• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

Page 1191 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
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

Mar 14, 2015
964
0
0
Visit site
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.
 
Jun 2, 2015
164
0
0
Visit site
Re: TDF or Vuelta???

ninjadriver said:
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????).
 
Re:

rm7 said:
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.
 
Re: Re:

Carols said:
rm7 said:
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 ;)
 
Re: Re:

LaFlorecita said:
Carols said:
rm7 said:
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 :).
 
Jul 29, 2012
11,703
4
0
Visit site
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? :D
 
Re: Re:

rm7 said:
damian13ster said:
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.
 
Feb 21, 2014
2,133
0
0
Visit site
"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
 
Re: Re:

damian13ster said:
Angliru said:
damian13ster said:
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.
 
Jul 29, 2012
11,703
4
0
Visit site
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.
 
Jun 18, 2009
2,079
2
0
Visit site
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.
 
Jun 2, 2015
164
0
0
Visit site
Re:

Energy Starr said:
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!
 
Nov 23, 2013
366
0
0
Visit site
Re: Re:

ninjadriver said:
Energy Starr said:
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
 
Jan 24, 2012
1,169
0
0
Visit site
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.
 
Jun 2, 2015
164
0
0
Visit site
Re:

Sciocco said:
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.
Sciocco: Contador has stated he plans on retiring after the 2016 season. It doesn't appear to be set in stone, but close to it.

I've never enjoyed watching a racer nearly as much as I've enjoyed El Pistolero. I loved Pantani, I enjoyed Kloden just because he was so underrated (but he wasn't exciting), Gilbert was awesome and I'd probably put Ricco as my #2, just because he was so explosive and frightening, but watching Contador bobbing out of the saddle, like on his amazing Mortirolo demolition of Aru (followed by Landa's demolition of a tired Contador), is an exhilaration I will miss mightily.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/16/alberto-contador-plans-retire-cycling-end-2016
 
Jan 24, 2012
1,169
0
0
Visit site
Re: Re:

ninjadriver said:
Sciocco said:
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.
Sciocco: Contador has stated he plans on retiring after the 2016 season. It doesn't appear to be set in stone, but close to it.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/16/alberto-contador-plans-retire-cycling-end-2016

Yes, I know. I'm saying, I hope he doesn't get encouraged and leaves prior to that. Or retires at the end of 2016 even if he believes he could go another year beyond that. I don't want him to race forever either, I like 2017 because its 100th Giro actually.
 

TRENDING THREADS