Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

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damian13ster

May 27, 2014
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Jelantik said:
I hope giro race organizer hears this. They already salivating.. hearing Nibali vs Contador next year. And i hope they will make their route possible for both to attempt Giro Tour double. As far as, TDF organizer.. they are a bit idiot. So not sure if they will try to help so doing double will be feasible. They might make another two long flat ITT just to make sure Froome win again. Out of the 3 GT organizer, I consider TDF organizer is the least one who got a vision to make the racing interesting.
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Sure, lets do a carbon copy of Giro at the Tour. Lets throw out all flat TTs out of racing!
If you want same/similar route then just rewatch the damn race. I prefer to have variety in cycling and Tour should have it all. Flatt TTs, Strade- like stage, cobbles, hilly finishes, MTF and downhill finishes.
 
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Netbalp

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Jun 26, 2014
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I hope he hasn't got a crash or an illness during those 42 days. Performance wise he should clearly beat Nibali at the Giro.
In the Tour...even at 90-95 % Contador beats Quintana IMO. Only a 2013 Pyrenees Froome could beat a 90-95 % Contador.
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Sorry, are you realist or dreamer? Froome was not fit better than Contador compared to their peaks in theory. Besides, the race сould unfold differently if Froome handn't had a bad day in the TT. The season showed there is no big differences between Contador, Froome and Nibali, they are exteremely close and that's the reason why everyone expects the next Grand Tours so much. The thesis about AC having the best ever shape prior the Tour can't be classified as a fact. It looks more like a fan hope and prejudice. Let's not intermix hopes and reality.

IMO the Giro - Tour double is possible and Alberto is the only one who can do it, but many things should concur for that: his perfect form; ability to win the Giro with limited resources, saving a lot in the tank for the Tour; a bit of luck and the opponents who shouldn't improve drastically in best case scenario.
 
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movingtarget

Aug 5, 2009
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Froome will be happy so will Quintana. Still I don't think Contador will do the double but could still podium in the Tour which be a very good result if he managed it. I wonder about Nibali's plans now ? I hope he rides the Giro. That could be really interesting.
 
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ljpoyz

Feb 8, 2013
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I posted this in the Giro 2015 thread but probably more appropriate here.

"Maybe his target is simply to hold all 3 GTs at the one time? Not so much the treble in a calendar year?

I was under the impression that his plan before the knee inury was TDF14, Vuelta 14, Giro 15, Vuelta 15. Which would've given him the opportunity to hold all 3 if he'd won the TDF (wouldn't have)."
 
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TheGreenMonkey

Sep 7, 2014
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Extremely disappointed that Contador is going to ride the Giro.

I thought we were going to get Contador, Nibali, Froome and Quintana all focusing on the Tour alone next year and we could have had a real battle between them.

Contador has robbed us of this by going for the Giro.

The only thing that can save this is if Nibali, Froome and Quintana all decide to the Giro as well.
 
Jspear

Jspear

Feb 23, 2014
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TheGreenMonkey said:
Extremely disappointed that Contador is going to ride the Giro.

I thought we were going to get Contador, Nibali, Froome and Quintana all focusing on the Tour alone next year and we could have had a real battle between them.

Contador has robbed us of this by going for the Giro.

The only thing that can save this is if Nibali, Froome and Quintana all decide to the Giro as well.
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Oh, don't worry. AC will still be at the Tour as the favorite. :p He has been crunching some numbers and knows he can do the double. :cool: :)
 
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TheGreenMonkey

Sep 7, 2014
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Jspear said:
Oh, don't worry. AC will still be at the Tour as the favorite. :p He has been crunching some numbers and knows he can do the double. :cool: :)
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Maybe, maybe not, it did not work in 2011 although there might have been other factors involved including a stupid lady. However if he does not win the Tour then all Contador fans will blame his not winning the Tour on him being tired from riding the Giro. It would be good to have all four enter the tour under equal conditions.

Still Quintana and Nibali might both turn up to the Giro but it is extremely improbable that Froome would do the Giro. If the Giro is raced hard between those three then the Tour might be gifted to Froome.
 
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No_Balls

Jul 30, 2009
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TheGreenMonkey said:
Maybe, maybe not, it did not work in 2011 although there might have been other factors involved including a stupid lady. However if he does not win the Tour then all Contador fans will blame his not winning the Tour on him being tired from riding the Giro. It would be good to have all four enter the tour under equal conditions.
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He had a pretty lot of racing in 2011 prior to the last attempt of the double. I wouldnt assume that much of racing from him up until March+april. Riding into some sort of order in the Giro (even an out of form Contador would be the favorite) followed by recovery and the Tour. An easier route+a strong team will do wonders. He didn't do that bad 2011. Fifth after a hard giro and counting his crashes in the first week. You dont have to look longer then at Dawg how crashes affects you.

It is perfectly doable.

Still Quintana and Nibali might both turn up to the Giro but it is extremely improbable that Froome would do the Giro. If the Giro is raced hard between those three then the Tour might be gifted to Froome.
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Nibali has already said he was going to ride Giro before Alberto. The excuse then was that he would show up in France a little below par. Now there is nowhere to run nowhere to hide.
 
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TheGreenMonkey

Sep 7, 2014
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No_Balls said:
He had a pretty lot of racing in 2011 prior to the last attempt of the double. I wouldnt assume that much of racing from him up until March+april. Riding into some sort of order in the Giro (even an out of form Contador would be the favorite) followed by recovery and the Tour. An easier route+a strong team will do wonders. He didn't do that bad 2011. Fifth after a hard giro and counting his crashes in the first week. You dont have to look longer then at Dawg how crashes affects you.

It is perfectly doable.



Nibali has already said he was going to ride Giro before Alberto. The excuse then was that he would show up in France a little below par. Now there is nowhere to run nowhere to hide.
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I am certainly not ruling it out as doable but it would be a huge achievement if he had to beat Nibali (and Quintana?) in the Giro and then a fresh Froome (and Quintana?) at the Tour.

As far as I know Nibali has said he is considering riding the Giro not that he definitely is riding the Giro.
 
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Electress

Aug 26, 2014
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TheGreenMonkey said:
Extremely disappointed that Contador is going to ride the Giro.

I thought we were going to get Contador, Nibali, Froome and Quintana all focusing on the Tour alone next year and we could have had a real battle between them.

Contador has robbed us of this by going for the Giro.

The only thing that can save this is if Nibali, Froome and Quintana all decide to the Giro as well.
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Saying that 'the only thing that can save this' seems a bit extreme! And he's hardly 'robbed us'. :) Seems to me it has injected a flurry of additional excitement about next season already! Just seems a bit bleak to write his Tour off completely because he's going to the Giro.

I'm sure no matter what he'll be competitive. And if he wins the Giro - and why not - he's going to be even more stoked to win the TdF and he's hardly a man not to fight for victory even if he is at 95% or whatever. He's great at defending a lead, but attacks more when he's not in yellow - is it not possible that the TdF might be more exciting if he's attacking someone else's lead; a bit on the back foot?

It's not like we had any guarantees they'll all show up, or that they'll all show up in great form, even if the TdF is their No. 1 focus. Look what happened this year. This just adds another bit of spice in my book. There are already myriad what if / but variables (and potential excuses as to why any one of them does or doesn't win the Tour next year.)

I'm not sure why focussing on the Tour alone, or any other race would be such a big deal to AC at this stage. He's already got all three, multiple times. Seems entirely reasonable to want to polish off - or at least try for - other ambitions whilst he's young enough. He's beaten Froome this Vuelta - which must feel good - and in difficult circumstances. So that won't be the inspiration it might have been for the Tour this year.

Seems to me people are looking for next years TdF to answer the question 'who is the best', like this can be answered definitively by one race, in any one year anyway.
 
LaFlorecita

LaFlorecita

May 15, 2011
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TheGreenMonkey said:
Extremely disappointed that Contador is going to ride the Giro.

I thought we were going to get Contador, Nibali, Froome and Quintana all focusing on the Tour alone next year and we could have had a real battle between them.
Contador has robbed us of this by going for the Giro.

The only thing that can save this is if Nibali, Froome and Quintana all decide to the Giro as well.
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Nah, Nibali robbed you of that a couple months ago.
 
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No_Balls

Jul 30, 2009
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TheGreenMonkey said:
I am certainly not ruling it out as doable but it would be a huge achievement if he had to beat Nibali (and Quintana?) in the Giro and then a fresh Froome (and Quintana?) at the Tour.
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There are always obstacles to face and no guarantees. I have no doubt he have reconsidered the strategy of putting all egg in the same casket, obtaining your best form of your life and then crash out. They've must have discussed the possibilities of reaching this level of form with a different approach yet still avoiding the all Tour focus with Giro as a bridge.

I do think the idea of joining the greats whom did the double is motivating. For these guys Giro was the preparation. :cool:

As far as I know Nibali has said he is considering riding the Giro not that he definitely is riding the Giro.
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Alright he has not yet confirmed but whats stopping him? He will do it:

http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/n...bitions_to_ride_the_giro-tour_double_in_2015/
 
LaFlorecita

LaFlorecita

May 15, 2011
45,171
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Bx-d1LjCQAIWxh-.jpg:large
 
Escarabajo

Escarabajo

Apr 16, 2009
17,458
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TheGreenMonkey said:
Extremely disappointed that Contador is going to ride the Giro.

I thought we were going to get Contador, Nibali, Froome and Quintana all focusing on the Tour alone next year and we could have had a real battle between them.

Contador has robbed us of this by going for the Giro.

The only thing that can save this is if Nibali, Froome and Quintana all decide to the Giro as well.
Click to expand...
+1

Exactly my thoughts!
 
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