Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

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BlurryVII said:
It's not a dream, it's very much possible.
If he doesn't make it then it doesn't matter. But I'll be thinking that it was not a great decision to start the race.

It is more or less a dream...but that's fine. I'm hoping right along with you all (just maybe with a little less certainty. :)) Of course I'm glad he is racing...let's just hope he doesn't re injure himself because then we will all be regretting his decision to race.
 
Feb 21, 2014
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And here it is ""No vengo bien preparado, pero no voy a regalar a la general"

"I'm not very well prepared, but I'm not gonna just give away the GC win" something like that

He is not going to lose a huge amount of time to go in breakaways and win stages, that was never going to happen anyway.
 
Mar 21, 2013
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I believe he can win it, don't have any rational facts to base my opinion, but he will do anything possible to take this Vuelta home and revenge his crash that destroyed his Tour hopes.

Hopefully at stage 6 his form will be enough to limit his losses to GC contenders.
 
As expected
How could anyone think that just goes to make up the numbers or so. Regardless of win or not

BlurryVII said:
And here it is ""No vengo bien preparado, pero no voy a regalar a la general"

"I'm not very well prepared, but I'm not gonna just give away the GC win" something like that

He is not going to lose a huge amount of time to go in breakaways and win stages, that was never going to happen anyway.
 
Jul 19, 2010
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I'm a realist. I would like to assume now, that contador's form is okay. But not enough to compete with the like of Quintana, Froome, Purito, Valverde for podium spot

But I also love surprises. :D I'm hoping to see that I'M WRONG!. Then all hell break loose... This thread is going to explode...

anyway, back to earth... ehm ya. for now.. low expectations...

All this speculation about his form will be answered in first week (and so does his chances to compete for podium spot). I certainly won't rule out Contador in breakaway.. :D and make everyone is chasing him like crazy holding their pants nervously. Because he can change the dynamic of the race and that's why without him.. the race is dull.
 
Hugo87 said:
but he will do anything possible to take this Vuelta home and revenge his crash that destroyed his Tour hopes.

Hopefully at stage 6 his form will be enough to limit his losses to GC contenders.

This. If he has the legs he will get his revenge. If not he will be Valiant and ride like the Champion he is to the very end. He is a throwback to the days when the sport was filled with romance, heart and great exploits. History will remember him as one of the all time greats.

But I'm a realist and there is Nairo. This race has been on his program since the start of the season; he has prepared for it and stormed his prep race. Maybe the course isn't the best for him but he is ready.

Then there is the Froome with unknown form but he's had longer to get ready and says he will be. Purito who is leery of Alberto and we all know why :). But he has had much time to recover and has the Tour in his legs to find form. Valverde always does well in the Vuelta. That is 4 right off the bat that a man coming off a broken leg has to reckon with!

If any man can do it it is Alberto and I will be willing him on. But I sure won't hype his chances!
 

Luigi_Max

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Aug 9, 2014
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Carols said:
This. If he has the legs he will get his revenge. If not he will be Valiant and ride like the Champion he is to the very end. He is a throwback to the days when the sport was filled with romance, heart and great exploits. History will remember him as one of the all time greats.

But I'm a realist and there is Nairo. This race has been on his program since the start of the season; he has prepared for it and stormed his prep race. Maybe the course isn't the best for him but he is ready.

Then there is the Froome with unknown form but he's had longer to get ready and says he will be. Purito who is leery of Alberto and we all know why :). But he has had much time to recover and has the Tour in his legs to find form. Valverde always does well in the Vuelta. That is 4 right off the bat that a man coming off a broken leg has to reckon with!

If any man can do it it is Alberto and I will be willing him on. But I sure won't hype his changes!

He certainly is not one of those yet. He might be by the end of his career but he needs to get busy winning things to be considered so by most. At the moment he only is to his fans who are heavily biased like we all are to the riders we support.
 
Aug 15, 2012
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Luigi_Max said:
He certainly is not one of those yet. He might be by the end of his career but he needs to get busy winning things to be considered so by most. At the moment he only is to his fans who are heavily biased like we all are to the riders we support.

Right. He's proven on more than one occasion that he is exceptional. You could just as easily say he *isnt* according to cycling fans who dislike him. relax. Time will tell.
 
Jun 18, 2009
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Carols said:
This. If he has the legs he will get his revenge. If not he will be Valiant and ride like the Champion he is to the very end. He is a throwback to the days when the sport was filled with romance, heart and great exploits. History will remember him as one of the all time greats.

Couldn't agree more.

None of us know his fitness right now. I'm sure he and his team have a pretty good idea though. I also don't think he'd be going if his fitness was really bad.

I expect that'll be do his best to limit any losses in the first week. And by the third week, he'll be flying again.

He will fight to the end.

Can't wait...
 
Feb 21, 2014
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Luigi_Max said:
He certainly is not one of those yet. He might be by the end of his career but he needs to get busy winning things to be considered so by most. At the moment he only is to his fans who are heavily biased like we all are to the riders we support.

He is considered as such by most.

You don't compare different era's, former champions aren't greater than Alberto and vis versa.
They were able to win both classics and GTs? Well it is almost impossible nowadays, the overall level is much higher and riders are so specialized for a specific type of race that it has become unthinkable to win on every terrain .
So, he is a legend for what he already won in the current era (still going strong for a few years), for his great climbing-attacking style, for his popularity, for the drama and so on.
Those criterions also applied to champions like Hinault, Anquetil ect. You'll end up noticing there's nothing different actually.
 
Feb 21, 2014
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D'you smell what Contador is cookin'? ;)

10476304_555954351173208_3749983229029624613_n.jpg
 

Luigi_Max

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Aug 9, 2014
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yespatterns said:
Right. He's proven on more than one occasion that he is exceptional. You could just as easily say he *isnt* according to cycling fans who dislike him. relax. Time will tell.

Why do you tell me to relax? Is it impossible to hold the opinion I do while being relaxed?

I like Contador, not a huge fan, but certainly I like him. He is the best GT rider in the world since 2007. However his results have not been that great. Two Tours is a very disappointing return. Not all his fault, his chances of winning in 2008 were extremely high and he did all he could that year in the other GTs.

Being exceptional at times though does not make him one of the greats, he needs results to back it up. If he wins a couple more Tours and another GT then I would start to consider him getting up there as one of the greatest GT riders. Without more wins he will be a huge talent who did not get the results he could have got. This year he blew it by crashing which seems to have been entirely his own fault.

Contador has the talent to be one of the greats, he just has not done enough results wise to be considered on in my view. He is close but not quite there yet.
 

Luigi_Max

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Aug 9, 2014
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BlurryVII said:
He is considered as such by most, you know you are part of the little group of haters who don't :)

You don't compare different era's, former champions aren't greater than Alberto and vis versa.
They were able to win both classics and GTs? Well it is almost impossible nowadays, the overall level is much higher and riders are so specialized for a specific type of race that it has become unthinkable to win on every terrain .
So, he is a legend for what he already won in the current era (still going strong for a few years), for his great climbing-attacking style, for his popularity, for the drama and so on.
Those criterions also applied to champions like Hinault, Anquetil ect. You'll end up noticing there's nothing different actually.

I am not a hater. Please never call me a hater again.
 
Luigi_Max said:
Why do you tell me to relax? Is it impossible to hold the opinion I do while being relaxed?

I like Contador, not a huge fan, but certainly I like him. He is the best GT rider in the world since 2007. However his results have not been that great. Two Tours is a very disappointing return. Not all his fault, his chances of winning in 2008 were extremely high and he did all he could that year in the other GTs.

Being exceptional at times though does not make him one of the greats, he needs results to back it up. If he wins a couple more Tours and another GT then I would start to consider him getting up there as one of the greatest GT riders. Without more wins he will be a huge talent who did not get the results he could have got. This year he blew it by crashing which seems to have been entirely his own fault.

Contador has the talent to be one of the greats, he just has not done enough results wise to be considered on in my view. He is close but not quite there yet.

mind-blown-2.gif
 
Aug 13, 2014
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completely agree max very talented but also a doper not one of the greatest of all time imo although i do enjoy his style immensely :cool:
 

Luigi_Max

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Aug 9, 2014
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LaFlorecita said:

That is a great argument.

Perhaps you would rather tell me why you think Contador should be spoken about alongside Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault and Indurian who all have won the Tour 5 times even though he has only won it twice?

Perhaps you would rather tell me why you think Contador should be spoken about alongside Merckx and Hinault even though he has only won half what they have won?

Please also list to me all those you consider all time great grand tour riders.