Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[arvc40]

I say go to Spain. Rest. Target some Spring races and try Tour again. I'd rather have him on Tv in July than not.

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

He no longer be able to fight tour win or a podium This is the sadly truth and people must accept it

 

[Pennino]

Re:

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

Normally yes, but the Tour de France unfortunately has transformed into a clownesque tragedy. Big crashes in all the flat stages (in which all the teams are putting all their cards on 2nd tier sprinters to grab a top 5), action only in the last 500 metres of the last mountains. Especially someone like Contador doesn't have anything left to look for there. When did we see some real mano a mano racing upon a climb in the TDF for the last time? Also a fit and harmless Contador would not have gotten one metre against the Sky train and their allies who care too much about their valuable top 5 spots.

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

Normally yes, but the Tour de France unfortunately has transformed into a clownesque tragedy. Big crashes in all the flat stages (in which all the teams are putting all their cards on 2nd tier sprinters to grab a top 5), action only in the last 500 metres of the last mountains. Especially someone like Contador doesn't have anything left to look for there. When did we see some real mano a mano racing upon a climb in the TDF for the last time? Also a fit and harmless Contador would not have gotten one metre against the Sky train and their allies who care too much about their valuable top 5 spots.

It's sad, but you are 100% spot-on

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

He no longer be able to fight tour win or a podium This is the sadly truth and people must accept it

Don't agree.

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

Normally yes, but the Tour de France unfortunately has transformed into a clownesque tragedy. Big crashes in all the flat stages (in which all the teams are putting all their cards on 2nd tier sprinters to grab a top 5), action only in the last 500 metres of the last mountains. Especially someone like Contador doesn't have anything left to look for there. When did we see some real mano a mano racing upon a climb in the TDF for the last time? Also a fit and harmless Contador would not have gotten one metre against the Sky train and their allies who care too much about their valuable top 5 spots.

It's sad, but you are 100% spot-on

I can understand your point of view.

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

I don't believe Quintana was going for Double this year, not really. I think it is an option some have taken recently because they are realistic about beating Froome in July. Quintana even touched on that, he knows Froome is hard to beat and wanted more than just Runner up at Tour. Giro is Perfect 2nd option. He knows as well as anyone the double is unrealistic !. And for Quintana not only would it have been a physical blow but a mental one to, he was close to winning, probably still got it on his mind.

In the end he has probably realised he would be happier with Tour Podium !. That's where you get the attention he is used to.

Contador needs to compete in the biggest and best race. Giro has been well and truly done by him.

He no longer be able to fight tour win or a podium This is the sadly truth and people must accept it

Don't agree.

His way of racing is not suited to the Tour. He still has the physical abilities (if he doesn't crash) but thrives in less controlled races with weaker support riders. It's unlike him to ride like Meintjies and become a percentage rider.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I say go to Spain. Rest. Target some Spring races and try Tour again. I'd rather have him on Tv in July than not.

Fortunately Alberto is still the one who decides because he knows what's best for him.

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

Why can't he follow a Nibali/Dumoulin approach, train through spring and peak once for Giro? It's not necessary to show anything prior to the Giro.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I hope Vuelta, Giro + Vuelta, but thats probably optimistic. I doubt he will even race the Vuelta once.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

Why can't he follow a Nibali/Dumoulin approach, train through spring and peak once for Giro? It's not necessary to show anything prior to the Giro.

It's still better to start those spring races with a good base or we'll see another 2013 scenario. And anyway at this age I would stick to tried and tested training methods.

 

[Climber123]

Re:

I hope Vuelta, Giro + Vuelta, but thats probably optimistic. I doubt he will even race the Vuelta once.

Yes!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I hope Vuelta, Giro + Vuelta, but thats probably optimistic. I doubt he will even race the Vuelta once.

If he does the Giro next year, he will surely go to La Vuelta. Trek didn't agree to a contract till the end of the Giro which Alberto wanted and I don't see what other race he could target in the 2nd part of the season.

 

[fantomas]

Re:

Podium against Froome @ Tour is bigger than Giro title IMO. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Cherry on top.

Not so sure. Froome might be fading.

 

[arvc40]

Re: Re:

I say go to Spain. Rest. Target some Spring races and try Tour again. I'd rather have him on Tv in July than not.

Fortunately Alberto is still the one who decides because he knows what's best for him.

Absolutely !. He wouldn't listen to anybody posting here for 1 second, certainly hope not !

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

I'm a bit iffy on that. Vuelta ends in mid september. That would mean 6 weeks of no racing. I think the 2013 disaster had to do with doing the Vuelta AND doing a heavy schedule after Vuelta as well. Last year he was racing in Abu Dhabi in late October and got 5th or something like that.

If he only does the Vuelta, I think it's not worse than last year, when he did half a Tour injured, then Burgos, then the Vuelta, and then raced a stage race a month after the Vuelta, alledgedly while having trained too hard before the Dauphine.

I think Contador can judge best how fresh he feels. Tour + Vuelta is a common double, and there are plenty of examples of it being followed by a good Giro. Valverde, Rodriguez, Cuddles, Menchov have all done it before.

 

[Valv.Piti]

You are forgetting one who also did it before with decent success, the man himself.

 

[arvc40]

No doubt Sky planning domination of Giro as we speak !. Mmmm who to lead ???

 

[Climber123]

In his interviews he is not discounting it, just saying he won't do European champs. I think he will go.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

I'm a bit iffy on that. Vuelta ends in mid september. That would mean 6 weeks of no racing. I think the 2013 disaster had to do with doing the Vuelta AND doing a heavy schedule after Vuelta as well. Last year he was racing in Abu Dhabi in late October and got 5th or something like that.

If he only does the Vuelta, I think it's not worse than last year, when he did half a Tour injured, then Burgos, then the Vuelta, and then raced a stage race a month after the Vuelta, alledgedly while having trained too hard before the Dauphine.

I think Contador can judge best how fresh he feels. Tour + Vuelta is a common double, and there are plenty of examples of it being followed by a good Giro. Valverde, Rodriguez, Cuddles, Menchov have all done it before.

And how many or them won it at 35? How many of them won it? Ummmm....None!

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

I say go to Spain. Rest. Target some Spring races and try Tour again. I'd rather have him on Tv in July than not.

Fortunately Alberto is still the one who decides because he knows what's best for him.

Absolutely !. He wouldn't listen to anybody posting here for 1 second, certainly hope not !

I wonder if he is a regular reader of this thread? :lol:

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

You are forgetting one who also did it before with decent success, the man himself.

True. But he crashed after 10 stages in the Tour and immediately dropped out. Assuming he actually peaked perfectly there, he'd definitely have built up less fatigue than this year.

On the other hand, he did race after the Vuelta in 2014, and even managed to crash in Lombardia.

 

[Climber123]

Re: Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

I'm a bit iffy on that. Vuelta ends in mid september. That would mean 6 weeks of no racing. I think the 2013 disaster had to do with doing the Vuelta AND doing a heavy schedule after Vuelta as well. Last year he was racing in Abu Dhabi in late October and got 5th or something like that.

If he only does the Vuelta, I think it's not worse than last year, when he did half a Tour injured, then Burgos, then the Vuelta, and then raced a stage race a month after the Vuelta, alledgedly while having trained too hard before the Dauphine.

I think Contador can judge best how fresh he feels. Tour + Vuelta is a common double, and there are plenty of examples of it being followed by a good Giro. Valverde, Rodriguez, Cuddles, Menchov have all done it before.

And how many or them won it at 35? How many of them won it? Ummmm....None!

Thats not the point. They just continued to ride well according to their levels. There are 7 months between Vuelta and Giro. It's silly to rest up for Giro by not doing Vuelta.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

And why should doing the Vuelta hurt his Giro chances next year? Oct-Nov to rest and then slowly building some form. Just take a full month rest now and see what the Vuelta could bring. 2017 owes him at least one victory.

He normally starts building form in November & he can't do that properly with the fatigue of a Tour and Vuelta in his legs. He'd be chasing form throughout spring and the Giro would come too early.

I'm a bit iffy on that. Vuelta ends in mid september. That would mean 6 weeks of no racing. I think the 2013 disaster had to do with doing the Vuelta AND doing a heavy schedule after Vuelta as well. Last year he was racing in Abu Dhabi in late October and got 5th or something like that.

If he only does the Vuelta, I think it's not worse than last year, when he did half a Tour injured, then Burgos, then the Vuelta, and then raced a stage race a month after the Vuelta, alledgedly while having trained too hard before the Dauphine.

I think Contador can judge best how fresh he feels. Tour + Vuelta is a common double, and there are plenty of examples of it being followed by a good Giro. Valverde, Rodriguez, Cuddles, Menchov have all done it before.

And how many or them won it at 35? How many of them won it? Ummmm....None!

None, though none of them had the standards of Contador, and all of them rode the Giro on a level similar to their peaks. Valverde, Rodriguez and Cuddles even rode after the Vuelta before riding a good Giro.

Only contrary case I can name from the top of my head is Quintana this year. And judging by Blockhaus, the form was there at some point in that Giro.