Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Jspear]

We already have an ongoing bet, if I remember correctly.
Is Contador's participation in the Giro included in this bet?

Yes. We have that bet going on as well. I would see them as two separate bets. Previously I bet AC would do the Giro and then the Tour. Here is the link to that conversation.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=23059&page=14

This second bet is: I think AC will be competitive in the Tour. He will be on the podium. Wanna do an avatar bet on this as well? The loser of both bets would have an avatar of the winner's choosing till the next GT.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Stop it, just stop. Contador himself confirmed multiple times he'll do the giro. He has never done that before. Now giving up on the giro would be foolish.

Besides the giro is an easy win anyways.

Stop what? having an opinion?
Besides, I said I'm far from sure.

2011 was indeed a very hard Giro , but a bit of a watershed for the race.
The last of Zomegnan, after the Monte Crostis climb down.
Sadly missed, imo.

 

[sir fly]

Yes. We have that bet going on as well. I would see them as two separate bets. Previously I bet AC would do the Giro and then the Tour. Here is the link to that conversation.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=23059&page=14

This second bet is: I think AC will be competitive in the Tour. He will be on the podium. Wanna do an avatar bet on this as well? The loser of both bets would have an avatar of the winner's choosing till the next GT.

Let's discuss it here.

 

[peloton]

Being classy towards their opponents, something both Nibali and Contador are. No nonsense books about 'hows that coffee'

CN: Turning to your Grand Tour rivals, I'd like to ask what you think about them. You seem set to focus on the Tour de France again in 2015 but Alberto Contador has confirmed he is going for the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double.

VN: To be honest, If I was Contador, I'd do the same thing. It's risky because he could win the Giro but then struggle at the Tour. But after winning several Grand Tours, going for the double is a new challenge. We'll see if he can do it. If anyone can do it, Alberto can.

 

[Flamin]

If by "recent editions" you mean other editions since that one, then no they weren't similar in toughness.

Other than the memorial stage, there were only 3/4 flat stages, the last one being on stage 12. Now please compare that to the editions since that...

Why do you think all the riders who did the Giro flopped in the Vuelta that year?

This year was as hard as 2011. (same goes for 2013, on paper at least). 2012 also comes fairly close.

 

[Mellow Velo]

This year was as hard as 2011. (same goes for 2013, on paper at least). 2012 also comes fairly close.

Mmmm.............

5 MTFs in 2012, 8 in 2011.
On paper, 2011 had possibly the toughest stage ever devised.
Then there was stage 15.

 

[Netserk]

This year was as hard as 2011. (same goes for 2013, on paper at least). 2012 also comes fairly close.

The three rest-days, 139km long queen stage and 7/8 flat stages Giro this year was as hard??? Was it like half of the mountain stages that was unipublic one-climb stages?

 

[Miburo]

This year was as hard as 2011. (same goes for 2013, on paper at least). 2012 also comes fairly close.

What are you talking about? This is enough...Probably the hardest stage in the last 5 years, for sure if you account how it was ridden. It was a slaugther.

 

[Red Rick]

What are you talking about? This is enough...Probably the hardest stage in the last 5 years, for sure if you account how it was ridden. It was a slaugther.

I remember Contador attacking on the Giau, just for the lollz

 

[Publicus]

All this talk of Stage 15 of the 2011 Giro has made me nostalgic. I just found the last 68 KM on YouTube

 

[Flamin]

Mmmm.............

5 MTFs in 2012, 8 in 2011.
On paper, 2011 had possibly the toughest stage ever devised.
Then there was stage 15.

So? The Vuelta has 10+ MTF's...

The three rest-days, 139km long queen stage and 7/8 flat stages Giro this year was as hard??? Was it like half of the mountain stages that was unipublic one-climb stages?

.. with Gavia, Stelvio and Val Martello your completely different standard of a flat stage in 2011 compared to 2014 is funny btw.

What are you talking about? This is enough...Probably the hardest stage in the last 5 years, for sure if you account how it was ridden. It was a slaugther.

Legendary stage, no doubt, but thanks for proving my original point of the 2011 route being overhyped

 

[trevim]

What are you talking about? This is enough...Probably the hardest stage in the last 5 years, for sure if you account how it was ridden. It was a slaugther.

I love how pointless Piancavallo and Cibiana are, it would have been carnage no matter what.
Contador rode like a boss, three steps above everyone else, toying with Nibali, attacking just for the sake of it....anyway all the right stuff

 

[Jspear]

So? The Vuelta has 10+ MTF's...

What does the Vuelta have to do with comparing different Giro's?

 

[Red Rick]

So? The Vuelta has 10+ MTF's...



.. with Gavia, Stelvio and Val Martello your completely different standard of a flat stage in 2011 compared to 2014 is funny btw.



Legendary stage, no doubt, but thanks for proving my original point of the 2011 route being overhyped

1. Vuelta MTF is 90% of the time less than 10km long climb in a stage of less then 190km with less than 3 mountains

2. 3HC climbs+ 2 cat 1 climbs and 229km >>>3HC climbs

3. Person A 1+1=3
Person B No, 1+1 is 2
Person A, thanks for proving my point
That's your logic now?

 

[Flamin]

What does the Vuelta have to do with comparing different Giro's?

Read again to what I responded.

1. Vuelta MTF is 90% of the time less than 10km long climb in a stage of less then 190km with less than 3 mountains

2. 3HC climbs+ 2 cat 1 climbs and 229km >>>3HC climbs

3. Person A 1+1=3
Person B No, 1+1 is 2
Person A, thanks for proving my point
That's your logic now?

2. Well duh. I never said it was the other way around.

3. What?

 

[Mellow Velo]

So? The Vuelta has 10+ MTF's...

.. with Gavia, Stelvio and Val Martello your completely different standard of a flat stage in 2011 compared to 2014 is funny btw.

Legendary stage, no doubt, but thanks for proving my original point of the 2011 route being overhyped

So? you are obviously trolling.

Cherry pick parts of posts all you like, it ain't going to change the facts.
The increasing difficulty of his Giri and ultimately the 2011 race route cost Zomegnan his job.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/is-giro-ditalia-angelo-zomegnan-director-about-to-be-sacked

 

[Jspear]

Read again to what I responded.

You are trying to confuse the conversation. The talk has been about the Giro....was 2011 the hardest in recent years or not. You don't have to bring the Vuelta into the discussion. That just muddies the waters...although maybe that's what you want.

 

[Red Rick]

Read again to what I responded.



2. Well duh. I never said it was the other way around.

3. What?

You claim its overhyped

We give solid arguments why it was an epic stage

You say those solid arguments support your theory it's overhyped

 

[Mellow Velo]

What does the Vuelta have to do with comparing different Giro's?

He's trying to argue quality over quantity, by ignoring the quality (in the OP) of the 2011 mountain stages.

 

[Flamin]

You claim its overhyped

We give solid arguments why it was an epic stage

You say those solid arguments support your theory it's overhyped

This is and was never about that one stage, but the whole Giro.

So? you are obviously trolling.

Cherry pick parts of posts all you like, it ain't going to change the facts.
The increasing difficulty of his Giri and ultimately the 2011 race route cost Zomegnan his job.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/is-giro-ditalia-angelo-zomegnan-director-about-to-be-sacked

Yeah right, i'm trolling Zomegnan received a lot of critic on the Crostis fiasco, not just on the toughness of the route, so your 'facts' are kind of clouded.

He's trying to argue quality over quantity, by ignoring the quality (in the OP) of the 2011 mountain stages.

Wow, why take the Vuelta comment so serious? You said '5 MTF in 2012, 8 in 2011'. That looks to me you were hinting that MTF's were important indicators of the general toughness of a route, hence the Vuelta comparison of why it isn't.

 

[Sciocco]

What are you talking about? This is enough...Probably the hardest stage in the last 5 years, for sure if you account how it was ridden. It was a slaugther.

I need about three or four of those per GT.

Current race designers are pathetic.

 

[Jspear]

Wow, why take the Vuelta comment so serious? You said '5 MTF in 2012, 8 in 2011'. That looks to me you were hinting that MTF's were important indicators of the general toughness of a route, hence the Vuelta comparison of why it isn't.

Because the majority of the climbs in the Vuelta cannot be compared to the Giro mountains. The Giro mountains are (generally speaking) longer than the Vuelta mountains.

 

[Parker]

The thing with the 2011 Giro is that he had all wrapped up by stage 9 (Etna). At the end that he had a 1.20 lead over the next serious candidate (an emerging Nibali).

For the next twelve stages he could ride as he needed to or wanted to. While his fans may lionise his attacking, his real brilliance is defending. His duels with Froome this year show him to be a superb defensive rider.

 

[ferryman]

The thing with the 2011 Giro is that he had all wrapped up by stage 9 (Etna). At the end that he had a 1.20 lead over the next serious candidate (an emerging Nibali).

For the next twelve stages he could ride as he needed to or wanted to. While his fans may lionise his attacking, his real brilliance is defending. His duels with Froome this year show him to be a superb defensive rider.

Sort of but not really. In 2011 Contador was so far ahead he was handing out favours. As for the Giro 2014, making Froome set the pace, toy with him and then go as and when he wanted, isn't the defending riding in the context you are trying to make it out to be. It was a pretty easy Contador win and could have easily been more if Contador really felt threatened.

 

[asdfgh101]

Zomegan's routes were also criticised for their long transfers.