Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[huge]

If he pulls this out, it is going to be one of the greatest victories in cycling history.

 

[Puccini]

Re:

If he pulls this out, it is going to be one of the greatest victories in cycling history.

I note that here are some followers of Alberto with very little ambition.
He will look to the last minute for the jackpot.
The historic bombing as the culmination of a sports career ....
A podium or stage ?? Minor issues for a myth like Alberto.
Look for the higher premium assuming risks.
It's not a chicken.

His place in the Cycling Pantheon has been insured for years.

 

[GraftPunk]

Re: Re:

If he pulls this out, it is going to be one of the greatest victories in cycling history.

I note that here are some followers of Alberto with very little ambition.
He will look to the last minute for the jackpot.
The historic bombing as the culmination of a sports career ....
A podium or stage ?? Minor issues for a myth like Alberto.
Look for the higher premium assuming risks.
It's not a chicken.

His place in the Cycling Pantheon has been insured for years.

Even Contador has to occasionally look at Froome's powermeter. Witchcraft!

 

[Puccini]

Re: Re:

If he pulls this out, it is going to be one of the greatest victories in cycling history.

I note that here are some followers of Alberto with very little ambition.
He will look to the last minute for the jackpot.
The historic bombing as the culmination of a sports career ....
A podium or stage ?? Minor issues for a myth like Alberto.
Look for the higher premium assuming risks.
It's not a chicken.

His place in the Cycling Pantheon has been insured for years.

Even Contador has to occasionally look at Froome's powermeter. Witchcraft!

:lol: :lol: Yes!

 

[IMA]

Re:

Trek riders messing with us on twitter... they are joking that Berto will stay

Can you imagine if this was all just 1 big joke

I think it may not be a joke.

I havent´t a clue, but some people is speculating about it. I hope they are right.

On top of that...

https://twitter.com/albertocontador/status/906259661401325570

 

[Jspear]

Re:

If he pulls this out, it is going to be one of the greatest victories in cycling history.

It would be but it won't happen. AC has had plenty of moments that everyone would have said weren't possible, but this one would be harder than anything he's ever pulled off.

Man it would be great to be proven wrong....

 

[IMA]

Re:

I'm a little worried about the whispers that Berto isn't thinking about the stage win, but about the overall win. Please be smart, Berto. You have a great chance to win the stage if you stay calm.

Sky will surely have no interest in catching the breakaway and Trek is totally useless...I´m afraid the stage win will be for one of the guys in the break unless some early attacks take place in la Cobertoria or Cordal.

 

[Carols]

Re:

I'm a little worried about the whispers that Berto isn't thinking about the stage win, but about the overall win. Please be smart, Berto. You have a great chance to win the stage if you stay calm.

Geez LaFlo, of course he is thinking about winning it all. It's who he is! If he has the legs he will Go For It All!!!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Trek riders messing with us on twitter... they are joking that Berto will stay

Can you imagine if this was all just 1 big joke

I think it may not be a joke.

I havent´t a clue, but some people is speculating about it. I hope they are right.

On top of that...

https://twitter.com/albertocontador/status/906259661401325570

I'm not sure about the translation... ?

Each day he is repeating "x more days as a pro", I really don't think he'll reconsider.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I'm a little worried about the whispers that Berto isn't thinking about the stage win, but about the overall win. Please be smart, Berto. You have a great chance to win the stage if you stay calm.

Geez LaFlo, of course he is thinking about winning it all. It's who he is! If he has the legs he will Go For It All!!!

I know... but I don't want that, he deserves a great stage win to say goodbye on a high note, of course he won't win the race, he will just blow himself up. I don't want to see him finish with a disappointment

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

I'm a little worried about the whispers that Berto isn't thinking about the stage win, but about the overall win. Please be smart, Berto. You have a great chance to win the stage if you stay calm.

Geez LaFlo, of course he is thinking about winning it all. It's who he is! If he has the legs he will Go For It All!!!

I know... but I don't want that, he deserves a great stage win to say goodbye on a high note, of course he won't win the race, he will just blow himself up. I don't want to see him finish with a disappointment

Being true to oneself is never a disappointment! He will always wonder what might have been if he only goes for the stage, especially if he were to drop Froome and take big time but run out of ground for the overall win. It's better to try and fail then not to try!

It all depends on how his legs feel on the first cat 1.........

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yeah, I guess I should just prepare for a failure
I mean, I enjoy his attacks, but this is his last stage, his last chance to get a win, this is not the time for foolish suicide attacks. We've seen him attack many times when no one else would this race, he doesn't have to tomorrow.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Interesting tweet from Vicioso

No entiendo por qué sky siempre tira por @albertocontador por que no dejar que otros asuman también responsabilidades?

And several of Berto's teammates liked that tweet. Seems they are not so happy with Sky's tactics.

 

[IMA]

Re: Re:

Trek riders messing with us on twitter... they are joking that Berto will stay

Can you imagine if this was all just 1 big joke

I think it may not be a joke.

I havent´t a clue, but some people is speculating about it. I hope they are right.

On top of that...

https://twitter.com/albertocontador/status/906259661401325570

I'm not sure about the translation... ?

Each day he is repeating "x more days as a pro", I really don't think he'll reconsider.

Nothing special. He´s just having fun with so many fans begging him not to retire. But he cares a lot about his fans wishes.

 

[Durden93]

Re: Re:

If I haven’t missed any, these are all the stages on which Contador has attacked, and the result (relative to Froome):

Stage 8. Finished same time
Stage 11. Lost 23 seconds (including time bonus).
Stage 12. Gained 42 seconds.
Stage 14. Lost 6 seconds.
Stage 15: Lost 40 seconds.
Stage 17: Gained 1:24 (including time bonus).
Stage 18: Finished same time.
Stage 19: Finished same time.
Net: :57 gained

Also interesting to note the GC just since the second rest day:

Contador
Froome :25
Kelderman :31
Zakarin :46
Nibali :51
Poels 1:50
Lopez 2:50
Woods 3:32
Aru 3:34
Chaves 9:43

For that and many other things (difference potential equipment)
Alberto has been the best of this Vuelta and is very likely to finish tomorrow 1st or 2nd in the overall standings.
This race has been the Alberto Show.
The rest on another level with all respect towards Froome of course.

Alberto hasn't been the best rider of this Vuelta. I love his aggressive style but he gained time because Froome allowed him to. Why would he match Alberto when he already has a big lead?

 

[IMA]

His teammates shouldn´t pay attention to Sky, but to their own performance...which it´s being very poor so far.

And what Pantano did today was a lack of respect towards Alberto. I don´t care wheter Contador gave his permission or not. That was ridiculous.

Guercilena must have a very good godfather in the business considering how incompetent he is.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't see what was wrong with what Pantano did. Yes, in hindsight, maybe a 15s gain for Berto would have outweighed a 2nd place. But it could have been a first as well, and maybe with Pantano they would still have been caught. It was the right decision by the team IMO.

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

Little boys will get on their bikes dreaming of being able to race like the Great Alberto Contador.

This. No one will grow up dreaming of racing like Froome (not being a hater, but it's like when a wise man once said "no one wants to grow up to be a Gary Neville"). I sometimes imagine myself being Contador on any sort of incline and try dance on the pedals. Then I remember I can't push 500 watts for extended periods of time and I die.

My nephew, aged 5, already does. He is olive skinned, has dark brown hair, big brown eyes and long black lashes...he even rides out of the saddle....!

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Little boys will get on their bikes dreaming of being able to race like the Great Alberto Contador.

This. No one will grow up dreaming of racing like Froome (not being a hater, but it's like when a wise man once said "no one wants to grow up to be a Gary Neville"). I sometimes imagine myself being Contador on any sort of incline and try dance on the pedals. Then I remember I can't push 500 watts for extended periods of time and I die.

My nephew, aged 5, already does. He is olive skinned, has dark brown hair, big brown eyes and long black lashes...he even rides out of the saddle....!

Show him all the vids so his winning attitude grows strong

 

[Carols]

Re:

I don't see what was wrong with what Pantano did. Yes, in hindsight, maybe a 15s gain for Berto would have outweighed a 2nd place. But it could have been a first as well, and maybe with Pantano they would still have been caught. It was the right decision by the team IMO.

Me either! Pantano had a legitimate shot for the win and was very likely told to go for it!

Some people just want to start polemics maybe?

 

[Beech Mtn]

Can't quite accept that tomorrow is the last day we'll see Alberto racing a bike. (Madrid doesn't count; it's just a parade day.) Only one more real day of racing by The Great One.

Not happy.

 

[IMA]

Re: Re:

I don't see what was wrong with what Pantano did. Yes, in hindsight, maybe a 15s gain for Berto would have outweighed a 2nd place. But it could have been a first as well, and maybe with Pantano they would still have been caught. It was the right decision by the team IMO.

Me either! Pantano had a legitimate shot for the win and was very likely told to go for it!

Some people just want to start polemics maybe?

Yeah, if you say so.

The matter of fact is that Alberto is fighting for the GC and his teammates have barely helped him so far.

Do you remember what Scarponi did for Nibali in Risoul last year? That´s a teammate.

 

[Electress]

Re: Re:

Little boys will get on their bikes dreaming of being able to race like the Great Alberto Contador.

This. No one will grow up dreaming of racing like Froome (not being a hater, but it's like when a wise man once said "no one wants to grow up to be a Gary Neville"). I sometimes imagine myself being Contador on any sort of incline and try dance on the pedals. Then I remember I can't push 500 watts for extended periods of time and I die.

My nephew, aged 5, already does. He is olive skinned, has dark brown hair, big brown eyes and long black lashes...he even rides out of the saddle....!

Show him all the vids so his winning attitude grows strong

He already does like watching him.

As for tomorrow: I am not sure I can watch where I am at present, which may be a blessing for my mental health. But I want Alberto to go all out. His last proper stage should be ridden only on his terms, as he pleases.

He may not win, he may not win a stage, but he has owned this Vuelta and it will always be remembered for the way he has ridden, the spectacle he has put on, and the outpouring of respect and affection from all corners of Spain (and the internet). I don't think he could ever have wished for a better way to leave the sport. I happen to think he deserves it all and am so very happy to think that his memories will not be of the *** he's put up with from Lance et al, or that arse Tinkoff, but of thousands and thousands of people thanking him for what he has given them over the years.

I know I'll be crying my eyes out tomorrow and Sunday, no matter what happens.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

I don't see what was wrong with what Pantano did. Yes, in hindsight, maybe a 15s gain for Berto would have outweighed a 2nd place. But it could have been a first as well, and maybe with Pantano they would still have been caught. It was the right decision by the team IMO.

Me either! Pantano had a legitimate shot for the win and was very likely told to go for it!

Some people just want to start polemics maybe?

Yeah, if you say so.

The matter of fact is that Alberto is fighting for the GC and his teammates have barely helped him so far.

Do you remember what Scarponi did for Nibali in Risoul last year? That´s a teammate.

The difference is that last year Scarponi would have got caught by Nibali himself if he hadn't dropped back. This time there was less to gain for the gc rider but more to win for the helper, therefore the different decisions.

 

[Carols]

"Today was a really difficult finish to reach ahead of the bunch, but we had Jarlinson to go for the stage win, and Edward [Theuns] to help me," Contador said afterward.

"There was a really strong headwind, so I put on a 55 chainring for the drop down, when we saw they were pulling me back, we put Edward on the front to pull for as long as possible and I tried to conserve some energy for tomorrow."

"It was a pity," Theuns added, "but there was a lot of headwind in the final downhill, we still had to push a lot and that's where I think the guys behind had a bit of an advantage."
...
Asked if he thinks he can still win the Vuelta, Contador admitted that "my overall situation doesn't allow it, but I would like to take a stage victory if I can." His last chance will come on the Angliru, then, where he won back in 2008.

Sounds like Pantano was allowed to go for the stage win, and LaFlo can sleep better because Berto's only going for the stage tomorrow.

But if the legs are strong there will be a whisper in his mind "attack, attack, attack"!!!