Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Zinoviev Letter]

There was a nearly 40 man group. Even carrying some knocks, Contador isn't getting dropped from that big a group unless someone chops off a foot.

 

[Carols]

Re:

There was a nearly 40 man group. Even carrying some knocks, Contador isn't getting dropped from that big a group unless someone chops off a foot.

Except that we saw him dropped twice already on cat 3s due to his injuries. It was the slow pace that allowed him to gut it out one more day. But he didn't ever look good, just hanging in and suffering.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

There was a nearly 40 man group. Even carrying some knocks, Contador isn't getting dropped from that big a group unless someone chops off a foot.

Except that we saw him dropped twice already on cat 3s due to his injuries. It was the slow pace that allowed him to gut it out one more day. But he didn't ever look good, just hanging in and suffering.

It was a smaller group he was dropped from previously, which makes it impossible to know if he has improved by not getting dropped from this one. This group was basically anybody who can climb at all in the peloton, which is what made Pinot's performance so awful.

 

[Jelantik]

Ow boy I feel sorry for the guy. His true grit is being tested everyday. (even though it doesn't affect the result)

#TDF2016 @albertocontador finishes safe in the bunch - even after the puncture of the Flamme Rouge at the end!

 

[rune1107]

Obviously the human body is recuperating day by day. Therefore he must be feeling better than wednesday. It's just a question of how much better. Riding 200 km's a day is, of course, not the best way to heal up, but we'll see how he can diminish his losses this weekend. The alps will be carnage!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Ow boy I feel sorry for the guy. His true grit is being tested everyday. (even though it doesn't affect the result)

#TDF2016 @albertocontador finishes safe in the bunch - even after the puncture of the Flamme Rouge at the end!

Come on, no need to feel sorry because the flamme rouge arch came down it didn't come down onto his head

 

[ILovecycling]

I hope that he was in the back of the group because he wanted to conserve energy,I hope it wasnt because he was on the edge.

Vamos Albertooooooo!

 

[lenric]

He lives to fight another day. Still, if he loses time until the rest day he should just go to the Vuelta. But encouraging signs today. Or, at least, not discouraging.

 

[rhubroma]

If he was in great shape at the start of the Tour, then he should start coming round on Sunday. It depends though on how bad he's hurt and what sort of form he had at the start.

 

[Jelantik]

Well that darn crash, really mess things up. I guess we'll never see when or how he will attack. I'm sure he is probably itching to do something but his body just can't do anything..

from CN;
"It was a very demanding day. The first break had Peter [Sagan] and [Mark] Cavendish, and the teams that are interested in the green jersey were pulling on the front," Contador explained. "In the middle section, the group was then holding back, holding back. So then we tried to change the rhythm… I had to be conservative. In another scenario, I would have attacked, but I had to hold back

 

[Miburo]

Tomorrow its weak. Nothing will happen. If he can stay within 3 min after arcalis ill be a happy lad

 

[Jelantik]

Ow boy I feel sorry for the guy. His true grit is being tested everyday. (even though it doesn't affect the result)

#TDF2016 @albertocontador finishes safe in the bunch - even after the puncture of the Flamme Rouge at the end!

Come on, no need to feel sorry because the flamme rouge arch came down it didn't come down onto his head

:lol: i guess that's another glass half full then.. :lol:

 

[Carols]

Re:

I hope that he was in the back of the group because he wanted to conserve energy,I hope it wasnt because he was on the edge.

Vamos Albertooooooo!

From the stage’s finish, Alberto explained his strategy for the stage. "Today I had to be extremely conservative, something that is completely atypical to my style of racing. However today was a simple appetizer to what will take place tomorrow. The goal now is to recover and tackle these two days on the Pyrenees, with our sights set on the rest of the Tour.”

Looking back on the day’s racing, Alberto was pleased with how the strategy for the day worked out. “Although the stage had just one climb, the pace was high throughout the day. It also was a climb with strong winds. Despite the headwind, the average speed was high and that combined with the heat took its toll on some riders, so I decided to go to the back of the group. It's true that this change in rhythm can create gaps but on the other hand you ride well protected from the wind. My body welcomed that and it saved the day for me.”

It sounds like he went to the back intentionally and it saved him a lot of energy. Unless of course he is bluffing.....

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

I hope that he was in the back of the group because he wanted to conserve energy,I hope it wasnt because he was on the edge.

Vamos Albertooooooo!

From the stage’s finish, Alberto explained his strategy for the stage. "Today I had to be extremely conservative, something that is completely atypical to my style of racing. However today was a simple appetizer to what will take place tomorrow. The goal now is to recover and tackle these two days on the Pyrenees, with our sights set on the rest of the Tour.”

Looking back on the day’s racing, Alberto was pleased with how the strategy for the day worked out. “Although the stage had just one climb, the pace was high throughout the day. It also was a climb with strong winds. Despite the headwind, the average speed was high and that combined with the heat took its toll on some riders, so I decided to go to the back of the group. It's true that this change in rhythm can create gaps but on the other hand you ride well protected from the wind. My body welcomed that and it saved the day for me.”

It sounds like he went to the back intentionally and it saved him a lot of energy. Unless of course he is bluffing.....

It certainly looks fast and hard when you're not feeling the best, no matter how it truly fast was.

 

[LeSensei]

Hey guys, im new to this forum. Been following it closely last few months, specially this emotional rollercoaster that is this thread. Im a huge fan of AC, he used to live a few kms away from me back to when he lived in Pinto in Madrid.

Just wanted to say hi and looking forward to comment the tour with you guys.

 

[Carols]

Re:

Hey guys, im new to this forum. Been following it closely last few months, specially this emotional rollercoaster that is this thread. Im a huge fan of AC, he used to live a few kms away from me back to when he lived in Pinto in Madrid.

Just wanted to say hi and looking forward to comment the tour with you guys.

Welcome. You can give us lots of background from Pinto! Did you every meet him out on a training ride?

 

[RattaKuningas]

Well that darn crash, really mess things up. I guess we'll never see when or how he will attack. I'm sure he is probably itching to do something but his body just can't do anything..

from CN;
"It was a very demanding day. The first break had Peter [Sagan] and [Mark] Cavendish, and the teams that are interested in the green jersey were pulling on the front," Contador explained. "In the middle section, the group was then holding back, holding back. So then we tried to change the rhythm… I had to be conservative. In another scenario, I would have attacked, but I had to hold back

Of course we will see him attacking, it will just be later in the Tour.
It seems like it was a good day for Contador. Some comments here said that he was on the limit but it seems that this wasn't the case.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Hey guys, im new to this forum. Been following it closely last few months, specially this emotional rollercoaster that is this thread. Im a huge fan of AC, he used to live a few kms away from me back to when he lived in Pinto in Madrid.

Just wanted to say hi and looking forward to comment the tour with you guys.

Hello back, welcome to the forum!

 

[Matteo.]

I think again he could survive tomorrow. All they are worry of Arcalis stage , so the pace will probably slow and he is getting better

 

[portugal11]

Re:

Tomorrow its weak. Nothing will happen. If he can stay within 3 min after arcalis ill be a happy lad

I think the same. He will gain time in time trials, i'm pretty sure of that

 

[portugal11]

Could we see contador make a giro 2008 in this tour? No one discard him and he will be better day by day

 

[LeSensei]

Re: Re:

Welcome. You can give us lots of background from Pinto! Did you every meet him out on a training ride?

I did see him once in Morcuera, Madrid back in 2014 when he was preparing for the Vuelta. Back then there was this debate whether Contador would be able to grab a couple of stages at the end of the 3rd week or whether he was gonna give it a go for the GC. that he was still sore, kinda unable to train...

Boy did I see him fly up that climb that day


On-topic: I don't think he should retire from tdf at any rate. I'm just waiting here to see the fireworks in Mont Blanc.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Welcome. You can give us lots of background from Pinto! Did you every meet him out on a training ride?

I did see him once in Morcuera, Madrid back in 2014 when he was preparing for the Vuelta. Back then there was this debate whether Contador would be able to grab a couple of stages at the end of the 3rd week or whether he was gonna give it a go for the GC. that he was still sore, kinda unable to train...

Boy did I see him fly up that climb that day


On-topic: I don't think he should retire from tdf at any rate. I'm just waiting here to see the fireworks in Mont Blanc.

LOL an injured Contador can still fly against the likes of us

He won't quit, he is healing. He just needs to make it through these next 2 days and have a good rest day. Then maybe he will be able to start thinking offensively...I hope so anyway!

 

[ninjadriver]

Re: Re:

Well if he gets to the point where he can only do top 5 in the Tour then competing for a Giro win is 100% the better option.....That would makes it even sadder though that he wasted one of his peak years - 2015, on the Giro.

Contador didn't look "peak" to me at the 2015 Giro, HITCH. Landa and Aru both had him dead-to-rights, despite each doing horrible time trials.

One more mountain stage, and Contador would have finished 3rd. Also, if Astana had shifted to backing Landa midrace, Landa would have beaten AC outright. The last "peak" Contador I saw was in 2011. One could argue the end of 2014, although I'm not sure.

Some riders peak in their early years and I think Contador's best years were 2007-2011. The way he won races in that period was not comparable to later years even though he is always an attacking rider. Either he really thought the double was possible in his Giro years or he underestimated Froome. I don't think he was riding the Giro to avoid Froome but who knows, maybe a win in the Giro was more preferable to Contador after he already had a few Tour wins under his belt and it also allowed him to back up in the Vuelta. Some riders struggle with two GTs a year but Contador never did.

MOVING TARGET: Contador DID struggle with 2 Grand Tours in 1 year if they were back-to-back, and he didn't abandon the 1st one (2011 and 2015).

His 2008 Giro and 2011 Giro predated Froome as a GT favorite. Contador said he rode the 2015 Giro because he wanted to do the double.

The reasons I remember Contador riding the previous Giros were (i) in 2008, the Tour de France had banned Astana, and (ii) in 2011, Contador's Clenbuterol case was ongoing, and a suspension before the 2011 TDF was likely (and ultimately is what happened). So Contador did not ride any of his Giros to avoid Froome.

However, now I think he should....

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re: Re:

Welcome. You can give us lots of background from Pinto! Did you every meet him out on a training ride?

I did see him once in Morcuera, Madrid back in 2014 when he was preparing for the Vuelta. Back then there was this debate whether Contador would be able to grab a couple of stages at the end of the 3rd week or whether he was gonna give it a go for the GC. that he was still sore, kinda unable to train...

Boy did I see him fly up that climb that day


On-topic: I don't think he should retire from tdf at any rate. I'm just waiting here to see the fireworks in Mont Blanc.

LOL an injured Contador can still fly against the likes of us

He won't quit, he is healing. He just needs to make it through these next 2 days and have a good rest day. Then maybe he will be able to start thinking offensively...I hope so anyway!

If tomorrow is slow and he is with the peloton on the last climb then who knows what might happen. Maybe he will test his legs couple km's from the top of the climb should peloton be together.