Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

That's exactly the lack of endurance. Being able to follow for a short period is good explosiveness. Good endurance stretches the lasting of explosiveness.

Good endurance?

Contador not being able to match Froomes insane one minute power has nothing to do with endurance. Even Martin was impressed by it which says a lot. Base training was done this winter and he's conserving himself for efforts by running on fat for most sections of these stages. There's no glycogen shortage and his threshold wattage is at or very close to what it should be at this point.

The difference between them is how their bodies handle the lactic acid during these shorter efforts. I'm pretty sure Froome has done very specific training for this as their tactic relies on having their strong lineup that more or less high speed tows him up to the last few km before finish before he does his trademark burst (Ventoux, La Pierre Saint Martin etc).

I think Alberto can match him in w/kg as we saw in the prologue but he just doesn't have the race legs as he described. He builds up a higher value of lactic acid mmol/liter and is fried after following Froome. He can attack and use his very small w/kg advantage but the truth is that many climbs are not only about w/kg. They're semi-steep and absolute wattage is an important component. SKY team just ups the tempo by burning a few riders and eventually catches him.

It's an uphill battle for Alberto in many perspectives. Froome has faded a bit last week of TDF as some pointed out so that might be his only chance. Michael Rogers said in some pod that Albertos old attacks don't work as good anymore. Numbers are similar but guys are just better these days so he's constantly trying to reinvent himself.

And why's that?

 

[Red Rick]

This isn't about physiology, it's about definition.

 

[Carols]

Alberto doesn't seem worried .

"Tomorrow I'll give it the maximum and if I see a good moment then I will try. Froome had a hard day. We put him at the limit. I saw good things today."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contadors-offensive-fails-to-crack-froome-in-criterium-du-dauphine-queen-stage/

 

[gatete]

Re: Re:

In 2010 Contador lost the Dauphine to Brajkovic. I think he's fine.

We are making excuses again for Bertie. Sorry but this smells of 2013. Do you remember the same words in 2013? "I don't have speed in my legs". Ha-ha, we couldn't figure what that meant (and he never found those "speed in the legs") and still haven't except we can now wonder if the same results will happen.

Hmmm, nothing is going to be like 2013, what I remember is AC being caught and passed by Porte in a TT

 

[boasson]

Re: Re:

In 2010 Contador lost the Dauphine to Brajkovic. I think he's fine.

We are making excuses again for Bertie. Sorry but this smells of 2013. Do you remember the same words in 2013? "I don't have speed in my legs". Ha-ha, we couldn't figure what that meant (and he never found those "speed in the legs") and still haven't except we can now wonder if the same results will happen.

Hmmm, nothing is going to be like 2013, what I remember is AC being caught and passed by Porte in a TT

The "i don't have speed in my legs" excuse for me is not understandable. He has 5100 race-km in his legs so far this season. In the best spring stage races in this world. For a Tour-Favorite its pretty much. Froome has 3600km. Quintana 4800km. How much hard race-km he want to have before the Tour? How were the race legs at the Prolouge? 2012 he won the Vuelta without any race-km in his legs before. It's not that important in my opinion.

Beside the TT's this season he had another problem. He was not good enough to beat Thomas at Algarve and Nice. He was not good enough to beat Quinti at Catalunya. He was not good enough to beat Henao at any roadstage at Pais Vasco and was going behind him in GC to the TT. And he was not good enough to beat Froome so far in le Dauphine.

So his problems are his high expectations. It was an good spring, but not an awesome one. He showed two very good TT's and a very strong MTF at Alto Malhao. But all the other days he was average. It was to much hype for his spring performances. So the expectations were rising. But to be at the same level like Froome or Quinti in the Tour he must destroyed the likes of G and Henao whenever he wanted to do. Thats simple.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

That's exactly the lack of endurance. Being able to follow for a short period is good explosiveness. Good endurance stretches the lasting of explosiveness.

Good endurance?

Contador not being able to match Froomes insane one minute power has nothing to do with endurance. Even Martin was impressed by it which says a lot. Base training was done this winter and he's conserving himself for efforts by running on fat for most sections of these stages. There's no glycogen shortage and his threshold wattage is at or very close to what it should be at this point.

The difference between them is how their bodies handle the lactic acid during these shorter efforts. I'm pretty sure Froome has done very specific training for this as their tactic relies on having their strong lineup that more or less high speed tows him up to the last few km before finish before he does his trademark burst (Ventoux, La Pierre Saint Martin etc).

I think Alberto can match him in w/kg as we saw in the prologue but he just doesn't have the race legs as he described. He builds up a higher value of lactic acid mmol/liter and is fried after following Froome. He can attack and use his very small w/kg advantage but the truth is that many climbs are not only about w/kg. They're semi-steep and absolute wattage is an important component. SKY team just ups the tempo by burning a few riders and eventually catches him.

It's an uphill battle for Alberto in many perspectives. Froome has faded a bit last week of TDF as some pointed out so that might be his only chance. Michael Rogers said in some pod that Albertos old attacks don't work as good anymore. Numbers are similar but guys are just better these days so he's constantly trying to reinvent himself.

Good post

 

[jens_attacks]

Succesfull day for alberto. He tested himself and sky on madeleine. He doesn't care about 2nd in gc. He's better by the day.

He can win today's stage easily if he wants too.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Just saw the last 4k. He actually did it again. Try so hard to follow and lose more time because you blow up. Not surprising considering he'd been attacking a lot during the stage. Froome looked quite human. Porte slowing down on big mountain stages/back to back mountain stages already.

Yeah, I'd like to see him try to catch up without frying himself, this would be a good race to try that. I know Alberto doesn't ride on wattage which may make it harder. When Froome does his yo-yo thing, he just continues to ride exactly on his threshold. I wish Alberto could try that once as well, it might work for him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Succesfull today for alberto. He tested himself and sky on madeleine. He doesn't care about 2nd in gc. He's better by the day.

He can win today's stage easily if he wants too.

I love you

 

[RattaKuningas]

Last 4km of the penultimate climb are over 10% (last KM is almost 14%). I think that Contador will definitely try something there today. Should suit him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Last 4km of the penultimate climb are over 10% (last KM is almost 14%). I think that Contador will definitely try something there today. Should suit him.

Hmm hmm we said the same about stage 5 but hopefully his legs are moving a bit better today

 

[Miburo]

He went insane on the Madeleine. We all know how Froome and Porte their recovery are and today there's more of the same.

If Contador has teammates in the front, he'll prob go earlier again.

Tour will be fun but today too.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I hope he waits for Noyer, as jens says he could win the stage if he attacks there

 

[Red Rick]

I'm kinda in dubio man. I don't want him to end up on the podium next to Froome, doesn't suit the all or nothing idea.

 

[Le Blaireau_13]

Interesting situation: at the moment, it seems like Contador could (only?) win the Tour by limiting his losses in the mountains and (probably?) gaining time in the individual time trials - I think both should suit him very well.

I really don't think it's a done deal yet (well, I hope). If Contador could improve - and I think he can - he should be able to match Froome's accelerations better and limit his losses. I'm afraid of the Aspin-stage, but I think that the following two Pyreneen stages, which are harder, don't suit Froome's / Sky's tactics that much. The only problem is: Sky is just that f***ing strong... I mean, what's the point of having Majka and Kreuziger with you, if you're stucked between a black train, consisting of Henao, Landa en Thomas??

 

[Miburo]

It's really important if he could win the tour again for his legacy but i would be already happy if he wins a stage. The MTT is made for him, it's more like a hilly ITT anyways so even better, not a pure MTT.

But if he has the legs of 2014 he can win for sure, man that face of him when he dropped nibali. It was insane, i've never seen him that good, not one emotion on his face, wasn't even breathing.

 

[Miburo]

Aspin, nothing will happen. 20-30 guys will be left. It'll truly start on Arcalis.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I'm kinda in dubio man. I don't want him to end up on the podium next to Froome, doesn't suit the all or nothing idea.

He always goes for the win, and a stage win is a win too
Nah really, I don't like to see him below Froome on the podium but rather on the podium than besides the podium I mean he's not super far off yellow either, if Froome isn't very strong and Alberto feels good, who knows what could happen even with an attack on Noyer. The only issue is Froome's team.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

Aspin, nothing will happen. 20-30 guys will be left. It'll truly start on Arcalis.

Lol, aspin is the biggest opotunity for froome, he could gain 1 minute there if sky worked hard

 

[portugal11]

I'm begging for rain

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Re:

Aspin, nothing will happen. 20-30 guys will be left. It'll truly start on Arcalis.

Lol, aspin is the biggest opotunity for froome, he could gain 1 minute there if sky worked hard

An entire minute?

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Aspin, nothing will happen. 20-30 guys will be left. It'll truly start on Arcalis.

Lol, aspin is the biggest opotunity for froome, he could gain 1 minute there if sky worked hard

An entire minute?

I think so. Arcallis is a very hard stage, has multiple moutains and this favors contador and quintana

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Re:

Aspin, nothing will happen. 20-30 guys will be left. It'll truly start on Arcalis.

Lol, aspin is the biggest opotunity for froome, he could gain 1 minute there if sky worked hard

An entire minute?

I think so. Arcallis is a very hard stage, has multiple moutains and this favors contador and quintana

It favours Contador and Quintana, yet you say Froome can take a minute here?

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Aspin, nothing will happen. 20-30 guys will be left. It'll truly start on Arcalis.

Lol, aspin is the biggest opotunity for froome, he could gain 1 minute there if sky worked hard

An entire minute?

I think so. Arcallis is a very hard stage, has multiple moutains and this favors contador and quintana

It favours Contador and Quintana, yet you say Froome can take a minute here?

Aspin is where froome could gain a minute, not arcallis... i'm responding to miburo

 

[Le Blaireau_13]

I don't know... A minute is pretty much for such a climb:

http://cyclingcols.com/profiles/AspinE.gif