Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[No_Balls]

Can't wait. Maybe Froome will be in also, until next year's Tour people might start to forget he won a GT some time ago.

Dont hold your breath. Dawgs eye will be even more fixed now on July probably in the belief that a win would be somehow easier. He will do his early spring+Dauphine routine as always.

Besides one really gets the impression he is as obsessed with Tour de France as Andy or Lance. Hope i'm wrong of course but im not.

 

[arvc40]

I think the insane form he felt he had at the Tour combined with the fact that he won the Vuelta quite easily without being in top form led him to take this decision for 2015.

He is confident again, but he has to work as hard as he did this year if he wants to pull it off.

This ....................

 

[Jspear]

Sagan won't do the Giro. No ****ing way in hell. With him they are sure to return with something from the Tour.

Aye, But Sagan won't need to much support. He ain't like Cav. And if AC decides to ride the Tour as well, he has proved himself as deserving full team support (even with a Giro in his legs ).

 

[Red Rick]

Apparently, he'll do the Giro 100% certain, the Tour 100% certain, and after that he might even do the Vuelta.

That man is insane.

I love it

 

[Jspear]

A bag full of 2nd places

Right....And If AC decides to ride the Tour as well, I would say based on this year he has proven to deserve more support than Sagan.

 

[Jspear]

Apparently, he'll do the Giro 100% certain, the Tour 100% certain, and after that he might even do the Vuelta.

That man is insane.

I love it

Just curious. Did you read this anywhere or is it just a hunch? Would be awesome if he actually tried!

 

[cineteq]

‏@albertocontador: "Waiting for some details, I can announce that my first goal on 2015 will be the Giro d'Italia"

Obviously he feels he wouldn't have been able to catch Nibali after falling behind at the 2014 TdF, and now he wants to set the record straight in Lo Squalo's territory. On the other hand, he doesn't want to run into Valverde, he's clearly tired of him.

 

[Miburo]

Obviously he feels he wouldn't have been able to catch Nibali after falling behind at the 2014 TdF, and now he wants to set the record straight in Lo Squalo's territory. On the other hand, he doesn't want to run into Valverde, he's clearly tired of him.

Shouldn't you make some more terrible predictions for GT's? Your last one really hit the mark

 

[cineteq]

Shouldn't you make some more terrible predictions for GT's? Your last one really hit the mark

On this year's Tour I was on target. Not so much at La Vuelta. The hoax screwed up my predictions.

 

[jaylew]

Berti + Nib riding Giro = the only beneficiary is Froome and everyone else targeting TDF for GC.

That being said, Berti winning Giro & Tour would be epic but very unlikely

This is where I am with it. Will be really hard to beat Froome and Nairo on the heels of the Giro. Still, if anyone can do it, it's AC. And you have to love the moxie. He's definitely not playing it safe.

I got the feeling Valverde might target the Giro next year. I wonder if this announcement would affect that decision?

Has Nibali actually said he's doing the Giro next year?

 

[ferryman]

He he, looks like our Bertie has been tipped off about the TDF route already and has probably sat down and designed the Vuelta Seriously though, this has triple (attempt) written all over it. INSANE INSANE INSANE but I also love it

 

[Red Rick]

Just curious. Did you read this anywhere or is it just a hunch? Would be awesome if he actually tried!

Thought I read somewhere, don't remember where. I think the exact words were "After the Giro I'll go to the Tour, and after that I might do the Vuelta".

Anyway, in the CN article he's talking about a Giro-Tour double, which isn't that easy, even for Contador

 

[Spaniard]

http://ciclismo.as.com/ciclismo/2014/09/19/portada/1411145566_824425.html

“Me lo planteo más como un doblete Giro-Tour que como un intento de hacer las tres grandes el mismo año, que no entra en mis planes por el momento”.

It's about a giro-tour not about the triple ...

 

[Rollthedice]

This is where I am with it. Will be really hard to beat Froome and Nairo on the heels of the Giro. Still, if anyone can do it, it's AC. And you have to love the moxie. He's definitely not playing it safe.

I got the feeling Valverde might target the Giro next year. I wonder if this announcement would affect that decision?

Has Nibali actually said he's doing the Giro next year?

For Nibali it hasn't been decided yet but he said they will look at the possibilities to do the double. I think he loves the Giro more than Le Tour and missing two years is a bit much. As for Contador, if he is back to old days form he has chances to take both. I think Froome will never be the 2013 version and Quintana has yet to prove he can win against the best.

 

[ferryman]

http://ciclismo.as.com/ciclismo/2014/09/19/portada/1411145566_824425.html

“Me lo planteo más como un doblete Giro-Tour que como un intento de hacer las tres grandes el mismo año, que no entra en mis planes por el momento”.

It's about a giro-tour not about the triple ...

I know, I was being flippant...but...let's for arguments sake, say, he got the double, which is entirely feasible, surely he would be tempted to head to the Vuelta. Of course he isn't going to say that now but I know what my money would be on

 

[Miburo]

Even if contador is really strong, this is just madness.

How can he beat froome and quintana after doing the giro where he'll have a tough one with nibali? That's just crazy. He must realise that himself, i guess he really wasn't bluffing about his tour form.

 

[bigcog]

For Nibali it hasn't been decided yet but he said they will look at the possibilities to do the double. I think he loves the Giro more than Le Tour and missing two years is a bit much. As for Contador, if he is back to old days form he has chances to take both. I think Froome will never be the 2013 version and Quintana has yet to prove he can win against the best.

Good from Contador, it messes with Froome's head, if he doesn't win TDF he has the excuse that he did the Giro before hand and if he wins it then he goes down in history. No lose situation for him. Or, he's scared he'll lose to Froome particularly if the TDF has some meaty ITT

I love the way everyone is writing off Froome's chances.

 

[No_Balls]

I know, I was being flippant...but...let's for arguments sake, say, he got the double, which is entirely feasible, surely he would be tempted to head to the Vuelta. Of course he isn't going to say that now but I know what my money would be on

Yep. Lets say he pulls out a double and feels somewhat great afterwards (also a lesser competitive field would make it easier) then he could take it with one leg. I bet he would at least be tempted but keeping it low for the moment.

Roll on 2015 i'D say.

 

[Afrank]

For Nibali it hasn't been decided yet but he said they will look at the possibilities to do the double. I think he loves the Giro more than Le Tour and missing two years is a bit much. As for Contador, if he is back to old days form he has chances to take both. I think Froome will never be the 2013 version and Quintana has yet to prove he can win against the best.

Not sure if there's anything more current, but he confirms he'll do Giro-Tour in this article.

http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/nibali_aims_to_ride_the_giro-tour_double_in_2015/

Looks very likely that he'll ride with, in addition to this, he and others talking a lot about the possibility of him riding both.

 

[Electress]

Yep, and that's part of the reason he's doing it. He says he needs a new goal & motivation.

Wow - just love the bravura of the man. He must have had a lot in the tank in the Tour and maybe that Vuelta win was easier than it looked even on the back of an injury.

The thing is, unlikely as the double (and triple) might be, I'm not quite sure I'd bet against him. I think he might enjoy the high stakes. And it ups the ante on those who 'focus on the Tour'.

I don't care if it makes Team Sky / Froome firmer favourites (or whatever) for the Tour. It also makes their aspirations seem more workaday and cautious. Psychologically, I think this is a win for him - he's thrown down a bit of a gauntlet and put his opponents a bit on the back foot.

And it'll sure make 2015 pretty gripping.

As someone else has said ---- he's rediscovered his cycling Mojo…

I don't care if it is madness. It's glorious madness. Might have to look into my holidays next year….

 

[Red Rick]

"Alejandro, hombre, how do you do it every year?"
"What Alberto, do what every year?"
"Be better in your second GT of the year."
"Simple, just be average in the first one."
"Alejandro, I don't do average, 2nd place is not good."
"No Alberto, you can win while being average, I can only wheelsuck to 4th place"
"You're right Alejandro, I'm gonna do the double. You should ride the Giro too, I love gifting Giro stages, you only have to do what you always do, wheelsuck and sprint for the line"
"Alberto, hombre, that's a good plan"

 

[ILovecycling]

I just coneccted, wtf Berto?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Is he rally going to go through the embarrasment of being beaten by Nibali in 2 gts in just one year?

 

[Pentacycle]

Is he rally going to go through the embarrasment of being beaten by Nibali in 2 gts in just one year?

Why is that an embarassment? I Thought you'd think being beaten by the Astana's glorious leader would be an honour.

 

[Carols]

I've been off line all day...log in to find out Alberto plans the Giro-Tour double. Good For Him!!! That man has always gone for broke and if anyone can pull it off it is Alberto. What a Road Warrior!!!!

Darn I hope the routes for both make it possible to accomplish. Still it will be Very, Very Difficult.

Much can happen between now and next May, hopefully all of it good