Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Electress]

Re: Re:

If at all, it will be tommorow. I just hope for rain.

Or on Wednesday, or on Thursday, or on Friday, or on Saturday, or on Sunday.

Fortunately it seems like we'll have dry cobbles tomorrow.

Honestly, I wouldn't be so sure. Anyone curious about it might want to look at this:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/surface-pressure/#?tab=surfacePressureBW&fcTime=1436227200

That line with triangles is a cold front passing over and that means rising air and risk of at least showers; maybe thunder and heavy rain if the front is significant. These things are a bit of a *** to predict, but by no means is it set fair. They may get away with it, they may not, but I think they'll be rain in the afternoon.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

Sorry Alberto fans (and I am one), but this TDF is Froome's, unless he crashes or gets sick. Froome looks totally comfortable in the hard finishing efforts yesterday and obviously again today. Contador looked like he was redlining just to hang on and ultimately gave away a number of crucial seconds again.

loolz, do you follow cycling (with open eyes)?


Alberto probably overshoot the strat of Huy, but those seconds are not a big deal, tommorow is more important, and of course his form in the mountains, whatever it will be

 

[Matteo.]

Alberto must endure to the TTTand careful to avoid crashes . He will be better on Bretagne and he will gains seconds to all in TTT.

 

[Cimber]

Re: Re:

If at all, it will be tommorow. I just hope for rain.

Or on Wednesday, or on Thursday, or on Friday, or on Saturday, or on Sunday.

Fortunately it seems like we'll have dry cobbles tomorrow.

Honestly, I wouldn't be so sure. Anyone curious about it might want to look at this:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/surface-pressure/#?tab=surfacePressureBW&fcTime=1436227200

That line with triangles is a cold front passing over and that means rising air and risk of at least showers; maybe thunder and heavy rain if the front is significant. These things are a bit of a *** to predict, but by no means is it set fair. They may get away with it, they may not, but I think they'll be rain in the afternoon.

Checked a lot of forecasts today, both English and French. To summarize it seems to be 0-20% chance of 0-0,3 mm (and most likely it will be after the finish if there will be any rain at all). The chances of wet cobbles seem very slim, but as long as there is hope... coming to think of Dumb and Dumber - I kinda feel like Jim Carrey regarding the rain chances

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Sorry Alberto fans (and I am one), but this TDF is Froome's, unless he crashes or gets sick. Froome looks totally comfortable in the hard finishing efforts yesterday and obviously again today. Contador looked like he was redlining just to hang on and ultimately gave away a number of crucial seconds again.

As I have said all the year Contador knows he has nothing to do with Froome, and maybe other riders in le Tour, so he choose Giro this year, that Quintana and Nibali wasnt there. To be in le Tour forst becouse he must be in the best race...for his team... and second just if he is lucky, if some people crash or has problems, and he, with a good team and his inteligence to read the race and his experience and of course, he is an strong and complete rider, try to do something that everybody would say is historic...but more likely he has not on the podium, and it would be very similar if he wouldnt rode the Giro. I admit last year he was stronger, not as Froome, but he could have fight to recover that time to Nibali, difficult, but possible.

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

If at all, it will be tommorow. I just hope for rain.

Or on Wednesday, or on Thursday, or on Friday, or on Saturday, or on Sunday.

Fortunately it seems like we'll have dry cobbles tomorrow.

Honestly, I wouldn't be so sure. Anyone curious about it might want to look at this:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/surface-pressure/#?tab=surfacePressureBW&fcTime=1436227200

That line with triangles is a cold front passing over and that means rising air and risk of at least showers; maybe thunder and heavy rain if the front is significant. These things are a bit of a *** to predict, but by no means is it set fair. They may get away with it, they may not, but I think they'll be rain in the afternoon.

Checked a lot of forecasts today, both English and French. To summarize it seems to be 0-20% chance of 0-0,3 mm (and most likely it will be after the finish if there will be any rain at all). The chances of wet cobbles seem very slim, but as long as there is hope... coming to think of Dumb and Dumber - I kinda feel like Jim Carrey regarding the rain chances

Quite possibly! But it adds a new dimension and I find it mildly entertaining to stare at predicted pressure / temp. charts of a morning.

 

[Nilsson]

It's possible that Alberto will improve, just like Majka did last year because of the Giro. It's likely that he lacks intensity, but he could also just be tired and not in the right shape. To be fair though, Contador never really improved over the course of a grand tour, certainly not to the extent that seems necessary. Whereas we've seen him 'collapse' in the last days more often.

On top of that I'm afraid of tomorrows stage. Not just because of the cobbles, but mainly because of the length of the stage as well. I see him running empty in the final stretches, it's always dangerous for him.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

I bet Contador will continue to bleed small amounts of time until this weekend, maybe ending up with 1:15 - 1:30 down on Froome by the end of the week, but not more.
Then he will crush them all in the Alps... Froome will start to fade in third week, like he did in 2013 (Semnoz and Alpe d'Huez).

Froome didnt fade in the Alps that year, jus quintana and Purito are best climbers.
But Froome is now an strong cyclist, as well as Quintana, but Purito is the same.

Purito crash like yesterday just before pyrinees, it lokks like he didnt have probloems with his knee tofay, but that year he wanst super in the Pyrinees for that reason, and Quintana was attacking from far in Pyrinees and ventoux, becouse he was just helpingb Valverde... always when Quintana didnt attack form far droped Froome.

This year could be the same, for that reason Froome need more time to Quintana, although, maybe 1:50 is enought

Tomorrow could be a god day as froome is heavier than Quintana and much better in the flat, but tomorrow the important for everyboidy is to finish alive, no crahs, no more. Other way the Tour could finish, with live there are hope.

Of course Contador can allie with some people and try something suicide in some stage, I think he will do it, but he is not the stronger of the race, nor the second and he is not going to go better nor worse, this is his level that he will keep all the Tour. Maybe he could peak in the second weak a little...

I will compare with Uran how the Giro affect...he ewanst good today but his team was working for Tony, not for him, and Kiatlowski drop before Huy. Saxo is always working for Contador, Uran has to do as his way.

The best stage for him is mende, but with froome and Purito is this level he has nothing to do.

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

It's possible that Alberto will improve, just like Majka did last year because of the Giro. It's likely that he lacks intensity, but he could also just be tired and not in the right shape. To be fair though, Contador never really improved over the course of a grand tour, certainly not to the extent that seems necessary. Whereas we've seen him 'collapse' in the last days more often.

On top of that I'm afraid of tomorrows stage. Not just because of the cobbles, but mainly because of the length of the stage as well. I see him running empty in the final stretches, it's always dangerous for him.

Actually , after his performances in thse 3 days, i think he can lost 30s -1min tomorrow , he has not the power in legs to follow Nibali or Froome on cobbles. It will be difficult hold Sagan's wheel

 

[Electress]

Congratulate me, folks. Froome has just blocked me on twitter. The only tweet I have ever sent him was to congratulate him on the Cound's pregnancy, so I guess he/she doesn't like whom I cheer for.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Congratulate me, folks. Froome has just blocked me on twitter. The only tweet I have ever sent him was to congratulate him on the Cound's pregnancy, so I guess he/she doesn't like whom I cheer for.

This Fround duo twitter blocking thing is getting out of hand tbh

 

[Miburo]

I mentioned froome's name in a sentence on twitter and got blocked. Nice dedication.

Tinkoff might go full *** tomorrow and Contador needs to hang on for dear life.

 

[KyoGrey]

Contador rested the required time after the Giro and since then has trained hard to get back to his best form. His body is catching up with the shortened building-up period.

In that sense, we should be confident that in the third week he will be on par with the other 3 candidates.
However it is a real shame that this Tour doesn't include a 220+ km mountain stage where Alberto could try to explode the race.

 

[Publicus]

Re: Re:

Sorry Alberto fans (and I am one), but this TDF is Froome's, unless he crashes or gets sick. Froome looks totally comfortable in the hard finishing efforts yesterday and obviously again today. Contador looked like he was redlining just to hang on and ultimately gave away a number of crucial seconds again.

As I have said all the year Contador knows he has nothing to do with Froome, and maybe other riders in le Tour, so he choose Giro this year, that Quintana and Nibali wasnt there.

This is a flat out lie. He chose to the double before ANYONE committed to ANYTHING. And encouraged them to ride both. Froome was openly considering whether to ride the Giro or Tour... Just a flat out lie to suggest Contador was trying to avoid Froome and others.

 

[BlurryVII]

Re: Re:

Sorry Alberto fans (and I am one), but this TDF is Froome's, unless he crashes or gets sick. Froome looks totally comfortable in the hard finishing efforts yesterday and obviously again today. Contador looked like he was redlining just to hang on and ultimately gave away a number of crucial seconds again.

As I have said all the year Contador knows he has nothing to do with Froome, and maybe other riders in le Tour, so he choose Giro this year, that Quintana and Nibali wasnt there.

This is a flat out lie. He chose to the double before ANYONE committed to ANYTHING. And encouraged them to ride both. Froome was openly considering whether to ride the Giro or Tour... Just a flat out lie to suggest Contador was trying to avoid Froome and others.

Yep, Nibali was even planning to do the double, it was almost confirmed and he stated it before backing out exactly when Contador said he would do the double too.

But really there's no point answering to that guy, he has nothing between them ears, absolutely nothing.

 

[rhubroma]

Hate to say it, but Contador got this wrong for what he is aiming to do.

I know full well that cycling is much more competitive than in the past, though that said I can't see how he showed up for this race with the condition he has.

When guys road the Giro-Tour double back in the 80's and 90's, they always showed up for one thing with their weight right, but I don't see this with Contador and I just can't fathom how after 2013 he could have expected to beat the likes of Froome and co. with his current physical status.

I realize some may think I'm beating a dead horse, but really after Colle della Finestra and the photo's I saw recently I said to myself, he's not going to be anywhere near brilliant enough to do it. A Contador in top shape, doesn't put in a performance like the terrible one on the Mur today.

He'll have to improve considerably to be anywhere near capable of dropping Froome in the mountains at this point.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Taxus did Alberto kick your puppy? Steal your girlfriend? Why do you dislike him so much?

 

[Marlene]

Re: Re:

Congratulate me, folks. Froome has just blocked me on twitter. The only tweet I have ever sent him was to congratulate him on the Cound's pregnancy, so I guess he/she doesn't like whom I cheer for.

This Fround duo twitter blocking thing is getting out of hand tbh

I guess they have hired people to block any fans of certain people and anyone not loving him?

 

[Cimber]

Re: Re:

Sorry Alberto fans (and I am one), but this TDF is Froome's, unless he crashes or gets sick. Froome looks totally comfortable in the hard finishing efforts yesterday and obviously again today. Contador looked like he was redlining just to hang on and ultimately gave away a number of crucial seconds again.

As I have said all the year Contador knows he has nothing to do with Froome, and maybe other riders in le Tour, so he choose Giro this year, that Quintana and Nibali wasnt there. To be in le Tour forst becouse he must be in the best race...for his team... and second just if he is lucky, if some people crash or has problems, and he, with a good team and his inteligence to read the race and his experience and of course, he is an strong and complete rider, try to do something that everybody would say is historic...but more likely he has not on the podium, and it would be very similar if he wouldnt rode the Giro. I admit last year he was stronger, not as Froome, but he could have fight to recover that time to Nibali, difficult, but possible.

Stop letting your hate cloud common sense. If he wanted to avoid Froom he would have waited for Froome to announce his program and then avoided the Tour, and done a Giro-Vuelta

 

[qwer]

taxus is a frustrating basque that can't live with the fact that contador (spanish but madrileno) is the best gc rider for long time.

 

[BlurryVII]

Re:

I know full well that cycling is much more competitive than in the past,

though that said I can't see how he showed up for this race with the condition he has.

A Contador in top shape, doesn't put in a performance like the terrible one on the Mur today.

I hear what you're saying, he probably knew he had this average form right before the Tour when doing his test on Sierra and that's why I believe they have a plan of peaking later.

But otherwise, if they (Alberto and De jongh) have no plan and don't know what they're doing apart from just going day by day, just "trying" the double like that then I have no idea why he showed up for the Tour either because this form is unacceptable in July.

So to me it makes no sense if the plan isn't to peak later on. I can only believe that and if it turns out to be not true then I can only blame their imcompetence and stupidity for even showing up and not waiting for the Vuelta.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Congratulate me, folks. Froome has just blocked me on twitter. The only tweet I have ever sent him was to congratulate him on the Cound's pregnancy, so I guess he/she doesn't like whom I cheer for.

This Fround duo twitter blocking thing is getting out of hand tbh

I guess they have hired people to block any fans of certain people and anyone not loving him?

I am 99.9% sure it's his wife aka The Cound Hound

 

[Marlene]

Re: Re:

Congratulate me, folks. Froome has just blocked me on twitter. The only tweet I have ever sent him was to congratulate him on the Cound's pregnancy, so I guess he/she doesn't like whom I cheer for.

This Fround duo twitter blocking thing is getting out of hand tbh

I guess they have hired people to block any fans of certain people and anyone not loving him?

I am 99.9% sure it's his wife aka The Cound Hound

But I meant there must be so many haters or people who are not loving him and think he is God's gift to mankind and apparently it is a day job blocking everyone. They try to get through life without reading any criticism? lol

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

But I meant there must be so many haters or people who are not loving him and think he is God's gift to mankind and apparently it is a day job blocking everyone. They try to get through life without reading any criticism? lol

Well it gets even weirder because they are now also blocking people just for supporting Contador! Many of these people have never tweeted a single bad word about Froome, I've seen dozens of them mentioning getting blocked in the past few months.

 

[Sciocco]

Re:

Taxus did Alberto kick your puppy? Steal your girlfriend? Why do you dislike him so much?

I want to know the answers to these questions as well!