Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Carols]

I really like this years TT helmet. The logo of Yellow, Pink, Red as a winner of all 3 GTs shows up very nicely from the side.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

What do you all think the time gaps will be in TT's at TDF. I know Froome is strongest but both TT's, especially the last one have climbs in them.

It is of course hard to say because we don't know in what shape they'll be. But providing both reach top shape during the Tour, I'd say Contador should be able to limit his losses to 30-40s in the first ITT, and in the 2nd ITT I think they'll be equal or Contador slightly faster.

 

[Poursuivant]

Re: Re:

What do you all think the time gaps will be in TT's at TDF. I know Froome is strongest but both TT's, especially the last one have climbs in them.

It is of course hard to say because we don't know in what shape they'll be. But providing both reach top shape during the Tour, I'd say Contador should be able to limit his losses to 30-40s in the first ITT, and in the 2nd ITT I think they'll be equal or Contador slightly faster.

Would be good if there was. TT at Catalunya, oh well.

 

[Jspear]

All this analyzing isn't necessary. It's simple. He'll win PN....don't ask me how I came to that conclusion.

 

[StryderHells]

It was actually a ****. He should work on his tt bike position a power.

His position isn't any worse than in previous years.

Yes, but the others have better position and he should improve his tt.

Why? He wins races and is coming to the end of his career in the next season or 2

 

[rhubroma]

If he's sincere then he could have been, what, 5-6 secs faster? That would put him on Portes' time and 3-4 down on Gerrant, who used to be a prologue "specialist." That's a good performance for such a short and explosive TT.

PN is always a close race and isn't infrequently won till the MTF stage, or Col d'Eze TT, which isn't part of the race this year. If these gaps remain fixed, then 4 or 5 riders can win the GC on Sat.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

All this analyzing isn't necessary. It's simple. He'll win PN....don't ask me how I came to that conclusion.

If he's sincere then he could have been, what, 5-6 secs faster? That would put him on Portes' time and 3-4 down on Gerrant, who used to be a prologue "specialist." That's a good performance for such a short and explosive TT.

Exactly. I saw a picture of Tosatto in action during yesterday's TT and there were really cobbles - what is it with cobbles during TTs, are the race organizers trying to sabotage Alberto? First Algarve, now P-N - I'm not sure how much time it cost him but most likely a couple seconds at least.

 

[Jakub]

It was actually a ****. He should work on his tt bike position a power.

His position isn't any worse than in previous years.

Yes, but the others have better position and he should improve his tt.

Why? He wins races and is coming to the end of his career in the next season or 2

He wins races?
TdF contains a flat tt, losing too much time would be dangerous. Honestly the whole Tinkoff team is somehow underperforming in tts. I am sure that teams like Movistar make much more in the training.

On the other hand giro 15 was superb and this I simply don't understand. TdF ttt was tragic.

 

[LaFlorecita]

He's been TT training a lot this winter.
Seriously, he knows what he has to do. He's a pro

 

[Matteo.]

It will be a hard and dangerous day for Alberto . probably it will snow on the course and sterrato is difficult . Let's just hope he doesn't have accidents
Patient . If he loses seconds in the standings

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

It will be a hard and dangerous day for Alberto . probably it will snow on the course and sterrato is difficult . Let's just hope he doesn't have accidents
Patient . If he loses seconds in the standings

Yes, the most important thing is that he reaches the finish in one piece. Fingers crossed

 

[Jakub]

Re:

He's been TT training a lot this winter.
Seriously, he knows what he has to do. He's a pro

Ok, but why did he rode such bad tts in Algarve and PN? He used to win GTs with tt - giro 08, tour 10 and used to be a prologue specialist.
I would really like to know. Because I am simply confused.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

He's been TT training a lot this winter.
Seriously, he knows what he has to do. He's a pro

Ok, but why did he rode such bad tts in Algarve and PN? He used to win GTs with tt - giro 08, tour 10 and used to be a prologue specialist.
I would really like to know. Because I am simply confused.

Maybe he just isn't as good in TTs anymore.
It doesn't matter as long as he still performs in GTs. But in the last couple of years he is very inconsistent in TTs when he's not at his peak.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

He's been TT training a lot this winter.
Seriously, he knows what he has to do. He's a pro

Ok, but why did he rode such bad tts in Algarve and PN? He used to win GTs with tt - giro 08, tour 10 and used to be a prologue specialist.
I would really like to know. Because I am simply confused.

He also used to be younger in those days and lets just say his trips to the clinic would of helped him with his TT
When was he ever really a prologue specialist? Anyway he just isn't on the best form yet which isn't that much of a surprise so seeing him drop a whopping 16 seconds in a prologue shouldn't be a shock

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

When was he ever really a prologue specialist?

Before his ban he was. Except hilly, medium-length (20-30km) TTs, prologues were probably the best sort of TTs for him

Take your pick:
Paris-Nice 2004, 13km, 5th
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=261

Paris-Nice 2006, 4.8km, 4th
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=3307

Paris-Nice 2007, 4.7km, 5th
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=5056

Paris-Nice 2009, 9.3km, 1st
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=10565

Tour de France 2009, 15.5km, 2nd
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=12907

Paris-Nice 2010, 8km, 4th
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=16976

Critérium du Dauphiné, 6.8km, 1st
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=17599

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

He's been TT training a lot this winter.
Seriously, he knows what he has to do. He's a pro

Ok, but why did he rode such bad tts in Algarve and PN? He used to win GTs with tt - giro 08, tour 10 and used to be a prologue specialist.
I would really like to know. Because I am simply confused.

He also used to be younger in those days and lets just say his trips to the clinic would of helped him with his TT
When was he ever really a prologue specialist? Anyway he just isn't on the best form yet which isn't that much of a surprise so seeing him drop a whopping 16 seconds in a prologue shouldn't be a shock

9 seconds on Dylan Thomas in 6 km prologue is too much IMHO, the same with half a minute on the same poet in Algarve.

This I think too...with the visits.

He used to be great in prologues, usually top ten and best of GC guys. If I remember correctly.

 

[Carstenbf]

Re: Re:

Ok, but why did he rode such bad tts in Algarve and PN? He used to win GTs with tt - giro 08, tour 10 and used to be a prologue specialist.
I would really like to know. Because I am simply confused.

There's your average TT and then there's your TT's two weeks into a hard GT. Recovery always was amongst his greatest assets. Dunno, thats my take on it at least. He always was a decent TT'er, but hardly a specialist?

(ok, rereading LaFlo's examples I s'pose you've got a point. Only the last couple of years I've started to follow him more closely. Remember I used to be annoyed with him for being the best climber AND among the best TT'ers. Ring a bell anyone? )

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

He's been TT training a lot this winter.
Seriously, he knows what he has to do. He's a pro

Ok, but why did he rode such bad tts in Algarve and PN? He used to win GTs with tt - giro 08, tour 10 and used to be a prologue specialist.
I would really like to know. Because I am simply confused.

He also used to be younger in those days and lets just say his trips to the clinic would of helped him with his TT
When was he ever really a prologue specialist? Anyway he just isn't on the best form yet which isn't that much of a surprise so seeing him drop a whopping 16 seconds in a prologue shouldn't be a shock

9 seconds on Dylan Thomas in 6 km prologue is too much IMHO, the same with half a minute on the same poet in Algarve.

This I think too...with the visits.

He used to be great in prologues, usually top ten and best of GC guys. If I remember correctly.

9 seconds to Thomas is nothing. Blokes a bloody Olympic Pursuit Gold medalist !.

 

[Red Rick]

Sprinting in the drops. Kittel better watch out

 

[TheYouyou7]

Ok he saved the day, i think he has the race in the pocket

 

[LaFlorecita]

A shame he couldn't outsprint Thomas for that 1s but no accidents and no time loss. Well done.

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

Re:

A shame he couldn't outsprint Thomas for that 1s but no accidents and no time loss. Well done.

Alberto sprint? What?

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

A shame he couldn't outsprint Thomas for that 1s but no accidents and no time loss. Well done.

Yeah. Now the gap is 10s , nothing if he'll do a mini Malhao on Mont Broully ( and with bonuses)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

A shame he couldn't outsprint Thomas for that 1s but no accidents and no time loss. Well done.

Alberto sprint? What?

It was crazy, Matthews, Thomas and Berto sprinted for 2 and 1 bonus seconds, obviously Berto lost but still and he sprinted in the drops

 

[Carols]

Re:

A shame he couldn't outsprint Thomas for that 1s but no accidents and no time loss. Well done.

I know he really gave it a go. Man never could sprint though Anyway safely through even though he was alone for the final kms...again.