Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Andy schleck]

Something tells me you don’t understand the concept of w/kg and why it’s relevant when talking about climbing performances....

You should see how grappe does that calculations and see that i m not wrong.

 

[LaFlorecita]

That performance on verbier wasn t that so good! That stage just had one mountain climb, and verbier is not that so hard.
Bradley wiggins just lost 1 min and 9 seconds to contador on that climb, and wiggins weren t a great climber. Quintana, froome or schleck had done better performances than that in their careers.
Remember ax 3 domaines 2013, froome climbed ax 3 domaines in 21 min and 40 seconds, contador climbed verbier in 20 min and 55 s. Froome just lost 45 seconds, with port pailheres before ax 3 domaines and, not forget ax 3 domaines is a little bit dificult.
Quintana this year had done a better performance than contador on verbier, on mont ventoux.

Nice try, Andy

 

[Andy schleck]

Nice try, Andy

What a terrible reply, and that s because you don t have arguments, that s facts what i said.
Contador fanboys need to acept that there were more talented riders than contador.

 

[Bonimenier]

Pretty sure Rui Machado and Andy Schleck are the same person. The way he writes 'don t' and 'that s' give it away. Not the best troll attempt tbh.

 

[tobydawq]

Wait are we literally comparing time gaps on DIFFERENT CLIMBS?

Yeah, but you know, the one had the Pailheres before, so...

 

[tobydawq]

What a terrible reply, and that s because you don t have arguments, that s facts what i said.
Contador fanboys need to acept that there were more talented riders than contador.

But I'm sure Schleck almost spent an hour climbing Ventoux in 2009, a year where Hushovd probably climbed the Montjüic in about three minutes, so he was about twenty times better.

Both climbs are located close to the Mediterranean coast so they are quite similar.

 

[perico]

Contador just were the best rider in the world between 2007 and 2009. Andy schleck were the best rider in 2010 and 2011. Froome the best rider between 2012 and 2018.

LOL Contador won the Tour & Giro in 2010-11 on the road. Only time Schleck bested him was the 2011 Tour after Bertie had absolutely dominated the Giro.

even with the DQs Contador still has 7 GT wins, 3 (or 4) of which came after Schleck’s lone victory as well as 2 GT victories head to head against Froome.

 

[RedheadDane]

And meanwhile...

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...ers-fracture-after-an-accident-at-home-460302

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Looks like some amateur lad in Ireland gone and taken 23 minutes off his record. ah well. time to try again.

 

[Red Rick]

LOL Contador won the Tour & Giro in 2010-11 on the road. Only time Schleck bested him was the 2011 Tour after Bertie had absolutely dominated the Giro.

even with the DQs Contador still has 7 GT wins, 3 (or 4) of which came after Schleck’s lone victory as well as 2 GT victories head to head against Froome.

I was rewatching some of the 2009 and 2010 Tours on YT. I miss the Schleck/Contador days.

They were riding Ventoux mixing attacking and waiting for Frank/Armstrong, then on the windy part of Ventoux they had a 40km headwind and they still did a faster ascent than Froome 2013. Tourmalet 2010 is also an underrated performance from both imo.

 

[Forever The Best]

I was rewatching some of the 2009 and 2010 Tours on YT. I miss the Schleck/Contador days.

They were riding Ventoux mixing attacking and waiting for Frank/Armstrong, then on the windy part of Ventoux they had a 40km headwind and they still did a faster ascent than Froome 2013. Tourmalet 2010 is also an underrated performance from both imo.

2009 was, IMO, one of the strongest years in cycling history. Contador was riding like unhuman throughout the season, posting dominant times on Montagne de Lure, Arrate, Verbier and very fast despite freewheeling on Ventoux. Schleck was on amazing form, won Liege in a dominant manner, but he could not even come close in the Tour. I think 2007 and 2009 Contador are absolute prime Contador ( and maybe 2011 Giro, with honourable mention to hypothetical 2014 TDF ). Since I'm talking about 2009, another example would be Cancellara's performances in Worlds.

2010 I think it was Contador's one of weaker years but when he had to respond to Schleck properly they were far ahead of the rest ( Madeleine, Tourmalet ). However he also had awful days, such as Avoriaz ( still mad at Schleck for waiting that day ) and the final ITT. But to me it seemed like power outputs had a general drop that year, especially for Contador, his climbing times were not as good as 2009 imo.

 

[Red Rick]

2009 was, IMO, one of the strongest years in cycling history. Contador was riding like unhuman throughout the season, posting dominant times on Montagne de Lure, Arrate, Verbier and very fast despite freewheeling on Ventoux. Schleck was on amazing form, won Liege in a dominant manner, but he could not even come close in the Tour. I think 2007 and 2009 Contador are absolute prime Contador ( and maybe 2011 Giro, with honourable mention to hypothetical 2014 TDF ). Since I'm talking about 2009, another example would be Cancellara's performances in Worlds.

2010 I think it was Contador's one of weaker years but when he had to respond to Schleck properly they were far ahead of the rest ( Madeleine, Tourmalet ). However he also had awful days, such as Avoriaz ( still mad at Schleck for waiting that day ) and the final ITT. But to me it seemed like power outputs had a general drop that year, especially for Contador, his climbing times were not as good as 2009 imo.

Pretty much. 2010 climbing times were pretty depressed by Schleck and Contador looking at each other though. But he was definitely a bit worse. Agree 2007 gets a bit underrated. IIRC he flatted on Tignes when Rasmussen won then flatted again after a huge Galibier attack?

But man Schleck was fun to watch before he became Abandony.

Fun moment on Ventoux when Andy and Alberto flew away from everyone and one young Squalo destroyed himself trying to bridge to them.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Looks like some amateur lad in Ireland gone and taken 23 minutes off his record. ah well. time to try again.

Looks like he used a highly modified bike built especially for this occasion.
Also he is an amateur just as much as Berto is an amateur - ex pro I doubt Berto could be bothered to go out and make another attempt, 23 minutes is a lot of time to make up

 

[Forever The Best]

Pretty much. 2010 climbing times were pretty depressed by Schleck and Contador looking at each other though. But he was definitely a bit worse. Agree 2007 gets a bit underrated. IIRC he flatted on Tignes when Rasmussen won then flatted again after a huge Galibier attack?

But man Schleck was fun to watch before he became Abandony.

Fun moment on Ventoux when Andy and Alberto flew away from everyone and one young Squalo destroyed himself trying to bridge to them.

Schleck was a weird case. He did not have the work ethic, was a pretty whiny, needed all conditions to be suited to him to perform well, but he was a skilled and elegant climber. I thought Bruyneel can make him better but it just caused a massive trainwreck, and he seems much happier outside of cycling tbf.

Yes, Contador flatted on Tignes and had another flat in Galibier IIRC ( or was it a crash? I think it was a flat though ). His time on Galibier was really impressive. That PdB was ridiculous, only slower than '98 Pantani. They were flying on Aubisque as well. Contador's TTs did not look that strong but it may have someting to do with some amazing TTs from Vinokourov, Leipheimer and Evans. ( To be fair both were looong ITTs, not the forte of Contador IMO )

Also Nibali was already strong in 2009. 3rd in Verbier, 4th in LGB, and looked strong in Ventoux. Also it's funny how you say young Squalo when he is older than Andy, but he got better and got the big wins and is still very competitive. Excellent longevity, in my opinion.

 

[Leinster]

Looks like he used a highly modified bike built especially for this occasion.
Also he is an amateur just as much as Berto is an amateur - ex pro I doubt Berto could be bothered to go out and make another attempt, 23 minutes is a lot of time to make up

“I in no way consider myself on the same level as Contador,” McLaughlin told CyclingTips. ”I once heard Chris Boardman say that when he was trying to break the Hour Record on Eddy Merckx rules, that everybody can be world class on their day and their discipline. That was sort of my goal here – to prove that no matter if you’ve won two Tours de France or not, if you apply yourself and use all the marginal gains or science or whatever you want to call it, and train right, then anybody can be world class… If only for one day,“ he added with a laugh.

https://cyclingtips.com/2020/07/contador-dethroned-as-new-king-of-everesting-sets-record-70441/

 

[Red Rick]

Looks like he used a highly modified bike built especially for this occasion.
Also he is an amateur just as much as Berto is an amateur - ex pro I doubt Berto could be bothered to go out and make another attempt, 23 minutes is a lot of time to make up

Alberto was promoting his bike brand. Especially this has to hurt.

Or what were the specification of the bike? Negative weight?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto was promoting his bike brand. Especially this has to hurt.

Or what were the specification of the bike? Negative weight?

Have a look at the link Leinster posted. Only 3 gears and modified handlebars (no drops). No idea about the weight.
I don't think Berto trained much for the attempt, maybe he'll give it another go once the brand officially launches in September.

 

[Red Rick]

Have a look at the link Leinster posted. Only 3 gears and modified handlebars (no drops). No idea about the weight.
I don't think Berto trained much for the attempt, maybe he'll give it another go once the brand officially launches in September.

Yeah I think he basically just went off his base form which seems to be whatever training schedule he does for shits and giggles with a few weeks of prep. Also saw his climb times and IIRC he started way too fast.

 

[Leinster]

Alberto was promoting his bike brand. Especially this has to hurt.

Or what were the specification of the bike? Negative weight?

S-Works Tarmac with Dura-Ace wheels, rim brakes, Campag shifters, only a 39 up front, and only 3 cogs at the rear. Low gear of 39-32. Oh, and the drop bars chopped and various other hill-climb-esque weight-reducing measures.

I too don't think Berto will be too worried about this, though I do think his name (and Emma Pooley's for the women) being on the list gives the Everesting record an air of legitimacy, rather than just being something for hobbyists and bike tech nerds and Youtubers. Also, McLaughlin's record proves what Phil Gaiman has said a lot since his record; the choice of hill makes a huge difference.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Berto posted a video and data of 20 minute test climb pre -tour in 2016 (?)
7.17 W/kg

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEGv_18p4vH/?igshid=hf1fg3gb5his

 

[Red Rick]

Berto posted a video and data of 20 minute test climb post -tour in 2016 (?)
7.17 W/kg

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEGv_18p4vH/?igshid=hf1fg3gb5his

GOD **** DAMNIT ALBERTO I HAD MADE MY PEACE WITH YOUR CRASHES IN 2016 AND 2017

When exactly would that have been.

 

[Simurgh]

Yeah it looks indeed like the 2016 Tinkoff jersey, with its rather boring-blueish looking color. But didn't he post his power data from a Tour-winning year showing him at ridiculously high 7.4 W/kg? That must've been in exceptional year (2009 perhaps?). Either way, seeing these numbers do make me feel a bit sad. Those crashes must have affected him not only physically, as much as mentally. Remember when he threw a bidon away on anger after crashing in the 2016 Vuelta. It makes me think that it was the mental fatigue more than a physical decline, that influenced his retirement..

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah it looks indeed like the 2016 Tinkoff jersey, with its rather boring-blueish looking color. But didn't he post his power data from a Tour-winning year showing him at ridiculously high 7.4 W/kg? That must've been in exceptional year (2009 perhaps?). Either way, seeing these numbers do make me feel a bit sad. Those crashes must have affected him not only physically, as much as mentally. Remember when he threw a bidon away on anger after crashing in the 2016 Vuelta. It makes me think that it was the mental fatigue more than a physical decline, that influenced his retirement..

I think so too. I think part of his insane aggression in his last year in the sport was a lot of frustration.

 

[Gigs_98]

About the Schleck/Contador topic on the previous page, I really think 2010 Contador is massively underrated just because there was someone else who was actually climbing as well as him. That year the two could basically just ride away from anyone uphill whenever they wanted. When Andy attacked, out of a still really big group, on the Tourmalet and it looked like anyone but Contador didn't even try to react, that's just insane. Ever since the Froome kinda lost his uphill kick after 2015 we almost forgot what domination uphill even looked like. Stuff like that just hasn't happened in the tour in a while.

 

[Red Rick]

About the Schleck/Contador topic on the previous page, I really think 2010 Contador is massively underrated just because there was someone else who was actually climbing as well as him. That year the two could basically just ride away from anyone uphill whenever they wanted. When Andy attacked, out of a still really big group, on the Tourmalet and it looked like anyone but Contador didn't even try to react, that's just insane. Ever since the Froome kinda lost his uphill kick after 2015 we almost forgot what domination uphill even looked like. Stuff like that just hasn't happened in the tour in a while.

IIRC, they just already had more than a minute on everyone else halfway up the climb. It then somewhat stopped growing in the final few km, and I don't even know if Schleck and Conti went as hard as they could in the end.

Froome had this thing where he only had to attack to drop one guy cause his team would be so strong to drop everyone else. He also has a large tendency to only do one big attack per GT if at all and just attack close to the finish for the rest.