Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[ferryman]

Re:

Great day for Contador. He has a real chance to finish within 10 minutes of Froome and if people keep crashing a real shot at a top 10 finish. Not to mention he finished 8th on stage 5 only one place short of his best Tour Mountain stage finish since 2009. All in all there is a lot to be optimistic about. Think about it Izgairre, Valverde, Thomas and Porte. 4 riders he had no chance of beating. He has already improved 4 spots. He is on pace for one of his best Tours. All he needs is another 180 riders to abandon. He has to be quite excited as do all of his fans.

I doubt anyone expected such great results. I almost wish there was a mountain stage everyday to see more great Contador results like today.

I hope you are feeling better after that. Almost like years of hate unleashed in one big rant. That said, at least you are not trolling or baiting this thread like some of the sleekit/disingenous idiots who think they are being clever by doing so. I like a man who wears his colours on his sleeve, even if I disagree with them.

 

[Carols]

Re:

Clearly does not know how to consistently prepare for a race. Froome able to get it right every time, because he is a great Athlete.

Berto got it Right for Many Years and Many GT wins.....age catches up to everyone. Please stop trolling....

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

Clearly does not know how to consistently prepare for a race. Froome able to get it right every time, because he is a great Athlete.

Berto got it Right for Many Years and Many GT wins.....age catches up to everyone. Please stop trolling....

Can't reply to this here. Not Trolling, logic.

 

[No_Balls]

Re: Re:

Great day for Contador. He has a real chance to finish within 10 minutes of Froome and if people keep crashing a real shot at a top 10 finish. Not to mention he finished 8th on stage 5 only one place short of his best Tour Mountain stage finish since 2009. All in all there is a lot to be optimistic about. Think about it Izgairre, Valverde, Thomas and Porte. 4 riders he had no chance of beating. He has already improved 4 spots. He is on pace for one of his best Tours. All he needs is another 180 riders to abandon. He has to be quite excited as do all of his fans.

I doubt anyone expected such great results. I almost wish there was a mountain stage everyday to see more great Contador results like today.

I hope you are feeling better after that. Almost like years of hate unleashed in one big rant. That said, at least you are not trolling or baiting this thread like some of the sleekit/disingenous idiots who think they are being clever by doing so. I like a man who wears his colours on his sleeve, even if I disagree with them.

Gotta love the September 2011 - July 2012 fans. No respect for the sport or fellow riders. Just 100% hate to the end and beyond.

Not asking for much given how Union Jack called for their supporters.

 

[LaFlorecita]

A lot to think about...

 

[arvc40]

Re:

A lot to think about...

Think he is waiting for a new training app to download ?

 

[rhubroma]

Strange though he talked the numbers game at the start of this race, even if it was apparent at the Dauphine he was behind schedule in being able to peak for the Tour.

What I can't understand is how he and his team were so egregiously mistaken in preparation and prognostication. His decline has been ongoing since 2011 at the Tour, but every year there was always something to deceive one into thinking the ineluctable was mistaken. Now the final verdict is out.

 

[Jelantik]

It's not the end of the world for Contador. The mark of a champion is "what is he going to do moving forward?" Up to this point, he is still in the race, unlike Porte who crashed out. To me what he is going to do next is just as important as trying to win TDF.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re:

A lot to think about...

Probably reading this forum.

 

[arvc40]

Re:

Strange though he talked the numbers game at the start of this race, even if it was apparent at the Dauphine he was behind schedule in being able to peak for the Tour.

What I can't understand is how he and his team were so egregiously mistaken in preparation and prognostication. His decline has been ongoing since 2011 at the Tour, but every year there was always something to deceive one into thinking the ineluctable was mistaken. Now the final verdict is out.

Don't get me wrong I have much admiration for the way he has battled last few years. Some have gone off the rails when reality has hit. Some of my favourite moments have been created by this man even in recent years, real hum dinger stages, you all know the ones !. All this 2014 numbers stuff is just more likely to suggest that even that year Froome would have forced a submission. Although he did look Physically different that year but can't talk about that hear

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

A lot to think about...

Probably reading this forum.

 

[Carols]

Re:

It's not the end of the world for Contador. The mark of a champion is "what is he going to do moving forward?" Up to this point, he is still in the race, unlike Porte who crashed out. To me what he is going to do next is just as important as trying to win TDF.

Ride to the best of his ability to the end just like Merckx, LeMond and Indurain did!!

 

[arvc40]

Re:

It's not the end of the world for Contador. The mark of a champion is "what is he going to do moving forward?" Up to this point, he is still in the race, unlike Porte who crashed out. To me what he is going to do next is just as important as trying to win TDF.

Agree 100%

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

It's not the end of the world for Contador. The mark of a champion is "what is he going to do moving forward?" Up to this point, he is still in the race, unlike Porte who crashed out. To me what he is going to do next is just as important as trying to win TDF.

Ride to the best of his ability to the end just like Merckx, LeMond and Indurain did!!

Credit to him, he's been doing that for 6 years

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

I think management will speak to Bertie tomorrow ...

maybe time to consider bringing Aru to Trek? The cofee giant would love that.

Darn, darn. I just wanted to see Contador at least up there, and be competitive. He was out climbed by Yates and almost everyone. Forget the top contender like Froome, Porte, Bardet, Aru. I can't remember when the last time he was competitive at the Tour since 2013. 2014 is the only time he looked really prime to win it, only to crash out.

on another note: that darn Oleg was right. Contador is limping like a duck. Darn.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

A lot to think about...

Think he is waiting for a new training app to download ?

...he's making sure that Netserk is not comparing him to the Black Album .

 

[rhubroma]

Re: Re:

Strange though he talked the numbers game at the start of this race, even if it was apparent at the Dauphine he was behind schedule in being able to peak for the Tour.

What I can't understand is how he and his team were so egregiously mistaken in preparation and prognostication. His decline has been ongoing since 2011 at the Tour, but every year there was always something to deceive one into thinking the ineluctable was mistaken. Now the final verdict is out.

Don't get me wrong I have much admiration for the way he has battled last few years. Some have gone off the rails when reality has hit. Some of my favourite moments have been created by this man even in recent years, real hum dinger stages, you all know the ones !. All this 2014 numbers stuff is just more likely to suggest that even that year Froome would have forced a submission. Although he did look Physically different that year but can't talk about that hear

No question about it now, in 2014 he was much, much better. Would have been the only time he and Froome could have gone at it mano a mano. What perplexes me (and no I'm not naive on certain issues), is that what worked in 2014 has not been repeated. Is it because Riis was fired? It's just a pity that his career had to overlap with Sky and got derailed when a certain setup could have produced an epic confrontation that never materialized.

 

[ferryman]

Re:

Strange though he talked the numbers game at the start of this race, even if it was apparent at the Dauphine he was behind schedule in being able to peak for the Tour.

What I can't understand is how he and his team were so egregiously mistaken in preparation and prognostication. His decline has been ongoing since 2011 at the Tour, but every year there was always something to deceive one into thinking the ineluctable was mistaken. Now the final verdict is out.

You can use words that don't need to flame. I've spoken English all of my 50+ years and have never ever used one of those. But there again, well, I did allude (I do use that one) to idiots in a previous post.

 

[rhubroma]

Re: Re:

Strange though he talked the numbers game at the start of this race, even if it was apparent at the Dauphine he was behind schedule in being able to peak for the Tour.

What I can't understand is how he and his team were so egregiously mistaken in preparation and prognostication. His decline has been ongoing since 2011 at the Tour, but every year there was always something to deceive one into thinking the ineluctable was mistaken. Now the final verdict is out.

You can use words that don't need to flame. I've spoken English all of my 50+ years and have never ever used one of those. But there again, well, I did allude (I do use that one) to idiots in a previous post.

It's just English. L'idiot c'est moi!

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

Strange though he talked the numbers game at the start of this race, even if it was apparent at the Dauphine he was behind schedule in being able to peak for the Tour.

What I can't understand is how he and his team were so egregiously mistaken in preparation and prognostication. His decline has been ongoing since 2011 at the Tour, but every year there was always something to deceive one into thinking the ineluctable was mistaken. Now the final verdict is out.

Don't get me wrong I have much admiration for the way he has battled last few years. Some have gone off the rails when reality has hit. Some of my favourite moments have been created by this man even in recent years, real hum dinger stages, you all know the ones !. All this 2014 numbers stuff is just more likely to suggest that even that year Froome would have forced a submission. Although he did look Physically different that year but can't talk about that hear

No question about it now, in 2014 he was much, much better. Would have been the only time he and Froome could have gone at it mano a mano. What perplexes me (and no I'm not naive on certain issues), is that what worked in 2014 has not been repeated. Is it because Riis was fired? It's just a pity that his career had to overlap with Sky and got derailed when a certain setup could have produced an epic confrontation that never materialized.

I can not give you my logical answer.

 

[dacooley]

it's been sad but inevitable at some point. really hoping for ending the career on a very major note as Vino or Cancellara did. the 2018 Giro win would be very very fitting.

 

[Carols]

From Trek site:
It's not how Trek-Segafredo envisioned the day when they set out to ride arguably the hardest stage of this year's Tour; with a 'take no prisoners' plan, they threw everything they had into the race.

Sending both Jarlinson Pantano and Bauke Mollema into the day's breakaway gave the team more cards to play, but when Contador crashed on a descent, and then later again on an uphill, the tables – at least the team's GC ambitions – began to turn.

Although Contador was not seriously hurt and managed his way back into the rivals group both times, his optimism took a blow. When later his legs did not respond as he had hoped for in today's important race, his morale plunged.

On the last climb, Contador struggled, and he was unable to hold the pace of the rivals group. By the finish, he arrived with an extremely fatigued Mollema – who had given a valiant effort in the breakaway and again in the finale for Contador – and lost over four minutes and dropped out of the top 10 GC.

"Today has not been a good day," said Contador, perhaps the biggest understatement of the day. "Majka fell right in front of me, and I could not avoid him. At that moment, I felt a little powerless, but I tried to recover until Nairo (Quintana) hooked with my bike and I was again thrown to the ground. Although, that in the end, was not as bad.

"It is secondary to say what is hurting me the most; simply the legs have not been as I would have liked and that's all. Mollema was a great help today. Now we have to think first of all about where I stand, and then, based on that, rethink the race."

So lots going on but he puts his loses down to Bad Legs, no excuses.

 

[iGROTROn]

Today has not been a good day," said Contador, perhaps the biggest understatement of the day. "Majka fell right in front of me, and I could not avoid him. At that moment, I felt a little powerless, but I tried to recover until Nairo (Quintana) hooked with my bike and I was again thrown to the ground. Although, that in the end, was not as bad.
This is the interview of Alberto Contador after stage 9
The truth is that I awoke well this morning, and was starting the stage with very good sensations.
"In fact, we went into the break with Bauke and Jarlinson thinking about a possible attack, since yesterday I was restraining myself not to attack, but in the end, it turned out the opposite.

"It is secondary to say what is hurting me the most; simply the legs have not been as I would have liked and that's all. Mollema was a great help today. Now we have to think first of all about where I stand, and then, based on that, rethink the race."

 

[tretiak]

Re:

it's been sad but inevitable at some point. really hoping for ending the career on a very major note as Vino or Cancellara did. the 2018 Giro win would be very very fitting.

He is one year older, which is not an advantage at his age. It's the final percentage of physics that you lose with age and that's what you need when you compete against the best.

 

[uspostal]

Re: Re:

I think management will speak to Bertie tomorrow ...

maybe time to consider bringing Aru to Trek? The cofee giant would love that.

Darn, darn. I just wanted to see Contador at least up there, and be competitive. He was out climbed by Yates and almost everyone. Forget the top contender like Froome, Porte, Bardet, Aru. I can't remember when the last time he was competitive at the Tour since 2013. 2014 is the only time he looked really prime to win it, only to crash out.

on another note: that darn Oleg was right. Contador is limping like a duck. Darn.

This is the smartest thing I've read on here today, Contador's done as a rider and he'll be lucky if Trek even offers him something like money to limp along at the back of the peloton next year.

Aru has way more upside for the money to be paid out. I hope trek signs Are and shows Contador the door.