Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[cantpedal]

I'll start out by saying I'm not an AC fan. that being said you fans of AC need to calm down. I believe if you asked Alberto a week ago how he'd feel about being 40 to 50 sec down (at this point) to only Froome and ahead of the other contenders he'd feel very good about it. No one including AC will know until we get to the real Mountains how he's going to do. I hope he, Nairo, Froome, Nibs and even TJ are still there and with a chance for Yellow through week 3. I'm really excited that they're all still in it and healthy after this week. I hoping for a great 2 weeks to come.

 

[Poursuivant]

Contador was always coming into this TDF at a disadvantage because he planned to ride Giro, but anyone who watched Giro would see he went really, really deep simply because his team was piss poor. Honestly, if none of the GC contenders crash I will be surprised if he podiums, the Giro killed him off, understandably to be fair. Although he is probably the smartest GC rider and Froome and co. Would do well to kill him off when they have a chance.

 

[leon993]

Re:

I'll start out by saying I'm not an AC fan. that being said you fans of AC need to calm down. I believe if you asked Alberto a week ago how he'd feel about being 40 to 50 sec down (at this point) to only Froome and ahead of the other contenders he'd feel very good about it. No one including AC will know until we get to the real Mountains how he's going to do. I hope he, Nairo, Froome, Nibs and even TJ are still there and with a chance for Yellow through week 3. I'm really excited that they're all still in it and healthy after this week. I hoping for a great 2 weeks to come.

Let us see Sunday if Froome and Contador is not a par. I think they are

 

[Psalmon]

It is just my sense, but I think AC's team is much more relaxed and together which is a huge advantage. From Sagan's photobombing Nibali, team posts on Twitter, and having 5 of the same guys together from the Giro. These guys are close and relaxed. Check out this below. If you have not seen it, it's really cool. AC is a pretty wise, cool cat...

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/sbs/?title=Michael+Rogers+and+Alberto+Contador+Post+Stage+2+Interviews&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=477382211783&yr=2015

 

[jilbiker]

Froome seems to have written off Bertie. Van Garden is the man to watch so he says, can't say i blame him after the scare a few weeks ago.

Bertie remains a mystery to everyone. Must be very unnerving, even from fans as we have seen on the forum. The discipline for him is to stay to the plan and not jump the gun. He shouldn't follow Froome who get uneasy when AC is around and really is not a race strategist. I like Quintana, stays under the radar waits for his peak and then he can blast a 2-3 minute deficit. I tip him as the man to watch and I see a alliance between Quintana and AC.

 

[Red Rick]

I think it's quite feasible that Contador just lacked a little bit of high intensity training prior to the Tour, I think that's usually the last block of training before mainly resting the last week.

 

[Miburo]

About the mur de huy btw Contador hates that hill according to nuyens.

 

[peloton]

Re:

It is just my sense, but I think AC's team is much more relaxed and together which is a huge advantage. From Sagan's photobombing Nibali, team posts on Twitter, and having 5 of the same guys together from the Giro. These guys are close and relaxed. Check out this below. If you have not seen it, it's really cool. AC is a pretty wise, cool cat...

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/sbs/?title=Michael+Rogers+and+Alberto+Contador+Post+Stage+2+Interviews&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=477382211783&yr=2015

Nice one, thanks!

I thought on Huy he was just cooking himself trying to follow others, but he has been grimacing a lot, even on the flat stages, that's not a good sign, at all.
And he looks crooked now in his shoulders, or is it just me?

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Tomorrow will be the test. It will tell us, if he is 100%. Looking back from start he said after 1st stage, that he had high pulse (being cooked as Tony Martin said) and could not understand it. He blew up on Mur (cooked?), and could not understand it. But i see a difference. When he came to Tour he looked snapping after breath. He doesn't anymore. This says to me, he is getting in better form. Inside himself he believes in it. Go Alberto GO

Tomorrow won't tell us that much. but i think after TTT, the dust is settled since there' s no other way to gain time other than in the mountain. Stage 10 will likely crucial IMO. If he got no leg by that time, it would be a long Tour for Contador. He said it himself, in the mountain, he will see where his place. On saturday, he is in his 5th week after the Giro. With first 7 stages that goes hard then mellow (kind like training - push hard, then recovery ride), it's good for AC to find his leg.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

I'd like to see Sagan pull on the yellow jersey after the TTT as reward for his hard work this week, according to Contador he'll be right up there tomorrow.

contador will do a lead out for sagan tomorrow.. that would be priceless

 

[cellardoor]

Re: Re:

Froome seems to have written off Bertie. Van Garden is the man to watch so he says, can't say i blame him after the scare a few weeks ago.

Bertie remains a mystery to everyone. Must be very unnerving, even from fans as we have seen on the forum. The discipline for him is to stay to the plan and not jump the gun. He shouldn't follow Froome who get uneasy when AC is around and really is not a race strategist. I like Quintana, stays under the radar waits for his peak and then he can blast a 2-3 minute deficit. I tip him as the man to watch and I see a alliance between Quintana and AC.

Ludicrous! If he did and did it clean, that would be a really grand feat

How is this ludicrous? Of course a climber like Quintana can plausibly take 2-3 mins in the mountains. I don't personally think it's likely to happen, but it's not ludicrous.

 

[ad9898]

Re:

I think it's quite feasible that Contador just lacked a little bit of high intensity training prior to the Tour, I think that's usually the last block of training before mainly resting the last week.

This +1... Seriously Contador knows where he's at and where the next few days will take him. Look at the Huy, Froome is at peak he gave it everything up there yet couldn't beat JRod and could only put a few seconds into Contador who was basically putting in some high intensity training that would normally be done in the build up. Nibali and Quintana took even less time and it's arguable that if he hadn't tried to follow Froome at that point he'd have come in with Nibali and Quintana !

These guys are at peak, there build up as been specifically built around one race ...the Tour, Contador obviously has had set his training around peaking later. The grimacing is normal this week... wonder what Froome, Nib & Quintana looked like when they were training at a high intensity ?

Contador has timed this perfectly, he's easily my favourite for the Tour win now.

 

[rhubroma]

The only chance Alberto has, and I'm not writting him off mind you, is if he planned to start the Tour a bit under tone and ride into Top Shape for the mountains. What seems clear is that right now Froome is a notch above the rest. Now he, Froome, says he's planned for being able to hold his top form for the whole Tour and is conscious of the fact that in 2013 he had a slight drop in form during the third week. If this is the case then we could be in for an even better Froome than 2013, which doesn't bode well for his rivals.

Still if Alberto can find his peak condition then he can strike in the mountains. The Mur de Huy, however, on the face of it, was a bad sign, although this could be simply due to a lack of condition that can improve. On the other hand, if the Giro has cooked him then given the signs so far he's going to struggle in the mountains. Naturally I'm hoping for the other scenario, but he needs to ride much better on the finishing climb today. If he doesn't then I'm not going to be optimisitic.

 

[ray j willings]

My head tells me Bertie will just try and hope he can hang on to Froomes wheel today and don't get blown away.
My heart tells me Bertie will go early and blow them all away and is coming into form.

Head wins is the most likely scenario.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

My head tells me Bertie will just try and hope he can hang on to Froomes wheel today and get blown away.

Fixed that for you

 

[Vasilis]

I don't know, but I have a feeling Contador will struggle in the final week, particularly on the final MTF's. Right now he could still be regaining form, but I think the Giro will catch up to him sooner or later.

 

[SkyTears]

this is not 1995
he will look even worse than in Giro
he will not top10

 

[rhubroma]

Re:

this is not 1995
he will look even worse than in Giro
he will not top10

That's an exaggeration. He still is Alberto Contador. I don't see 10 riders being better than him. Of course anything less than a win doesn't matter because, once again, he is Alberto Contador.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Re:

this is not 1995
he will look even worse than in Giro
he will not top10

Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself this is true more than anything else

 

[arvc40]

Re:

this is not 1995
he will look even worse than in Giro
he will not top10

Why even bother

 

[rm7]

De Jongh saying that Contador is suffering a little bit from his allergies, and sometimes have a little hard time breathing, but it'll be better now that they're riding to south france. But Contador prefer as much rain as possible because then he doesn't have the allergy problem. De Jongh expect a strong performance from Contador today, because of the explosive final.

 

[Matteo.]

I hope you does not become again ''Tears of Fears'' , remember Porte at Giro?

 

[perico]

Re:

this is not 1995
he will look even worse than in Giro
he will not top10

Still angry about Lil Richie being a total bust and now breaking up the bromance?

 

[ad9898]

Spot on for Alberto, a few seconds into Nibali, same time as Froome... no point attacking with the flat finish and headwind along with TTT tomorrow, he's looking better each day just as I thought. Froome burning his matches for no reason which is a good thing too.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Very strong stage for him/ Terrible starting position but climbed very very well and made it to the front. Was that an attack when he went to the side only for Sagan and the train to cross his path?