Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

It's his decision, I will be sad, but if he thinks this is the time then so be it. He has Nothing to Prove! If this is his last season I sure hope he rides the Vuelta though!!!!

I feel much the same. Indeed, I'm relaxed about it - nothing he does will change anything - if he's happy and he's enjoying himself, then long may he ride. But in some ways, it'll be a relief - I have been falling out of love with the sport during the last 7 years, and am pretty sure the day he retires is the day I'll stop watching it. Or at least, watching it with a real investment in the outcome.

Oh that is a shame! It is a Glorious Sport and someone who steals your heart will always come along. While you wait, enjoy the feats of glory, the suffering, the obstacles that are a reflection of everyone's challenges in life. Yet we pick ourselves up and go forward just like a fallen rider or one who suffers through a crisis. It is a rolling chess match across glorious countryside. Cycle racing is a reflection of life itself.

I had a long wait between Il Pirata and Alberto, but a Special one will show up. And I had many to appreciate and root for in between.

 

[Red Rick]

The announcement is gonna be that he renamed one of his dogs. He's now called "Second", and he hasn't been a good boy lately.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Worst thing about 3 weeks of racing is the lack of dog and coffee photos. He'll have to deliver this next week.

 

[Red Rick]

Now I do have to say he was talking for a while with Froome today, and it makes it even more ominous.

 

[lenric]

Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

Yeah, definitely considering retirement. Maybe also Trek had a word with him regarding his performance.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Suddenly I get the dreadful feeling he is going to retire at the end of the season.
"This Tour has had an influence on my decisions about the future. In a maximum of ten days I will say what I will do"

If he ends up going to Vuelta and win it, I can see that's happening. I think that would be the best thing for him, to retire while he still wins.

But Meh, the problem with his wish to go to Vuelta, clashes with some Trek sprinter who wants to go to Vuelta to get stage win. GC wise, Vuelta is a bit thin. No valverde, no Quintana, no Dumolin. For sure Nibali, Froome, Chavez (?), Kreuswijk.

 

[Matteo.]

Well, i read the interview en espanol. I did not sincerely find clues to a withdrawal . Maybe I'm wrong, but I see it as a statement to schedule next year. we'll see

 

[Carols]

Re:

Well, i read the interview en espanol. I did not sincerely find clues to a withdrawal . Maybe I'm wrong, but I see it as a statement to schedule next year. we'll see

What interview? Link please

 

[Jspear]

He said if he goes to the Vuelta, he's going for the win.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Well, i read the interview en espanol. I did not sincerely find clues to a withdrawal . Maybe I'm wrong, but I see it as a statement to schedule next year. we'll see

Hmmm.. I hope so!!

 

[Carols]

Re:

He said if he goes to the Vuelta, he's going for the win.

Of course he is, he is Alberto Contador! Link please?

 

[Matteo.]

http://m.europapress.es/deportes/ciclismo-00396/noticia-contador-me-preparado-manera-meticulosa-tuvimos-bastante-mala-suerte-20170723220726.html

 

[Matteo.]

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/ciclismo/tour-francia/20170723/4348271460/contador-me-siento-orgulloso-de-haber-dado-lo-que-he-podido.html

 

[Carols]

Re:

http://m.europapress.es/deportes/ciclismo-00396/noticia-contador-me-preparado-manera-meticulosa-tuvimos-bastante-mala-suerte-20170723220726.html

Thanks. I don't see anything in there that makes me think he will retire. There must be another article somewhere!

 

[Carols]

Re:

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/ciclismo/tour-francia/20170723/4348271460/contador-me-siento-orgulloso-de-haber-dado-lo-que-he-podido.html

okay this one has :
"thank all the sponsors also for the great support they have given me. Now it's time to rest and rethink future objectives. "

That could be the Vuelta this year or anything in the future!

EDIT: and this "and what is left is to look forward, rest and start again."
I don't read that as anything but starting his next race or program.

 

[Carols]

From Trek:

"Physically I am really really good, but you know in sports in general, and specifically in cycling, a lot of things can happen that can have a major impact. So when that happens, you only can look ahead, rest, and set new goals. Now, it's time to rest and disconnect completely and after that set some future objectives."

That doesn't sound like retirement to me......

 

[Matteo.]

Re: Re:

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/ciclismo/tour-francia/20170723/4348271460/contador-me-siento-orgulloso-de-haber-dado-lo-que-he-podido.html

okay this one has :
"thank all the sponsors also for the great support they have given me. Now it's time to rest and rethink future objectives. "

That could be the Vuelta this year or anything in the future!

EDIT: and this "and what is left is to look forward, rest and start again."
I don't read that as anything but starting his next race or program.

Yes, he talked about " Ahora toca el momento de descansar y replantear futuros objetivos”.
He uses precisely words " to rethink future goals".
Unless he considers retiring a goal :lol:

 

[ice&fire]

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

RIP TOMTTWAWC

 

[roundabout]

Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

Trek is not going to Utah, because of the WT triple header next weekend.

Edit: it's really only Colorado left on the team schedule and without the Vuelta there is going to be very little to do for the next 2 months for Contador anyway

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

This is what I feared at the start of the year hopefully if he wants to ride the Vuelta the team will agree to remove those races from his schedule

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

This is what I feared at the start of the year hopefully if he wants to ride the Vuelta the team will agree to remove those races from his schedule

Do you really think they would send him here??? Count me In!!!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

This is what I feared at the start of the year hopefully if he wants to ride the Vuelta the team will agree to remove those races from his schedule

Do you really think they would send him here??? Count me In!!!

Well, apparently it's what the sponsors want and what was decided at the start of the year. Only issue: all North American races (besides Utah which Trek aren't invited to) are during the Vuelta...

 

[perico]

The decisions he'll make in the next days are about whether he will ride the Tour in 2018, not about retiring it sounds like.

If I go back to the Tour de France we'll know in a while. Maybe, maybe not. Now we have to rest, rethink things and look for goals

http://www.esciclismo.com/ampliada.asp?Id=43112

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

In the RTVE interview he evades most of the questions. He says that his race schedule was planned at the beginning of the year and the sponsor wanted to have some American races in the second part of the season. Tour de Utah anyone?

This is what I feared at the start of the year hopefully if he wants to ride the Vuelta the team will agree to remove those races from his schedule

Do you really think they would send him here??? Count me In!!!

Well, apparently it's what the sponsors want and what was decided at the start of the year. Only issue: all North American races (besides Utah which Trek aren't invited to) are during the Vuelta...

The only semi-appropriate race here is the Colorado Classic 8/10-8/13. Trek is listed as attending. Colorado is a mere 3500KM away, but still much closer than Spain.

However I will be touring in Scotland and Ireland during that time period .

There are the 3 one day races in Canada during Sept. Good races but I can't see him being relevant in those.