistar and Katusha are not going to help much.

Interesting... I read a rumor that said, "Nieve to Saxo for 2014."

 

[boladelmundo]

Actually thinking about it.

Maybe quintana can take the 3th spot without help but does movistar wanna risk it? Saxo can just give it to him.

Riis is there, make the deal Riis.

Do they really speak/make a deal (by team owner/DS) before a race? Wouldn't it be better if the riders "speak between themselves" on the road as if it was happening naturally due to common goals?