Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Energy Starr]

Hey if he does pull off a 2nd in GC, he should definitely try to win the Vuelta. It's not the triple crown but a 1,2,1 sure would make for an awesome season anyway.

 

[rm7]

Re: Re:

Yeah, but conditions at Giro are much different than at Tour. Plus it doesnt explain why he didn't have them before (or werent so bad). It is extremely rare to acquire allergies as you get older (if at all possible, I am not sure on this one).
I think this is just another excuse and pretty bad one

Where are you getting your information? I had no allergies as a child and young adult and have since acquired allergies. As far as I know it's fairly common.

Just a (turns out it was stupid) belief that allergies are dependable mostly from genetics. That's why I mentioned that I am not sure if that is true. I was proven wrong. My apologies.

Still think it is an excuse since it didn't seem to be an issue as recent as last year or earlier in a career.

It could be an excuse, we don't know. But there no question that if he has allergies, then it will clearly affect him. But i'm not saying it's the difference between 2:51 to froome yesterday, but it could a big part of that gap.

Last year it wasn't an issue, because of the cold weather and much rain in that period. Then you nearly don't feel the allergies at all (talking from experience). In Tour 2013 it was hot, but I also think that was bad shape all year long.

Also in the spring races this season he looked okay.. obviously below spring 2014, but according to the plan.

 

[rm7]

Re:

Hey if he does pull off a 2nd in GC, he should definitely try to win the Vuelta. It's not the triple crown but a 1,2,1 sure would make for an awesome season anyway.

He really shouldn't. He should go home and take a loooong rest and spend time with his family, and then maybe race a little at the end of the season to get up to speed before the winter preparation.

 

[damian13ster]

Yeah, but it doesn't explain having allergies pretty much for entire season in a completely different weather, altitudes, landscape, etc.
And especially since if those allergies are active for most of his career then they can't be an explanation for this season.
Still, I am going to leave this discussion since to be honest I don't find coming up with excuses too interesting. I prefer to comment on what I see with my own eyes.

 

[rm7]

I don't think Oleg will throw Contador out or anything. Oleg got a Giro victory this year, and possibly a top position in TdF from Contador. He knows Contador is the only one who can threaten Froome, when they're both at their best.

 

[ninjadriver]

Re: TDF or Vuelta???

riodouro wrote:
"As an Alberto Fan, i dont see any way he can disappoint me, he is always entertaining, he publicly respects his adversaries qualities, they respect him. Even if Alberto Cracks on Tour, even if he doesn't make podium, i dont see how can he disappoint, already won a tour this year, very entertaining too. Hopefully from 2015 forward there will be more GT specialists trying Doubles/Triples GT per Year, more interesting to me. The day he actually ends his career will be a sad day, nothing lasts for ever. But then again i hope he will be a DS some day, so is not that bad, and haters will hate that."

* * * * *
NINJADRIVER:

Given the 21st century failed history of riders attempting to double 2 consecutive same calendar year Grand Tours, and what looked to me like Contador almost cracking on stages 18 and 20 of the Giro, and the fierce field scheduled to ride the TDF with Froome, Quintana and Nibali, wouldn't you rather Contador skip the TDF and win the Vuelta instead???

I give Contador zero shot to win the TDF, given the Giro exhaustion and what looks like a weak TinkoffSaxo climbing squad. Basso and Kreuziger were horrible at the Giro. The fact that Contador took on Astana by himself is a testament to his championship verve and generational greatness.

ZERO SHOT, unfortunately, is coming true. Contador has looked Giro-exhausted the entire TDF. I am saddened that he hasn't chosen to abandon and focus on the Vuelta.

On Stage 10 ending at La Pierre-Saint-Martin, Contador lost time to: Gallopin, Rolland, Porte (badly), Thomas, Gesink and Adam Yates???????????

And on that same stage, Sky finished 1st, 2nd and 6th (Geraint Thomas - what????).

 

[Carols]

Re:

I don't think Oleg will throw Contador out or anything. Oleg got a Giro victory this year, and possibly a top position in TdF from Contador. He knows Contador is the only one who can threaten Froome, when they're both at their best.

Kick him out? Geez the man won him a Giro 6 weeks ago! Oleg's first GT win as an owner. I don't think he'll kick him out.

Now if Bjarne had a team I think Alberto would jump in a split second.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I don't think Oleg will throw Contador out or anything. Oleg got a Giro victory this year, and possibly a top position in TdF from Contador. He knows Contador is the only one who can threaten Froome, when they're both at their best.

Kick him out? Geez the man won him a Giro 6 weeks ago! Oleg's first GT win as an owner. I don't think he'll kick him out.

Now if Bjarne had a team I think Alberto would jump in a split second.

Oleg has owned the team since the start of 2014

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

I don't think Oleg will throw Contador out or anything. Oleg got a Giro victory this year, and possibly a top position in TdF from Contador. He knows Contador is the only one who can threaten Froome, when they're both at their best.

Kick him out? Geez the man won him a Giro 6 weeks ago! Oleg's first GT win as an owner. I don't think he'll kick him out.

Now if Bjarne had a team I think Alberto would jump in a split second.

Oleg has owned the team since the start of 2014

Oh so Alberto has won him a Vuelta in 2014 and a Giro in 2015. No way he will dump him, Oleg's only 2 GT wins as an owner .

 

[Miburo]

Hmm i don't know about the allergies, sounds like a poor excuse but i don't see why riis would lie. Contador is definitely good in the rain, results prove that but he's been a god in the sun/allergy period too.

I've allergies too and *** can really *** you up though, doesn't he get a TUE?

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

Year-long allergy season? And he acquired those allergies post-ban?

Do you know anyone with allergies? It's allergi season from May-August.

I have it myself, and got it at age 23. It's different from every person. Some years is good, and years it's fine. But I can say that this year it's really bad here in Denmark, so it should be even worse in france (hotter conditions and more trees etc).

What 'allergies'? There are thousands of them.
I'm a bit allergic to grass pollen, and that lasts about a month mid-May to mid-June, but is totally absent in the high mountains for instance. You cannot just lump everything into one generic allergy.

 

[LaFlorecita]

A French girl on twitter says Alberto was close to tears today, despite the fact his wife was at the finish, poor guy, he must be feeling really bad

 

[Carols]

Re:

A French girl on twitter says Alberto was close to tears today, despite the fact his wife was at the finish, poor guy, he must be feeling really bad

I hope he has a good cry in her arms!

 

[Hakkapelit]

Is the implication the allergies was tearing him up, or was the Contador lamenting his bad shape?

 

[BlurryVII]

"It's a shame I don't have the legs of last year, they were really incredible. It's going to be a tough and complicated Tour for me, but I'll try my best everyday and we'll see. We'll try things from a tactical point of view but Froome is the strongest here"

Really sad, he knows it's going to be pretty much the same outcome every mountain stage with him suffering like a dog & dropping minutes but he wants to continue... I don't understand

Leaving now would be almost a guarantee to fight for the win at the Vuelta... a shame

 

[Energy Starr]

No reason to cry. Sometimes you're the hammer and sometimes you're the nail. The man can't win everything all the time. No shame in that.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Is the implication the allergies was tearing him up, or was the Contador lamenting his bad shape?

I think he is just feeling really bad because he wanted this so badly and his body is letting him down majorly

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Yeah, but conditions at Giro are much different than at Tour. Plus it doesnt explain why he didn't have them before (or werent so bad). It is extremely rare to acquire allergies as you get older (if at all possible, I am not sure on this one).
I think this is just another excuse and pretty bad one

Where are you getting your information? I had no allergies as a child and young adult and have since acquired allergies. As far as I know it's fairly common.

Just a (turns out it was stupid) belief that allergies are dependable mostly from genetics. That's why I mentioned that I am not sure if that is true. I was proven wrong. My apologies.

Still think it is an excuse since it didn't seem to be an issue as recent as last year or earlier in a career.

No need to apologize. Maybe due to my following his career more closely, it's been fairly common knowledge that he has issues with allergies. Someone mentioned that years ago at Criterium International that he had a bout with his allergies that effected his performance during the itt stage. There have been other incidences in his career also.

 

[Miburo]

This damian needs to inform himself. Pretends to know everything about contador.

Contador had allergy issues very early in his career. What i remember he already talked about it in 2010, be quiet if you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[richwagmn]

How cool (and classy) was it to see Tinkov/Saxo work to get Sagan his green jersey back today? Contador seemed happy about it too. And of course was happy with Majka's win too.

Says a lot about Contador that he wants to win badly, but also wants to see his team/team mates do well when possible.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

This damian needs to inform himself. Pretends to know everything about contador.

Contador had allergy issues very early in his career. What i remember he already talked about it in 2010, be quiet if you don't know what you're talking about.

There's even a picture of him putting away an inhaler at the 2005 TDF..

 

[ninjadriver]

Re:

Hey if he does pull off a 2nd in GC, he should definitely try to win the Vuelta. It's not the triple crown but a 1,2,1 sure would make for an awesome season anyway.

Energy: How in the world would Contador win the Vuelta after racing the TDF and the Giro, when he has shown, twice now (2011 & 2015), that going back-to-back Grand Touring beginning with the Giro destroys his chances at the TDF??? You think he'll do better doing back-to-back-to-back Grand Tours?

Also, how does he finish in 2nd at this TDF??? You're predicting Quintana, Valverde and Van Garderen collapses???

Cheers!

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Is the implication the allergies was tearing him up, or was the Contador lamenting his bad shape?

I think he is just feeling really bad because he wanted this so badly and his body is letting him down majorly

But he put a fight!

 

[Energy Starr]

Re: Re:

Hey if he does pull off a 2nd in GC, he should definitely try to win the Vuelta. It's not the triple crown but a 1,2,1 sure would make for an awesome season anyway.

Energy: How in the world would Contador win the Vuelta after racing the TDF and the Giro, when he has shown, twice now (2011 & 2015), that going back-to-back Grand Touring beginning with the Giro destroys his chances at the TDF??? You think he'll do better doing back-to-back-to-back Grand Tours?

Also, how does he finish in 2nd at this TDF??? You're predicting Quintana, Valverde and Van Garderen collapses???

Cheers!

I didn't predict anything. There was talk of him aiming for second, by teammates. I simply thought that if he managed to get 2nd, it would be cool and an incredible season if he went to the Vuelta. He seems to be much better in the Vuelta than TDF or Giro, so maybe he could. The only thing I think is that that it would be cool. Do I think he will do it....no.

Cheers

 

[Sciocco]

Contador always a champion. All-time great stage racer. I hope he doesn't up and leave us too soon. *** the TdF, ride the fun stuff, T-A, VaPV, Giro, Vuelta, among others.