Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[the_cutter]

Looked super strong today, he could gain some serious time on Monday. My man Nibbles is a fighter though, he won't surrender easily. If Contador gets those 2mins back then fair play, perhaps I'll even find it within me to not be too bitter about it. Should be nail bitting two weeks for our two camps.

 

[maxmartin]

Contador never attacked. Nibali didn't even leave his saddle. No one follows a Contador attack without going out of the saddle, not even Froome.

good point

 

[Jspear]

Saxo Impressive, Alberto never took a deep breath. Time to be made up soon. Nibali will defend brilliantly but the elastic will break and Alberto will be free to fly! Does he have enough to take back 2:30 is the only question.

It is agony watching your 2 fav go mano o mano!!!

I definitely think he'll take back the 2:30 and then some more. Even in today's stage I think Nibali was hurting. This was nothing compared to whats coming up....gonna be good.

 

[mrhender]

Ok MrHender

I think maybe you missed my point

Contador doesn't chase attacks ...Nibali does....and Contador stays with Nibali...that should be the plan....Contador cannot chase them all and he certainly cannot if his team is worn out on the 2nd last climb

Its Astana who need to set the high pace and carry the responsibility of the yellow jersey....They need to prevent attacks...In fact attacks from Valverde or Talansky could help TCS because it now means Astana are strung out ...Contador is a better climber than all and the 2.50 deficit to Astana is what needs to be fought to win the Tour...nothing else IMO...Astana needs to be forced ot defend their position and in doing so wear themselves out

This is a bluff situation....TCS using the race to let them and everyone put pressure on Astana ....they are the number one enemy

So Valverde get 20 secs or Talansky ...so what..Contador will still beat them..they are seconds ahead .but I think they won't because Astana will go after them ..possibly Fuglsang or Scarponi or Kangart ...

You are missing the whole psychological aspect of the race

TCS do not go all trying to control the 2nd last climb and end up with no one left ..Why ??? You force Astana to do it ....that is the smart thing...you wear Astana down

You said TCS should set tempo until the GC settles down...the GC is NOT going to settle down

You also said what if Contador crashes...well he could crash on final climb and have no team mate

I welcome attacks tomorrow....attack will help Contador because the objective is simple

1.Wear out you opponets troops before the final battle (Pyrennes)
2.String Nibali out
3. Stick to your enemy until you can attack

Above all else I hope TCS learned from last year to not chase the race ...instead let somebody else do it and wait for your opportunity

This is the smart approach and fits with the TCS team strength

It is madness ot wear Rodgers & Roche out while the yellow jersey team sit there until the last climb with all their reserves

Let see how long Scarponi & Fuglsang will be ready everyday to chase and set tempo... a week ?? tops!!



Y

I've been re-reading our correspondence after a day at work and I think I have answered pretty much anything to the post above before you even posted it?

If you re-read the post you originally responded to and the additional two responses I made, you will maybe find that your summary/interpretation of my posts where somehow also a bit off?
I may not have original tactics or/and may be way off, missing the psychological aspect of the race. But then why do a professional team as Tinkoff/Saxo do amlost exactly as my posts implied they should and probably would?
Was today really that bad tactics?

 

[rhubroma]

Nibali suffered more at the end. I was impressed with how fresh Contador looked at the line.

 

[whittashau]

Nibali's men were not tht good. All three, Fugslang, Kangert and Scarponi were spat out of the selection.

Again, I'll repeat since it seems the Contador fans are too busy dreaming about the yellow jersey that Scarponi didn't get dropped, that Birdsong was sick, and that Kangert dropped back to help him.

It'd be nice if people could actually make some informed opinions rather than being so one eyed they ignore the facts.

 

[murali]

Saxo Impressive, Alberto never took a deep breath. Time to be made up soon. Nibali will defend brilliantly but the elastic will break and Alberto will be free to fly! Does he have enough to take back 2:30 is the only question.

It is agony watching your 2 fav go mano o mano!!!

I envy your situation.

you get to cheer whoever wins.

I think Bastille Day has guaranteed fireworks now!!!

the only qn is whether they will allow a french man to win again like today or will they try for glory themselves.

 

[maxmartin]

Again, I'll repeat since it seems the Contador fans are too busy dreaming about the yellow jersey that Scarponi didn't get dropped, that Birdsong was sick, and that Kangert dropped back to help him.

It'd be nice if people could actually make some informed opinions rather than being so one eyed they ignore the facts.

here if anyone has different opinion or interpretation of race, it will be labeled as delusion or trolling

 

[Inquitus]

I am in neither camp, but after today I don't think Nibali has enough time in the bank to win the Tour. Bertie wins if he doesn't fall off.

 

[sacrifice&hardwork]

To those who said that Alberto was just going to focus on Nibali; Alberto said that today was all about distancing the riders who were a threat ahead of him on GC. And he also said that it wasn't in his plans to distance Valverde, Porte and Nibali; but in the end he did.

 

[arvc40]

Again, I'll repeat since it seems the Contador fans are too busy dreaming about the yellow jersey that Scarponi didn't get dropped, that Birdsong was sick, and that Kangert dropped back to help him.

It'd be nice if people could actually make some informed opinions rather than being so one eyed they ignore the facts.

Birdsong sick ?. Maybe he should go get sorted after stages rather than stand with lemons talking **** for 20 min in the post race show.

 

[ILovecycling]

Interesting to see this quote now,isnt it?

WOW
i though it was all over for him , did not even bother watching the stage
what a surprise
never underestimate the king and anything can happen in the GT!!!!!

 

[murali]

Again, I'll repeat since it seems the Contador fans are too busy dreaming about the yellow jersey that Scarponi didn't get dropped, that Birdsong was sick, and that Kangert dropped back to help him.

It'd be nice if people could actually make some informed opinions rather than being so one eyed they ignore the facts.

I was only factual.

This is the selection I am talking about:
ESP 2 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 2:17
ITA 3 NIBALI, Vincenzo (ASTANA) + 2:20
AUS 4 PORTE, Richie (SKY) + 2:24
FRA 5 PINOT, Thibaut (FDJ.fr) + 2:28
FRA 6 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
ESP 7 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 2:36
USA 8 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 2:40
FRA 9 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 2:48
FRA 10 CHAVANEL, Sylvain (IAM CYCLING) + 2:54
NED 11 MOLLEMA, Bauke (BELKIN) + 2:55
POR 12 FARIA DA COSTA, Rui Alberto (LAMPRE - MERIDA) + 3:01
ESP 13 NIEVE ITURALDE, Mikel (SKY)

Only 10 ppl. (I had predicted 10-25 earlier)

there are my fan posts and my objective posts. this one was comparing wht i felt the two main teams looked like. (not adding sky considering thomas' crash)

If you want to do fan bashing, then it is against this forum's rules.

 

[whittashau]

My point is clear - Astana weren't nearly as bad today as many people are portraying them as.

 

[murali]

I am in neither camp, but after today I don't think Nibali has enough time in the bank to win the Tour. Bertie wins if he doesn't fall off.

well said. it appears as if Nibali was in the back foot from the moment 7 yellows started riding in the front.

This is going to be an interesting tour. We wont be talking abt the fight for polka dot jersey to pass time till end of race

 

[Forunculo]

My point is clear - Astana weren't nearly as bad today as many people are portraying them as.

I agree on that but if Nibali is going to race face to face Contador alone, it's a problem

 

[maxmartin]

Interesting to see this quote now,isnt it?

so what? I always pick up a rider to cheer for. In that Veulta, I happen to think AC can win and Nibali was not in the race. I am not some stupid AC fan girls. Period. If Nibali is gone I will cheer for RP, if RP is gone I will cheer for AC.Is this so difficult for your to understand?

 

[No_Balls]

Again, I'll repeat since it seems the Contador fans are too busy dreaming about the yellow jersey that Scarponi didn't get dropped, that Birdsong was sick, and that Kangert dropped back to help him.

It'd be nice if people could actually make some informed opinions rather than being so one eyed they ignore the facts.

So they send back a domestique to pace a sick domestique? Sounds awesome.

Have they sorted out whom they shall ride for yet?

 

[The_Juan]

I think Nibali was about to crack at the very end. As soon as he sat down he lost Alberto's wheel and lost 3 seconds.

 

[maxmartin]

I think Nibali was about to crack at the very end. As soon as he sat down he lost Alberto's wheel and lost 3 seconds.

quite possible, can't wait for the interview to come out. Someone also mentioned gear problem

 

[murali]

so what? I always pick up a rider to cheer for. In that Veulta, I happen to think AC can win and Nibali was not in the race. I am not some stupid AC fan girls. Period. If Nibali is gone I will cheer for RP, if RP is gone I will cheer for AC.Is this so difficult for your to understand?

Can we please keep this thread for racing related stuff?

i feel that your language doesn't fit a serious discussion.

so please.

If you want to cheer Nibali, the correct thread is here

if you want to cheer RP (assuming tht you mean richie porte), the correct thread is here

thank you for considering this request.

 

[maxmartin]

Can we please keep this thread for racing related stuff?

i feel that your language doesn't fit a serious discussion.

so please.

If you want to cheer Nibali, the correct thread is here

if you want to cheer RP (assuming tht you mean richie porte), the correct thread is here

thank you for considering this request.

you should find out who started this, I am merely replying to lovecycling's insult post and ask him to stop trolling me.

 

[Publicus]

quite possible, can't wait for the interview to come out. Someone also mentioned gear problem

He claims he chose the wrong gear:

I made a little mistake in choosing my gear. It was a bit too big. We've all paid the efforts of the previous days.

Contador said he was surprised Nibali was going so well. He said he only pushed forward after he realized someone was ahead of him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

you should find out who started this, I am merely replying to lovecycling's insult post and ask him to stop trolling me.

Insult?

10 c

 

[maxmartin]

He claims he chose the wrong gear:



Contador said he was surprised Nibali was going so well. He said he only pushed forward after he realized someone was ahead of him.

yeah many people said he was looking down his gear.
http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/12-...ava-tappa-gerardmer-salita-801215709056.shtml