Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[infeXio]

Needs more Bennati!

 

[blackmamba]

Re:

Omg he lost 4 seconds? Damn yea, it's pretty much over now.

Might aswell abandon this race and quickly fly to italy for the T-A

Haha!! I swear some of these guys are mentally ill

PN is over unless Contador crash or gets ill beating Thomas, Tom and Porte is like taking candy from a little child for Alberto either these guys dont know cycling, havent watched it last years or simply doesnt understand it

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

[Haha!! I swear some of these guys are mentally ill

PN is over unless Contador crash or gets ill beating Thomas, Tom and Porte is like taking candy from a little child for Alberto either these guys dont know cycling, havent watched it last years or simply doesnt understand it

Please tell me where Contador will take back the time lost on Thomas, Dumoulin and Izagirre. Will it be the puncheur hill tomorrow, or the 5% climb on stage 6, similar to the one he lost 20 seconds to Thomas on 2 weeks ago?

If you thought this was going to be easy before the race even started, you're probably a bit delusional, if you still think it's going to be easy now, you should get a reality check.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I am afraid his team is just not good enough. The win is extremely compromised now.

I had no idea where he was with all the ruckus at the front. Silly time losses

Very frustrating. Winning the race was already a difficult task but it's quickly becoming impossible.

Lulz, quickly becoming impossible? Its 4 seconds and Matthews won't win. You guys should stop painting the devil on the wall until tomorrow, similar to Portugal and Malhao.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Lulz, quickly becoming impossible? Its 4 seconds and Matthews won't win. You guys should stop painting the devil on the wall until tomorrow, similar to Portugal and Malhao.

Already before the race I said it would be difficult for him to win. I had expected a time loss on yesterday's stage so that's positive, but still it will be incredibly hard. The climbs suit his opponents better than they suit him. Tomorrow, he could take some time, though it isn't sure, but on stage 6 it is pretty much impossible, he could even lose time.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Right now, the GC looks as follows:
Matthews
Dumoulin +14s
Thomas +19s
Izagirre +19s
Porte +27s
Contador +33s

 

[blackmamba]

Re: Re:

[Haha!! I swear some of these guys are mentally ill

PN is over unless Contador crash or gets ill beating Thomas, Tom and Porte is like taking candy from a little child for Alberto either these guys dont know cycling, havent watched it last years or simply doesnt understand it

Please tell me where Contador will take back the time lost on Thomas, Dumoulin and Izagirre. Will it be the puncheur hill tomorrow, or the 5% climb on stage 6, similar to the one he lost 20 seconds to Thomas on 2 weeks ago?

Probably will take it all tomorrow if not then on the 5% climb as you describe it I honestly have a hard time figuring out if your even serious if you think its over. Pretty easy to understand only question is how much effort Contador wanne put in it, thats the only question cause beating a nobody like Thomas, Dumoulin and Izagirre (in term of overall standings) which has almost never proved anything besides a few top 5 ent their entire career for a guy like Contador which has won more than any riders in the sport today so just SIT DOWN SIR

Nothing has changed PN is Contador's to loose, only a crash or he getting ill will stop him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Lulz, quickly becoming impossible? Its 4 seconds and Matthews won't win. You guys should stop painting the devil on the wall until tomorrow, similar to Portugal and Malhao.

Already before the race I said it would be difficult for him to win. I had expected a time loss on yesterday's stage so that's positive, but still it will be incredibly hard. The climbs suit his opponents better than they suit him. Tomorrow, he could take some time, though it isn't sure, but on stage 6 it is pretty much impossible, he could even lose time.

Tomorrow's climb definitely suits Contador much better than the other, its Mende/Malhao-esque. Its obvious that if Contador wins this race, he needs a very good performance on that climb, but he has shown this year he is capable of that. The last stage shouldn't be discounted either.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Omg he lost 4 seconds? Damn yea, it's pretty much over now.

Might aswell abandon this race and quickly fly to italy for the T-A

Haha!! I swear some of these guys are mentally ill

PN is over unless Contador crash or gets ill beating Thomas, Tom and Porte is like taking candy from a little child for Alberto either these guys dont know cycling, havent watched it last years or simply doesnt understand it

Porte is one of the best in the world at one week races. Thomas has focused on this race loads, too.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Tomorrow's climb definitely suits Contador much better than the other, its Mende/Malhao-esque. Its obvious that if Contador wins this race, he needs a very good performance on that climb, but he has shown this year he is capable of that. The last stage shouldn't be discounted either.

He has to attack in the first 1.5km, those final steep stretches are too steep for him to make any sort of speed, it will be a slug fest. The final 1.5km suits Dumoulin and Izagirre way better. And honestly, this climb seems perfect for Matthews!

 

[blackmamba]

Yes, Porte is a excellente 1 week racer but I doubt he is in the shape he was last year (will we see tho) their both contending obviously but lets not fool anyone Contador is still the favourite. And to say its over for Contador its just plain stupid!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Tomorrow's climb definitely suits Contador much better than the other, its Mende/Malhao-esque. Its obvious that if Contador wins this race, he needs a very good performance on that climb, but he has shown this year he is capable of that. The last stage shouldn't be discounted either.

He has to attack in the first 1.5km, those final steep stretches are too steep for him to make any sort of speed, it will be a slug fest. The final 1.5km suits Dumoulin and Izagirre way better. And honestly, this climb seems perfect for Matthews!

Wait, Contador is surely better than at least Izaguirre at those gradients? Its 8,4% over 3 kilometres. I have always seen Contador as a very good rider at 9-10%, even a littler higher. Its a real climb, not a hill, so I can't see Matthews doing well here. He will at least lose 20 seconds to Contador, excluding the bonus.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Wait, Contador is surely better than at least Izaguirre at those gradients? Its 8,4% over 3 kilometres. I have always seen Contador as a very good rider at 9-10%, even a littler higher. Its a real climb, not a hill, so I can't see Matthews doing well here. He will at least lose 20 seconds to Contador, excluding the bonus.

Of course Contador is a very good rider at 9-10%, but for him, 7-8% gradients are best. They allow him to use his explosiveness to accelerate away from everyone in the big ring. Steep (>10%) gradients are not as good for him but when he is racing diesel climbers, very steep climbs might be better for him to take time than the more shallow (7-8%) climbs. If that makes sense.
I still don't know what category Thomas fits into. I've never seen him as particularly explosive but I wouldn't call him a diesel either. I really don't know.
I've always seen Izagirre as someone who excels on these short, steep climbs. Of course, this doesn't mean he will perform better. A climb can suit rider A better than rider B, but rider B can still take time if he is simply the stronger rider. It just means it'll be harder

 

[Brullnux]

Tomorrow's climb definitely suits Contador much better than the other, its Mende/Malhao-esque. Its obvious that if Contador wins this race, he needs a very good performance on that climb, but he has shown this year he is capable of that. The last stage shouldn't be discounted either.

He has to attack in the first 1.5km, those final steep stretches are too steep for him to make any sort of speed, it will be a slug fest. The final 1.5km suits Dumoulin and Izagirre way better. And honestly, this climb seems perfect for Matthews!

That may be slightly too hard for Matthews. If the pace is high I don't expect him to contest the finale. The percentages he can deal with fine but the percentages, with that irregularity and the length might mean he struggles. It's more LBL/Lombardia than Amstel.

It also might be too irregular for Dumoulin. IIRC correctly, Cumbre del Sol in last year's Vuelta was fairly regular, and just a 4km slug fest. It was possible there for him to just churn out a big gear at his own pace and keep coming back at everyone.

I don't know if those these gradients suit Contador but remember his insane Muro di Guardagriele in 2014? That may have been much shorter but it was much steeper; regular, but steeper. It's a lot like Montelupone for me. Admittedly, he's never raced up there.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I am a big Izaguirre fan and he really isn't an explosive kinda guy, but neither is he a diesel I think in this case the misconception is that he just simply isn't a good GT-rider and fades on longer, harder climbs. He would probably have preferred it at 8 throughout, but most people woulda done that in this field, so its kinda even for everyone imo.

 

[burning]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=748roWK68a4

http://inrng.com/2014/03/roads-to-ride-mont-brouilly/

That profile massively overrates this climb though

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't know if those these gradients suit Contador but remember his insane Muro di Guardagriele in 2014? That may have been much shorter but it was much steeper; regular, but steeper. It's a lot like Montelupone for me. Admittedly, he's never raced up there.

On Guardiagrele, he had to beat Geschke, King and Hansen. Not the hardest task in the world and he beat Geschke by "just" 6 seconds.
IIRC Peraud was 30s faster than Contador on the Muro, but that is hardly surprising of course, given he's an ex-MTB'er and Contador had ridden 30km on his own.

 

[May0maniac]

Wait, Contador is surely better than at least Izaguirre at those gradients? Its 8,4% over 3 kilometres. I have always seen Contador as a very good rider at 9-10%, even a littler higher. Its a real climb, not a hill, so I can't see Matthews doing well here. He will at least lose 20 seconds to Contador, excluding the bonus.

Of course Contador is a very good rider at 9-10%, but for him, 7-8% gradients are best. They allow him to use his explosiveness to accelerate away from everyone in the big ring. Steep (>10%) gradients are not as good for him but when he is racing diesel climbers, very steep climbs might be better for him to take time than the more shallow (7-8%) climbs. If that makes sense.
I still don't know what category Thomas fits into. I've never seen him as particularly explosive but I wouldn't call him a diesel either. I really don't know.
I've always seen Izagirre as someone who excels on these short, steep climbs. Of course, this doesn't mean he will perform better. A climb can suit rider A better than rider B, but rider B can still take time if he is simply the stronger rider. It just means it'll be harder

To me Geraint is a diesel climber who's great at riding tempo, he has a decent sprint, but having a good sprint doesn't mean that you are an explosive climber who's able to accelerate, Contador for example has brutal explosive attacks, but at the same time he's a bad sprinter.
He wouldn't have lost time if he had Bennati with him...

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

I am a big Izaguirre fan and he really isn't an explosive kinda guy, but neither is he a diesel I think in this case the misconception is that he just simply isn't a good GT-rider and fades on longer, harder climbs. He would probably have preferred it at 8 throughout, but most people woulda done that in this field, so its kinda even for everyone imo.

I've always seen Izagirre as amazing on hard time trials. He was second or third last year in Pais Vasco on that ridiculously hard Aia TT. He came third there because of that TT. He struggled on the Aia stage a bit and lost 18 seconds to Purito, and wasn't in the second group in the other stage with the ridiculously high gradients just before a shirt descent to the line. He isn't very explosive.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=748roWK68a4

http://inrng.com/2014/03/roads-to-ride-mont-brouilly/

That profile massively overrates this climb though

Okay, so it is sort of similar to Malhão, just more irregular.

 

[TheYouyou7]

His boys have to set a CRAZY(sprint) pace to cause big damage, i'm sure he can gain 10s on everybody.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Time for AC to show his colors tomorrow. He will have to do a very good climb here.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Photo of Alberto crossing the finish yesterday

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Time for AC to show his colors tomorrow. He will have to do a very good climb here.

No more hiding

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yates:

“Things did get a bit tricky at the end after a long day, and in the final there was a split and Alberto Contador lost a few seconds in the hectic, slightly uphill sprint. Hopefully this won’t come back to haunt us in Nice. We stayed out of trouble and did everything right all day long, but this shows you that anything can happen in these finishes here.”
"Tomorrow will be the first opportunity for Alberto and the team to go for the victory and to move up the GC. The plan stays the same, to protect Alberto and his GC hopes, supported by the team including Rafal Majka who’s going well here.”