Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Jancouver]

The bike he was riding when he hit the pothole was Roche's mclaren venge.

So no, it didn't break when he hit the pothole.

Glad to see the broken bike issue is cleared. It would be shame to crash of a bike failure.

That doesnt change anything for me. Even though I do appreciate that Specialized is sponsoring several teams, I will NOT buy another product from this evil company.

 

[Publicus]

Folks, as an avid Alberto Contador fan I have to say that today is a sad day. Pleasantries aside though... after carefully reading opinions, accounts and seeing the pictures... what it sounds like to me is that what happened to Alberto today was Alberto's fault and no one else's. Nerves got the best of him, again.

I really wish him a speedy recovery and that he is back to top form for the Vuelta or the Giro. His clock is ticking and he hasn't many more years left in his legs, so coming back to this year's form is a must from here on in.

I don't know where you get the nerves comment from. He hit a pothole, apparently with only one hand on the handlebars while trying to get some food out of his pocket. That doesn't sound like a nervous guy to me.

 

[hrotha]

Who cares about that? Even if that's the case they should've made sure the goddamn frame was sturdy enough for his weight.

To me, him falling today has a lot to do with him not scouting many of the TdF climbs. There's traps here and there and you have to prepare for the worst.

He didn't.

I'm 99% sure no one recced that descent.

 

[maxmartin]

Glad to see the broken bike issue is cleared. It would be shame to crash of a bike failure.

That doesnt change anything for me. Even though I do appreciate that Specialized is sponsoring several teams, I will NOT buy another product from this evil company.

how many do you have now?

 

[Publicus]

Who cares about that? Even if that's the case they should've made sure the goddamn frame was sturdy enough for his weight.

To me, him falling today has a lot to do with him not scouting many of the TdF climbs. There's traps here and there and you have to prepare for the worst.

He didn't.

His crash wasn't the result of a trap or lack of scouting. He went over a pot hole and crashed. A pot hole.

 

[maxmartin]

I don't know where you get the nerves comment from. He hit a pothole, apparently with only one hand on the handlebars while trying to get some food out of his pocket. That doesn't sound like a nervous guy to me.

because he is nervous about his current position (afraid crashing after someone?), and wants to move to the front better position. Irony is this movement caused himself to crash. According to Horner everyone else has taken the descend slow. And this is from VDB.

“I was very lucky. Contador crashed but it was his own mistake. Everybody was at ease. I was riding behind my teammates who were leading the peloton. I left a bit of a gap to keep things safe. Apparently he felt the need to overtake me. It was in his typical style, standing on the pedals. He hits a pothole and goes over the handlebars. His head was next to my front wheel. He could’ve taken me with him. I can’t understand why you take that many risks to move up one spot,” Van Den Broeck said after crossing the finish line.

 

[The_Juan]

I don't know where you get the nerves comment from. He hit a pothole, apparently with only one hand on the handlebars while trying to get some food out of his pocket. That doesn't sound like a nervous guy to me.

Just an opinion that's all.

Falling twice in less than 1½ kilometers speaks volumes.

There are also multiple accounts from riders describing Alberto's moves while coming down Petit Ballon as a little "wild," to put it mildly.

 

[maxmartin]

His crash wasn't the result of a trap or lack of scouting. He went over a pot hole and crashed. A pot hole.

not just pothole, a pothole plus his aggressive riding during the descending, God knows why he chose to do that.

Some riders who saw Contador crash gave their own version of what had happened. According to a tweet from Danish journalist Mikkel Condé, Astana’s Jakob Fuglsang said: “Contador took a big risk. On a descent with bad asphalt, he passed us, went 10-15 km/h faster. 1k later he fell on his bike."

Meanwhile, the Dutch journalist and commentator José Been said on Twitter that Lotto-Belisol’s Jurgen Van den Broeck had told Sporza: "It was Contador's own fault. He stepped on the pedals to overtake and rode in a hole."

 

[The_Juan]

His crash wasn't the result of a trap or lack of scouting. He went over a pot hole and crashed. A pot hole.

You mean a pothole.

I'm not saying that him not scouting out the Petit Ballon is what caused him to fall. In reality I have no idea whether he did that or not. What I am saying is that it may very well played a part in it.

You need to choose where to be aggressive and where to pull back. Him going all out, again, judging by other riders have said, makes no sense.

 

[pigoonse]

Finally watching the race now. I can't believe Alberto rode as far as he did after the crash...with a fractured tibia

Gutted and miss Alberto Contador Hope for a speedy recovery and will miss seeing him racing. My 1st favorite rider: Alberto Contador. Get better soon!

Come back and win TdF in 2015!

 

[Publicus]

You mean a pothole.

I'm not saying that him not scouting out the Petit Ballon is what caused him to fall. In reality I have no idea whether he did that or not. What I am saying is that it may very well played a part in it.

Well yes that was what you were saying. And you are saying it again.

 

[Publicus]

not just pothole, a pothole plus his aggressive riding during the descending, God knows why he chose to do that.

Some riders who saw Contador crash gave their own version of what had happened. According to a tweet from Danish journalist Mikkel Condé, Astana’s Jakob Fuglsang said: “Contador took a big risk. On a descent with bad asphalt, he passed us, went 10-15 km/h faster. 1k later he fell on his bike."

Meanwhile, the Dutch journalist and commentator José Been said on Twitter that Lotto-Belisol’s Jurgen Van den Broeck had told Sporza: "It was Contador's own fault. He stepped on the pedals to overtake and rode in a hole."

I'm familiar with their comments and only reflect their subjective viewpoint about the situation. I assume he must have felt comfortable at the speed since he was reaching for food when he hit the pothole--that's according to his words (apparently).

 

[The_Juan]

not just pothole, a pothole plus his aggressive riding during the descending, God knows why he chose to do that.

Some riders who saw Contador crash gave their own version of what had happened. According to a tweet from Danish journalist Mikkel Condé, Astana’s Jakob Fuglsang said: “Contador took a big risk. On a descent with bad asphalt, he passed us, went 10-15 km/h faster. 1k later he fell on his bike."

Meanwhile, the Dutch journalist and commentator José Been said on Twitter that Lotto-Belisol’s Jurgen Van den Broeck had told Sporza: "It was Contador's own fault. He stepped on the pedals to overtake and rode in a hole."

Exactly. Why was he risking it so bad? He surely wasn't going to attack from that far out. Or... did Alberto suspect Astana were planning an ambush going downhill? That's the only thing that makes sense to me.

 

[The_Juan]

I'm familiar with their comments and only reflect their subjective viewpoint about the situation. I assume he must have felt comfortable at the speed since he was reaching for food when he hit the pothole--that's according to his words (apparently).

But... didn't he fall before that? How could he have felt comfortable when the road gave him a big warning?

 

[The_Juan]

Well yes that was what you were saying. And you are saying it again.

No, it's not man.

Read. And read well.

 

[maxmartin]

You mean a pothole.

I'm not saying that him not scouting out the Petit Ballon is what caused him to fall. In reality I have no idea whether he did that or not. What I am saying is that it may very well played a part in it.

You need to choose where to be aggressive and where to pull back. Him going all out, again, judging by other riders have said, makes no sense.

My theory has always been he was preparing to give Nibali a surprising ATTACK, which if succeed, is a genius plan and huge blow to Nibali's confidence. Daredevil AC could do that. Another alternative theory is he was afraid Nibals's attacking, but that does not make much senses, because Nibali saw him crashing in front of him.

 

[Publicus]

because he is nervous about his current position (afraid crashing after someone?), and wants to move to the front better position. Irony is this movement caused himself to crash. According to Horner everyone else has taken the descend slow. And this is from VDB.

“I was very lucky. Contador crashed but it was his own mistake. Everybody was at ease. I was riding behind my teammates who were leading the peloton. I left a bit of a gap to keep things safe. Apparently he felt the need to overtake me. It was in his typical style, standing on the pedals. He hits a pothole and goes over the handlebars. His head was next to my front wheel. He could’ve taken me with him. I can’t understand why you take that many risks to move up one spot,” Van Den Broeck said after crossing the finish line.

I don't know if wanting to ride in the front denotes nervousness so much as it is an oft-repeated maxim in cycling. I noticed they (Tinkoff Saxo) were fairly far back (for them) on the Petit Ballon, so it very well may have been a concerted effort by them to move up in advance of the next climb. I appreciate the subjective insights provided by JDVB and others, since it provides a perspective, but nothing Contador (or his teammates) have said suggests he was acting nervous/panicked.

 

[The_Juan]

I don't know if wanting to ride in the front denotes nervousness so much as it is an oft-repeated maxim in cycling. I noticed they (Tinkoff Saxo) were fairly far back (for them) on the Petit Ballon, so it very well may have been a concerted effort by them to move up in advance of the next climb. I appreciate the subjective insights provided by JDVB and others, since it provides a perspective, but nothing Contador (or his teammates) have said suggests he was acting nervous/panicked.

That's your opinion.

 

[Publicus]

But... didn't he fall before that? How could he have felt comfortable when the road gave him a big warning?

No. The first fall was the pothole. I don't know the cause of the second, but based upon Mick Rogers comments, I don't think he was still stunned from the first fall.

And here's your comment again about the lack of scouting, which to me implies that if he had scouted the descent, he would have avoided the crash. If you intended something else, then you should perhaps make it clearer:

To me, him falling today has a lot to do with him not scouting many of the TdF climbs. There's traps here and there and you have to prepare for the worst.

He didn't.

 

[The_Juan]

My theory has always been he was preparing to give Nibali a surprising ATTACK, which if succeed, is a genius plan and huge blow to Nibali's confidence. Daredevil AC could do that. Another alternative theory is he was afraid Nibals's attacking, but that does not make much senses, because Nibali saw him crashing in front of him.

Like at Fuente De?

That would have made no sense, Nibali had plenty of team members to burn through before the last climb.

 

[Publicus]

That's your opinion.

Yes. Of course. Your point being what exactly?

 

[The_Juan]

And here's your comment again about the lack of scouting, which to me implies that if he had scouted the descent, he would have avoided the crash.

You're one stubborn person dude.

I said it may have played A part in him falling twice, not that it was The cause for him falling twice.

What is it that you are failing to understand? If you feel further clarification send me a PM. I really despise inundating forums with you-said-I-said BS.

Grow up.

 

[maxmartin]

Like at Fuente De?

That would have made no sense, Nibali had plenty of team members to burn through before the last climb.

well WHY is the question? Maybe he is in the form of his life like many people claimed, maybe he is confident he can ride away just like Tony did yesterday. But tbh, his crash does not really make any sense. Because everyone else is taking it easy. I am just trying to come up with something. Or maybe the blood was all on his legs, he just kept going without much thinking. I guess only himself knew what was going on in his head.

 

[The_Juan]

Yes. Of course. Your point being what exactly?

That you seem to be more interested in replying to other people's opinions than formulating your own.

Just an observation.

Peace out.

 

[The Hitch]

my theory is to attack Nibali on the descending, if succeeded that would be genius and huge blow to Nibali's confidence. Or he thought Nibali would attack, so he want to move to a better position.

Attack from the peloton on a descent 60k out

What?