Contador 2010

[Race Radio]

I think that was recorded the same day as the stage so there wasn't any company line, just the exact same observation I heard every other pro give. It was an amateur move, like missing the split on 3 was an amateur move. It's exactly the thing that will come back to bite him.

So every other Pro ignored Kloden losing over a minute on the descent while waiting for Armstrong? All the other Pro's applauded Kloden for given up his Podium chances to wait for and pace Armstrong earlier in the race?

Funny how so many in the sport have the direct opposite view of events that you do.

 

[Angliru]

lol @ lance amstrongs twitter

"And @teamradioshack are leading the Team GC!!
about 1 hours ago from UberTwitter
Congrats to Tiago Machado and @levileipheimer on their gr8 rides in Volta Algarve. AC was strong but the boys rode gr8. TT coming soon.
about 1 hours ago from UberTwitter"

Pistolero comes out swinging

Lance have fun on ur little tweet rides in Kona

oh and keep highlighting who rode "gr8" while your RS minions get destroyed

22 seconds in 3k lol

can't wait for the Tour, just hope all the boys (from all teams) make it to the decisive stages in tact

It appears Armstrong has finally realized that his pathetic attempts at trying to get a rise out of Contador were futile and juvenile. This is a pleasant departure from his past statements which only further sullied his reputation.

 

[Angliru]

Maybe it wasn't here. I was on other cycling message boards at the time.

I remember the majority of people on the site I was on were cheering for Ricco to beat Contador in the Giro in 2008 due to considering Contador a doper.

Ricco.

Perhaps it was just anti-bruyneel or anti usp/disco/astana sentiment.

Kurt you know that different forums have a distinct personality and slant. Couple of years ago the bikeforums.net was so pro-Armstrong that anything anyone posted criticizing LA was immediately met with a chorus of ridiculing posts and posts in his defense. Much like here is seemingly strongly pro-Contador. I blame Armstrong and his behaviour at the Tour. He's unintentionally made Contador a sympathetic figure. With Contador being completely unwilling to engage Armstrong and instead taking the high road, he's further fed the depiction of LA as the villain, even if he is in most experts eyes the underdog when it comes to the 2010 Tour.

 

[Ripper]

I find it interesting that prior to Lance's comeback, I saw a lot of hatred aimed at Contador... almost as if they viewed him as the "new Lance".

Now that Lance is back, it seems like a lot of people who were trashing Contador in 2008 now seem to be huge fans in 2010, celebrating every percieved victory over Lance or his team.

In 2008, the primary word association with Contador was probably "dope".

In 2010, it seems to be "class".

In the long run I wonder if Lance coming back for a few years might really be a huge positive for Contador's legacy... simply because it may have moved him from "villain" to "hero" status for a lot of fans.

LOL, you may be right! For the record, I am not a fan of either.

 

[VeloCity]

I find it interesting that prior to Lance's comeback, I saw a lot of hatred aimed at Contador... almost as if they viewed him as the "new Lance".

Now that Lance is back, it seems like a lot of people who were trashing Contador in 2008 now seem to be huge fans in 2010, celebrating every percieved victory over Lance or his team.

In 2008, the primary word association with Contador was probably "dope".

In 2010, it seems to be "class".

In the long run I wonder if Lance coming back for a few years might really be a huge positive for Contador's legacy... simply because it may have moved him from "villain" to "hero" status for a lot of fans.

Everything is relative, and relatively speaking, Contador has shown a hell of a lot more class than Armstrong. But the biggest difference is that, unlike so many of the Lance fanboys, you won't see anyone here claiming Contador has accomplished everything clean.

 

[Big GMaC]

Unlike so many of the Lance fanboys, you won't see anyone here claiming Contador has accomplished everything clean.

Agreed. This is the Professional Racing section, not The Clinic. In that respect Contador is a far more exciting racer than Lance, doping or no doping.

(I know 'doping or no doping' is a dangerous phrase here as people will leap on about how they both, but especially Lance would be nothing without doping, but that is where the informed cycling world finds itself)

 

[gatete]

he won

He won and in a expected fashion, not too strong to show any type of early form that would jeopardize the Tour.

Good for him

 

[ridley]

Have to agree - not a lot of flamboyance or melodramatic talking down and still a champion

 

[theswordsman]

I guess I'll step forward as one of the un"informed". I believe Alberto Contador is a clean rider. If there ever comes a day that I don't, it will be my last as a fan of pro cycling. I don't think it's going to happen. Have a great day.

 

[Prodigy]

I guess I'll step forward as one of the un"informed". I believe Alberto Contador is a clean rider. If there ever comes a day that I don't, it will be my last as a fan of pro cycling. I don't think it's going to happen. Have a great day.

But it goes back to that old question: how can a clean rider beat a bunch of doped riders? And in Contador's case he beats them decisively.

If he is clean then I think scientists should study his physiological to see if they can use it to cure cancer and aids etc.

 

[Publicus]

But it goes back to that old question: how can a clean rider beat a bunch of doped riders? And in Contador's case he beats them decisively.

If he is clean then I think scientists should study his physiological to see if they can use it to cure cancer and aids etc.

Then they (the entire peloton) are all doped and thus this is a moot discussion. Or you could just move this to the Clinic.

 

[Bike Boy]

I guess I'll step forward as one of the un"informed". I believe Alberto Contador is a clean rider. If there ever comes a day that I don't, it will be my last as a fan of pro cycling. I don't think it's going to happen. Have a great day.

I know what you mean. I can't imaging what it would do to cycling, if Contador did test positive. I truly want to believe it's possible to achieve great things in cycling, riding clean. but I also believe that your passion for cycling has to be big enough, to survive such a huge disapointment.

I still remember the day back in late 2004, when the anouncement of Hamiltons failed test was made public.
Denmark is a little country and the hype around him was massive after 2003. I can't describe in words how disapointed I was, but today it stands out as the day when I realised how naive it is to believe in every single miraculous achivement.

I get the feeling that your ties to cycling depend very much on Contador, which is very honourable, but bearing in mind what a great history cycling has, I really hope that you will never lose interest, and of course I really hope that you a right about Contador not being doped. It would be almost unbearable if not.

 

[Polish]

Heed Mott the Hoople....

I guess I'll step forward as one of the un"informed". I believe Alberto Contador is a clean rider. If there ever comes a day that I don't, it will be my last as a fan of pro cycling. I don't think it's going to happen. Have a great day.

Geez Sword, didn't you say a couple times that you used to be a Big Lance Fan - even writing a Blog extolling Lance's racing?

Have you ever heard the expression:
"Fool me ONCE, shame on you. But fool me twice....."

or how about:
ONCE bitten, twice shy"

C'mon...When you watch the Tour this year and Alberto launches his blistering attacks and drops everyone big time, watch closely to see if he reduces his pace a tiny bit to avoid being classified as an ET or setting off alarm bells on Greg LeMond's internal dope-o-meter. Look for some fake grimacing as well. C'mon...

 

[mr. tibbs]

Geez Sword, didn't you say a couple times that you used to be a Big Lance Fan - even writing a Blog extolling Lance's racing?

Have you ever heard the expression:
"Fool me ONCE, shame on you. But fool me twice....."

or how about:
ONCE bitten, twice shy"

C'mon...When you watch the Tour this year and Alberto launches his blistering attacks and drops everyone big time, watch closely to see if he reduces his pace a tiny bit to avoid being classified as an ET or setting off alarm bells on Greg LeMond's internal dope-o-meter. Look for some fake grimacing as well. C'mon...

I think the real give-away will be if he pantomimes throwing his bike at the line after escaping to win a mountain-top stage alone.

 

[gatete]

I know what you mean. I can't imaging what it would do to cycling, if Contador did test positive. I truly want to believe it's possible to achieve great things in cycling, riding clean. but I also believe that your passion for cycling has to be big enough, to survive such a huge disapointment.

I still remember the day back in late 2004, when the anouncement of Hamiltons failed test was made public.
Denmark is a little country and the hype around him was massive after 2003. I can't describe in words how disapointed I was, but today it stands out as the day when I realised how naive it is to believe in every single miraculous achivement.

I get the feeling that your ties to cycling depend very much on Contador, which is very honourable, but bearing in mind what a great history cycling has, I really hope that you will never lose interest, and of course I really hope that you a right about Contador not being doped. It would be almost unbearable if not.

I guess it will be very dissapointing, but on the same token I liked Basso, I still do, I liked Jan, I still do, I love the Pantani videos, I guess my expectations are more shall we say of a particular style/persona rather than achievements or something of that nature I guess that if AC ever comes positive, it will hurt like crap but at then I'll forgive him, should he change somthing in his persona attitude wise or something ala lance then all bets are off.

 

[ravens]

I know what you mean. I can't imaging what it would do to cycling, if Contador did test positive. I truly want to believe it's possible to achieve great things in cycling, riding clean. but I also believe that your passion for cycling has to be big enough, to survive such a huge disapointment.

I still remember the day back in late 2004, when the anouncement of Hamiltons failed test was made public. Denmark is a little country and the hype around him was massive after 2003. I can't describe in words how disapointed I was, but today it stands out as the day when I realised how naive it is to believe in every single miraculous achivement.

(I am newer than most to the sport) For me, accepting the truth about Landis meant accepting the truth about all of them. Sooner or later, you have to accept that the tooth fairy is really just your mom. And it's probably easier to get over it at 4 than 40.

 

[thehog]

In tomorrow's interview, Alonso reflects on the inadvertent role he played at the centre of the Spygate and Crashgate controversies that so blighted the reputation of Formula One. He also reveals his hope to form a new Tour de France team with his friend Alberto Contador – who won the race last year.

- in tomorrows UK Guardian.

 

[Ferminal]

In tomorrow's interview, Alonso reflects on the inadvertent role he played at the centre of the Spygate and Crashgate controversies that so blighted the reputation of Formula One. He also reveals his hope to form a new Tour de France team with his friend Alberto Contador – who won the race last year.

- in tomorrows UK Guardian.

Between them they have enough gates to build a fort.

 

[Publicus]

In tomorrow's interview, Alonso reflects on the inadvertent role he played at the centre of the Spygate and Crashgate controversies that so blighted the reputation of Formula One. He also reveals his hope to form a new Tour de France team with his friend Alberto Contador – who won the race last year.

- in tomorrows UK Guardian.

Kind of interesting that he wants to form a new Tour de France team and not a Pro Tour team.

 

[Berzin]

When you watch the Tour this year and Alberto launches his blistering attacks and drops everyone big time, watch closely to see if he reduces his pace a tiny bit to avoid being classified as an ET or setting off alarm bells on Greg LeMond's internal dope-o-meter. Look for some fake grimacing as well.

Grimacing? Yes, that always throws them off the scent...

 

[dolophonic]

The thing that is really scary is how comfortable Menchov looks!

 

[Publicus]

The thing that is really scary is how comfortable Menchov looks!

Yeah, I was going to make that same observation. He looks like he's out for a casual ride along the beach.

 

[thehog]

Kind of interesting that he wants to form a new Tour de France team and not a Pro Tour team.

He is also stimulated by his outside interest in creating a new Tour de France team with his friend Alberto Contador, who won the race in 2007 and 2009. "It's a project for me – a kind of dream I have because I love cycling. Creating a top team and being in a position to win the Tour de France will give me a nice feeling. But I know it is not easy to create a top team from zero. You need good riders, good staff, a lot of preparation and, most important, a lot of sponsors. So I don't think we are in the right moment to start a project like this, because of the world economy."

Would he wait until he has retired from Formula One before he attempts to fulfil his Tour fantasy? "No, it can happen at the same time. It is something Alberto and I can work on. As I said I'm very open. I know this year he is with Astana but from next year onwards, for sure, if there is an opportunity I will be very interested. I think he will be interested as well."

Did he train alongside the remorseless Contador in the winter? "He invited me to train with him a couple of times but I was always trying to have something else to do that day! I trained with the Olympic champion Samuel Sánchez, who is from my city [Ovideo], and with some of *Alberto's team‑mates from Astana."

Before he can chase down a possible Tour triumph as a team director, Alonso looks ready for the most absorbing Formula One season in years. "I expect Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull to be big contenders. But we are very happy where we are at Ferrari."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/feb/23/fernando-alonso-interview-ferrari-formula-one

 

[moi123]

wait, you forgot this

Even some British bookmakers have made him favourite for the title, ahead of the last two world champions in Hamilton and Button. Would it be wise to put a bet on him? Alonso laughs and stretches out his hand. "Put the money on me now…"


Come on guys make a safe bet


Whatever, I think that idea of making a pro tour team is very good.
I hope to hear from them soon.
But for now, I hope Fernando will kick some asses with his new Ferrari.

 

[LeonG2010]

Well-balanced

Contador is a well-integrated person who has all-round cycling ability. He is also able to rise above contentiousness. It is risible that the media talks about a "war of words" between AC and LA but in actual fact Alberto has had almost nothing to say on this particular subject while LA is obsessed with provoking him. Alberto rides his own race when it is clear he will be able to impose his superiority. Bruyneel was concerned with only one thing at TdF to make sure LA won. AC demonstrated on his bike to him and not through the popular media that he was wrong to do this. Apart from the odd slip up at TdF 2009 & the Paris Nice "coup de fringale" which will have been good learning experiences for this season. He respects other cyclists but he is his own man. Cycling is not about luck - it is about good preparation; avoiding awkward situations; having good team support and looking after yourself.