I am wondering if AC did not train as hard or follow the training programs, rumors been flying all season that he is not on good shape, but seems the training has worked well for Roman and Rogers as they are very strong and to some extend Jesus and Bennatti.
Think AC might have thought he can still get away with winning on talent only, as he won the Vuelta last year, but he needs to be in peak form to win the Tour and he is not as young anymore. I believe he underestimated Froome, Qunitana and Purito, as he thought, like in previous years would have been able to ride with them and put in attacks, this year his only attacks has been downhill and if he goes with others he can’t keep with them for long.
Think Riis need to have a serious chat with him about how he prepared and what he will do different next year, as Roman would have been better placed if he had not had to do all this work for AC, and he would argue he deserves his own chance as leader in a GT.
Still hope we get to see the old Contador, who can attack and keep away after an attack.
Think AC might have thought he can still get away with winning on talent only, as he won the Vuelta last year, but he needs to be in peak form to win the Tour and he is not as young anymore. I believe he underestimated Froome, Qunitana and Purito, as he thought, like in previous years would have been able to ride with them and put in attacks, this year his only attacks has been downhill and if he goes with others he can’t keep with them for long.
Think Riis need to have a serious chat with him about how he prepared and what he will do different next year, as Roman would have been better placed if he had not had to do all this work for AC, and he would argue he deserves his own chance as leader in a GT.
Still hope we get to see the old Contador, who can attack and keep away after an attack.
It's a changing of the guard.
Conador has been a fantastic champion, winning all three GT's and doing it in style.
Shame about his scandal. It seems such a trivial offense.
Froome, IMO, will be even better next year and Contador will be even farther from his youthful prime.
I feel fortunate to have been able towatch him race, but the curtain is slowly dropping.
Conador has been a fantastic champion, winning all three GT's and doing it in style.
Shame about his scandal. It seems such a trivial offense.
Froome, IMO, will be even better next year and Contador will be even farther from his youthful prime.
I feel fortunate to have been able towatch him race, but the curtain is slowly dropping.
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IndianCyclist said:Taking too much risks means now he will finish 4th. bad tactics by Saxo
What risks did he take? The attack on the downhill didn't look too risky and couldn't have cost them much energy. Though having to fight back to the front of the group after the bike change couldn't have helped.
- Oct 21, 2012
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Just because he isn't dominating the Tour doesn't mean he has no future in GT's. He is still the 2nd best stage racer in the world. If he skips the Tour next year and does a Giro/Vuelta double, I can see him winning one, possibly both. Assuming he loses a little weight, of course.
- Mar 27, 2010
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Alphabet said:
I think he's still a GT great. But I wouldn't be so sure he's the second best stage racer in the world. Based on this years tour Quintana would clearly appear to be above him, and I think at this point so is Nibali. I would place him 4th with Rodriguez and Valverde close behind (based on the respective performances in last years Vuelta and the current Tour).
That being said, that is still definitely good enough to win one or more GT's in the future. Add to that the fact that I don't think he's at his best yet and he'll still have a part to play the coming year, there's just a chance his time fighting for the tour win is over.
- May 15, 2011
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LaFlorecita said:
Ok missed that.
Btw Riis stated that they have to evaluate things after the Tour cos obviously Contaor isnt where he is supposed to be. About the rest of this Tour he sarcasticly said (maybe with a pun intented): "we cant just inject form into him"
Also Riis said that the attacks yesterday were stupic and that they werent called by him (but the riders themselves).
Maybe all of the above means he will take a little more control about preperation and tactics though he has stated he will do less of that?
- Oct 21, 2012
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That might be his problem in a nutshell, rather than it being a decline or something clinic related. He looks like he could lose another few kilo's, which could make up a lot of the difference. If he came into this Tour looking like Froome, then he may only have lost a couple of minutes to him by now rather than 5.
- May 15, 2011
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wwabbit said:
For some reason I get the impression Pulpstar meant the diet that made Froome a walking skeleton.
- Jan 15, 2013
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Cimber said:Doesnt look super lean
Gisp! He´s fat!!! I can´t believe this, Riis always been obsessed with a riders weight, and this is definitely not tour form.
xrayvision said:
Guessing that is why Riis is complaining that he is not in the right shape?
- May 15, 2011
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I am optimistic again not for this year but for next year. thanks to a very nice person on twitter.
not for this year but for next year. thanks to a very nice person on twitter.LaFlorecita said:I am optimistic again
Anything you can share?
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Alberto is fighting like real champion. He is trying as hard as he can.
He doesn't have legs but he is using every tactic he knows against stonger opponent(s). Most of the time it doesn't work, sure.
But, that makes race interesting and that makes him great rider.
Plus, I can't help myself thinking that getting second place on podium may get him win after all.
He doesn't have legs but he is using every tactic he knows against stonger opponent(s). Most of the time it doesn't work, sure.
But, that makes race interesting and that makes him great rider.
Plus, I can't help myself thinking that getting second place on podium may get him win after all.
- May 15, 2011
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boringboy said:
I am not sure, but basically that his preparation this year was way off and he's gonna do it the way he used to do this winter again. It was a bit more detailed though. She said she heard it from a 'reliable source'.
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