Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Escarabajo]

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.

Contador is Hunting Nibali down!!!!

 

[Malmeren]

Great video and soundtrack! It burns me all over again that he didn't win Dauphine...

Super excited that AC is doing the Giro. Especially if that means that he'll be at near top form for the Ardennes. Oh man, a second Monument (in addition to Lombardia 2014) would be awesome.

The double wouldbe great, but very unlikely. Froome and Quintana will be too fine tuned, I think.

Anyway. one giro more and he is unofficially the only one to do the 3x3 combo!

 

[Carols]

Hopefully the next great Spanish rider is in that group. Bala, Purito and Alberto are all over 30!

 

[BlurryVII]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOMUBi26mtQ

warning: sensitive fans, keep away from this vid...

I really hope one day he'll win the Tour and will have the opportunity to be at the same form again..
If he can do the double next year, that will be total revenge on what happened to him this year..

 

[Ryaguas]

it is 5 guys of the U23 team and 5 guys of the junior team where did you spot Andy

The 2nd guy from right to left in the 2nd row haha kinda looks like him.

By the way look at his knee.... yikes

yep but still some people saying that He was faking it... malditos imbeciles

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

My takeaways from Contador's Giro announcement:

1) my first impression is that Alberto is challenging his rivals very openly: c'mon mofos, let's battle early on. Who is brave enough to follow my lead?

If any of the other gc favorites takes the bait, it will all be because of Contador's challenge.

Why would he announce with so much anticipation if not to challenge rivals and giro organization?

2) right now, the giro organization is asking Alberto: how do you want us to design the race? Anything for you to come and bless our event.

3) the tdf and vuelta also must be thinking in accommodating Contador's interest as he is the most spectacular racer. A race without him is a boring feat.

Like it is said in spain, Alberto is giving a punch of authority over the table and the 2015 season hasn't even started yet.

What do you think?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I think Alberto really wants Giro-Tour double. And that's probably the hardest feat in modern cycling. Will Froome and Quintana join him there? It would be great but I still think they will focus on Tour solely and it could be Contador vs Nibali at the Giro. If Contador really wants this double then he shouldn't be 100 per cent at the Giro in order to build further for the Tour. However it's not his style. He will be in top form at the Giro and will focus on the Tour afterwards. And there winning against top form Froome and Quintana wouldn't be likely.

 

[Miburo]

I'm 100% certain that contador had a talk with the giro organizers.

And announcing it so early ads up to the hype of course, love or hate contador. With him the race will be more viewed.

 

[jyhjyh]

My takeaways from Contador's Giro announcement:

2) right now, the giro organization is asking Alberto: how do you want us to design the race? Anything for you to come and bless our event.

3) the tdf and vuelta also must be thinking in accommodating Contador's interest as he is the most spectacular racer. A race without him is a boring feat.

What do you think?

2)
The full race route for the 2015 Giro d'Italia will be announced in Italy on October 6th 2014.

3)
The official route of the 2015 Tour de France will be revealed in late October 2015.

So I don't think they have asked Alberto

 

[Escarabajo]

I think Alberto really wants Giro-Tour double. And that's probably the hardest feat in modern cycling. Will Froome and Quintana join him there? It would be great but I still think they will focus on Tour solely and it could be Contador vs Nibali at the Giro. If Contador really wants this double then he shouldn't be 100 per cent at the Giro in order to build further for the Tour. However it's not his style. He will be in top form at the Giro and will focus on the Tour afterwards. And there winning against top form Froome and Quintana wouldn't be likely.

He is too late for that. Not only in age but in other aspects.

He is not in that top form that we used to watch him. I am not sure that he will ever come back to that form.

 

[Escarabajo]

I'm 100% certain that contador had a talk with the giro organizers.

And announcing it so early ads up to the hype of course, love or hate contador. With him the race will be more viewed.

I am 110% sure.

Seriously, that is very obvious. Money talks!

 

[Jspear]

He is too late for that. Not only in age but in other aspects.

He is not in that top form that we used to watch him. I am not sure that he will ever come back to that form.

His 2014 season form was as good as any other year he had. I think he proved that very clearly in spite of his Tour crash. I do agree that It will only get harder for him as he gets older though. That's why I think that if he is going to do the double it is now or never.

 

[Jelantik]

He is too late for that. Not only in age but in other aspects.

He is not in that top form that we used to watch him. I am not sure that he will ever come back to that form.

This. Never say never.

2013 - everyone said he should retired.. the forum felt like he died already. Fast forward to 2014- top 1/2 all races he came in, 6 months on no.1 WT. And Vuelta win. So anything is possible.

 

[BlurryVII]

1-He is too late for that.

2-He is not in that top form that we used to watch him. I am not sure that he will ever come back to that form.

1- Nope, he isn't. In favor arguments are overwhelming.

2- I know AC's career pretty much in detail, and this is his best season alongside 2009, not only in results but especially performance wise.

Bar 2009, he's never been as strong as he was in the first half of the season.
I think one of the main examples of this is the Dauphiné where he pretty much surpassed any level he had in past years in this race. But it's not the only example. We just didn't get to see the peak.

stop with the "he isn't back to his Old form " bullcrap, you could say that last year, but certainly not this season.

 

[No_Balls]

This. Never say never.

2013 - everyone said he should retired.. the forum felt like he died already. Fast forward to 2014- top 1/2 all races he came in, 6 months on no.1 WT. And Vuelta win. So anything is possible.

Didnt you know the surest sign of a rider on decline is after winning a GT on one leg?

 

[Carols]

I am 110% sure.

Seriously, that is very obvious. Money talks!

The start/end towns already paid their $$$$ a long time ago. So many conspiracy theories LOL! If we were talking 2016 maybe, but the route is being announced in 2 weeks. Can't go and rework it all now for one guy.

 

[gregrowlerson]

A real turn up for the books having Alberto focus on the Giro! I think that Nibali and Froome will focus on the Tour. Quintana will make a decision based on the parcours.

 

[contador977]

stop with the "he isn't back to his Old form " bullcrap, you could say that last year, but certainly not this season.

I dont think Alberto can attack from 5-7 km out like he used too. 2013 alot of his attacks he was getting caught, it tore me up a bit. Im a big fan but I think im realistic too. Looking at this year, Alberto did not attack from distance as he did earlier in his career on summit finishes. Correct me if Im wrong but most of his attacks were inside 2km from the summits. Sure 2014 was a great year but I dont think Alberto has 2009 form, he was far more explosive then, imo. Father time is un-defeated....I think his 2015 year will be similar to 2014. I believe Froome is better at the TDF, on a good day he can drop an- in-form Contador as at the Dauphine Contador was at his limit a few times and they were potentially at similar build up stages to the TDF. The long TT Froome has a clear edge.

 

[No_Balls]

I dont think Alberto can attack from 5-7 km out like he used too. 2013 alot of his attacks he was getting caught, it tore me up a bit. Im a big fan but I think im realistic too. Looking at this year, Alberto did not attack from distance as he did earlier in his career on summit finishes. Correct me if Im wrong but most of his attacks were inside 2km from the summits. Sure 2014 was a great year but I dont think Alberto has 2009 form, he was far more explosive then, imo. Father time is un-defeated....I think his 2015 year will be similar to 2014. I believe Froome is better at the TDF, on a good day he can drop an- in-form Contador as at the Dauphine Contador was at his limit a few times and they were potentially at similar build up stages to the TDF. The long TT Froome has a clear edge.

Who are you trying to fool? All i ever see you do is praising and cheering for Froome in whatever posts you make.

 

[Ryaguas]

I dont think Alberto can attack from 5-7 km out like he used too. 2013 alot of his attacks he was getting caught, it tore me up a bit. Im a big fan but I think im realistic too. Looking at this year, Alberto did not attack from distance as he did earlier in his career on summit finishes. Correct me if Im wrong but most of his attacks were inside 2km from the summits. Sure 2014 was a great year but I dont think Alberto has 2009 form, he was far more explosive then, imo. Father time is un-defeated....I think his 2015 year will be similar to 2014. I believe Froome is better at the TDF, on a good day he can drop an- in-form Contador as at the Dauphine Contador was at his limit a few times and they were potentially at similar build up stages to the TDF. The long TT Froome has a clear edge.

Contador was far away from his top form... check post #19743 for the explanation... you fool no one man.

 

[Jspear]

I dont think Alberto can attack from 5-7 km out like he used too. 2013 alot of his attacks he was getting caught, it tore me up a bit. Im a big fan but I think im realistic too. Looking at this year, Alberto did not attack from distance as he did earlier in his career on summit finishes. Correct me if Im wrong but most of his attacks were inside 2km from the summits. Sure 2014 was a great year but I dont think Alberto has 2009 form, he was far more explosive then, imo. Father time is un-defeated....I think his 2015 year will be similar to 2014. I believe Froome is better at the TDF, on a good day he can drop an- in-form Contador as at the Dauphine Contador was at his limit a few times and they were potentially at similar build up stages to the TDF. The long TT Froome has a clear edge.

AC had just come off a break before riding the Dauphine. Their build up wasn't exactly the same. They were at different points of form.
Let's say he was on the limit on stage 2 when CF attacked....do you know if CF was on his limit? I think he was. He was go full out repeatedly trying to drop AC and he couldn't. If he could have he would have - he was also on his limit. Also talking about AC's long range attacks. He attacked from pretty far out on the last day of the Dauphine.

 

[leon993]

Alberto is fearless. He needs motivation to train as hard next year, as hard as he did this year. Giro - Tour and then we'll see. It will be an awesome cycling year to watch. Go, go, go Alberto, we'll be with you!!!

 

[rhubroma]

I dont think Alberto can attack from 5-7 km out like he used too. 2013 alot of his attacks he was getting caught, it tore me up a bit. Im a big fan but I think im realistic too. Looking at this year, Alberto did not attack from distance as he did earlier in his career on summit finishes. Correct me if Im wrong but most of his attacks were inside 2km from the summits. Sure 2014 was a great year but I dont think Alberto has 2009 form, he was far more explosive then, imo. Father time is un-defeated....I think his 2015 year will be similar to 2014. I believe Froome is better at the TDF, on a good day he can drop an- in-form Contador as at the Dauphine Contador was at his limit a few times and they were potentially at similar build up stages to the TDF. The long TT Froome has a clear edge.

A couple of things, and don't take offense, but you don't understand much about cycling.

For one, 2013 was Alberto's annus horribilis as he was "fat" and out of shape, mentally tired and distracted, etc. Thus it can't be used in any way shape or form as being indiciative of what you claim it is.

Secondly, earlier in Alberto's career he didn't have a rival like Froome, against whom attacks from 5-7k out are far more complicated. Though this year, if you will recal, a flying AC at Tirreno attacked Quintana et all from 25k's out, bridged up to the break, then proceeded to drag the break to the finish climb of the Guardareale Wall and then droped them, winning the stage. At the Dauphine Alberto also attacked Froome et. all dropping them from way, way out in a desperate, though failed, attempt to save his yellow jersey.

He is thus still quite capable of exploding a race when in top form. Alberto 2014 was even better than Alberto 2009 - the Spaniard himself even said that he was in the form of his life at the Tour this year - but his rivals in 2009 were not as strong as those of the past couple of years, among which are three principle candidates: Froome, Quintana and Nibali. Consequently he is forced to measure his efforts with greater calculation than in the past, when in any case youthful exuberance and weaker foes made him seem more explosive.

 

[Netbalp]

Contador was far away from his top form... check post #19743 for the explanation... you fool no one man.

There is no evidence to consider Contador / Froome was closer to his peak than the other one in the Dauphine. That's rather about who wants to consider his rider the strongest. Yes, Alberto wasn't there to win declaratively, but in practice if he was trying to follow Froome at full tilt, so he fought for the win аutomatically.

 

[Netserk]

There is no evidence to consider Contador / Froome was closer to his peak than the other one in the Dauphine. That's rather about who wants to consider his rider the strongest. Yes, Alberto wasn't there to win declaratively, but in practice if he was trying to follow Froome at full tilt, so he fought for the win аutomatically.

Contador's last race before Dauphiné: Pais Vasco 57 days before Dauphiné

Froome's last race before Dauphiné: Tour de Romandie 35 days before Dauphiné