Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Publicus]

Re: Re:

i wonder if this race is about getting Contador and Mollema a chance to ride together? I could see Contador actually working for Mollema on the mountain stage since he has the Giro coming up....EDIT: then i remembered that Quintana is there and maybe I should stop speculating as to the why....

I actually think you'd expect Tour-riders, generally speaking, to be better at this moment in time than Giro-riders.

all the more reason for me to not be speculating. i'm outside of my depth on "where such and such should be at any given point in the season."

 

[LaFlorecita]

From CN article

It later emerged that Contador had lost a little time in the early part of the race against the clock after two loose dogs ran into the street just ahead of him. The offending canines were small ones, apparently, but nonetheless Contador had to swerve and slow in order not to miss them. Whether the stray dogs indirectly cost him the overall lead is anyone’s guess, but it can’t have helped.

Reading this paragraph it would seem dog lover Berto tried to hit the poor dogs on purpose!

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

From CN article

It later emerged that Contador had lost a little time in the early part of the race against the clock after two loose dogs ran into the street just ahead of him. The offending canines were small ones, apparently, but nonetheless Contador had to swerve and slow in order not to miss them. Whether the stray dogs indirectly cost him the overall lead is anyone’s guess, but it can’t have helped.

Reading this paragraph it would seem dog lover Berto tried to hit the poor dogs on purpose!

naah. It's just unfortunate. At least now looks like he will be lining up for Abu Dhabi Tour. Getting more speed is good before his first objective PN. He is eager to win again, not few second here lost to so and so like last year.

As for after the Ruta, it was announced on Friday he will now take part in Abu Dhabi. “As I’m lacking that little bit of edge that often makes the slight difference between victory and defeat, we’ll see if I can pick things up a little bit for Paris-Nice."

 

[Red Rick]

And so Contador loses his first confrontation with Dawgs this year

 

[portugal11]

It's the first time that i'm excited to see abu dhabi. Contador vs quintana should be interesting. They are the best in one week stage races alongside porte.
I still think that quintana is too strong for a rider who will do giro-tour

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

It's the first time that i'm excited to see abu dhabi. Contador vs quintana should be interesting. They are the best in one week stage races alongside porte.
I still think that quintana is too strong for a rider who will do giro-tour

Better to be ahead than behind schedule. There's still room to adjust periodisation. Contador wasn't great in Algarve 2011 but completely recked the few races he did after.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

And so Contador loses his first confrontation with Dawgs this year

Nailed it!!

 

[fantomas]

Re:

Damn dogs.

The curse of BIg Mig.

A now retired Danish commentator used to always mention, that Indurain once said the race isn't over until it's over, because a dog might cause you to crash.

 

[Sciocco]

I hope he attacks on stage five.

WTF abu dhabi *** tho

 

[Pennino]

What his race schedule would have been like:
15-19 February Ruta del Sol
5-12 March Paris-Nice
20-26 March Volta a Catalunya
3-8 April Vuelta al Pais Vasco
4-11 June Criterium du Dauphiné
Roughly two weeks between Ruta and P-N, then 1 week race - 1 week rest - 1 week race - 1 week rest - 1 week race. And then a two-month gap to Dauphiné.
Now he has a 3-day break after Ruta and a 6-day break and several of those rest days will be wasted traveling to and from the desert, which means he won't be properly rested and also won't get the chance to build his form in training. I'm sure he'll get a nice sum of money from the organizers but I really don't think it's a good idea. He will be fatigued for Paris-Nice and subsequently below par in Catalunya and Pais Vasco and he might even get ill because of the difference in weather. As I said this is not the season to experiment and it would be foolish to change an approach that has always worked very well for him.

You absolutely have a point. But I appreciate the fact that he chooses to do this in order to be even better at those stage races. When it's about winning it's about daring to lose. Now even more, when you seem to be the only rider who really only cares about winning while the rest cares as much protecting some silly top positions and even helping eachother (Gallopin :sad. Then you have to be at the absolute best of your game.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Assuming there won't be any changes to the GC, this'll be the 7th year in a row he doesn't win his first race of the season, last time was 2010. So no worries in that regard. But it'll also be the first time since 2011 that he doesn't win at least 1 stage in his first race, he even managed it in 2013 :lol: Will he set things straight in Abu Dhabi? Or will we have to wait till Paris-Nice? If all else fails, there's always Pais Vasco (I can't wait that long )

 

[portugal11]

Assuming there won't be any changes to the GC, this'll be the 7th year in a row he doesn't win his first race of the season, last time was 2010. So no worries in that regard. But it'll also be the first time since 2011 that he doesn't win at least 1 stage in his first race, he even managed it in 2013 :lol: Will he set things straight in Abu Dhabi? Or will we have to wait till Paris-Nice? If all else fails, there's always Pais Vasco (I can't wait that long )

Porte is good in following contador's wheel but when contador wear yellow jersey after mont brouilly, porte will have to attack and contador only have to follow porte. Don't worry

 

[LaFlorecita]

Assuming there won't be any changes to the GC, this'll be the 7th year in a row he doesn't win his first race of the season, last time was 2010. So no worries in that regard. But it'll also be the first time since 2011 that he doesn't win at least 1 stage in his first race, he even managed it in 2013 :lol: Will he set things straight in Abu Dhabi? Or will we have to wait till Paris-Nice? If all else fails, there's always Pais Vasco (I can't wait that long )

Porte is good in following contador's wheel but when contador wear yellow jersey after mont brouilly, porte will have to attack and contador only have to follow porte. Don't worry

Mont Brouilly ITT could be good for Porte as well, it will be interesting. Yesterday's result gave me a lot of confidence though, a good ITT from him in spring is almost always a sign of good shape.

 

[portugal11]

Assuming there won't be any changes to the GC, this'll be the 7th year in a row he doesn't win his first race of the season, last time was 2010. So no worries in that regard. But it'll also be the first time since 2011 that he doesn't win at least 1 stage in his first race, he even managed it in 2013 :lol: Will he set things straight in Abu Dhabi? Or will we have to wait till Paris-Nice? If all else fails, there's always Pais Vasco (I can't wait that long )

Porte is good in following contador's wheel but when contador wear yellow jersey after mont brouilly, porte will have to attack and contador only have to follow porte. Don't worry

Mont Brouilly ITT could be good for Porte as well, it will be interesting. Yesterday's result gave me a lot of confidence though, a good ITT from him in spring is almost always a sign of good shape.

A contador past his prime is still a monster and the best in this type of time trials. In his prime how many times he toyed with his rivals in pais vasco's time trials?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Of course, Berto will be one of if not the biggest fave for that ITT, depending on his showing in Abu Dhabi, but I am just pointing out Titchy Ritchie is no slouch in such TTs either

 

[yaco]

Contador and Cavendish seem to come up with strange excuses when beaten - I suppose they need to think this way.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Contador and Cavendish seem to come up with strange excuses when beaten - I suppose they need to think this way.

Where did you read an excuse? I only saw that Berto said he felt pretty good and was satisfied but still lacks some rhythm. If you consider that an excuse, well.....

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Contador and Cavendish seem to come up with strange excuses when beaten - I suppose they need to think this way.

Where did you read an excuse? I only saw that Berto said he felt pretty good and was satisfied but still lacks some rhythm. If you consider that an excuse, well.....

I think he talks about the dog.
However, thats not really a bad excuse when it came down to 1 second. Cavendish, however, is really good at making bonkers stuff up for why he didn't perform.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Contador and Cavendish seem to come up with strange excuses when beaten - I suppose they need to think this way.

Where did you read an excuse? I only saw that Berto said he felt pretty good and was satisfied but still lacks some rhythm. If you consider that an excuse, well.....

I think he talks about the dog.
However, thats not really a bad excuse when it came down to 1 second. Cavendish, however, is really good at making bonkers stuff up for why he didn't perform.

An article I saw mentioned the dogs, but no quotes from AC about it in anything I've seen. Do you have a link where AC comments about the dogs?

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Contador and Cavendish seem to come up with strange excuses when beaten - I suppose they need to think this way.

Where did you read an excuse? I only saw that Berto said he felt pretty good and was satisfied but still lacks some rhythm. If you consider that an excuse, well.....

I think he talks about the dog.
However, thats not really a bad excuse when it came down to 1 second. Cavendish, however, is really good at making bonkers stuff up for why he didn't perform.

Contador is a master at making excuses - He tells a journalist 'off the record' about a dog, and then it somehow appears in the article without a quote - It was also mentioned by Kirby and Stephen's during the stage - Remember a BMC rider got the blame when Contador crashed in the TDF, though later the allegation was rescinded - Anyway at least Contador didn't suffer a flat tyre and gear issues like Cavendish in sprint finishes in Dubai

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Contador and Cavendish seem to come up with strange excuses when beaten - I suppose they need to think this way.

Where did you read an excuse? I only saw that Berto said he felt pretty good and was satisfied but still lacks some rhythm. If you consider that an excuse, well.....

I think he talks about the dog.
However, thats not really a bad excuse when it came down to 1 second. Cavendish, however, is really good at making bonkers stuff up for why he didn't perform.

Contador is a master at making excuses - He tells a journalist 'off the record' about a dog, and then it somehow appears in the article without a quote - It was also mentioned by Kirby and Stephen's during the stage - Remember a BMC rider got the blame when Contador crashed in the TDF, though later the allegation was rescinded - Anyway at least Contador didn't suffer a flat tyre and gear issues like Cavendish in sprint finishes in Dubai

Another troller???

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Contador is a master at making excuses - He tells a journalist 'off the record' about a dog, and then it somehow appears in the article without a quote

What nonsense... do you have any evidence for this? When he wants to make excuses he doesn't fanny about he just straight up says it. And anyway it seems to me a dog on the road could cost at least a second??

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Contador is a master at making excuses - He tells a journalist 'off the record' about a dog, and then it somehow appears in the article without a quote

What nonsense... do you have any evidence for this? When he wants to make excuses he doesn't fanny about he just straight up says it. And anyway it seems to me a dog on the road could cost at least a second??

It definitely could. All about how much velocity you lost by braking. Its very plausible that he lost 1 second.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I saw a little clip, it was right before a corner so he was probably already braking, but he seemed to hesitate a bit and couldn't take the optimal line into the corner. Not sure he lost a second there, but it's possible.

 

[rhubroma]

http://video.gazzetta.it/ruta-sol-contador-sbanda-colpa-un-cane/27bd0b8c-f604-11e6-9e9a-ef9f1f932f53