Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Pennino]

This was just what he needed to do, unfortunately it played out like it did, but if you don't try, you'll never achieve anything.

Putting it all together, the outcome is no embarrassment at all, because he and he alone in this stage, in this Tour, has done what he did. Crashing multiple times, but attacking even often and in the meantime always trying to keep up with the other GC contenders. Even yesterday he went flat out to limit the losses.

And then today, smashing all of his cards on the table with three hellish climbs to go, setting a record on CdF. All the guys he'd eventually finish behind, were relatively way fresher than he was. Roglic in both ways, because the stage costed him less effort and this Tour he only went full gass on a couple of occasions, and the GC men just because they were waiting for the final 5K of the Galibier.

So yeah, maybe Trek could have won with Mollema or Pantano, but also if they had probably more chance than Berto winning this way, this was the right thing to do. For us, for Berto, for the Tour, and certainly for themselves.

It's just a bloody bloody shame that racing like this doesn't seem to pay out anymore. So have fun with your PCM style of cycling, bunch of robots...

 

[Tonton]

I was cheering for Alberto today. Like him or not, the dude has a big heart. Hats off Champ.

 

[filipepc]

Re:

Also, remember when everyone was bashing AC in 2015 for merely winning the Giro over Aru and Landa, who have proven to be pretty damn good, and getting 5th in the Tour? Quintana has put that into context a little bit.

You know i have think of that for the last days. Two years ago many point the finger to a weak Contador in The tour, after a super dificult Giro. Contador had that time 32?33?...
So he has 1+5 places.

With 27 years Quintana has a 2º, and maybe 10, 11º places...

This must mean something about Contador, and about a giro/tour attempt.

I don´t dislike Quintana, but Contador is and was by far a better rider in his carreer.

We have to accept it that is finishing is journey and enjoy is current days. I´m glad for his effort today, but this is not the old Contador anymore, so accept it as i do.~
I Wish Tomorrow he attacks again, i don´t care if then he loose more time, i just like contador as he is.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

https://twitter.com/IBdailyblog/status/887734152547663872
Alberto & Basso after today's stage

Nice pic. Such a shame they never got to race with each other at Discovery, although we some nice moments in 2015. Two of my favourite riders of all time.

I remerber Bertie and Basso at the Puerto de Piqueras, on the snow, bewteen La Rioja and Soria, close to me, at the Vuelta a Castilla y León. I think Basso was helping Contador, becouse AC was supossed to help Basso that year at le Tour, before the OP.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

What happened to Contador, why is he no longer able to win TDF? Is he lacking recovery in his old racing age?

Your will see at the last ITT he is not lacking recovery

 

[lenric]

Good ride today from Contador.

I doubt he can win next year's Giro/Vuelta, but I think that, after today, he believes he still can, so I'd bet some money on him not retiring this year, if Trek makes him an offer.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

He should definitely keep riding. He can compete for the win if everything goes right. Is he the favorite going forward? No. But he can still compete. Also, Taxus, remind me why you hate Contador so much? Seems like your agenda is emerald to build upFroome and Landa and tear down a contador. Aren't you Spanish? Hell, even Landa seems to like Contador now.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

Also, remember when everyone was bashing AC in 2015 for merely winning the Giro over Aru and Landa, who have proven to be pretty damn good, and getting 5th in the Tour? Quintana has put that into context a little bit.

You know i have think of that for the last days. Two years ago many point the finger to a weak Contador in The tour, after a super dificult Giro. Contador had that time 32?33?...
So he has 1+5 places.

With 27 years Quintana has a 2º, and maybe 10, 11º places...

This must mean something about Contador, and about a giro/tour attempt.

I don´t dislike Quintana, but Contador is and was by far a better rider in his carreer.

We have to accept it that is finishing is journey and enjoy is current days. I´m glad for his effort today, but this is not the old Contador anymore, so accept it as i do.~
I Wish Tomorrow he attacks again, i don´t care if then he loose more time, i just like contador as he is.

"I like you very much, just the way you are."

Our love for Alberto is reaching Bridget Jones levels

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Good ride today from Contador.

I doubt he can win next year's Giro/Vuelta, but I think that, after today, he believes he still can, so I'd bet some money on him not retiring this year, if Trek makes him an offer.

I do like to think positively - particularly when it comes to AC - but I believe that his overall level at this Tour has been much better than what 9th place in the GC suggests.

He would certainly have a chance of winning another Giro. Especially as Froome won't ride it, Dumoulin will probably ride Tour so long as they have a decent amount of ITT kms, and riders like Nibali and Quintana will probably return to focusing on July next year too. The Giro field next year could be quite weak (as far as GT fields go).

 

[SHAD0W93]

Also how well he did in the 11 Tour after the Giro when everyone else that raced it didn't preform after it ended that year and he still finished 5th plus could have been better without the crashes.

 

[Singer01]

stupid double post.

 

[Singer01]

Who will likely attempt the Giro next year, i'm guessing Froome and Dumoulin square off at the Tour. LRP if he has any sense, Nibbles probably, SK again, G Thomas, Landa (whether he goes to a new team or not). Even if he is declining, if he got a full run at it with a good spring and avoided injuries you'd at least expect him to finish on the podium surely

 

[Robert5091]

Thanks Bertie for the racing - don't come back next year.

 

[DanielSong39]

After all that he's 9th; that's not THAT bad. Makes me think he can still finish in the top 10 in a Grand Tour if he pulls a Meintjes and follows wheels all day.

 

[Katabatic]

Re:

Thanks Bertie for the racing - don't come back next year.

Why not? Just because he's not a contender for the win anymore doesn't mean he doesn't add a good deal of entertainment for the race. Watching everyone surf behind the Sky train until 5 km before the final climb is not entertaining racing.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

After all that he's 9th; that's not THAT bad. Makes me think he can still finish in the top 10 in a Grand Tour if he pulls a Meintjes and follows wheels all day.

No need to follow wheels, Contador could finish top 10 if he wanted to while smoking a cigar for the rest of the route. Even though he's relatively poor by his standards this Tour, he's still a level above the other guys fighting for those positions. Now that a stage win looks to be a long shot, he will surely consolidate his GC position and certainly can overtake Meintjes, maybe even Yates as well. Plus, given how top riders seem to be crashing out on a daily basis, a top 5 is still not completely out of the question - which would be a par performance imo.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Thanks Bertie for the racing - don't come back next year.

Why not? Just because he's not a contender for the win anymore doesn't mean he doesn't add a good deal of entertainment for the race. Watching everyone surf behind the Sky train until 5 km before the final climb is not entertaining racing.

Yes, maybe the TDF needs Alberto, but Alberto sure as hell does not need the TDF. The race has never been good to him and I doubt he'll have many good memories of it after his career. I hope he never returns and if he does, please just with the sole aim being stage wins and in 2019, not next year.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Who will likely attempt the Giro next year, i'm guessing Froome and Dumoulin square off at the Tour. LRP if he has any sense, Nibbles probably, SK again, G Thomas, Landa (whether he goes to a new team or not). Even if he is declining, if he got a full run at it with a good spring and avoided injuries you'd at least expect him to finish on the podium surely

I think so as well. Nibali isn't as strong as he used to be either and we know Sky always has issues at the Giro. Landa if he is at Movistar? At UAE I'm thinking he may be their leader for TDF. Anyway, it's all very early to talk about but with the few flashes of form we've seen at this race I think he should be able to finish at least top 3 if he doesn't decline too much.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Also, remember when everyone was bashing AC in 2015 for merely winning the Giro over Aru and Landa, who have proven to be pretty damn good, and getting 5th in the Tour? Quintana has put that into context a little bit.

You know i have think of that for the last days. Two years ago many point the finger to a weak Contador in The tour, after a super dificult Giro. Contador had that time 32?33?...
So he has 1+5 places.

With 27 years Quintana has a 2º, and maybe 10, 11º places...

This must mean something about Contador, and about a giro/tour attempt.

I don´t dislike Quintana, but Contador is and was by far a better rider in his carreer.

I want to know what taxus has to say about this, because a few days ago he was sure Quintana would show much more in this TDF than Berto in 2011/2015!

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Who will likely attempt the Giro next year, i'm guessing Froome and Dumoulin square off at the Tour. LRP if he has any sense, Nibbles probably, SK again, G Thomas, Landa (whether he goes to a new team or not). Even if he is declining, if he got a full run at it with a good spring and avoided injuries you'd at least expect him to finish on the podium surely

I think so as well. Nibali isn't as strong as he used to be either and we know Sky always has issues at the Giro. Landa if he is at Movistar? At UAE I'm thinking he may be their leader for TDF. Anyway, it's all very early to talk about but with the few flashes of form we've seen at this race I think he should be able to finish at least top 3 if he doesn't decline too much.

Nibali will do Le Tour next year.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Also, remember when everyone was bashing AC in 2015 for merely winning the Giro over Aru and Landa, who have proven to be pretty damn good, and getting 5th in the Tour? Quintana has put that into context a little bit.

You know i have think of that for the last days. Two years ago many point the finger to a weak Contador in The tour, after a super dificult Giro. Contador had that time 32?33?...
So he has 1+5 places.

With 27 years Quintana has a 2º, and maybe 10, 11º places...

This must mean something about Contador, and about a giro/tour attempt.

I don´t dislike Quintana, but Contador is and was by far a better rider in his carreer.

I want to know what taxus has to say about this, because a few days ago he was sure Quintana would show much more in this TDF than Berto in 2011/2015!

Thats easy to say in hindsight. I never thought Quintana would be brilliant, but would surf around top-5 like Alberto did those years. Instead he collapsed which few people probably saw coming considered Quintana almost always is solid. We could also begin to talk a bout Mollema, who you most definitely wouldn't want on Trek's team because of loyalty and blah blah blah, who has proven to be his without a doubt best helper and won a stage. After riding the Giro. People can't get everything right, it takes a man to admit it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yes, Mollema was impressive, I praised him twice yesterday after the stage but I guess you missed those posts. Pantano as well, but we knew he would ride his legs off for Alberto.
It would be nice if Taxus could admit that Contador's double attempts in 2011 and 2015 suddenly look much more impressive now we see Quintana trying the same, especially because he was so certain Quintana would do way better.

 

[cellardoor]

Re: Re:

Also, remember when everyone was bashing AC in 2015 for merely winning the Giro over Aru and Landa, who have proven to be pretty damn good, and getting 5th in the Tour? Quintana has put that into context a little bit.

You know i have think of that for the last days. Two years ago many point the finger to a weak Contador in The tour, after a super dificult Giro. Contador had that time 32?33?...
So he has 1+5 places.

With 27 years Quintana has a 2º, and maybe 10, 11º places...

This must mean something about Contador, and about a giro/tour attempt.

I don´t dislike Quintana, but Contador is and was by far a better rider in his carreer.

I want to know what taxus has to say about this, because a few days ago he was sure Quintana would show much more in this TDF than Berto in 2011/2015!

Thats easy to say in hindsight. I never thought Quintana would be brilliant, but would surf around top-5 like Alberto did those years. Instead he collapsed which few people probably saw coming considered Quintana almost always is solid. We could also begin to talk a bout Mollema, who you most definitely wouldn't want on Trek's team because of loyalty and blah blah blah, who has proven to be his without a doubt best helper and won a stage. After riding the Giro. People can't get everything right, it takes a man to admit it.

Of course, we all make predictions that are wrong and that's fine. But we should adjust our views in the face of new evidence. E.g. Contador fans are largely accepting he will have a hard time winning another GT having watched this Tour. Taxus has made a point of belittling Contador's achievements, which he's entitled to do...in particular in 2015 he kept saying that riding the Giro was no reason to perform poorly in the Tour. So, the question is, given the new evidence of Quintana's performance at the Tour following the Giro, is he adjusting his position with regards to Contador's double attempt in 2015.

 

[HelloDolly]

So is everyone still saying Contador is past it....cos he didn't look it yesterday on the CdF...was it not the fastest time ever ?

And what about his recovery ? Not bad in the final week....so that is still there
And still maanged ot finish not far behind GC guys

he has blown hot and cold ....not sure what that is about though ...
The crashes didn't help but surely the physical is not gone ...far from it ....

I think there is a mental element to all this...a fear of crashing and it happens, and feeling of playing catch up and it happens

Of course he is not as strong as he was 7/8 years ago but he is not done either

 

[cellardoor]

Re:

So is everyone still saying Contador is past it....cos he didn't look it yesterday on the CdF...was it not the fastest time ever ?

And what about his recovery ? Not bad in the final week....so that is still there
And still maanged ot finish not far behind GC guys

he has blown hot and cold ....not sure what that is about though ...
The crashes didn't help but surely the physical is not gone ...far from it ....

I think there is a mental element to all this...a fear of crashing and it happens, and feeling of playing catch up and it happens

Of course he is not as strong as he was 7/8 years ago but he is not done either

He seems to have a problem with endurance on the long stages. Recovery does seem to be ok, as you say, although lets see how he does today following his efforts yesterday. Given a short, hilly TT or a short intense medium mountain or full mountain stage, he's still pretty much the best there is. But the long mountain stages he seems to struggle towards the end.