Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Vesica]

Re:

Contador. Further off-topic postings will be deleted.

Please move it in that case to a new thread, because it's a very interesting topic to talk about actually.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Re: Re:

Contador. Further off-topic postings will be deleted.

Please move it in that case to a new thread, because it's a very interesting topic to talk about actually.

Feel free to open a new thread.

 

[rhubroma]

the ineffable aesthetic quality, which is "soul," not "mind," without which sport - and not only sport - looses its beauty. This you did through all the reasons stated. You effectively used the Nietzscheian "will-to-power," as a metaphor for that dreary over-corporatized and hyper-scientific sport method of automatized cycling that currently Sky personifies. Naturally this is not all Sky's fault, nor did it begin with the British cycling team. Corporate professionalism and scientific method in reality goes back to the Philadelphian buisnessman, Frederick Winslow Taylor, whose "scientific method" was one of the earliest attempts to apply science to the engineering of processes and to management, to of course maximize profit and reduce expenses. In fact the factories already de-humanized by machines, now further reduced workers to mere pawns in a greater scheme. Sky has simply established the modern paradigm for this in sport. Sport is a business for sure, however, as someone once said: the more business takes over, the less humanity remains.

I haven't quoted your entire response; not because I didn't appreciate it, merely that I don't want to take up the space! At the risk of sounding pretentious, the bolded did make me think of John Ruskin ' “You must either make a tool of the creature, or a man of him. You cannot make both.” It's the human qualities that inspire and engage the fan-base, IMO. That and the narrative, which is why the history is still so important to sport.

That said, you have to have some evolution, and not everything Oleg proposes is so bad.

Anyway, to keep on topic, just thought I'd say what great taste Alberto has. That's a lovely blue shirt.
That should be fawning and obsequious enough for this thread...

PS: I'm glad someone posted that about Quintana, otherwise I wouldn't have heard it, coz I never stray into the Q. threads. But I confess I would double check if Carlton Kirby told me that grass was green

I did mention that sport is a business. The problem is that the business mindset has so radically changed from say 40 years ago. It has become even more predatory, ruthless, management fixated, "scientifically" oriented in the ways in which it predicts market shares and profit, analyzes production and the level of expectation that it places on the employed has become maniacal. My sense is that 40 years ago the work environment was generally simpler, less obsessive, more "spirited" and social if you will. In this sense, unlike today's, it was more "human." Arguably this becomes an allegory for what has transpired in sport over the same period.

Now cycling grew up on national, regional, even local business sponsorship level and still became extremely popular in Europe. Part of the beauty of the sport was that it was also a charming moving advertisement for the sponsorship businesses that rolled through cities, towns and villages with a family fan base that came out for a street-side fair, or country picnic, or mountain hike. The business owners were normally tifosi themselves, and counted on the popular nature (in the truest sense of the word) of the sport, which guaranteed a return on their investment. An investment that wasn't simply calculated in terms of quantifying that return though or as an ego maniac boost as with World Cup football. It is telling that the applicable businesses 40 years ago, while less profitable than todays giants, made no qualms about sponsoring cycling teams.

It was thus unthinkable back then that sponsors should demand television broadcasting revenue, or that fans should pay to watch races at the finish. In this sense, what an Oleg is calling for is to transform cycling into a rolling version of sport at the football/soccer stadiums and it is disgusting. This is nothing short of the annihilation of its own popular nature. He wants to make cycling into a class sport, in which you have "VIP" fans that pay exorbitant fees to see the finishes, while all the rest are just poor slobs. I recall the first professional European race I watched from the roadside. It was the last ITT up Col d'Eze of PN 1992. The atmosphere was electrifying as the build up to the last riders approached, and there was a sense of solidarity that no stadium sport could ever create. In fact the stadiums are about pure antagonism, even violence. Other than hooligans and ultras, the worst you might encounter at a European cycling race were some discontented union works (which again testifies to the popular, social nature of the sport) using a race as a venue to voice their grievances.

It is inevitable that the sport evolves. Not every development, in the Pasolinian sense, however, is progress. For example the development of helmet safety was obviously fortuitous. The bikes of today are infinitely superior to those of 20, 30, 40 years ago. Nobody wants the sport to remain in the past. This does not mean, however, that we are never allowed to say no, or to voice dissent over things that will not only not improve cycling, but destroy its soul.

I apologize for the length.

 

[Carols]

For me cycling is all about the romance and panache of the sport that parallels life. Facing adversity, falling down, getting up to fight again, climbing the mountain that is life. Cycling by the numbers isn't something I'm interested in. I left big business upon retirement and don't miss it at all. Cycling is a sport that speaks to everyone who can or will listen at a visceral level.

Alberto Contador embodies the essence of the cycling I love. His attitude, his fearless heart, his talent and skills, his Panache and Soul.

 

[ray j willings]

Do you reckon Bertie should go hipster and grow a beard?

 

[Angliru]

Re:

For me cycling is all about the romance and panache of the sport that parallels life. Facing adversity, falling down, getting up to fight again, climbing the mountain that is life. Cycling by the numbers isn't something I'm interested in. I left big business upon retirement and don't miss it at all. Cycling is a sport that speaks to everyone who can or will listen at a visceral level.

Alberto Contador embodies the essence of the cycling I love. His attitude, his fearless heart, his talent and skills, his Panache and Soul.

@Carol, Rhubroma, Electress: Quite eloquent words. I feel the same way.

 

[phanatic]

Re:

Do you reckon Bertie should go hipster and grow a beard?

He should definitely go with a Van a lovely person. Make it look all villainous as well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Do you reckon Bertie should go hipster and grow a beard?

NO the occasional stubble is more than enough

 

[Dedelou]

Re:

For me cycling is all about the romance and panache of the sport that parallels life. Facing adversity, falling down, getting up to fight again, climbing the mountain that is life. Cycling by the numbers isn't something I'm interested in. I left big business upon retirement and don't miss it at all. Cycling is a sport that speaks to everyone who can or will listen at a visceral level.

Alberto Contador embodies the essence of the cycling I love. His attitude, his fearless heart, his talent and skills, his Panache and Soul.

Thank you Carol for expressing so beautifully what I feel and do not have the eloquence to describe. Alberto, like a number of riders before him, has brought a touch of the past panache and romance of the sport mixed with the willingness to incorporate modern techniques without becoming a mindless robot or a bland type of "by the number" rider that seem to proliferate these days. As long as we have such racer as Alberto, there is a chance for remaining passionate about watching this sport.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

For me cycling is all about the romance and panache of the sport that parallels life. Facing adversity, falling down, getting up to fight again, climbing the mountain that is life. Cycling by the numbers isn't something I'm interested in. I left big business upon retirement and don't miss it at all. Cycling is a sport that speaks to everyone who can or will listen at a visceral level.

Alberto Contador embodies the essence of the cycling I love. His attitude, his fearless heart, his talent and skills, his Panache and Soul.

Thank you Carol for expressing so beautifully what I feel and do not have the eloquence to describe. Alberto, like a number of riders before him, has brought a touch of the past panache and romance of the sport mixed with the willingness to incorporate modern techniques without becoming a mindless robot or a bland type of "by the number" rider that seem to proliferate these days. As long as we have such racer as Alberto, there is a chance for remaining passionate about watching this sport.

Thanks, I really struggle to find the words to describe my love of cycling.

Re: the bold. Indeed that is what it all about, the Passion both of rider and viewer .

 

[Jelantik]

At least good news from TS camp. De jongh has taken the role as the head of Group sports Director. Bringing the science to the team and in charge improving performance. At least he won't turn it up side down for now, and their goal is still with Contador double and Sagan winning the monument. Stefano will take some of the responsibility of what Bjarne did together with De Jongh. So it's nice to see, that Oleg didn't just bring some of his patsy directors from his old Tinkoff Credit team.

Hopefully this will put order back to the team, and eliminate distraction, we shall see some results *cross my finger* soon.

http://us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=ec3 ... b51ed284f5

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Alberto Contador embodies the essence of the cycling I love. His attitude, his fearless heart, his talent and skills, his Panache and Soul.

I love that capitalized "Panache and Soul"

Weight Watch:

chubby tummy

 

[arvc40]

Re:

At least good news from TS camp. De jongh has taken the role as the head of Group sports Director. Bringing the science to the team and in charge improving performance. At least he won't turn it up side down for now, and their goal is still with Contador double and Sagan winning the monument. Stefano will take some of the responsibility of what Bjarne did together with De Jongh. So it's nice to see, that Oleg didn't just bring some of his patsy directors from his old Tinkoff Credit team.

Hopefully this will put order back to the team, and eliminate distraction, we shall see some results *cross my finger* soon.

http://us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=ec3 ... b51ed284f5

Yes, its all good. Double is on. Get ready !

 

[Dedelou]

Always hard from where i stand in the sideline to evaluate the impact a new Director would have over a seasoned champ of the size of Contador in the middle of a season program. I mean i can see them influencing his winter preparation or having the power to change his goals once the season started (thanks heaven that is not happening here ) but not much else a month and a half before the big test.

 

[ray j willings]

Sh%% Bertie has almost Cav cake proportions

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Sh%% Bertie has almost Cav cake proportions

he still has 1 month to lose all that excess weight

 

[SkyTears]

I don't know if any of you sit on a diet (the medical type of diet, the forced one not leisure type).

This guys are always on that diet, i'm always amazed how they manage year after year.

Some guys, like Wiggo for example, just say "enough, *** it", and become regulars again.

I think retirement for them (at least from GC point of view) comes when they have enough eating *** all day (plus other sacrifices) to stay slim.

So i won't be surprised if even Contador decides to *** it, i had enough.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I don't know if any of you sit on a diet (the medical type of diet, the forced one not leisure type).

This guys are always on that diet, i'm always amazed how they manage year after year.

Some guys, like Wiggo for example, just say "enough, **** it", and become regulars again.

I think retirement for them (at least from GC point of view) comes when they have enough eating **** all day (plus other sacrifices) to stay slim.

So i won't be surprised if even Contador decides to **** it, i had enough.

Well, he is going to say **** it, I had enough, in about 1.5 year

 

[Dedelou]

Re: Re:

I don't know if any of you sit on a diet (the medical type of diet, the forced one not leisure type).

This guys are always on that diet, i'm always amazed how they manage year after year.

Some guys, like Wiggo for example, just say "enough, **** it", and become regulars again.

I think retirement for them (at least from GC point of view) comes when they have enough eating **** all day (plus other sacrifices) to stay slim.

So i won't be surprised if even Contador decides to **** it, i had enough.

Well, he is going to say **** it, I had enough, in about 1.5 year

Well between the spartan period of strict diet.. and the time when they say @#$ it , enough of this Sh$$$t, they get married and distracted. Aberto has a little being there done that... now it's about Exit panache and legacy

 

[Miburo]

Sporza thinks Contador is racing pais basque....lol

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto was in Treviso today with De Jongh and Basso to do a recon of the Giro ITT.

http://www.ciclo21.com/contador-reconoc ... -del-giro/

 

[Miburo]

He'll win that ITT.

 

[LaFlorecita]

If it was 30km shorter then he'd be in with a shout...

 

[Miburo]

Re:

If it was 30km shorter then he'd be in with a shout...

Won't be an issue, he'll crush it. At least wins by 1 min.

 

[roundabout]

apart from an uber-ridiculous tt in pais vasco one year when has contador ever been even close to winning a tt by one minute