Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Jelantik]

Re:

Contador has done it many times, dropping back to notice how good his opponents are.

From my mind i can almost only collect events when he's not reaally good that he did it.

Tour 2010 (1stage with andy), tour 2011 (dropping back a bit), vuelta 2012 (to see how good purito was).

It's simple, when he's good he just attacks. He then usually quicky looks back 2,3 times in a row and just goes.

Only event i can think off where he dropped back and he was the best was plateau de beille 2007.

yes it's common that he did that to check his opponent. But typically he knew too that his form can catch the attacker. That's why I thought it's very uncharacteristic of him yesterday because he is typically meticulous, calculated and cautious. So it's either a mistake or lost a focus a bit or his form wasn't great or combination of all.

 

[Jack_89]

http://www.marca.com/2015/03/16/ciclismo/1426525067.html

"Have you been 210 km eternal in the rain and a huge cold, because we got to thousand feet and then had a very rapid descent. Bjarne Riis has decided that in ports, which were not hard, we made the tough race. There was a port there four or five miles and I told Peter that I did. I have asked if butt and told me so. And we have set all the way. The truth is that I enjoyed a lot, is broken career in many groups, which was the goal. And when they entered a few companions of ours in the group have continued pulling cogieran not behind. The result has been excellent, "said Alberto Contador from the stairs bus his team, and showered and heat in the body.

"I've enjoyed," he said. "Peter told me 'grazie, grazie' and I said, 'no, if me piace questo me." Today was a day of training, of which I will play more than one in the Giro. This serves to acclimatize "


Read more: Contador: "I enjoyed breaking the peloton" - MARCA.com

 

[Jack_89]

Interesting: in the full interview Berto states that if he responds immediately to the attack of Quintana could be together with him...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Berto bounced back a bit in today's ITT. Obviously not the kind of result we are used to in short ITTs. But faster than Mollema, Pinot, Nibali, Uran and Quintana So a nice result.

 

[BlurryVII]

Nice TT from alberto, indeed.

Now I just saw Catalunya kicks off next monday already, ouch! Contador seems average, Froome will be more or less like last year at this point if he was really sick, it'll be up to Quintana not to lose it really.

And then to wait over a month and 2 weeks to see the Contador from last year with veins popping out and shtuff

 

[rm7]

Decent TT from him today.

Showed everyone that he's where he is supposed to be.

Also, when he's not at 90-100 %, like Vuelta 2012 and beginning of the Vuelta 2014, he seems to lack a little punch on the climbs, when he attacks.

 

[Arredondo]

Nice TT from alberto, indeed.

Now I just saw Catalunya kicks off next monday already, ouch! Contador seems average, Froome will be more or less like last year at this point if he was really sick, it'll be up to Quintana not to lose it really.

And then to wait over a month and 2 weeks to see the Contador from last year with veins popping out and shtuff

Catalunya is a way different race then Tirreno. And a local guy will be extremely motivated to win there.

 

[Jelantik]

Ditto. Descent ITT. He is faster than anyone who beats him in prologue, by not much. But it's still nice. Hopefully he recovers and ready for Catalunya. So there's won't be walk in the park for Froome. Next week will be his final race, I wonder how he will approach it. I know he'll give it all. But if he is with this form, then it would be hurt to see Froome flying ahead again. Btw is Quintana going to Dwars and E3? then he won't line up in Catalunya then. Aaahhh... i was hoping to see the inform quintana at least giving Froome a hard time. And see if contador can match him this time.

I agreed that he lacks of punch on the climb. Just remembering how Froome's attack at Ruta. He always managed to dislodge everyone.

 

[Bushman]

To me it seems that Contador eased a bit up after Andalucia, where he was very good. He needs to save his energy so I wouldn't be worried.

 

[Miburo]

Contador got better during this race, that's a positive, i'll take it.

 

[Netserk]

A TTT instead of the prologue and a more attentive Contador on Terminillo and he could very well have won this race. There certainly isn't any reason to go doom-shroom mode.

 

[ICEROCK]

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

Recovery never was an issue for him. let's disregard that last year was one of his best years in his career.

He'll decline eventually sure. No one disputed that. But as history has proven riders can prolong their careers and still have a very respectable if not the same level as when they were younger.

Canc, piti, purito, evans (one of the oldest tour winners iirc), peraud,...

Suddenly being terrible after last year is a ridiculous mindset and based on nothing unless you still have nightmares from 2013.

He's btw not even that bad in this TA. For a double he's in fine shape

 

[Poursuivant]

Does Tour of Catalunya have just the one MTF? I can't find too much info on the parcours.

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Does Tour of Catalunya have just the one MTF? I can't find too much info on the parcours.

Yes, it's like last year's route, just without the real MTF. Only the Purito sprint and Barcelona stage are GC relevant.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re: Re:

Does Tour of Catalunya have just the one MTF? I can't find too much info on the parcours.

Yes, it's like last year's route, just without the real MTF. Only the Purito sprint and Barcelona stage are GC relevant.

Ah that is dissappointing

 

[arvc40]

Re:

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

Nah, I don't think I will bother accepting the fantasy facts you have outlined.

 

[Futuroscope]

It's hard to evaluate Contador's performance because he probably doesn't want to bring his shape to the same level as he normally does at this time of the year.

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

Ah that is dissappointing

hey look at the bright side. He can use the mountain for training. Not bad at all. He said he enjoyed breaking the peloton apart on stage 6. So might as well do it another dress reahearsal before he does that in the Giro and Tour

 

[ray j willings]

Bertie obviously feeling a bit better. I reckon he's having a laugh. If anyone can do the Giro / Tour double then go on to win the Vuelta " its the dream" then Bertie can.
If he can win the giro at ease then the tour is a real possibility.
IMO Quintana " tinymanofpower" would be his main tour rival.

 

[Electress]

Re:

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

because he recovered so badly after breaking his leg last year ? If I recall, Froome had longer, a less serious injury and recovered less well. I don't think AC'll have any bigger issues recovering than any one of his main rivals would between the Giro and the Tour. It won't be a cake walk, but I'd place bets on his recovery over many others.

Nice to hear Bertie sounding quite a bit more chipper. ackh, he's a hard guy not to like. Dunno how people manage it. As for Catalunya... I don't care that much about it, so long as he's keeping to plan.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

Recovery never was an issue for him. let's disregard that last year was one of his best years in his career.

He'll decline eventually sure. No one disputed that. But as history has proven riders can prolong their careers and still have a very respectable if not the same level as when they were younger.

Canc, piti, purito, evans (one of the oldest tour winners iirc), peraud,...

Suddenly being terrible after last year is a ridiculous mindset and based on nothing unless you still have nightmares from 2013.

He's btw not even that bad in this TA. For a double he's in fine shape

It's pointless comparing Contador to other riders. He won the Tour at 24 or 25. He has said himself that two more years will probably see him off. Riders like Contador that win from a young age never keep it going as long as people like Evans who had a later start in the sport and was a much different rider. Contador's best chance to win the double was 2011. Take out the knee problems and the crashes he might have have really pushed Evans but it was obvious in the final week that the fatigue was also getting to him even though he kept attacking and Evans was having the best year of his career. I give Contador no chance of doing the double this year. In 2011 he came off an easy Giro win and gifted stages but even then Contador said it was a much harder Giro than it looked and then to back up and do the Tour and win is incredibly difficult. If he was not up against Froome and Quintana I would give him a much better chance. And there has to be question marks about Nibali and whether he will be in the sort of form he was in last July. If he is then he will be another rider for Contador to worry about.

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

Recovery never was an issue for him. let's disregard that last year was one of his best years in his career.

He'll decline eventually sure. No one disputed that. But as history has proven riders can prolong their careers and still have a very respectable if not the same level as when they were younger.

Canc, piti, purito, evans (one of the oldest tour winners iirc), peraud,...

Suddenly being terrible after last year is a ridiculous mindset and based on nothing unless you still have nightmares from 2013.

He's btw not even that bad in this TA. For a double he's in fine shape

It's pointless comparing Contador to other riders. He won the Tour at 24 or 25. He has said himself that two more years will probably see him off. Riders like Contador that win from a young age never keep it going as long as people like Evans who had a later start in the sport and was a much different rider. Contador's best chance to win the double was 2011. Take out the knee problems and the crashes he might have have really pushed Evans but it was obvious in the final week that the fatigue was also getting to him even though he kept attacking and Evans was having the best year of his career. I give Contador no chance of doing the double this year. In 2011 he came off an easy Giro win and gifted stages but even then Contador said it was a much harder Giro than it looked and then to back up and do the Tour and win is incredibly difficult. If he was not up against Froome and Quintana I would give him a much better chance. And there has to be question marks about Nibali and whether he will be in the sort of form he was in last July. If he is then he will be another rider for Contador to worry about.

Damn. Pitty you didn't tell him he was wasting his time before he came up with his no chance at all plan for 2015. Contador must be really stupid.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Guys, Contador is old. Accept the fact. He will have issues with recovery. That is why I think he still can win Giro, but no way in hell he could win Tour after Giro unless he quits or crashed out of Giro in early stages.

Recovery never was an issue for him. let's disregard that last year was one of his best years in his career.

He'll decline eventually sure. No one disputed that. But as history has proven riders can prolong their careers and still have a very respectable if not the same level as when they were younger.

Canc, piti, purito, evans (one of the oldest tour winners iirc), peraud,...

Suddenly being terrible after last year is a ridiculous mindset and based on nothing unless you still have nightmares from 2013.

He's btw not even that bad in this TA. For a double he's in fine shape

It's pointless comparing Contador to other riders. He won the Tour at 24 or 25. He has said himself that two more years will probably see him off. Riders like Contador that win from a young age never keep it going as long as people like Evans who had a later start in the sport and was a much different rider. Contador's best chance to win the double was 2011. Take out the knee problems and the crashes he might have have really pushed Evans but it was obvious in the final week that the fatigue was also getting to him even though he kept attacking and Evans was having the best year of his career. I give Contador no chance of doing the double this year. In 2011 he came off an easy Giro win and gifted stages but even then Contador said it was a much harder Giro than it looked and then to back up and do the Tour and win is incredibly difficult. If he was not up against Froome and Quintana I would give him a much better chance. And there has to be question marks about Nibali and whether he will be in the sort of form he was in last July. If he is then he will be another rider for Contador to worry about.

Damn. Pitty you didn't tell him he was wasting his time before he came up with his no chance at all plan for 2015. Contador must be really stupid.

I know right. What were they thinking

 

[SeriousSam]

True, a zero chance might be a bit pessimistic. What does everyone else think the chance that he wins 0, 1, 2 GTs is this year?

Very curious.