Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[bajbar]

Tomorrow (or any other day in the week for that matter) could mark the first time Alberto wins the stage/GC of a French WT stage race since 2010

Fingers crossed!!

 

[Miburo]

Fleur i thought you knew Contador, that climb of saterday is more than enough for him.

This ain't Froome he's facing, he's gonna destroy thomas.

Some of Contador's most devastating attacks comes from 5-6% climbs. It suits him the best.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Tomorrow (or any other day in the week for that matter) could mark the first time Alberto wins the stage/GC of a French stage race since 2010

Fingers crossed!!

Indeed!! It would be a good morale boost

 

[Põhja Konn]

Re: 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.

That irregularity is a major advantage to Contador though. If he is as good as he was on Malhao, gaps are likely to be even bigger than they were back there.

I would say one of Contador, Dumoulin or Porte is in yellow after tomorrow. For the stage 3 itself, Contador is the favourite, with Porte and Bardet his closest challengers.

 

[BlurryVII]

Gotta admit the PN route is pretty shite for a pure climber. Hopes should still be high thanks to the time bonifications, Mathews is gonna blow up pretty quick, Thomas and Izagirre will lose at least 10s . Add Bonifications, Contador could be in Yellow tomorrow. But of course, that's if he is in the form we all expect him to be.

Madone D'utelle is a very long climb, 14 kms finishing at high altitude, with bits at 9% where he could attack as well and keep up on the 5% sectors like he already did in his career. Algarve Alto de Foia is definitely to forget, he was out of energy, he did a mistake and it was his 2nd day racing.

Worst case, Tinkoff goes berserk on the Mont Ventoux in Friday with 100km to go, to drop all the other contenders, job done

 

[Taxus4a]

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.

Florecilla, It woudl be stupid to attack in the first part when in those slopes at the end you dont need to attack, people drope alone, he just need to follow his own pace, if he do more, he could crack as in Huy last TdF.

About this climb...Mathews?? maybe 2 minutes, at least one if he is inspired with the help' of the yellow.

I remember in Valle del sol in Vuelta a Burgos people aying carlo barbero could do well, as if 3 Km at 7 is the same that and uphill or clunia or things like that, Thats is mountain, and Mathews is not a climber.

Or course Dumoulin can do it very well as in that stage in Alicante in la Vuelta, instead he is not a climber, but he is powerfull and complete rider.

Porte is very good in aerodinamic climbs, it is not the cae, but he is quite explosive as well. I dont know if he is on shape...
.

 

[Poursuivant]

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

Wait, that climb is the same as tomorrow? Matthews finished five seconds within Slagter.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

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.

Florecilla, It woudl be stupid to attack in the first part when in those slopes at the end you dont need to attack, people drope alone, he just need to follow his own pace, if he do more, he could crack as in Huy last TdF.

About this climb...Mathews?? maybe 2 minutes, at least one if he is inspired with the help' of the yellow.

I remember in Valle del sol in Vuelta a Burgos people aying carlo barbero could do well, as if 3 Km at 7 is the same that and uphill or clunia or things like that, Thats is mountain, and Mathews is not a climber.

Or course Dumoulin can do it very well as in that stage in Alicante in la Vuelta, instead he is not a climber, but he is powerfull and complete rider.

Porte is very good in aerodinamic climbs, it is not the cae, but he is quite explosive as well. I dont know if he is on shape...
.

Matthews losing 2 minutes? No chance.

 

[Publicus]

I don't think the profile (with the stair step) is the correct profile. At least it is not the one Contador posted on twitter

 

[ad9898]

I'm a big Contador fan and I've always supported him in adversity (the Tour last year) but what I'm seeing unfortunately is a fading star....he simply isn't showing enough....or what we were used to in the past, don't get me wrong it grates on me to say this but it's time to face facts. He lost 4 secs today, ok not much but it's the principal of it, in the past he would never have allowed this to happen.

I hope to take all this back over the next few days but we will see

 

[Velolover2]

Contador better win this one. If he can't beat Porte/Thomas, he can't beat Froome.

 

[TheYouyou7]

Re:

Contador better win this one. If he can't beat Porte/Thomas, he can't beat Froome.

Well it depends of what happens... but if he's well placed at the bottom and has 2 GOOD teammates it will be ok.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I don't think the profile (with the stair step) is the correct profile. At least it is not the one Contador posted on twitter

I think the stairstep one is simply a more detailed version, the one Alberto posted shows only the gradient per km

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

Contador better win this one. If he can't beat Porte/Thomas, he can't beat Froome.

Well it depends of what happens... but if he's well placed at the bottom and has 2 GOOD teammates it will be ok.

Majka better be there.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

I'm a big Contador fan and I've always supported him in adversity (the Tour last year) but what I'm seeing unfortunately is a fading star....he simply isn't showing enough....or what we were used to in the past, don't get me wrong it grates on me to say this but it's time to face facts. He lost 4 secs today, ok not much but it's the principal of it, in the past he would never have allowed this to happen.

I hope to take all this back over the next few days but we will see

Did you see the finish... it was just a minimun split.., and he was just before on the front.

When is the fading star, in 2013, now? -after to get his best performance in Malhao ever? He has no age to fade, at least phisically, mentally is possible, but acording his words it is not the case.

Of course his performances previous to his sanction are not going to come back.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

I'm a big Contador fan and I've always supported him in adversity (the Tour last year) but what I'm seeing unfortunately is a fading star....he simply isn't showing enough....or what we were used to in the past, don't get me wrong it grates on me to say this but it's time to face facts. He lost 4 secs today, ok not much but it's the principal of it, in the past he would never have allowed this to happen.

I hope to take all this back over the next few days but we will see

You're wrong, in tour 2007. The day before the final ITT he lost the same amount to Evans in a flat stage on a similar manner. (paris-nice 2007 the same happened too)

In tour '09, his prime. He lost time to armstrong in an echelon stage. Happened many times to Contador

It doesn't mean anything, learn your facts.

 

[ad9898]

Re: Re:

I'm a big Contador fan and I've always supported him in adversity (the Tour last year) but what I'm seeing unfortunately is a fading star....he simply isn't showing enough....or what we were used to in the past, don't get me wrong it grates on me to say this but it's time to face facts. He lost 4 secs today, ok not much but it's the principal of it, in the past he would never have allowed this to happen.

I hope to take all this back over the next few days but we will see

You're wrong, in tour 2007. The day before the final ITT he lost the same amount to Evans in a flat stage on a similar manner. (paris-nice 2007 the same happened too)

In tour '09, his prime. He lost time to armstrong in an echelon stage. Happened many times to Contador

It doesn't mean anything, learn your facts.

I disagree, the instances you mention were one offs at a time when he was clearly the best stage racer by a long way. In my opinion it's more the other way around now. Of course the next days will give us answers, if I need to eat my words I'll be back to do so

 

[arvc40]

Re:

I'm a big Contador fan and I've always supported him in adversity (the Tour last year) but what I'm seeing unfortunately is a fading star....he simply isn't showing enough....or what we were used to in the past, don't get me wrong it grates on me to say this but it's time to face facts. He lost 4 secs today, ok not much but it's the principal of it, in the past he would never have allowed this to happen.

I hope to take all this back over the next few days but we will see

Difficult for me to understand how people come up with opinions like this. Amazed how totaly opposite they are to mine. Just saying. Anyway, Contador looks in great condition and I'm quite sure he will take over GC by the time the race reaches Nice.

 

[BlurryVII]

Loses 4 seconds in a peloton split, he is aging and a fading star. M'kay.

Looks like everytime he loses time somewhere, it's a good reason to say he's done.

 

[cantpedal]

I'll believe He's done when he's been retired 5 years and fat.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Loses 4 seconds in a peloton split, he is aging and a fading star. M'kay.

Looks like everytime he loses time somewhere, it's a good reason to say he's done.

Even among his own fans...

 

[BlurryVII]

Re: Re:

Loses 4 seconds in a peloton split, he is aging and a fading star. M'kay.

Looks like everytime he loses time somewhere, it's a good reason to say he's done.

Even among his own fans...

The only time I thought he was declining was in 2013.

Other than that, If I'm disappointed about his performances I'd just think he is in bad form. But not compare with what he used to do 5 years ago and say he is done. Nope.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

I'm a big Contador fan and I've always supported him in adversity (the Tour last year) but what I'm seeing unfortunately is a fading star....he simply isn't showing enough....or what we were used to in the past, don't get me wrong it grates on me to say this but it's time to face facts. He lost 4 secs today, ok not much but it's the principal of it, in the past he would never have allowed this to happen.

I hope to take all this back over the next few days but we will see

Ofcourse he's not the same invincible climber as he used to be. However, I actually think Contador has become better at staying in the front on flat stages and in echelon. Perhaps it's just a general trend that GC riders are focusing more on staying in the front when the fight for positions begins on flat stages, but Contador is certainly one of the GC riders almost never missing the important splits.

To say he isn't showing enough is not wrong, but it's only so because he hasn't had the chance to show anything yet. If he is not up for it tomorrow or on Madone (which probably won't be the case), your words may have bigger weight.

 

[cantpedal]

Re: Re:

Loses 4 seconds in a peloton split, he is aging and a fading star. M'kay.

Looks like everytime he loses time somewhere, it's a good reason to say he's done.

Even among his own fans...

Is it March or June? I'm not his biggest fan but it's way to early to write him off this year. Is he the rider he once was? I don't believe so but what we've seen so far this year proves nothing other than he's reasonably fit.

 

[Taxus4a]

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.

Florecilla, It woudl be stupid to attack in the first part when in those slopes at the end you dont need to attack, people drope alone, he just need to follow his own pace, if he do more, he could crack as in Huy last TdF.

About this climb...Mathews?? maybe 2 minutes, at least one if he is inspired with the help' of the yellow.

I remember in Valle del sol in Vuelta a Burgos people aying carlo barbero could do well, as if 3 Km at 7 is the same that and uphill or clunia or things like that, Thats is mountain, and Mathews is not a climber.

Or course Dumoulin can do it very well as in that stage in Alicante in la Vuelta, instead he is not a climber, but he is powerfull and complete rider.

Porte is very good in aerodinamic climbs, it is not the cae, but he is quite explosive as well. I dont know if he is on shape...
.

Matthews losing 2 minutes? No chance.

We will se tomorow, I said at least ione, and maybe 2.

Lok at this, Barbero was the first leader of Vuelta a Burgos, in an uphill finish, Clunia, and some people asked him his chances to win in Pineda... he said: too hard for me, but journalist next day on TV insisted... Well, Barbero is not a climber but he did well (maybe third after Ruben Plaza and Mancebo) in the queen stage of Castilla y León one year (2 Km final climb), and he is that kind of sprinter who climb well, as Mathews, and he did 32th, so no bad, but 2:08 from Super López.


Pineda is similar overall climb, more constant, a bit longer, without slopes of 20 %, but similar anyway.

And Malhao is similar.


http://www.biciciclismo.com/es/vuelta-burgos-miguel-angel-lopez-vence-en-pineda-de-la-sierra-07-08-2015