Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Jelantik]

sound like a good news. He can finally out of his saddle. He feels better? He is hoping for rain...

“Despite the fact that I lost time, I’m satisfied because I have a different sensation while I’m riding, I can go out of the saddle, I can plan attacks and I feel more confident. However it’s a fact that we lost time today but although Paris seems to be near, the Tour is a long way from being over. And we still hope to achieve nice things in the following days. I was focused on Froome and Valverde and I knew that they were going to accelerate because Quintana was coming from behind. I knew that if I could get a bit of air, I would catch them again, but in the end their last acceleration was too fast for me and I decided to keep my own rhythm”, says Alberto Contador

http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/sagan-extends-green-jersey-lead-contador-feels-better-despite-time-loss/

 

[Red Rick]

Very telling that he's fighting for a podium whilst being worse than on the Hazallanas in Februari

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

This season Bertie has beaten Froome in a ITT and dropped him with 10 k to go he also just beat Quintana in a stage race as well as winning the Giro.
I do think Bertie is not in 2014 form but he is still young enough if he has the capabilities to get back into 2014 form and make a serious 2016 tour challenge. Your post does not really tell the true picture just another one of your usual "lets knock Bertie post's"

For some one who has just won the Giro and a recent stage race he's doing pretty well so far and is hanging in there among those who have only focused on this one race. I would like to See Froome or Quintana emulate Bertie and do better ,,,oh yeah they were to scared to try.....

Still waiting for you to post something worthy at the minute it's just obvious baiting

you made a good point here. Logically, Contador isn't supposed to hang there with those who only targets the tour. Everyone who were in the Giro - are no where close to where he is. Even the 'Reigning champs" Nibali who supposedly targettng only the Tour all season. Fact is even though he is struggling, he is up there with everyone who is supposed to be a lot more fresher than him. He is in 6th place. Around 50 seconds to 3rd spot. And the tour is still long. So yes, if the role would be reversed, there would be a different story too.

 

[LaFlorecita]

"And we still hope to achieve nice things in the following days."

Yes please
The only issue is that the Skyborgs won't give Alberto even an inch, so if he wants to win a stage he will have to earn it by beating them.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Contador has now 3 full days to try and get better. Wednesday it starts and seeing how he clearly gets better he'll try something. (unlike in 2013 where he just got worse and worse)

I don't think anything will happen monday unless it rains like in 2011.

forecast?.. any chance of rain?

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

Contador has now 3 full days to try and get better. Wednesday it starts and seeing how he clearly gets better he'll try something. (unlike in 2013 where he just got worse and worse)

I don't think anything will happen monday unless it rains like in 2011.

forecast?.. any chance of rain?

Not in Gap. Maybe yes the rest of the week.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Screenshot from Danish TDF show

Alberto looks sick and tired.. or maybe he's just sick and tired of Oleg who was putting on a show at the dinner table yet again

 

[Miburo]

Tinkov said useful things though, well it was already obvious but the giro was too hard for alberto. He expected an easier giro, if only astana didn't go so hard every stage

 

[Jelantik]

Screenshot from Danish TDF show

Alberto looks sick and tired.. or maybe he's just sick and tired of Oleg who was putting on a show at the dinner table yet again

he didn't even bother to shave anymore.. he indeed look tired. It must be mentally exhausted, not just physically.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Great points about him going 1, 1, (3/4/5?) in last three GT's (after a serious injury at his fourth last one). And people knock him?!!

I think he can get Van Garderen. Not sure about Valverde though.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Fwiw
The organizers of Clasica San Sebastian have said Alberto will race
And Jesper Hansen said to the Danish media that he would like to race the Vuelta.... in service of Alberto
And I think it was Majka, who, when asked if he would lead at the Vuelta, said "well Alberto might still ride it"
I don't know why... It's obvious he's exhausted. He might completely tire himself out for next season also.

 

[Red Rick]

San Sebastian isn't too bad, if they feel they still gotta put him in some races after the Tour.

Vuelta is batshit crazy, insane, *** all at the same time. He looks messed up, but his head looks more normal than years ago

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

San Sebastian isn't too bad, if they feel they still gotta put him in some races after the Tour.

Vuelta is batshit crazy, insane, *** all at the same time. He looks messed up, but his head looks more normal than years ago

What?

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

San Sebastian isn't too bad, if they feel they still gotta put him in some races after the Tour.

Vuelta is batshit crazy, insane, *** all at the same time. He looks messed up, but his head looks more normal than years ago

What?

You know what I mean, there was a whole clinic thread about it. Prolly just the angle though

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

Fwiw
The organizers of Clasica San Sebastian have said Alberto will race
And Jesper Hansen said to the Danish media that he would like to race the Vuelta.... in service of Alberto
And I think it was Majka, who, when asked if he would lead at the Vuelta, said "well Alberto might still ride it"
I don't know why... It's obvious he's exhausted. He might completely tire himself out for next season also.

that would be the biggest mistake of cycling DS(rider) ever made

 

[ad9898]

Re: Re:

San Sebastian isn't too bad, if they feel they still gotta put him in some races after the Tour.

Vuelta is batshit crazy, insane, *** all at the same time. He looks messed up, but his head looks more normal than years ago

What?

Oh no we're not going to revive the Contador's head thread are we lol

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

San Sebastian isn't too bad, if they feel they still gotta put him in some races after the Tour.

Vuelta is batshit crazy, insane, *** all at the same time. He looks messed up, but his head looks more normal than years ago

What?

Oh no we're not going to revive the Contador's head thread are we lol

Sshhh

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

San Sebastian isn't too bad, if they feel they still gotta put him in some races after the Tour.

Vuelta is batshit crazy, insane, *** all at the same time. He looks messed up, but his head looks more normal than years ago

What?

Oh no we're not going to revive the Contador's head thread are we lol

Best thread in forum history

 

[Miburo]

It saddens me that we've never seen contador in his prime go all out every time. Tour '09 doesn't count, he was on a leash at the end, maybe you can count the giro 2011.

Next year everything on the tour. I'm not sure why some don't wanna see that, i'm sure that a contador in his best shape can beat Froome. I guess the only thing you can have against it is the crashing in the first week.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

It saddens me that we've never seen contador in his prime go all out every time. Tour '09 doesn't count, he was on a leash at the end, maybe you can count the giro 2011.

Next year everything on the tour. I'm not sure why some don't wanna see that, i'm sure that a contador in his best shape can beat Froome. I guess the only thing you can have against it is the crashing in the first week.

Crashing and the incertainty, we don't know if he will be in his 100% best shape. Maybe he will be at 99% and it won't be enough to win.
But the good thing about focusing on the Tour is that he could win some spring races too
(T-A again... And Catalunya and Dauphine please)

 

[Hayabusa]

I think last year's Tour was the only opportunity we would ever have of seeing as peak Alberto vs peak Froome. I don't see us ever getting that opportunity again due to the natural declines in performance/injuries etc

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

I think last year's Tour was the only opportunity we would ever have of seeing as peak Alberto vs peak Froome. I don't see us ever getting that opportunity again due to the natural declines in performance/injuries etc

I dont think Froome was at his peak, Contador certainly was tho,


I agree with Miburo, all for Tour next year, just to say: Fvck you I was the best, Adios

 

[Captain_Obvious]

Can anyone tell me more about what happened on stage 14 when Alberto asked Valverde not to attack? What was that all about?

 

[SeriousSam]

Valverde eventually caught Alberto Contador - his nearest rival in the GC - and despite apparent protestations from Tinkoff-Saxo rider not to attack him, Valverde did just that and increased his advantage over the former Tour de France winner to 21 seconds.

“This is a competition, Alberto needs to understand that” Valverde said following the stage, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais. “I and my team are working to win the Tour with Quintana, but if I make the podium it would be incredible.”

He later said in a press release from his team: “When I reached him, Contador asked me for some turns and I told him I couldn't take them, because Nairo was ahead. This is racing: he's doing his job, mine is to take care of Nairo, and he was the one who had to push.”

I prefer this rather more colourful tale of what happened though: http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2015/07/18/actualidad/1437244465_847018.html

Esto es una competición”, dijo Valverde.

 

[Captain_Obvious]

Fair enough.