Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

What he isn't going for is to improve his racing sharpness - because it's absolutely not the race for that. He should be at Omloop if he really wanted to push himself in that respect. Throughout his career, Contador has continuously mislead and been disingenuous with the media and in interviews - this is clearly another such occasion.

You are free to believe whatever you want.

Absolutely. I guess he was in Abu Dhabi last season as well to give him the bit of chispa needed to chow down on his callos over the winter.

 

[LaFlorecita]

He really wants to win Paris-Nice, but his rivals have started their season earlier than him, so he probably feels he is lagging behind a bit. By squeezing in a few extra race days he hopes to get some more racing rhythm and more speed in his legs, so he has a better chance of winning Paris-Nice. Whether it is the right decision remains to be seen, but you can't fault him for trying.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Absolutely. I guess he was in Abu Dhabi last season as well to give him the bit of chispa needed to chow down on his callos over the winter.

I looked that up on google yuck that looks gross

On topic of course he got money last year
But I doubt the organizers made him a last minute offer so something else must have made him change his mind

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Absolutely. I guess he was in Abu Dhabi last season as well to give him the bit of chispa needed to chow down on his callos over the winter.

I looked that up on google yuck that looks gross

On topic of course he got money last year
But I doubt the organizers made him a last minute offer so something else must have made him change his mind

It is pretty gross. You can go to festival sometimes in Com. Madrid though and there are street parties with people serving huge plates of the stuff, and everyone eating it with grimaced teeth, pretending its some kind of incredible regional delicacy. You have to feel sorry for the Madrileños - the Asturians get lovely Fabada, Gallegos have their Octopus, Basques with Marmitako, here in Valencia we have paella. And yet they are stuck with tripe stew.

That's actually a fair point about changing his mind at the last minute - the field is already pretty strong, so it would be a bit strange if they were throwing dollars at Contador at the last minute, but, considering money is no object to the UAE, you never know. I just don't buy the 'spark in the legs' excuse; he said himself that the race is easier and much lower energy requirement than a hard training block. I don't get the need to fly half way around the world to ride a few flat stages in the middle of a peloton, while pacing an inferior climber up the only stage that could potentially give a decent training benefit. If he wants to try to win the race or challenge Quintana/Nibali, then that's something else and would be more believable.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

You just don't get it. It's not about the power profile. There's a reason all riders have preparation races. Why do you think a rider like Andy bothered to show up to Suisse before the Tour, instead of just training at home 'more efficiently'?

There is a huge difference between the training effect from Suisse and from Abu Dhabi. The power profile would be completely different from the two races. And it is all about the power profile, unless he's going to Abu Dhabi to practice his bike handling.

So why did Andy race Suisse? To practice his bike handling (which he probably should have done more of)? If it's *purely* about the power profile, why not do that in training? Surely he should be able to train with the same (or, god forbid, an even more optimal) power profile, no?

Maybe, just maybe, it's not "all about the power profile"...

You just don't get it. It's not about the power profile. There's a reason all riders have preparation races. Why do you think a rider like Andy bothered to show up to Suisse before the Tour, instead of just training at home 'more efficiently'?

Thats a horrible argument if ive ever seen one. You cant conpare the two races, nor the two situations at all.

And I didn't. That would be obvious to you if you explicitly stated the straw man you are disagreeing with.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

You just don't get it. It's not about the power profile. There's a reason all riders have preparation races. Why do you think a rider like Andy bothered to show up to Suisse before the Tour, instead of just training at home 'more efficiently'?

There is a huge difference between the training effect from Suisse and from Abu Dhabi. The power profile would be completely different from the two races. And it is all about the power profile, unless he's going to Abu Dhabi to practice his bike handling.

So why did Andy race Suisse? To practice his bike handling (which he probably should have done more of)? If it's *purely* about the power profile, why not do that in training? Surely he should be able to train with the same (or, god forbid, an even more optimal) power profile, no?

Maybe, just maybe, it's not "all about the power profile"...

Incredible to continue comparing Abu Dhabi to Tour of Suisse in terms of a preparation race. In Suisse a climber has to respond to attacks, constant changes of 5 min and 10 min power as you go over small climbs, much more sustained power output on numerous long climbs, fast descents, chances to breakaway, chances to win stages. Several stages have 4000m+ of climbing and can take 6 hours and the race takes nine days. And it's just a few hours drive, or an hour flight from where most riders live. Of course, in theory a rider could replicate this kind of power profile in training, but they would need an incredible amount of motivation to do solo rides with that intensity for on 9 consecutive days.

In Abu Dhabi, a climber sits in a peloton, free wheeling or doing about 200w. Then you go around a corner and - unless you are in the first 20 places - you have to stand up and increase the power to 400-500w for three seconds. Then you sit back down and have a chat to the guy next to you until the next corner. You do this for three hours, then spend the rest of the day doing media duties, or getting introduced to various important people. Again - a climber could replicate this power profile in training, but they would have to go significantly easier than they normally would do - I guess like a kind of recovery week. They certainly wouldn't do that to get a racing spark in their legs.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Seriously, what does Pantani have over Nibali besides winning the double, a drug addiction, a tragic death and the biggest hype of the sport?

Nibali's climbing talent compared with Pantani's is like comparing a FIAT with a Ferrari.

As much as I love Vincenzo he just isn't in the same class with Il Pirata. The panache of the man could make one weep with joy!

 

[gerundium]

I'm sorry but this is just stupid. It's not about watts nor about getting used to a nervous peloton. It's about getting that speed in the legs, those intense accelerations after every corner, you simply cannot simulate that while training. In a peloton you have to always react to what's going on in front of you.

But as Flo stated, you expert watchers obviously know best.

PS. this talk about Abu Dhabi organizers paying $$$ for having him on their race unfortunately makes some sense in a way, although I don't believe it's any relevant for Contador now. Especially if Mollema is really the leader on paper.

This just isn't true. Take a look at the power file from racers in Abu Dhabi last year - Amador for example - https://www.strava.com/activities/774373254/analysis.

Average power is less than 200w, normalized power 224w for three hours. Total work 1760Kj. And the intense accelerations around the corners are mostly around 400w. That's barely above threshold for Contador. It's an easy Sunday club ride - significantly easier than the average pro training ride. Any decent club cyclist could stay in the peloton pretty comfortably with the power demands needed.

In fact, he'd get a better workout, with more intense changes in pace, going out on a local Cat 1/2 equivalent race anywhere in Spain. Or even a tough club ride.

A vital change though is the place in the calendar of the race. A race in late october ran off at a leisurely pace will not be comparable at all to a race where it's full on prep for the important season goals of all the riders.

 

[Publicus]

I think it is about Mollema more than anything--to bank some goodwill and maybe try out tactics, etc, in a race situation. AFAIK there are no other races where they will line up before the TdF, and you really can't simulate tactical situations away from races (you can think about or diagram them, but the race situation is the best test chamber). I don't think it has anything to do with measuring himself against Quintana et al.

 

[DFA123]

I'm sorry but this is just stupid. It's not about watts nor about getting used to a nervous peloton. It's about getting that speed in the legs, those intense accelerations after every corner, you simply cannot simulate that while training. In a peloton you have to always react to what's going on in front of you.

But as Flo stated, you expert watchers obviously know best.

PS. this talk about Abu Dhabi organizers paying $$$ for having him on their race unfortunately makes some sense in a way, although I don't believe it's any relevant for Contador now. Especially if Mollema is really the leader on paper.

This just isn't true. Take a look at the power file from racers in Abu Dhabi last year - Amador for example - https://www.strava.com/activities/774373254/analysis.

Average power is less than 200w, normalized power 224w for three hours. Total work 1760Kj. And the intense accelerations around the corners are mostly around 400w. That's barely above threshold for Contador. It's an easy Sunday club ride - significantly easier than the average pro training ride. Any decent club cyclist could stay in the peloton pretty comfortably with the power demands needed.

In fact, he'd get a better workout, with more intense changes in pace, going out on a local Cat 1/2 equivalent race anywhere in Spain. Or even a tough club ride.

A vital change though is the place in the calendar of the race. A race in late october ran off at a leisurely pace will not be comparable at all to a race where it's full on prep for the important season goals of all the riders.

It's pretty comparable for a rider who is going to be sat in the middle of the peloton the vast majority of the time. For sprinters or guys who will go in a break, perhaps it will be more intense at this time of year. But for a climber sat behind 50 other riders in the bunch, the difference between averaging 45km/h and 50km/h on a dead flat course is negligble in terms of power.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Can't see Contador riding for Mollema ...who rarely if ever attacks....Imagine they will each ride their own race

That's an unfair statement.

Which part ?

If you ask why is Contador doing this or that race you are accused of being some armchair critiq .with the bla bla ..I have news for you this is a forum and we are allowed to ask questions

Mu view that he will not ride for Mollema and will take on Quintana is as valid as anyone elses..Abu Dhabi imo is not a training race for Contador

Some people should not be so defensive with legit questions

 

[Red Rick]

I think Abu Dhabi will be ridden harder this year.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I think Abu Dhabi will be ridden harder this year.

You could be right, but I'm struggling to see how it will be ridden hard. Pretty much every team has either a sprinter or a climber (with eyes on the GC) or both. So it'll be hard in the last 10km as they fight for position, and on the one climb - but for the rest of the race I don't see how the pace is going to be anything special. There are almost no really powerful guys in the race who can go off the front and provoke a serious and tough chase - because they are all going to Omloop instead. Likewise, even if there are winds, the riders who could split the race apart and keep it apart are all in Belgium.

 

[Escarabajo]

That mountain stage will be raced harder this year. That much I know.

 

[Jelantik]

I don't care what his "real intention" of racing AbuDhabi. But I definitely hoping some great fireworks on Saturday stage. Nibali, Aru, Quintana, Contador, Bardet, Mollema, Tejay, the climb will be raced pretty hard. Whether contador rides for Mollema or the other way around or they both race to win… whoever has the better leg, that's also interesting to see. I'm sure, Contador wants to test his leg before his PN goal later in March.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

That mountain stage will be raced harder this year. That much I know.

Yes! At least there will be some decent action this year. If Quintana follows his new tactic of attacking at the start of every climb there could be real fireworks. Mollema and Bardet both have pretty strong teams to help chase him down - and Nibali could try something as well.

 

[GraftPunk]

Eh, It's probably a mixture of everyone's reasoning --- some sponsorship duty, a bit of goodwill to his team, a potential minor early season dust-up with a rival, and maybe some cash and a nice stay in decent weather. As long as he's wheels down on the tarmac, and doesn't crash out, I don't see the harm in it. Cheers.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I think Abu Dhabi will be ridden harder this year.

It won't harder to sit in the bunch, really. Maybe apart from the finale when every team pretty much has a GC-contender. Well, it will at least be a lot more nervous. Then you can add 0,5-0,8 w/kg compared to the final climb last year and whoop, there you have it!

Anyways, if he blasts everyone away in Paris-Nice, some of us will look stupid. To some degree at least.

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

I think Abu Dhabi will be ridden harder this year.

It won't harder to sit in the bunch, really. Maybe apart from the finale when every team pretty much has a GC-contender. Well, it will at least be a lot more nervous. Then you can add 0,5-0,8 w/kg compared to the final climb last year and whoop, there you have it!

Anyways, if he blasts everyone away in Paris-Nice, some of us will look stupid. To some degree at least.

Porte is a world class climber. In a good day he is on pair and capable of beating froome or quintana.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Eh, It's probably a mixture of everyone's reasoning --- some sponsorship duty, a bit of goodwill to his team, a potential minor early season dust-up with a rival, and maybe some cash and a nice stay in decent weather. As long as he's wheels down on the tarmac, and doesn't crash out, I don't see the harm in it. Cheers.

I agree

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

Eh, It's probably a mixture of everyone's reasoning --- some sponsorship duty, a bit of goodwill to his team, a potential minor early season dust-up with a rival, and maybe some cash and a nice stay in decent weather. As long as he's wheels down on the tarmac, and doesn't crash out, I don't see the harm in it. Cheers.

Very political answer.

The best reasoning in the last two pages. At least everyone is happy for now.

 

[Escarabajo]

Raise your hand if you want to see Contador work for Mollema!
LOL. I want to see that!!!

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Raise your hand if you want to see Contador work for Mollema!
LOL. I want to see that!!!

It would be interesting to see, but I don't want to see it right now....maybe in a race after he's won the Tour. To thank Mollema for all his work. I guess he could do it in Abu Dahbi if it was a Mollema/AC 1 and 2 on GC.

 

[Sciocco]

I understand wanting to throw another race in there before PN but there may be better options than the Abu fkking Dhabi tour. TCI la Provence is three stages 21-23/2. Volta ao Alentejo is five stages 22-26/2 and includes a nice first stage. Keeps him in the right neighborhood instead of Abu fkking Dhabi.

Regardless victories at PN, VPV, and TDF are all but confirmed.

 

[Jelantik]

Re: Re:

Raise your hand if you want to see Contador work for Mollema!
LOL. I want to see that!!!

It would be interesting to see, but I don't want to see it right now....maybe in a race after he's won the Tour. To thank Mollema for all his work. I guess he could do it in Abu Dahbi if it was a Mollema/AC 1 and 2 on GC.

well looks like contador came to AbuDhabi to ride for Mollema. There you go. your wish comes true

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-to-work-for-mollema-in-abu-dhabi-tour/