Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I remember Flo once talking about how the Tour is bad luck for Contador (or something to that effect). She was right, I think he would be better off focusing on the Giro and Vuelta instead of the Tour. He's only 32, he could probably match 5 Giro wins. Maybe even get 6 and break the Giro record, that would be fantastic and would cement him as a legend of cycling.

Maybe even go for some one day classics as well.

Hopefully he's not hurt and can salvage the Tour with a stage win or something

He said he will retire at the end of 2016, maybe he will decide to add 1 more year, but I doubt he'll be around for long enough to win 3(4) Giro's

 

[damian13ster]

Luck is not on his side the whole year. Thunderstorms were forecast for today, again not materialized. What's the world coming to when a Froome and the best climber since Marco Pantani can stay with Nibali on this descent, albeit dry, and Berti of all people crashes? Next time round it'll rain cats and dogs, I hope.

Following wheels isnt that hard.
Plus Froome has much better history on descents than Contador. Just look at the number of crashes....
His terrible descending is another myth without any base.
I am a bit surprised that Nibali didnt ride away but others were just watching his lane and following

Who has crashed most on descents, Andy or Nibali? Who is the best descender of them?

Fine. I dont remember single race or stage that Froome lost because of descent though. Plus in 2013 you could see that Contador almost took him out but he managed to stay on the bike (Spaniard didn't), he handles the bike great, looking good on cobbles and not falling despite wheel broken beyond repair by Nibali.
There is no evidence of him being bad bike handler other than elbows sticking out.
So far on descents (and cobbles, and flat stages, and climbs, and hills) Froome >= anyone else

What? Froome couldn't stay with Sagan for more than a few corners.

I mean among GC contenders (or pretenders). Of course there are people in the peleton better than him on descents, sprints, cobbles, etc)

 

[Afrank]

Re: Re:

I remember Flo once talking about how the Tour is bad luck for Contador (or something to that effect). She was right, I think he would be better off focusing on the Giro and Vuelta instead of the Tour. He's only 32, he could probably match 5 Giro wins. Maybe even get 6 and break the Giro record, that would be fantastic and would cement him as a legend of cycling.

Maybe even go for some one day classics as well.

Hopefully he's not hurt and can salvage the Tour with a stage win or something

He said he will retire at the end of 2016, maybe he will decide to add 1 more year, but I doubt he'll be around for long enough to win 3(4) Giro's

That's too bad. Would the CN Contador family be opposed to organizing a protest to keep him in cycling long enough to get 6 Giro wins?

 

[ray j willings]

Bertie looked great until the crash. He has just won the Giro and is looking better the more this race go's on.
To much time to gain now. Bertie will still try and blow this race apart if he gets the chance
All you Bertie haters are talking SH%%....No other rider out there would get near Berties performance in this tour if they just won the Giro up against a aggressive Astana. If they could do that.
Froome seems to have peaked. Like the dauphine last year. He has one mad attack and that's it. He could not drop Bertie then and he would not be able to drop Bertie if he had not gone for the double.
Looking at his performance now the over the top reaction to the early Foome attack has been put in perspective.
Berti is easily capable of winning the tour again, he was very easy matching every one to day.
Yet he has a GT win behind him ,,,,without doubt the greatest rider right now.

 

[cellardoor]

Re: Re:

I remember Flo once talking about how the Tour is bad luck for Contador (or something to that effect). She was right, I think he would be better off focusing on the Giro and Vuelta instead of the Tour. He's only 32, he could probably match 5 Giro wins. Maybe even get 6 and break the Giro record, that would be fantastic and would cement him as a legend of cycling.

Maybe even go for some one day classics as well.

Hopefully he's not hurt and can salvage the Tour with a stage win or something

He said he will retire at the end of 2016, maybe he will decide to add 1 more year, but I doubt he'll be around for long enough to win 3(4) Giro's

That's too bad. Would the CN Contador family be opposed to organizing a protest to keep him in cycling long enough to get 6 Giro wins?

I'd just much rather see him go all in for the Tour really, even if there is a risk he may crash out or just not quite have the form to win. At this stage in his career I don't think another Giro or Vuelta really means that much. He already has 3 of each, he's won both of them post-ban and he's won both of them even when not in the best shape. Even a Giro/Vuelta double doesn't mean much as it's a fairly easy target for someone of his standing and he's already done it once.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I have to notice that Contador looks twitchy when he's not a front runner.

Twitchy?

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

I have to notice that Contador looks twitchy when he's not a front runner.

Twitchy?

Nervous.

 

[ninjadriver]

Re: Re:

This obsession with adding Nairo in the Froome/Contador rivalry simply has to stop. Quintana is probably in a historical context one of the most overrated riders of all time. I simply cant remember the last time we had a cyclist who didnt have any obligations whatsoever to actually living up to all the praise and reputation he'd actually got. Simply the name Quintana seems to be enough for bringing home the GT's - not actually doing it on the road. But it doesnt stop there, with Quintana the overrating comes with a brand new twist to it: all his failures nullifies after each failed attempt with restored reputation and legacy intact. Yes, you heard that right, he doesnt need to perform in order of still being recognised in the same breath as multiple GT-winners. And, as if that wasnt enough, despite all of his failures he is in some cases recognised as the better rider despite being on the same page (or worse) over the cycle of a season.

Contador, by some assumed of doing a low-key season despite winning the Giro weeks ago, a feat Quintana years ago are still building his reputation on, fails in the Tour and are considered "finished", "old", "past his prime", while Quintana once again fails in the one single race he builds his every season on and we will hear things like "the weather" or the favorite excuse "room for improvent". As if his cheerleaders have frozen in a paralell dimension outside time and space where Quintana doesnt age waiting for the big jump in performance that has been put on hold.

Urban Dictionary: Overrated.

Anything that is given too much credit and hype.

See:
Ford Mustang
Notorious B.I.G.
Vince Carter
Dragonball Z
Myspace
Nairo Quintana

No_Balls, you forgot:

LeBron James (horrible defender, selfish isolation player, lazy rebounder)
Corvettes
The F-35 Joint Strikefighter
Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Colin Kaepernick (49ers)
Lobster (anything you have to dunk in butter....)
Champagne (red wine rocks)
Florida (I live in California - I know the truth)
Waikiki (go to the Big Island or Kaua'i instead)
Mau'i (go to the Big Island or Kaua'i instead)
Maria Sharapova (look closely at her facial features...not that great).

Now that's some great trolling, sprinkling losers like Kaepernick and Wilson in there with great champions like LeBron and Sharapova.

How is Russell Wilson a loser?

Would be nowhere without his defense and Lynch. Chad henne could go to superbowl with that team

Never said Russell Wilson was a "loser," I simply added him to No_Balls' list of "overrateds."

Wilson in my estimation does not have good field vision, does not make great decisions, is not terribly accurate, and at 5'-11" has difficulty finding throwing lanes over the defensive linemen, which results in him scrambling too much. The Seahawks have had the best defense in the NFL for 2 years running now, and apparently an excellent offensive coaching staff, that last Super Bowl passing call notwithstanding (which Russell shouldn't have thrown regardless of the call, but he doesn't have good field vision).

Any offensive staff that can keep a scrambler like Russell Wilson under control with limited turnovers is doing an incredible job. Without that staff, and such a superior defense and running back on which to rely, Wilson would be a turnover machine like RGIII.

Despite the great staff, Wilson still has 25 fumbles over the past 2 years, almost one per game, and 5 fumbles in his 4 playoff games....

 

[Jelantik]

He totally now got nothing to loose now. 2+ minutes from Valverde. What's the difference between 4th, 5th or 6th or 7th? He should just let loose.. and do whatever he wants. If in the process he overhauls Valverde great. If not, make Movistar chases.. Send majka out to win another stages. Sagan is more and more firmly grip the green. So that's one jersey almost in the bag. Go out and have fun contador!! you got nothing to loose anymore..

EDIT:
he should really make an ally with Nibali. Nibali can't win the stage, if the breakaway goes to 10 minutes everyday since sky wont' bother chasing (probably alpe d'huez since froome wants to win it). Both of them should have fun making the rest of GC got headache. What's minor placing means anyway?

 

[LaFlorecita]

 

[leon993]

Contador saw Moviestar chase him, when he tried with Mick Rogers. He saw that Valverde is the real leader of Moviestar, not Quintana. It is personal. Valverde wants to the biggest cycling star in Spain. That is a blow - cause he has now Sky and Moviestar against him. I guess though, that if Contador tries again, Moviestar won't chase him. Valverde would be overruled.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Weird conflicting info on why Majka did not stop and wait today:

https://twitter.com/reneemeijer02/status/623877032611594240

 

[Matteo.]

I only hope he can recover from crash to do battle friday and saturday

 

[Teddy Boom]

Re:

Really pathetic seeing Movistar being more focused on catching Contador and then distancing him after his crash, than they were on pressuring Froome. Only Nibali and Contador seem to have a greater will to win than fear of losing in this race...
We need an alliance between Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo to make this race interesting.

Except.. I have the impression Astana turned a relatively easy Giro into an incredibly hard one, not because they had any hope of winning, but instead to wear Contador out and prevent the double. Not exactly natural allies.

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Really pathetic seeing Movistar being more focused on catching Contador and then distancing him after his crash, than they were on pressuring Froome. Only Nibali and Contador seem to have a greater will to win than fear of losing in this race...
We need an alliance between Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo to make this race interesting.

Except.. I have the impression Astana turned a relatively easy Giro into an incredibly hard one, not because they had any hope of winning, but instead to wear Contador out and prevent the double. Not exactly natural allies.

Landa would have been able to fight for the victory. After all he was the best climber but the idiot team wanted to win with Aru

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Really pathetic seeing Movistar being more focused on catching Contador and then distancing him after his crash, than they were on pressuring Froome. Only Nibali and Contador seem to have a greater will to win than fear of losing in this race...
We need an alliance between Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo to make this race interesting.

Except.. I have the impression Astana turned a relatively easy Giro into an incredibly hard one, not because they had any hope of winning, but instead to wear Contador out and prevent the double. Not exactly natural allies.

Landa would have been able to fight for the victory. After all he was the best climber but the idiot team wanted to win with Aru

Anyone can be a coach after the fact..... I would like you to direct me to the post, pre-Giro - where you said Landa could/should ride for the overall win...... because otherwise, you calling Astana an "idiot team" now, is in fact idiotic

 

[rzombie1988]

Why does Contador always seem to get left alone? He's never been on any super teams that helped him win post-2009 and I rarely recall him having more than one teammate, if even that, with him. All of his main rivals over the years had backup.

 

[leon993]

Re:

Why does Contador always seem to get left alone? He's never been on any super teams that helped him win post-2009 and I rarely recall him having more than one teammate, if even that, with him. All of his main rivals over the years had backup.

True, money is probably sweet

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

Really pathetic seeing Movistar being more focused on catching Contador and then distancing him after his crash, than they were on pressuring Froome. Only Nibali and Contador seem to have a greater will to win than fear of losing in this race...
We need an alliance between Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo to make this race interesting.

Except.. I have the impression Astana turned a relatively easy Giro into an incredibly hard one, not because they had any hope of winning, but instead to wear Contador out and prevent the double. Not exactly natural allies.

Landa would have been able to fight for the victory. After all he was the best climber but the idiot team wanted to win with Aru

Anyone can be a coach after the fact..... I would like you to direct me to the post, pre-Giro - where you said Landa could/should ride for the overall win...... because otherwise, you calling Astana an "idiot team" now, is in fact idiotic

Not before but during.
It was clear that Landa was a lot better than Aru.
On the Mortirolo for exemple ( but there are more) , Astana had the chance to win letting go Landa when Alberto was behinh and Aru , from the beginning of climb, was in difficult to follow Landa. It was clear.
But the truth was that they wanted an italian to try winning Giro....

and i'm an italian too but it was a stupid choise

 

[ILovecycling]

Such a bad luck, again at Tour.Incredible.

OTOH It was a great fun when he ripped the peloton apart in only few minutes. I hope he will try something for the stage win, or at least something crazy
Of course there is *** vomistar :/

 

[Melo]

New footage from the crash.

http://nos.nl/tour/video/2048387-nos-camera-ziet-contador-opkrabbelen.html

 

[Zoophonic]

Re:

New footage from the crash.

http://nos.nl/tour/video/2048387-nos-camera-ziet-contador-opkrabbelen.html

Nothing to see of value in that footage. Simple overlooking of a bend on the descent. It happens.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Weird conflicting info on why Majka did not stop and wait today:

https://twitter.com/reneemeijer02/status/623877032611594240

wow. this is interesting. The wife of the DS.. is the one that said that. But what's the motivation anyway? it's not like he was going to win the stage today.

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Re:

Weird conflicting info on why Majka did not stop and wait today:

https://twitter.com/reneemeijer02/status/623877032611594240

wow. this is interesting. The wife of the DS.. is the one that said that. But what's the motivation anyway? it's not like he was going to win the stage today.

There was a discussion about that already in his thread. Broken radio. Nothing to see here

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

Really pathetic seeing Movistar being more focused on catching Contador and then distancing him after his crash, than they were on pressuring Froome. Only Nibali and Contador seem to have a greater will to win than fear of losing in this race...
We need an alliance between Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo to make this race interesting.

Except.. I have the impression Astana turned a relatively easy Giro into an incredibly hard one, not because they had any hope of winning, but instead to wear Contador out and prevent the double. Not exactly natural allies.

Landa would have been able to fight for the victory. After all he was the best climber but the idiot team wanted to win with Aru

Anyone can be a coach after the fact..... I would like you to direct me to the post, pre-Giro - where you said Landa could/should ride for the overall win...... because otherwise, you calling Astana an "idiot team" now, is in fact idiotic

Not before but during.
It was clear that Landa was a lot better than Aru.
On the Mortirolo for exemple ( but there are more) , Astana had the chance to win letting go Landa when Alberto was behinh and Aru , from the beginning of climb, was in difficult to follow Landa. It was clear.
But the truth was that they wanted an italian to try winning Giro....

and i'm an italian too but it was a stupid choise

OMG.. are we still discussing about Landa again???