Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Based on his Vuelta performance, his GT credentials are still good, esp for the Giro and the Vuelta, he might not have what it takes to win the TDF right now, but this seems like he is being forced into an undeserved and early retirement when he still has plenty to offer. But for the Andorra day when he was sick, it would have been a 3 way battle between him, Nibali and Froome for the GC.

I don't think he is being forced into anything, he seems happy to say goodbye. I think he wants to enjoy life after cycling.

I think he may have been ...but now its a done thing

Also look up statistics...alot of pros do not enjoy life after cycling...

They dont get the same highs, they miss the racing and their team mates ...
Especially of they were very focused on cycling ...

I must point out that there are no statistics regarding how much pros enjoy life after cycling. That was a violation of the real meaning of the word.

Ok statistics is the wrong word....

but anecdotal evidence ...so many get depressed and unable to get the same highs and feeling after cycling
And the 'I have my family and other persuits'....doesnt always work
Just think about it ...every day of your adult life has had one goal to race or train to race and suddenly that is over ....no wonder so many find it hard to adapt

sorry to rain on the party but this is a fact ...and the higher the role cycling played befroe retirement the harder it is to adapt after retirement

 

[LaFlorecita]

Oh I am sure it will be very different for him
But I think it helps that he's going now while he's still strong... he didn't HAVE to retire but chose to - clearly he thought about it very well, he wants to enjoy life now

Of course I don't doubt he'll miss cycling but I think this makes it a little different

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah. He's proven that he still could do great things. The potential was there all along. It was no mistake to continue. I think that is satisfying. Beating the best (pretty much only Dumoulin and Quintana weren't there) on the most feared climb of his homeland and doing it solo.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Oh I am sure it will be very different for him
But I think it helps that he's going now while he's still strong... he didn't HAVE to retire but chose to - clearly he thought about it very well, he wants to enjoy life now

Of course I don't doubt he'll miss cycling but I think this makes it a little different

I really think it's closure on a number of levels. He showed he can still climb at the highest level. He did it solo, on the most iconic climb the race knows in a world class field. Also, he proved that despite other people saying he's wayy past his best and that he should retire, that he was still Froome's greatest threat on the climbs. Froome knows that the guy he's beaten over and over again in the past Tours still had it.

Contador chased a dream for the past 2 years. A dream of winning the Tour after coming back. He didn't achieve that dream. But this week, he showed he was never chasing a ghost. He still had it. Alberto Contador did in fact go out on (or at least near) the top of his game.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Ok what I realized a few stages ago but didn't want to post out of fear of jinxing:
Have you noticed how well Alberto has descended in this race? Full of confidence, always at the front. Great to see this is the Alberto we know!

It basically proves that crashing all the time really only was a mental problem. I never understood how a rider who used to win races by attacking downhill could suddenly become such a bad bike handler but for me this vuelta proved, he didn't unlearn it

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Well done Alberto, great stage win and excellent Vuelta. Such a shame about Andorra.

It's just taken me about 5 minute to writ this post cos i'm a little drunk.

 

[Red Rick]

Looking at the climbing times, 2 men could've won it if Contador hadn't escaped the Cordal descent. Contador or Poels. He only rode 10s slower than Froome and Poels despite all the riding in the wind.

Just saw a replay. at 830m to go there's this random dude going on his knees for Contador
https://streamable.com/mawm7

One last bit of poetic justice. Marc Soler and Enric Mas being in the breakaway with Contador. The old and the new generation of Spanish cycling. I loved that.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The new generation still has to increase leaps and bounds to be at the heals of Contador though. Contador was already a genius at really young age.

I expected a lot more from Soler this season. But maybe it was unfair?

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

The new generation still has to increase leaps and bounds to be at the heals of Contador though. Contador was already a genius at really young age.

I expected a lot more from Soler this season. But maybe it was unfair?

After Catalunya I expected more from Soler as well. Mas, well he's 22, so he should improve quite rapidly still. He as 16th today after being in the breakaway and being stupendously aggro on the Cobertoria. Definitely a big talent, just how talented we have yet to see.

 

[biketheroad]

Do I understand Contador is now 20sec from the podium? If so how likely is it ?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yeah, but unlikely to get even close. The final stage is flat sprint

 

[Ricco']

I just came here to say that I don't like the photo of Alberto's last win. That sunglasses don't really favour him.


Now seriously, what a perfectly glorious way to retire. A win that shows his racing spirit and a win where the past and the future of the Spanish cycling were present.

 

[jsem94]

Do I understand Contador is now 20sec from the podium? If so how likely is it ?

Less than 0.5%. Basically only Zakarin crashing out violently.

 

[perico]

Re: Re:

https://twitter.com/Radioestadio/status/906552637700673536

I thought that was nice


Nice tweet from Bennati
https://twitter.com/Benna80/status/906582827088703488

But Oleg said everyone at Tinkov hated him!?!?

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Let's drink together


Yes it's sad but we should be happy he ends his career on a high note it could have been much sadder
I will miss him and hope he doesn't disappear but we have so many great memories, I am getting a photo album printed with images of the best moments in his career he gave me a few more to add to the last page

Great idea!!

Very happy too for you Flo that Alberto managed to finish his career in such a fitting manner.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

https://twitter.com/Radioestadio/status/906552637700673536

I thought that was nice


Nice tweet from Bennati
https://twitter.com/Benna80/status/906582827088703488

But Oleg said everyone at Tinkov hated him!?!?

When Tinkov says everyone at Tinkov, he means himself in third person

 

[Singer01]

i've been watching cycling for 31 years, and he is not only by far the most entertaining rider i've watched (Pantani was also great but his star didn't shine long enough to compare). but also the most successful rider (i'm crediting him with 8 Grand Tours).
He also put Lance back in his box for which i will always appreciate him.

 

[rhubroma]

Re:

i've been watching cycling for 31 years, and he is not only by far the most entertaining rider i've watched (Pantani was also great but his star didn't shine long enough to compare). but also the most successful rider (i'm crediting him with 8 Grand Tours).
He also put Lance back in his box for which i will always appreciate him.

I'd say they were both equally entertaining, but that Contador was more jovial (madrileno), Pantani saturnine (romagnolo), each having though a rare aesthetic in the saddle, a certain dimension that transcends mere watts and efficiency paradigms.

Unfortunately with the way the sport's been corporatized, their interpretation of cycling has very little chance of surviving to the detriment of the sport.

Post Scriptum: At least there's Sagan for the cobbled classics. I'll surely be watching less cycling, unless otherwise warrented, of the GTs in the next years and perhaps hereafter. Skybots controlling 3 week courses and leveling mountains, no thanks.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Just saw a replay. at 830m to go there's this random dude going on his knees for Contador
https://streamable.com/mawm7

:lol:

 

[Puccini]

Re:

i've been watching cycling for 31 years, and he is not only by far the most entertaining rider i've watched (Pantani was also great but his star didn't shine long enough to compare). but also the most successful rider (i'm crediting him with 8 Grand Tours).
He also put Lance back in his box for which i will always appreciate him.

I agree basically.
I've been cycling for 50 years

I see cycling since the times of Anquetil and Bahamontes ....
Many names and great geniuses.
In a fast and almost like a flash the most impressive and different for me were .... Merckx and Ocaña (and their rivalry); Bernard Hinault (2nd palm groves of history and always aggressive and spectacular) .... Pantani climber ... and Alberto Contador.

Right now there is no one for the 3-week or Grand Tour tests that can take its place; in other fields Peter Sagan makes the difference .... but the place of Contador right now has no substitute for the view and less to win 9 Great Returns.

It was pure spectacle and quality.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!
Long live the king!

 

[Puccini]

 

[Puccini]

 

[trevim]

Another random fanboys

https://twitter.com/RuiCostaCyclist/status/906591846129954816/photo/1?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=RuiCostaCyclist&utm_content=906591846129954816

https://twitter.com/Toso_74/status/906599810622529539

 

[amih77]

Still not sure how Contador and Pantano got such a huge gap on the descent. They were behind De la Cruz before he crashed.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Another random fanboys

https://twitter.com/RuiCostaCyclist/status/906591846129954816/photo/1?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=RuiCostaCyclist&utm_content=906591846129954816

https://twitter.com/Toso_74/status/906599810622529539

https://twitter.com/AdrianoMalori/status/906785602468827136