Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

If he rides a good TT it's already a sign. The first mountain will be a confirmation. There is no getting around it, to climb well you need to be ultra lean. He looks very fit, but it's true only his performance will demonstrate whether or not appearances are misleading.

Because of the rain, I'm not sure we can draw a lot of conclusions from the TT. A lot depends on how many risks the riders are willing to take.

 

[portugal11]

I think froome will be stronger than alberto in the mountains but if froome crashes, contador is my favourite to win le tour. He knows how to win a gt without being the strongest

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

I think froome will be stronger than alberto in the mountains but if froome crashes, contador is my favourite to win le tour. He knows how to win a gt without being the strongest

This is actually a good point. Froome crashing out would probably benefit Contador more than anyone else because the Sky train would be less impactful.

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-fpNIng9MM&feature=youtu.be

Nice video about Contador and the foundation

Love it
He really is a Champion

Yeah, I never doubt his sincerity about this kind of stuff. He seems to use his celebrity rather well, given he doesn't appear to enjoy splashing his private life all over Hello or its equivalent. Another reason I appreciate him.

I quite liked the Trek red and black but didn't find them easy to spot, especially in overhead shots. Hopefully the white will be a bit easier.


My dream race is one where he lights it up with some derring do and makes it unpredictable. And naturally, wins with great panache. But I'll admit it isn't exactly my expectation. Expectations for this Tour are minimal. I take his being on good form, and to give us some fun and games at some point, and enjoy himself without crashes etc. I don't want another Tour wherein the fight for yellow is the least engaging part of it.

 

[Matteo.]

Just a few photos to unleash the hype train.
Being more cautious is not it better? Wait at least la Planche even iis better to wait for the Mont du Chat where no one can hide

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

I love the new jersey <3

White looks ok on him

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I love the new jersey <3

White looks ok on him

See-through white though...

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re: Re:

I love the new jersey <3

White looks ok on him

See-through white though...

It wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the red helmet

 

[Pennino]

Re: Re:

I love the new jersey <3

White looks ok on him

See-through white though...

It wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the red helmet

Thanks to the red helmet they will look somewhat different from Sky.

 

[Kwibus]

I just hope he doesnt crash. Thats all.

 

[TheYouyou7]

Re:

I just hope he doesnt crash. Thats all.

Yeah. Tired of "what ifs"...

 

[benzwire]

I'm hoping that none of the GC contenders crash. I think that will lower the prestige of the win. Definitely Alberto needs to keep it upright. He does look good and I think this Tour he truly is going in with much less external pressure. I am surprised that none of the English-speaking outlets that I read are predicting him for better than a top 5 result. I think if he shows up in his best form, he is sitting in a great position to take this race by surprise. He has been so marked on every move in the past, this may provide him an opportunity to do something special. I think Stage 5 will give us the answers we are looking for with regards to his form.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I just hope he doesnt crash. Thats all.

Yeah. Tired of "what ifs"...

I think everyone on this forum is tired of that. Next to Valverde winning, Contador staying upright and showing his cards is the thing I hope for the most. Obviously for the race, but also because of the endless speculation.

 

[Jspear]

I'm hoping that none of the GC contenders crash. I think that will lower the prestige of the win. Definitely Alberto needs to keep it upright. He does look good and I think this Tour he truly is going in with much less external pressure. I am surprised that none of the English-speaking outlets that I read are predicting him for better than a top 5 result. I think if he shows up in his best form, he is sitting in a great position to take this race by surprise. He has been so marked on every move in the past, this may provide him an opportunity to do something special. I think Stage 5 will give us the answers we are looking for with regards to his form.

Yeah. Even here DFA keeps talking about top 5 being a respectable result. I still think he can podium. He can beat Quintana or Porte for a podium spot. I'm sure of it.

 

[Netserk]

Does anyone know why Trek have the 30's as their bib numbers?

Edit: Just saw the major burn that is inrng's ranking of the contenders, where Contador is 9th...

 

[DFA123]

I'm hoping that none of the GC contenders crash. I think that will lower the prestige of the win. Definitely Alberto needs to keep it upright. He does look good and I think this Tour he truly is going in with much less external pressure. I am surprised that none of the English-speaking outlets that I read are predicting him for better than a top 5 result. I think if he shows up in his best form, he is sitting in a great position to take this race by surprise. He has been so marked on every move in the past, this may provide him an opportunity to do something special. I think Stage 5 will give us the answers we are looking for with regards to his form.

Yeah. Even here DFA keeps talking about top 5 being a respectable result. I still think he can podium. He can beat Quintana or Porte for a podium spot. I'm sure of it.

I think 4th or 5th is par. 2nd or 3rd would be a great result. 1st place would represent one of the biggest turns around in form from several riders in many years.

I agree he can certainly beat Quintana and Porte. Not if they are at their best throughout of course, but there is a good chance they won't be for different reasons. Even if he beats those two though, there is still Valverde, Aru, Bardet, Chaves, Fuglsang etc.. to fight off for the podium places.

 

[Red Rick]

Fed winning slams this year would've been a bigger turnaround.

It happened.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Fed winning slams this year would've been a bigger turnaround.

It happened.

Well yeah, that turn around in form happened. Federer moved up a level while his rivals moved down several levels - one of the biggest turn around in form in tennis in recent years. Just as it would be if Contador won the Tour.

Anyway, not sure how one unlikely event happening makes another - completely independent event - more or less likely to happen. Of course it's not impossible that Contador wins the race, it would just take a huge reversal in form, for a guy who hasn't won any WT stage race in over a year (or even a stage), and hasn't finished on the podium of the Tour in 7 years. And who has looked at least a level below most of the other main contenders all year.

 

[TheYouyou7]

En 2014 dijo que comenzó con las mejores sensaciones de siempre. ¿En esta ocasión?

Elegiría la palabra similar, pero ya se comprobará cómo se desarrolla la ronda. Me baso en los números de vatios, el peso, los tiempos... Me noto francamente muy bien.

Hope it's not that 2013 bs he's pouring us again...

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Fed winning slams this year would've been a bigger turnaround.

It happened.

Well yeah, that turn around in form happened. Federer moved up a level while his rivals moved down several levels - one of the biggest turn around in form in tennis in recent years. Just as it would be if Contador won the Tour.

Anyway, not sure how one unlikely event happening makes another - completely independent event - more or less likely to happen. Of course it's not impossible that Contador wins the race, it would just take a huge reversal in form, for a guy who hasn't won any WT stage race in over a year (or even a stage), and hasn't finished on the podium of the Tour in 7 years. And who has looked at least a level below most of the other main contenders all year.

Your post is full of crap... where was porte against contador in paris nice? Nowhere to be seen bar his stage win. He was dropped like a stone in col d'eze.
Aru? Only showed signs of life in this dauphine after a horrible 2016 season. Froome? He didn't win anything this season. Only valverde is beating contador constantly this season and valverde doesn't have a stellar palmares in tour de france. So what are you talking about?

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Fed winning slams this year would've been a bigger turnaround.

It happened.

Well yeah, that turn around in form happened. Federer moved up a level while his rivals moved down several levels - one of the biggest turn around in form in tennis in recent years. Just as it would be if Contador won the Tour.

Anyway, not sure how one unlikely event happening makes another - completely independent event - more or less likely to happen. Of course it's not impossible that Contador wins the race, it would just take a huge reversal in form, for a guy who hasn't won any WT stage race in over a year (or even a stage), and hasn't finished on the podium of the Tour in 7 years. And who has looked at least a level below most of the other main contenders all year.

Your post is full of crap... where was porte against contador in paris nice? Nowhere to be seen bar his stage win. He was dropped like a stone in col d'eze.
Aru? Only showed signs of life in this dauphine after a horrible 2016 season. Froome? He didn't win anything this season. Only valverde is beating contador constantly this season and valverde doesn't have a stellar palmares in tour de france. So what are you talking about?

OK, believe what you want. Contador is favourite and has been at the same level as Porte this season.

We'll ignore the fact that Valverde, Porte, Fuglsang and Quintana all have WT stage race wins this season, all of them winning stages in the process. We'll ignore the fact that Froome has been the GT rider to beat for the last five years. And we'll ignore the fact that Aru and Bardet look to be hitting form at just the right time. All form guides point to Contador, right? His 11th place at the Dauphine and 6 years of failure in the Tour make him red hot favourite, right?

 

[Netserk]

Contador has won all of his primarily targeted GTs he has finished since 2013, in fact he has done so for over a decade except that year. If not for bad luck, he is the man to beat.

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

Fed winning slams this year would've been a bigger turnaround.

It happened.

Well yeah, that turn around in form happened. Federer moved up a level while his rivals moved down several levels - one of the biggest turn around in form in tennis in recent years. Just as it would be if Contador won the Tour.

Anyway, not sure how one unlikely event happening makes another - completely independent event - more or less likely to happen. Of course it's not impossible that Contador wins the race, it would just take a huge reversal in form, for a guy who hasn't won any WT stage race in over a year (or even a stage), and hasn't finished on the podium of the Tour in 7 years. And who has looked at least a level below most of the other main contenders all year.

Your post is full of crap... where was porte against contador in paris nice? Nowhere to be seen bar his stage win. He was dropped like a stone in col d'eze.
Aru? Only showed signs of life in this dauphine after a horrible 2016 season. Froome? He didn't win anything this season. Only valverde is beating contador constantly this season and valverde doesn't have a stellar palmares in tour de france. So what are you talking about?

Porte lost 15 minutes in 2nd stage due to crosswinds.

Please stop behaving so aggressively like you own this, it only makes you silly.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Contador has won all of his primarily targeted GTs he has finished since 2013, in fact he has done so for over a decade except that year. If not for bad luck, he is the man to beat.

Which, of course, is a grand total of 1 GT. An alternative reading of that statistic, is that he's the man to stay well clear from in the peloton.

 

[bajbar]

It is funny... When was the last time he finished a stage race he had gone in with intention of winning, outside of top 5? (Abu Dhabi and Dauphine this year he clearly wasn't going for a result). I cannot remember such a race... Four second places this year, 4th Vuelta last year, winner Burgos, 5th in the Dauphine, winner Pais Vasco, three additional podium spots... 2015... the same... 2014... the same... So now, all of a sudden people claim he should be very happy to be in the top 5 and that even that is unlikely?! Where is the "logic" in that?