Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto may need to rethink his race schedule. Froome is also riding Tirreno and Catalunya. Alberto has to take a win somewhere else I'm afraid this season will be a failure.

 

[TANK91]

Alberto may need to rethink his race schedule. Froome is also riding Tirreno and Catalunya. Alberto has to take a win somewhere else I'm afraid this season will be a failure.

Flo you are like me get caught up in the moment. I never post in clinc yet straight after the stage 3 i was saying about the DS Sky let go of lol. Same with you you said after stage 3 Contador will just stay glued to Froome's wheel. Are the routes out yet for those 2 races?.

 

[sir fly]

What makes you so sure he can handle Froome in the Tour?. Huge advantage to Froome with Contador doing the Giro i don't care what anyone says. Froome will need to be off form to lose the TDF to Contador, that is not being silly it is common sense. They are too close too each other in ability. Froome attacked like the Dauphinee yesterday he actually had an accelration. Froome yesterday was great i bet no one expected it on that stage to get that sort of gap. If i was betting i would go Contador to win the Giro with ease and just fall a lil short in the TDF(no shame in that).

The most likely.
And I'm sure Contador's Giro rivals will, in a way, ride for their Tour leaders.
Astana and Sky will tire Contador as much as they can.

 

[LaFlorecita]

What makes you so sure he can handle Froome in the Tour?. Huge advantage to Froome with Contador doing the Giro i don't care what anyone says. Froome will need to be off form to lose the TDF to Contador, that is not being silly it is common sense. They are too close too each other in ability. Froome attacked like the Dauphinee yesterday he actually had an accelration. Froome yesterday was great i bet no one expected it on that stage to get that sort of gap. If i was betting i would go Contador to win the Giro with ease and just fall a lil short in the TDF(no shame in that).

I agree, I don't think things are looking good for the double. To do the double Alberto needs to be better than ever and Froome needs to be below par, like in 2014. The second already looks very unlikely. But I'm happy he's riding the Giro, it's my favorite race and Alberto will grab an easy GT win.

 

[TANK91]

The most likely.
And I'm sure Contador's Giro rivals will, in a way, ride for their Tour leaders.
Astana and Sky will tire Contador as much as they can.

It all comes down to Aru really if he developes again then you never know. For all we know Aru will join Contador and Froome this year as the best riders or in the group with Quintana and Nibali. Porte maybe able to do something but i do not trust him in GT's as a leader. Contador will win the Giro with ease imo but even with not going all out he would not be fav for the TDF imo.

 

[TANK91]

I agree, I don't think things are looking good for the double. To do the double Alberto needs to be better than ever and Froome needs to be below par, like in 2014. The second already looks very unlikely. But I'm happy he's riding the Giro, it's my favorite race and Alberto will grab an easy GT win.

Hopefully they do the opposite and next year it is Froome's turn to do it. I just think he is going to be fixated by the TDF if he wins it again. Froome should go for a Giro/Vue double he always has trouble doing the TDF/Vuelta. Would you like Contador to try the Giro/Vue combo again in his carear?

 

[Publicus]

All these prognostications based upon a single February race. So many kilometers to be trained and raced between here and now that you're all being foolish. I remember last year we were definitely going to have an epic battle between Contador and Froome in the Tour. Who here (seriously) predicted that BOTH would crash out? As a cycling fan, I really enjoyed what we've seen this week. It bodes well for the rest of 2015. I don't know what's going to happen (I want Contador to pull off the double), but I suspect it is going to be an entertaining year if everyone stays healthy

 

[Arredondo]

Good ride from Contador, not really important he wins this, i'm actually happy froome owned him.

Giro is important, not this and i'm sure Contador can handle Froome in the tour.

He's definitily gonna take revenge in T-A though

Be objective. Contador is never going to win the Tour if he's riding a Giro for the win. He's not even going to make the podium in that case.

 

[Netserk]

Be objective. Contador is never going to win the Tour if he's riding a Giro for the win. He's not even going to make the podium in that case.

It's quite funny how you can post stuff like that and call me a hater when I last year said Contador was a better climber than Purito. It's really clear who is least objective of the two of us

 

[Carols]

All these prognostications based upon a single February race. So many kilometers to be trained and raced between here and now that you're all being foolish..... As a cycling fan, I really enjoyed what we've seen this week. It bodes well for the rest of 2015. I don't know what's going to happen (I want Contador to pull off the double), but I suspect it is going to be an entertaining year if everyone stays healthy

Well said. No need for weeping and gnashing of teeth in February. Sure it is disappointing after his good start but some of you need to learn to Enjoy the sport! Alberto does .

 

[Angliru]

Well, obviously it's a bit of a come down from the happiness of yesterday, but weirdly, AC actually looks cheerier in those pics. today than yesterday - when he looked a bit subdued! Not saying that's what he's really feeling, mind?though as ever, he's as gracious in defeat as victory.

I did have initial knee-jerk reaction horrors of living through a year of 2013-like Froome domination - on every level a Dantean-hell for me, given I live in the UK. But after the initial gut-wrenching disappointment, I'm fairly relaxed now. I hate AC losing, (to Froome more than anybody), but it doesn't take away what he did yesterday. At least there's no chance of any complacency and it'll be that thorn to work even harder. I believe him that yesterday he was testing; seeing how he was feeling, and paid the price today.

I agree life would be easier emotionally if AC would oblige by winning everything, all the time, by a scintillating display of his utter domination and panache, but that is not a realistic expectation, even of the Great One.

Kudos too to Froome. Whatever my feelings about the guy, there's no doubt he's a worthy adversary. He showed admirable mental fortitude and pacing yesterday and rode the better race today. Credit where credit is due.

My sentiments exactly. I of course was disappointed and a bit surprised to hear the outcome of yesterday's stage but really should not have been since Froome as of the Vuelta seems to specialize in the unexpected, a rather yo yo of performance day to day and even within the same stage, Friday even some of his more ardent supporters were saying that yesterday's stage didn't suit him as well as it did Contador.

Still if we look at how Contador gained his lead on Froome on Friday it was due primarily to Sky and Froome's being asleep at the wheel and Tinkoff-Saxo being opportunistic on the descent leading to the final climb. Froome almost cut in half the max of his initial deficit on the final climb.

At this point Contador remains the superior tactician and Froome the superior climber. It's a long time to the Tour though and the only one's saying that Froome's form should be behind Contador's are Sky and their supporters. Froome is so rail thin I can't see him losing much more weight. His gains will be in fitness while Contador has more of a margin for improvement, although as he's older losing the weight will be that much more difficult.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Hopefully they do the opposite and next year it is Froome's turn to do it. I just think he is going to be fixated by the TDF if he wins it again. Froome should go for a Giro/Vue double he always has trouble doing the TDF/Vuelta. Would you like Contador to try the Giro/Vue combo again in his carear?

I would like to see Alberto do Giro/Vuelta next year in his last year but Alberto already said he wants to win TDF then retire

 

[Arredondo]

It's quite funny how you can post stuff like that and call me a hater when I last year said Contador was a better climber than Purito. It's really clear who is least objective of the two of us

What are you talking about?

- Of course Contador is a better climber then Purito. Why do you even mention it?

- If you think Contador is going to win a Tour after a hard Giro in his legs, against a Froome who is fresh, you don't know anything about cycling.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Well said. No need for weeping and gnashing of teeth in February. Sure it is disappointing after his good start but some of you need to learn to Enjoy the sport! Alberto does .

uhmm

 

[Carols]

- If you think Contador is going to win a Tour after a hard Giro in his legs, against a Froome who is fresh, you don't know anything about cycling.

Well firstly Froome has to stay on his bike. Then he has to carry his strength all the way through the 3rd week. Also he and Sky need to develop a bit more race savvy. I'm not nearly as sure as you are that Alberto has no chance .

 

[Angliru]

Alberto may need to rethink his race schedule. Froome is also riding Tirreno and Catalunya. Alberto has to take a win somewhere else I'm afraid this season will be a failure.

Doom and gloom prognostications! Let us be happy that he is continuing the return to form that he showed in 2014.

 

[Netserk]

What are you talking about?

- Of course Contador is a better climber then Purito. Why do you even mention it?

- If you think Contador is going to win a Tour after a hard Giro in his legs, against a Froome who is fresh, you don't know anything about cycling.

1 because you lost it last year when I said that

2 I certainly think he is far more likely to podium than not. You wrote:
Be objective. Contador is never going to win the Tour if he's riding a Giro for the win. He's not even going to make the podium in that case.

 

[LaFlorecita]

- If you think Contador is going to win a Tour after a hard Giro in his legs, against a Froome who is fresh, you don't know anything about cycling.

By saying this you also say the following names don't know anything about cycling:
Contador, Riis, Tinkov, De Jongh, Lemond, Merckx, Karsten Kroon, Matt Stephens , the list is long

 

[Arredondo]

Well firstly Froome has to stay on his bike. Then he has to carry his strength all the way through the 3rd week. Also he and Sky need to develop a bit more race savvy. I'm not nearly as sure as you are that Alberto has no chance .

Well, if Froome crashes, there's still Quintana and Nibali (who will focus entirely on the Tour). So no chance at all for Alberto

 

[LaFlorecita]

Doom and gloom prognostications! Let us be happy that he is continuing the return to form that he showed in 2014.

It indeed looks like he's in good form, but Froome is clearly back on 2013 form. If Froome beats Contador at Tirreno and Catalunya, I'm afraid Alberto might get into a downwards spiral just like in 2013.

 

[indianfanboy]

Froome just said that his performance in stage 4 was similar to the one in stage 3 and that it was Contador who had a bad day in stage 4

 

[LaFlorecita]

Well, if Froome crashes, there's still Quintana and Nibali (who will focus entirely on the Tour). So no chance at all for Alberto

I am convinced those two are not on the same level as Froome and Contador.

 

[Arredondo]

By saying this you also say the following names don't know anything about cycling:
Contador, Riis, Tinkov, De Jongh, Lemond, Merckx, Karsten Kroon, Matt Stephens , the list is long

Riis, Tinkov, De Jongh = Tinkoff-Saxo related so not objective in this case

Merckx, Lemond = still think cycling is the same as it was in the 70's/90's

Kroon = ex-teammate of Alberto

Stephens = if he really said it, i will be quite disappointed. But hey, he had such a good time with Alberto on GCN, so he's indoctrinated too

Do you believe Contador can win the Tour against Froome, Quintana and Nibali, with a Giro in his legs?

 

[SeriousSam]

At this point Contador remains the superior tactician and Froome the superior climber.

There is still uncertainty about this and we still haven't seen them go head to head in their absolute best form (and likely won't this year, because Contador does the Giro), but I agree. I suspect peak Froome is the best climber in the peloton, unbeatable.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Froome just said that his performance in stage 4 was similar to the one in stage 3 and that it was Contador who had a bad day in stage 4

I seriously doubt it. Froome pushed 6.5 W/kg on stage 4.