Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[No_Balls]

Re:

https://twitter.com/EnricMasNicolau/status/906968102910357505

Here's hoping Enric takes with him the Alberto-spirit and never say die-attitude to the road ahead and it might be fun again. That way AC will still ride with us.

Really emotional right now and at the same time concerned of the sport, but there is hope.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Finishes with 68 victories or 78, depending on your POV. Pretty damn impressive, considering he can't sprint to save his life and also gave away several wins.

Considering just how dominant he has been at several stretches of his career, I'd say its a little on the low side. Way too many 2nd places especially lately. 85-90 would be a better representation.

Yep, it could have been much higher. But despite all that, it's still a very impressive number, many of those wins were solo as well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

https://twitter.com/EnricMasNicolau/status/906968102910357505

Here's hoping Enric takes with him the Alberto-spirit and never say die-attitude to the road ahead and it might be fun again. That way AC will still ride with us.

Enric actually said on Eurosport today that he believes the riders should learn from Alberto's way of racing.

 

[jsem94]

I hope he inspires riders to not race so damn conservatively all the time. He was a rare breed. I'm happy I got to witness him race. I just wish Fuente De had been televised.

 

[Beech Mtn]

https://twitter.com/reneemeijer02/status/906981884638453760

 

[TMP402]

Someone (Flo?) made a comment on the thread for today's stage that if the whole team were going to come onto the podium with Contador for his most aggressive rider award, it probably shouldn't have been a Trek team who hasn't raced much with him. But a few guys in this team seemed to be pretty close to him or good helpers - Pantano and Theuns, from what I saw. But here's the question for people who have followed him throughout his career: who were Alberto's best helpers and friends? Obviously Hernandez is the main example, but who else from all his teams stands out?

 

[Ricco']

Re:

Someone (Flo?) made a comment on the thread for today's stage that if the whole team were going to come onto the podium with Contador for his most aggressive rider award, it probably shouldn't have been a Trek team who hasn't raced much with him. But a few guys in this team seemed to be pretty close to him or good helpers - Pantano and Theuns, from what I saw. But here's the question for people who have followed him throughout his career: who were Alberto's best helpers and friends? Obviously Hernandez is the main example, but who else from all his teams stands out?

Paulinho and Noval too, but I don't know if the relations with Paulinho have deteriorated in the past year. Sergio sounded pretty annoyed last year when he didn't get the call from Contador to join him at Trek.

I think that Tosatto too, but Fleur should know more.

 

[hrotha]

Jesús Hernández and Noval were good friends, not so good helpers.

 

[Electress]

Re:

Oh man, what a ride it has been the last three weeks. Exciting and emotional.
Everything I have to say about Contador, has already been said ITT, so many good posts.
I first heard about him during the Paris-Nice of 2007 and his reputation as an aggressive rider made me keep an eye on him during the 2007 Tour where he battled my compatriot Michael Rasmussen. And strangely I found myself cheering for the young Spanish climber. And the rest is, as they say, history…

I’ve never rooted harder for an athlete or a team than I did for Alberto Contador, which also made some of the recent years a bit rough. But I feel that this ending, after all, is perfect. A rider from another era gets to say goodbye on his own terms and with a beautiful victory on a mythical climb, receiving the praise and love of the fans every single day.

Contador’s exit will make me a lot less emotionally invested in cycling in the future, but I am eternally grateful for all the memories and his inextinguishable, competitive fire and will to fight and entertain.
Life goes on but cycling won’t be the same for me.

Gracias and chapeau to Alberto Contador.

This is a lovely post, and so captures my own feelings.

I hope he will not un-retire. i don't think he will. I think this has been an absolutely perfect way to end his career; on his own terms, and with so much respect and affection. He has almost single-handedly turned this Vuelta into his race; the disappointments of Andorra turned into a festival of Contador's fighting spirit, and a unique tribute to him, and from him to his fans.

There is no question in my mind that he will be remembered amongst the greats of cycling, and not merely for his wins. I personally will never forget seeing him climb - moving so beautifully out of the saddle, like oil through water, and making all around him seem like labouring donkeys by comparison. I know I'll be looking for that in the peloton for a very very long time, and lamenting that no-one quite has that same lovely style. But I do look forward to what comes next as well.

Gracias indeed, Alberto Contador.

 

[Electress]

Re:

I haven't seen this here so thought I'd pass it on. On the NBC broadcast they said that after stage 19 Alberto went to Froome, congratulated him and said 'I'll see you tomorrow after the Angliru,I'll be waiting for you'. It makes me SMILE .

I just love Contador's total commitment! :lol:

 

[Publicus]

Going to miss him in so many ways big and small. I'm glad he's leaving on his terms. I look forward to reading his memoir and my hunt for a new favorite rider in his retirement--it's gonna be hard with Sky's domination.

 

[Dedelou]

Alberto thrilled me for ten years and all the way to his last race. I am grateful I was witness to his amazing career. I watched cycling for a very long time. I cheered lots of great up close along hundreds mountain stages in the past 60 years. Nobody enchanted me like he did when he climbed up those tough slopes, flying with style, dancing on the pedal off the saddle, determined to win. Humbled by losses, he remained always generous winner. I will miss his presence in the peloton. My love for cycling remains even as my heros seem to dwindle and i see them go one by one. I hope that in some way, Alberto's legacy will touch some young ones who might in the future remind us of his presence by embodying his spirit imitating his style. Good bye, then.. we are fortunate we saw him racing

 

[moonstation2000]

Re:

I was trying to explain to my wife my sadness at his retirement. I've cheered him on for almost 10 years now, and feel like cycling will be far less without him. There were plenty of smiles from Alberto today but he looked sad at times too, I'd love to see him come back for Giro, or Vuelta next year, but respect totally if he doesn't and wish him all the best in his retirement.

I wish the NBC coverage had been better, they cut away from him on the podium too quickly. It was obvious the cheering was way louder for him than Froome though... It hurts that Froome got the double this year.

He's been cursed with bad luck this Vuelta and for the last 7? years. I know he got the stage win and that's great but a champion like him should have gotten the overall and he seemed to have the legs to do it this year. Still it was great to see him back at his best and making the race exciting every day..

I almost never post but I've read every page of this thread, check in every day and follow Alberto year round. Now that's all over... I think I need an detox to get over it....

 

[perico]

Re:

Jesús Hernández and Noval were good friends, not so good helpers.

Taking out Navarro, The best domestique he ever had was probably Bottle (Leipheimer) in 07-08. That went south when Lance came back. Later career probably Mick Rogers. Seemed to be very close. Basso would've been had he not gotten cancer. I also forgot that Pereiro rode for him at Astana in 2010, and is still close with him. Kreuziger was great in 2013, but we know how that turned out.

This year the whole team worked for him most unselfishly. Mollema and Pantano killed themselves at the Tour to launch him.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Someone (Flo?) made a comment on the thread for today's stage that if the whole team were going to come onto the podium with Contador for his most aggressive rider award, it probably shouldn't have been a Trek team who hasn't raced much with him. But a few guys in this team seemed to be pretty close to him or good helpers - Pantano and Theuns, from what I saw. But here's the question for people who have followed him throughout his career: who were Alberto's best helpers and friends? Obviously Hernandez is the main example, but who else from all his teams stands out?

It wasn't me, I actually liked that they were allowed onto the podium. From what I could see the atmosphere in the team was amazing, Alberto was really comfortable and those guys really appreciated him and worked their asses off for him.
As for his best friends, I think besides the obvious Hernandez, Navarro and Noval; De Kort, Scarponi, Roche, Mick Rogers, Tosatto, Bennati, Basso, Tiralongo and this year Pantano are some of his teammates that he had a great relationship with.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Someone (Flo?) made a comment on the thread for today's stage that if the whole team were going to come onto the podium with Contador for his most aggressive rider award, it probably shouldn't have been a Trek team who hasn't raced much with him. But a few guys in this team seemed to be pretty close to him or good helpers - Pantano and Theuns, from what I saw. But here's the question for people who have followed him throughout his career: who were Alberto's best helpers and friends? Obviously Hernandez is the main example, but who else from all his teams stands out?

It wasn't me, I actually liked that they were allowed onto the podium. From what I could see the atmosphere in the team was amazing, Alberto was really comfortable and those guys really appreciated him and worked their asses off for him.
As for his best friends, I think besides the obvious Hernandez, Navarro and Noval; De Kort, Scarponi, Roche, Mick Rogers, Tosatto, Bennati, Basso, Tiralongo and this year Pantano are some of his teammates that he had a great relationship with.

What about Paulinho

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

What about Paulinho

Not on good terms anymore, I think.

 

[DNP-Old]

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Nice

 

[LaFlorecita]

Posted by Basso

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Considering Rafa won a Grand Slam it is incredibly telling Contador made the front page

 

[No_Balls]

Re: Re:

That is slightly unexpected it was AS to be the one to publish it. I had to scroll trough everything football to find anything about cycling (it sure wasnt a lot) this Vuelta and with Rafa clinching US Open i didnt have high hopes Alberto would made it to the cover.

Great to see.

 

[Puccini]

Re: Re:

Someone (Flo?) made a comment on the thread for today's stage that if the whole team were going to come onto the podium with Contador for his most aggressive rider award, it probably shouldn't have been a Trek team who hasn't raced much with him. But a few guys in this team seemed to be pretty close to him or good helpers - Pantano and Theuns, from what I saw. But here's the question for people who have followed him throughout his career: who were Alberto's best helpers and friends? Obviously Hernandez is the main example, but who else from all his teams stands out?

Paulinho and Noval too, but I don't know if the relations with Paulinho have deteriorated in the past year. Sergio sounded pretty annoyed last year when he didn't get the call from Contador to join him at Trek.

I think that Tosatto too, but Fleur should know more.

Alberto Contador could not take with him as many as he wanted .... and Paulinho was left. There was no obligation
With Tosatto something similar and now he has fichado like director of equipment with Sky.
That is all.

 

[Ricco']

Re: Re:

Someone (Flo?) made a comment on the thread for today's stage that if the whole team were going to come onto the podium with Contador for his most aggressive rider award, it probably shouldn't have been a Trek team who hasn't raced much with him. But a few guys in this team seemed to be pretty close to him or good helpers - Pantano and Theuns, from what I saw. But here's the question for people who have followed him throughout his career: who were Alberto's best helpers and friends? Obviously Hernandez is the main example, but who else from all his teams stands out?

Paulinho and Noval too, but I don't know if the relations with Paulinho have deteriorated in the past year. Sergio sounded pretty annoyed last year when he didn't get the call from Contador to join him at Trek.

I think that Tosatto too, but Fleur should know more.

Alberto Contador could not take with him as many as he wanted .... and Paulinho was left. There was no obligation
With Tosatto something similar and now he has fichado like director of equipment with Sky.
That is all.

Yes, but I think Paulinho said that Contador promised him a spot, or something like that. At least that was the impression I stayed with, but as I don't care about Paulinho, I didn't give much attention to this subject last winter.

Now that I think of it, Paulinho was commentating with Portuguese Eurosport one day of last summer's GTs and he almost confirmed back then Contador signing with Trek and implied that he was going there too.

 

[Forever The Best]

Since I was extremely bored, I did a 'Vuelta Tributo a Contador'
https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/tours/view/6891

Only stages 11 and 12 don't have any relations with Contador.

PS: It is obviously not a realistic race, think of it like Eshnar's all-mountain Giro's. And there are so many uphill finishes because Contador wony many MTFs.