Alberto Contador Thread

[ScottMasil]

What?

Alberto has said that if a teammate attacks he wont chase them, and he expects the same. Sounds pretty honourable to me.

So the question then becomes - who will attack first ??? Contador can probably sustain a longer attack than LA - this will be very interesting ...

 

[Darrylc]

Hey, Bozo. cut this "HATE" crap it shows what an absolute idiot YOU are. I'll tell you the kind of people that are worth hating. People like you, who are so damned presumptuous and ignorantly judgemental. Neither I nor anybody else on this forum needs to justify their opinions to people like you, I have been a Lance fan in the past but I do not like the route or the strategy he has employed to attain his ends this time around. This thread is about Contador, not about Lance. If you're a Lance addict then maybe you ought to stay away from this thread. instead of loitering here and calling down anyone who happens to admire Alberto Contador

Well said. Amazing how many people USED to be a Lance fan!

 

[The Falcon]

Hey, Bozo. cut this "HATE" crap it shows what an absolute idiot YOU are. I'll tell you the kind of people that are worth hating. People like you, who are so damned presumptuous and ignorantly judgemental. Neither I nor anybody else on this forum needs to justify their opinions to people like you, I have been a Lance fan in the past but I do not like the route or the strategy he has employed to attain his ends this time around. This thread is about Contador, not about Lance. If you're a Lance addict then maybe you ought to stay away from this thread. instead of loitering here and calling down anyone who happens to admire Alberto Contador

LOL. Good response.

I for one cant wait for Livestrong to retire so we can get these imbeciles off the board and get back to normal programming with posters who have an interest in Cycling beyond one man.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I am not convinced of this. We don't have much data to go on other than Armstrong does not quite look the same as he used to when climbing. I also am not convinced that Andy Schleck is as strong as he was last year. The moderate grade of the Verbier stage is less suited to a climber like Andy.

Contador should make sure he attacks first.

It's not the gradient of the Verbier climb, that lets it down, it's the length.
Verbier's gradient is 7.5% average, which matches just about anything in this watery Tour. Being under 9kms long though, means the fireworks must start early. The final km is not steep at all. There are 7kms that average 8%.

The T d Suisse used it, just last year. The Schlecks were using their one-two attacks throughout the race, but noticeably, it was Kirchen from Kreuziger, at the finish.

Maybe those who raced this course will have the best idea of where to hit the gas?

Here's a great, Spanish analysis of all this week's stages, with the main climbs in great detail:-
http://translate.google.com/transla...or.wordpress.com/&sl=es&tl=en&history_state0=

 

[Parrot23]

Agree, Contador has to attack first or simply follow Lance always immediately (as in a heterodox "dual" attack). Never let a gap emerge.

Astana has enough other guys (i.e. Levi, Kloden, Popo etc.) to block to justify this. No sense having world's best climber block--unless Astana want Lance to win. That's the only premise for this.

Contador's press conference yesterday:

http://www.roadcycling.com/intervie...2009_Tour_de_France_-_Rest_Day_1_002875.shtml

 

[racerralph]

Agree, Contador has to attack first or simply follow Lance always immediately (as in a heterodox "dual" attack). Never let a gap emerge.

Astana has enough other guys (i.e. Levi, Kloden, Popo etc.) to block to justify this. No sense having world's best climber block--unless Astana want Lance to win. That's the only premise for this.

Contador's press conference yesterday:

http://www.roadcycling.com/intervie...2009_Tour_de_France_-_Rest_Day_1_002875.shtml

Hey there! Thanks for the link. The more sources for information, the better we can understand the whole picture.

 

[Angliru]

At: Chomsky
Have you forgotten who is wearing and was given the team's #1 bib? As team leader it is his option to attack when he chooses. YOU are so blinded by your secret Armstrong bromance that you can't see that his attack was a stroke of tactical genius. Evans had just attacked, was brought back and was recovering. Van Den Broeck was off the front, likely trying to setup Evans a bit too soon. Contador jumped on it leaving everyone else, with the exception of Andy Schleck, flatfooted. HE WAS ATTACKING HIS OPPONENTS. All this "defenseless" bs you keep spouting is completely ridiculous. Every person who follows cycling and this event in the world knew that Contador would attack on Arcalis. He admittedly reconned the climb at least 3 times. As he has stated in interviews the only plan was to answer attacks on the climb. They expected more attacks from Sastre, the Schlecks, Evans and others but only Evans of the contenders actually made an attempt.

The opportunity to take time out of your opponents presents itself and an attacking by nature climber like Contador is supposed to pass it up? I'm sure he took the lack of attacks as a sign of weakness in his opponents and jumped on it. He did what needed to be done and gained time on his opponents because of it. He also exposed Andy Schleck as being unable to match his climbing speed or acceleration regardless of what
list of excuses A. Schleck gave for getting dropped.

The only thing that is defenseless is your argument.

 

[mr. tibbs]

It is without honor because he knows he can put time into the only 3 rivals left and they cannot attack back just like he did on Arcalis. he knows he is the only one of the 4 contenders left that can attack a big group and stay away from the group. If he wants to win the tour with honor he should attack in a small group when Levi and Lance can attack back or on let all Astana riders attack each other and be able to respond to attacks on Ventoux. I agree with everyone that Contador is the strongest rider I just would like to see a fair race where all 4 can fight and fight back against each other. Putting cheap time on your rivals when they have their hands tied behind their backs is like attacking after an accident or mechanical. It does not allow us to say the strongest rider won.

You're right; Contador IS the only one who can attack a big group and stay away. So he's the strongest, right? So he SHOULD win (barring any skull-duggery)?

I agree that it's a bad situation for the other guys, but they chose to ride for a team with the best rider in the world, so they are domestiques. The only one who was dishonorable was Armstrong when he attacked his own captain in stage 3. (And make no mistake, Armstrong was attacking ONE man in the peloton: Contador. He knew full well that, after the TTT, the other contenders would have huge deficits to make up.)

The only reason Contador had to go out of a group led by his team is b/c he is the captain; unfortunately, one of his teammates has forgotten this and needs to be reminded. But it was the same tactic Armstrong used in stage 3 with one big difference: where Armstrong was riding his teammates' and others' wheels, Contador used his own legs to establish himself as the strongest. I think the latter is a much more honorable tactic than the former.

 

[Darrylc]

Think it is time to bring the thread back for congratulations.

 

[richwagmn]

Think it is time to bring the thread back for congratulations.

Congragulations to AC! Amazing performance.

 

[gatete]

Contador is and has been, the world's strongest rider, is sad to see, how even though everybody knew what we saw today which was unevitable, still only get so far 50 posts :-( this guy deserves more I think

 

[Darrylc]

Contador is and has been, the world's strongest rider, is sad to see, how even though everybody knew what we saw today which was unevitable, still only get so far 50 posts :-( this guy deserves more I think

He deserves so much more. He is one of the best riders I have ever seen. i believe he is going to leave a massive legacy.

 

[hfer07]

Today was a glorious day for AC and cycling in general: he proved once for all who's the strongest & finally everybody who really looks to the future of the sport can be certain that he is the next King.
I hope he considers riding two grand tours per year, and why not some classics.

 

[mickkk]

Just a brilliant ride today. Allcock and ribs that bloke.

Hats off to him, today has won him le tour. Hes been resting all tour.

 

[Darrylc]

Today was a glorious day for AC and cycling in general: he proved once for all who's the strongest & finally everybody who really looks to the future of the sport can be certain that he is the next King.
I hope he considers riding two grand tours per year, and why not some classics.

Its funny, 2 years ago when the Prologue set off in London, nobody really paid much attention to him. i want to go and see him in action next year in the Alps.