Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[DNP-Old]

He said he'll quit as a professional. His Fundación isn't professional status. Get the hype train rolling!

 

[arvc40]

He is doing the right thing regards to riding in Spain, he is fit and ready to go. No point in doing a whole prep for next year.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,
If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

 

[HelloDolly]

Feels like Contador was given no choice


Hopefully he can win the Vuelta ....then reassess

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

He is doing the right thing regards to riding in Spain, he is fit and ready to go. No point in doing a whole prep for next year.

yes no point cause he's retiring...

 

[rick james]

Re:

Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,
If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Lol calm down

 

[No_Balls]

Re:

Its obvious. Contador wanted the Giro and Trek wanted the Tour apart of some other things.

Whats interesting is that if Contador does a fantastic Vuelta maybe it could force Trek to rethink their positions (Alberto too if this isn't his way to force their hand) giving in to Albertos demands at the end of the year. I'm thinking that given he had planned another year everything Is still open as I see it.

Having said that, no shame in retiring at this stage and I'm happy to have call myself a fan of his since 2006 Vuelta a Burgos.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Will be hard for the TDF top 10 finishers to be consistent throughout the Vuelta, with the most selective mountain stage at the very end.

 

[liamito]

Re:

Will be hard for the TDF top 10 finishers to be consistent throughout the Vuelta, with the most selective mountain stage at the very end.

Also first time for Alberto to do it like this. Of course you could also wonder if he needs to be consistent. Why not forget about GC from the start?

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Will be hard for the TDF top 10 finishers to be consistent throughout the Vuelta, with the most selective mountain stage at the very end.

Also first time for Alberto to do it like this. Of course you could also wonder if he needs to be consistent. Why not forget about GC from the start?

Nah...ride GC to begin with and see ....Only Froome to beat imo

And many a slip between cup and lip...so who knows what happens

 

[sulgpallur]

GC will be though, but maybe winning a stage is a target for Vuelta

 

[yaco]

A wise decision to go out near his peak - The memories are priceless.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,
If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

in tears

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

Will be hard for the TDF top 10 finishers to be consistent throughout the Vuelta, with the most selective mountain stage at the very end.

Also first time for Alberto to do it like this. Of course you could also wonder if he needs to be consistent. Why not forget about GC from the start?

Because that is not Alberto Contador. If he does that then he really should retire.

I have mixed feelings about this. I wanted to see him at the Giro, but I'm excited about the Vuelta. I think his form was pretty good at the end of the Tour. And really, a win at the Vuelta would be a better way to go out then a win in the Giro.

Also I don't think it is 100% over. It probably is, but who knows what the future holds? AC may even comeback after a year off, with a small team, and ride the 2019 Giro.

He seems like the sort of guy who would keep himself in great shape. After six months away from racing - but still doing some casual miles - and hopefully away from crashing, he might suddenly feel that thirty-six isn't that old.

 

[Gigs_98]

What makes me sad about this is that I don't think he'll do well in the Vuelta. His race program so far this season has simply been too hard. Andalusia, Oman (I think it was Oman, right?), Paris Nice, Catalunya, País Vasco, Dauphine, Tour. Thats a lot and you could already see in the tour that he was spent and probably should have chosen a lighter program. But then why should he suddenly be fresh again when he rides the 2nd gt in a row after already being spent after the first one. I just don't see it happening.

Edit: That said, I would love to see him on the podium in Madrid and hope he'll get a stage win. But I simply don't think that's likely

 

[ruby]

i will miss his style of riding

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

i will miss his style of riding

Yes, we will.

I think that this will really hit me come the final stage of Paris-Nice next year.

 

[Valv.Piti]

What makes me sad about this is that I don't think he'll do well in the Vuelta. His race program so far this season has simply been too hard. Andalusia, Oman (I think it was Oman, right?), Paris Nice, Catalunya, País Vasco, Dauphine, Tour. Thats a lot and you could already see in the tour that he was spent and probably should have chosen a lighter program. But then why should he suddenly be fresh again when he rides the 2nd gt in a row after already being spent after the first one. I just don't see it happening.

Edit: That said, I would love to see him on the podium in Madrid and hope he'll get a stage win. But I simply don't think that's likely

Yes, its hard to imagine that Contador will be firing on all cylinders this Vuelta considering his pretty heavy schedule, but he has never tried this before after a full TdF so we could be surprised in the Vuelta. I'd say a stage win is pretty likely given there simply are so many opportunities, but I don't really know a bout podium. I think there will be many fresher riders.

 

[memyselfandI]

Re: Re:

Will be hard for the TDF top 10 finishers to be consistent throughout the Vuelta, with the most selective mountain stage at the very end.

Also first time for Alberto to do it like this. Of course you could also wonder if he needs to be consistent. Why not forget about GC from the start?

Because that is not Alberto Contador. If he does that then he really should retire.

I have mixed feelings about this. I wanted to see him at the Giro, but I'm excited about the Vuelta. I think his form was pretty good at the end of the Tour. And really, a win at the Vuelta would be a better way to go out then a win in the Giro.

Also I don't think it is 100% over. It probably is, but who knows what the future holds? AC may even comeback after a year off, with a small team, and ride the 2019 Giro.

He seems like the sort of guy who would keep himself in great shape. After six months away from racing - but still doing some casual miles - and hopefully away from crashing, he might suddenly feel that thirty-six isn't that old.

When real superstar, all 'pretty good form'-periods are on those years building a superstar. When real superstar, years are top 3's on top priority races minimum or big dissappointments, never pretty good. From superstars point of view pretty good forms are left to those....pretty good ones trying to get superstars.

Casual miles, comeback..for reals?

Absolute Superstar he's been, but I think he's doing the right thing right now.

 

[gregrowlerson]

All good things must come to an end. But that is what happens second. What matters is what comes first; that they start.

 

[Lexman]

This to start a week with. Damn tears in my eyes when watching him the announcement.

 

[Forever The Best]

What makes me sad about this is that I don't think he'll do well in the Vuelta. His race program so far this season has simply been too hard. Andalusia, Oman (I think it was Oman, right?), Paris Nice, Catalunya, País Vasco, Dauphine, Tour. Thats a lot and you could already see in the tour that he was spent and probably should have chosen a lighter program. But then why should he suddenly be fresh again when he rides the 2nd gt in a row after already being spent after the first one. I just don't see it happening.

Edit: That said, I would love to see him on the podium in Madrid and hope he'll get a stage win. But I simply don't think that's likely

It wasn't Oman but Abu Dhabi which was very unnecessary to race. I said earlier this year that he may be very tired in Vuelta because of also racing Abu Dhabi and and it would be a shame if that happens. Also I hope he at least gets a stage win because it would be a shame if he finishes the season winless. I hope he wins the whole race though.

 

[the asian]

Very sad news and the end of an era.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re: Re:

Will be hard for the TDF top 10 finishers to be consistent throughout the Vuelta, with the most selective mountain stage at the very end.

Also first time for Alberto to do it like this. Of course you could also wonder if he needs to be consistent. Why not forget about GC from the start?

Nah...ride GC to begin with and see ....Only Froome to beat imo

And many a slip between cup and lip...so who knows what happens

Only Froome to beat? Impossible to say at this point. Fresher riders like Zaka or Nibali (if he still has it) could win this one.

 

[DFA123]

What makes me sad about this is that I don't think he'll do well in the Vuelta. His race program so far this season has simply been too hard. Andalusia, Oman (I think it was Oman, right?), Paris Nice, Catalunya, País Vasco, Dauphine, Tour. Thats a lot and you could already see in the tour that he was spent and probably should have chosen a lighter program. But then why should he suddenly be fresh again when he rides the 2nd gt in a row after already being spent after the first one. I just don't see it happening.

Edit: That said, I would love to see him on the podium in Madrid and hope he'll get a stage win. But I simply don't think that's likely

It wasn't Oman but Abu Dhabi which was very unnecessary to race. I said earlier this year that he may be very tired in Vuelta because of also racing Abu Dhabi and and it would be a shame if that happens. Also I hope he at least gets a stage win because it would be a shame if he finishes the season winless. I hope he wins the whole race though.

Yeah, Abu Dhabi looked a terrible decision at the time, and even more so now in hindisght. All that travelling and really low quality kms, when he could have been putting in a quality training block or just resting up instead.

I think Stage 18 could be a nice chance for a stage win, if he's out of the GC by then. He could get in the break and drop the other contenders on the last steep climb. Would be a nice way to commemorate his 2012 performance in the Liebana area - easily the best stage he has ridden post-ban.