Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[ILovecycling]

Well not much competition really

thats not really true,there is,but berto deserved it

 

[Miburo]

Ok he's famous in Spain but that would be nothing compared to the faim he would have if he was belgian or french (maybe also italian) in those countries.

He would have been considered a God, it would have been worse than Boonen ('05 and 06) in Belgium and that's saying something.

 

[SeriousSam]

Is Marca the spanish equivalent of L'Equipe and Gazzetta dello Sport? Always assumed it's a Real Madrid trash paper.

 

[Jack_89]

Simple control today. I got the impression that he did not want to sink the shot and was limited to control rivals. Good run anyway, one day less!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Simple control today. I got the impression that he did not want to sink the shot and was limited to control rivals. Good run anyway, one day less!

Hmm, to me it seemed like Alberto could not do much more, when he attacked he couldn't even get the slightest gap. Alberto has to improve and drop Valverde big time at some point, otherwise Piti might collect enough bonus seconds to take the win.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Hmm, to me it seemed like Alberto could not do much more, when he attacked he couldn't even get the slightest gap. Alberto has to improve and drop Valverde big time at some point, otherwise Piti might collect enough bonus seconds to take the win.

I agree, hopefully he can find something more as Valverde will be a big threat with the time bonuses.

 

[Jack_89]

Hmm, to me it seemed like Alberto could not do much more, when he attacked he couldn't even get the slightest gap. Alberto has to improve and drop Valverde big time at some point, otherwise Piti might collect enough bonus seconds to take the win.

It may well be. Or, he feared the last km plate, he was afraid of being taken up in the final meters and give more bonus to Purito and Valverde. Or maybe it was affected by the alleged cold. ...

 

[Helvellyn]

Contador looked weak today - hopefully just post-TT legs. Aside from bonus seconds, I also wouldn't be surprised if Valverde claws back a few seconds in the final prologue style TT. Alberto will need to drop him at some point.

 

[Jack_89]

However, I expect that Valverde will have a dip in form. We don't forget he rode the Tour

 

[Helvellyn]

It may well be. Or, he feared the last km plate, he was afraid of being taken up in the final meters and give more bonus to Purito and Valverde. Or maybe it was affected by the alleged cold. ...

Didn't Navarro use to be a team mate of his? At one point I thought he wasn't attacking because he was giving Navarro a chance for the stage win - but in the end it just seemed like he wasn't on a great day.

 

[BlurryVII]

Hmm, to me it seemed like Alberto could not do much more, when he attacked he couldn't even get the slightest gap. Alberto has to improve and drop Valverde big time at some point, otherwise Piti might collect enough bonus seconds to take the win.

Definitely, AC wasn't looking good on the second half of the climb.
He would have attacked like a madman on such climb if he felt good and he would've dropped them even in the leader's jersey.

Alberto is really unpredictable, last sunday he made such a powerful-looking acceleration and was decently strong, only a handful people expected that, and now that he is in red and is supposed to get better and better, he looks cooked and puts what looked like a desperate acceleration. I hope his form isn't going down.
Because Valverde is there to snatch all the bonification on every MTF...

 

[Jack_89]

The truth lies somewhere in between ...

"La victoria de etapa ha sido para el mejor, y yo me he limitado a vigilar a los rivales que están más cerca en la clasificación general", ha dicho tras su primer día vestido con el maillot delíder.

El corredor de*Pinto*ha insistido en que las fuerzas están "muy igualadas, en una subida en la que no ha habido una continuidad en el ritmo duro".

 

[Netserk]

Purito and Piti in the drops, Contador on the hoods.

 

[Red Rick]

"La victoria de etapa ha sido para el mejor, y yo me he limitado a vigilar a los rivales que están más cerca en la clasificación general", ha dicho tras su primer día vestido con el maillot delíder.

El corredor de*Pinto*ha insistido en que las fuerzas están "muy igualadas, en una subida en la que no ha habido una continuidad en el ritmo duro".

Meaning?

Anyway, if it rains on a mtf, Contador can wipe out Valverde completely. It didn't think Valverde was much stronger, it's not like he got a gap in the sprint

 

[BlurryVII]

He might have caught a little cold from the sunday rainy stage or from the ice bucket challenge

 

[LaFlorecita]

Purito and Piti in the drops, Contador on the hoods.

As usual.

 

[Jack_89]

Meaning?

Anyway, if it rains on a mtf, Contador can wipe out Valverde completely. It didn't think Valverde was much stronger, it's not like he got a gap in the sprint

The stage win was for the best, and I have limited myself to watch the rivals that are closer in the standings," he said after his first day wearing the jersey delíder.

I also think he wasn't in a great day but not even a bad. More than enough however to old off his direct rivals.
For now i'm not worried

 

[jens_attacks]

As usual.

and froome on the stem.

as usual.

 

[Carols]

Good to see most saw it the way I did. He wasn't on a great day IMO and just covered from necessity. Perhaps paying a bit for the effort yesterday?

 

[Dr. Juice]

Today Contador = Valverde > Rodriguez . Alberto didn't have great legs and he was equal with Valverde who responded immediately to his acceleration.

Rodriguez was a bit in trouble, the fact he beat Contador in a sprint in the last 5 m by 10 cm or so, shows that.

Unfortunately it was on-off today, they should have distanced Froome, who fought very hard, but nevertheless.

I hope Valverde doesn't wheelsuck himself into the roja by winning bonus sprints. Stage 14 is another awful MT sprint.

Stage 15, solo MTF. If the pace is not too high, then Valverde will have something left in the tank. If Alberto wants to distance him, he has to attack hard 7 km from the finish, because the last 4 are up and down.

Stage 16 is the best opportunity to kill him. If he has slightly better legs than today. I don't think Bala will be as strong as today or La Zubia every stage, especially if there is a decent pace on stage 16 or 20. Better distance him earlier than later.
In theory there should be these 1 or 2 stages where Alberto puts the hammer down and Valverde suffers, losing some 30-40-50 seconds.
Basically he needs just 1 day where he has a good leg and accelerates like the other day - on a long tiring climb - and put a good chunk of time between himself and Bala.

 

[mr. tibbs]

and froome on the stem.

as usual.

At one point, Carlton identified him in the favorites group by his signature "head-down" style.

 

[ILovecycling]

I think he was comfortable,but doesnt need to attack so early.Maybe camperona or farrapona.

monday will be carnage.he will gain at least a minute to piti.

 

[Energy Starr]

I'm not sure it would have changed anything, but I thought Bertie covered too many attacks today. He needs to leave the covering to the guys who want the bonus seconds.

 

[No_Balls]

Well, if this was a bad day then this is his Vuelta to lose. He didn't looked as smooth but controlled every attack (except Arus last ) effortlessly and watching the replay shows his own "attacks" with no real conviction that he would drop anyone. Better think of the bigger picture if there are uncertainity for the long run. The Vuelta is either won nor lost on this day.

*Purito feels more or less out of contention and its looking more and more as Valverde is the man to beat. Writing some off is a good thing.

*I'm hoping for the resurrection of Froome and although he fought bravely today he still looks as more or less the same since two days ago. He manage to fight his way back due to the irregular pace in the front. A little bit better Froome is good for Alberto who at the moment cant rely on a strong team putting the pressure on Valverde. Sky could do that - a shame they are too good for their captain

*Two fairly easy days now to come.

 

[LaFlorecita]