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Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

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Re: Re:

DFA123 said:
rhubroma said:
http://video.gazzetta.it/ruta-sol-contador-sbanda-colpa-un-cane/27bd0b8c-f604-11e6-9e9a-ef9f1f932f53
So it was nothing then. Could have given a nice boost of adrenaline if anything.

it is possible that he had to brake just out of fear that the dog would continue into his path, his swerve would've made, as was posted previously, his line into the corner less than ideal.
 
I think this will be the year that Contador will finally decrease because of age.
2013 was because of clinic and some other problems(like fatiguing himself too much then resting and being too chubby and never finding the form).
2015 was because of the double attempt which he couldn't plan and was too fatigued from the Giro.

Last year he was great and I think he would have won the Tour if not for the crashes and he sucked in Vuelta because he wasn't fully healed. I hope he can win another Grand Tour but I don't think he will be strong enough this season. But then again, stranger things have happened in cycling so why not?
 
LaFlorecita said:
Forever The Best said:
LaFlorecita said:
Sounds like Berto intends to help Mollema in Abu Dhabi
Link?
http://www.marca.com/ciclismo/2017/02/19/58a9b4d922601dc0358b45d1.html
"Sin duda, Bauke Mollema va a ser nuestro líder en Abu Dabi. Estaré encantado de echarle una mano"
Thanks Flo.
From what I understood with google translate he says another Formigal is harder to do and he says 54 km of ITT is too much in Vuelta.
I think there should be 100 km of ITT in GTs with proper mountain and hilly stages. So I disagree with Contador here.
 
In that Giro he was up against weak TTers. In the Vuelta this won't be the case. Froome will take at least 3 minutes on all other GT contenders in such a TT. Which means game over unless he doesn't start or crashes out. I can understand that Berto is disappointed as he was probably planning for it to be his last race and wanted to give one last show in his home country.
 
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Re:

Forever The Best said:
I think this will be the year that Contador will finally decrease because of age.
2013 was because of clinic and some other problems(like fatiguing himself too much then resting and being too chubby and never finding the form).
2015 was because of the double attempt which he couldn't plan and was too fatigued from the Giro.

Last year he was great and I think he would have won the Tour if not for the crashes and he sucked in Vuelta because he wasn't fully healed. I hope he can win another Grand Tour but I don't think he will be strong enough this season. But then again, stranger things have happened in cycling so why not?

In the Giro of 2015, he was already vulnerable in the mountains. Landa was the better climber, but he had to wait for Aru in almost all of the big mountain stages. When he was given a free role, he dropped Berto big on Finestre.
 
Re: Re:

Arredondo said:
Forever The Best said:
I think this will be the year that Contador will finally decrease because of age.
2013 was because of clinic and some other problems(like fatiguing himself too much then resting and being too chubby and never finding the form).
2015 was because of the double attempt which he couldn't plan and was too fatigued from the Giro.

Last year he was great and I think he would have won the Tour if not for the crashes and he sucked in Vuelta because he wasn't fully healed. I hope he can win another Grand Tour but I don't think he will be strong enough this season. But then again, stranger things have happened in cycling so why not?

In the Giro of 2015, he was already vulnerable in the mountains. Landa was the better climber, but he had to wait for Aru in almost all of the big mountain stages. When he was given a free role, he dropped Berto big on Finestre.
He was obviously very vulnerable in that Giro. He was probably planning to win Giro with less than %100 and in an easy way without full out racing but Astana went full out and Landa was unexpectedly great so he always lost time in the mountains and it was a very hard Giro because Astana went full out in many stages, allowing Contador to be very fatigued for the Tour.
 
Interesting...I also agree that Contador is on the down slope, and some have discussed the choices, the calendar: next week...going for the cash versus building up with rest and racing well balanced.

I think that Alberto has the power of acceleration that can keep any of Froome's surges in check. I don't follow him close enough to have a strong stance, though. But still, after reading the posts here, from many members including LaFlo (of course), I'm not so sure that he keeps his eyes on the big prize. Years ago, he could have squeezed in an extra race and be fine. He's an older rider now. But maybe he'll cancel a race later on to refresh.

Anyways, in the grand scheme of things, winning La Ruta Del Sol or losing it by one second (was the dog on the road named Piti :D ?) is a moot point: when Berto turned it on, no one could follow. And he had an excellent ITT. Alberto Contador leaves Andalucia feeling good.

Contador fans, rejoice :) .
 
Re:

Red Rick said:
I think you're overstating it Flo. Sure Contador thinks shorter TT's are better, but he ain't losing 3 minutes if he's in a form in which is contests the mountains

Yes, in agreement. Contador's time trial at last years Vuelta was a shocker. Generally speaking he is not that far behind Froome against the clock.

In fact if he could replicate his 2015 Giro time trial form then he'd give Froome a run for his money, but I think such form now is unlikely.

In the mountains though he could still be a very strong adversary to Froome in this years Tour. And there's always the slight chance of an ambush stage. Which means that Alberto has a chance in France this year, given the disgraceful low number of ITT kms.
 
Re:

lenric said:
His power of acceleration has greatly diminished. He has never showed it to be greater than Froome's, only on par (2014's Dauphine).

Not only the acceleration but his strength as well. He makes breaks but against the best riders in the best races he rarely stays away with an attack now. It's the unexpected attacks like his ambush in the Vuelta that still make him a dangerous rider and unpredictable. It almost got him a podium in the Vuelta even though it seemed that he hadn't fully recovered from his injuries in the Tour. He has to get through the first week of the Tour without any issues before anything else. I think he is a podium chance but he has to ride smart and be more selective with his attacks and maybe it's someone else's turn to have some bad luck this year but he can't rely on that happening. Just like last year the podium battle will be hard fought. There are probably five riders with a decent chance at the podium. Last year Mollema, Yates and Porte surprised. I suppose Bardet was less of a surprise and Quintana has given himself a hard task. Even Dan Martin did better than expected. Based on last year Chaves also will push for a podium. Of course Froome is the one to beat.
 
He's obviously believing that under ideal circumstances, which patently wasn't the case at Tinkov, he can find both the necessary power and stamina to overcome Froome (and Quintana if the Giro doesn't effect him adversely) at the Tour. A podium certainly means nothing to him. It's win or fail. Evidently we will see if between PN and the Dauphine he shows signs he can hit those kind of numbers. It is a shame we didn't get to see at least one mountain showdown in the 2014 Tour before both he and Froome crashed out. I think that will still leave some doubt in his and his entourage's minds about this coming July, as to whether or not AC can produce the necessary levels to defeat Froome at the Tour.
 
Re:

rhubroma said:
He's obviously believing that under ideal circumstances, which patently wasn't the case at Tinkov, he can find both the necessary power and stamina to overcome Froome (and Quintana if the Giro doesn't effect him adversely) at the Tour. A podium certainly means nothing to him. It's win or fail. Evidently we will see if between PN and the Dauphine he shows signs he can hit those kind of numbers. It is a shame we didn't get to see at least one mountain showdown in the 2014 Tour before both he and Froome crashed out. I think that will still leave some doubt in his and his entourage's minds about this coming July, as to whether or not AC can produce the necessary levels to defeat Froome at the Tour.
I don't agree with this. His record has been so poor at the Tour for half his career now, post-ban, that I think he would bite your hand off if you offered him a second place behind Froome at the Tour - proving (kind of) that he is the best of the rest.

Objectively, 2nd at the Tour, given his record there, would be a great result for this season.
 
Re: Re:

DFA123 said:
rhubroma said:
He's obviously believing that under ideal circumstances, which patently wasn't the case at Tinkov, he can find both the necessary power and stamina to overcome Froome (and Quintana if the Giro doesn't effect him adversely) at the Tour. A podium certainly means nothing to him. It's win or fail. Evidently we will see if between PN and the Dauphine he shows signs he can hit those kind of numbers. It is a shame we didn't get to see at least one mountain showdown in the 2014 Tour before both he and Froome crashed out. I think that will still leave some doubt in his and his entourage's minds about this coming July, as to whether or not AC can produce the necessary levels to defeat Froome at the Tour.
I don't agree with this. His record has been so poor at the Tour for half his career now, post-ban, that I think he would bite your hand off if you offered him a second place behind Froome at the Tour - proving (kind of) that he is the best of the rest.

Objectively, 2nd at the Tour, given his record there, would be a great result for this season.
Objectively maybe but he clearly still very much believes he can win and anyways anything can happen, Froome could crash out or lose 4 minutes after a mechanical or have an off-season, there is no way Berto would settle for 2nd.

Edit: I should add that I'd rate a win at Paris-Nice or Pais Vasco above a 2nd place at the Tour (aka first loser) and I bet Berto would too.

Edit2: But if he were to finish 2nd after a perfect prep and a perfect race with no misfortune I think that would ease his mind knowing that that is the most he could get out of it - yes 2014 2016 "what if" but I don't think he'd be as obsessed anymore
 
Re: Re:

LaFlorecita said:
DFA123 said:
rhubroma said:
He's obviously believing that under ideal circumstances, which patently wasn't the case at Tinkov, he can find both the necessary power and stamina to overcome Froome (and Quintana if the Giro doesn't effect him adversely) at the Tour. A podium certainly means nothing to him. It's win or fail. Evidently we will see if between PN and the Dauphine he shows signs he can hit those kind of numbers. It is a shame we didn't get to see at least one mountain showdown in the 2014 Tour before both he and Froome crashed out. I think that will still leave some doubt in his and his entourage's minds about this coming July, as to whether or not AC can produce the necessary levels to defeat Froome at the Tour.
I don't agree with this. His record has been so poor at the Tour for half his career now, post-ban, that I think he would bite your hand off if you offered him a second place behind Froome at the Tour - proving (kind of) that he is the best of the rest.

Objectively, 2nd at the Tour, given his record there, would be a great result for this season.
Objectively maybe but he clearly still very much believes he can win and anyways anything can happen, Froome could crash out or lose 4 minutes after a mechanical or have an off-season, there is no way Berto would settle for 2nd.

Edit: I should add that I'd rate a win at Paris-Nice or Pais Vasco above a 2nd place at the Tour (aka first loser) and I bet Berto would too.

Edit2: But if he were to finish 2nd after a perfect prep and a perfect race with no misfortune I think that would ease his mind knowing that that is the most he could get out of it - yes 2014 2016 "what if" but I don't think he'd be as obsessed anymore
Yeah, that's fair. Perhaps beforehand he wouldn't accept it, because Froome has failed to finish more than one GT now. I just think if he came into the last week a minute or two behind Froome in 2nd place, with Quintana or Bardet just behind him, we wouldn't see a win or bust attack - it'd be much more likely to see him try to defend 2nd.

Not sure about Paris-Nice or Pais Vasco meaning so much to him nowdays. There's the commercial angle as well - in that Trek will be paying him a lot of money and will want some decent exposure at the Tour - which finishing 2nd would bring. Week long stage races unfortunately don't even come close in this day and age.
 
I don't believe that for a rider of his caliber and with his career plamares, anything less than a win at the Tour would have meaning. A podium spot would only be a disappointment (however the circumstances). In fact he has repeatedly stressed he is going for another yellow jersey.
 
Re:

rhubroma said:
I don't believe that for a rider of his caliber and with his career plamares, anything less than a win at the Tour would have meaning. A podium spot would only be a disappointment (however the circumstances). In fact he has repeatedly stressed he is going for another yellow jersey.
Well, yeah, of course he's going to say he's going for the yellow jersey. He's not going to say he's going for 2nd place.

I think he'd be content with 2nd though. If he rides a good race, stays on his bike and finishes a minute or so behind Froome, but beats the rest then it would be a very good ride by him, and I think he'd be pleased with that. His career palmares is obviously great, but it's been a long time since he did anything at all at the Toru.
 
Re: Re:

DFA123 said:
rhubroma said:
I don't believe that for a rider of his caliber and with his career plamares, anything less than a win at the Tour would have meaning. A podium spot would only be a disappointment (however the circumstances). In fact he has repeatedly stressed he is going for another yellow jersey.
Well, yeah, of course he's going to say he's going for the yellow jersey. He's not going to say he's going for 2nd place.

I think he'd be content with 2nd though. If he rides a good race, stays on his bike and finishes a minute or so behind Froome, but beats the rest then it would be a very good ride by him, and I think he'd be pleased with that. His career palmares is obviously great, but it's been a long time since he did anything at all at the Toru.
I think he'd be happy with 2nd IF he feels it was the best possible outcome i.e. no crashes, no bad luck, good prep etc., as I said it would ease his mind because he wouldn't be left wondering
But I don't think a 2nd place would add anything to his palmares at all
 
Of course, a second place adds nothing to his career. He'll go for the win but at at the end i think he'll be happy with the podium and why not a stage win. We need to be realistic: 2007-2011 are gone, as someone said , in fact, the old Contador would have won the MTF in Andalusia ( 500m soon or not).
 
Re:

Matteo. said:
Of course, a second place adds nothing to his career. He'll go for the win but at at the end i think he'll be happy with the podium and why not a stage win. We need to be realistic: 2007-2011 are gone, as someone said , in fact, the old Contador would have won the MTF in Andalusia ( 500m soon or not).
I think 2nd place definitely adds something. In the Froome/Quintana era, Contador is yet to come close to challenging on the biggest stage of all - the Tour. If he could finish 2nd, beating Quintana and pushing Froome at times, then I think that would mark him out as a great spanning two eras. At the moment, he's the greatest rider from the Schleck/Evans era, but only 3rd or 4th in the Froome/Quintana/Nibali era. A 2nd place, beating Quintana and seriously challenging Froome would add something imo. 2nd at the Tour, for example, would be worth more than beating a weak Giro field, or winning the Vuelta in your only GT of the season.
 

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