Contador 2010

[python]

vino is 100% for berto

i think many people underestimate berto’s welcome at astana because they don’t understand the team’s dynamic.

there is only one actual team boss and a captain. he is vino. pretty much like armstrong at the shack. in my mind it is indisputable. the difference is that vino promised berto his team’s total loyalty and support and berto, after some serious thinking, bought it.

vino is an emotional and passionate person. recall his deep grieving over kivilev’s death. if he gave you his word and calls you a friend he means it. if he says I don’t like you, he means it too(bruyneel knows it).

vino and berto get along just fine because vino has realized his personal ambition is no longer viable in the bigger picture.

hence, he’ll be racing the giro, yes, but i believe he will bail out if he feels too fatigued to recover in time to properly support berto in the tour.

above all vino wants to be at the tour. a good giro showing will only strengthen his aso cards. it does not have to be overdone. that's why i believe he will hunt for stage wins.

 

[Berzin]

Vino, much more than Armstrong, showed himself to be a true teammate.

I never saw Armstrong ride for Levi in last year's Giro the way Vino paced Contador up that last mountain in this years' Criterium International. And Vino has always been supportive of Contador in the press.

What Vino said when he came back was, "I'm coming back. If Bruyneel doesn't like it, then he is the one who has to leave, not me". That's not playing politics-that's just speaking the truth of the matter.

One of the things that has always puzzled me (and I would appreciate it if anyone who knows could answer this question) is why Vino and Bruyneel had such a contentious relationship. I heard the Bruyneel despised Vino, but for what? Surely it couldn't be because of his past doping violations?

Or was the Hog just inventing a controversy as an excuse to walk out with Armstrong?

Something else was definitely going on, but what that something was I have no idea.

Just as much as Bruyneel and Armstrong want Contador to lose this year's Tour, Vino feels the same way about Armstrong. It's good to have a counter balance to the hostility which for so long has been a one-way street.

 

[theswordsman]

One of the things that has always puzzled me (and I would appreciate it if anyone who knows could answer this question) is why Vino and Bruyneel had such a contentious relationship. I heard the Bruyneel despised Vino, but for what? Surely it couldn't be because of his past doping violations?

I don't know about a history between the two prior to last year. I dug this up from the angry last post in my blog. It might clear things up a tad. Sorry, but Universal Sports lost a lot of their old content when they re did their website, so the original article for that one doesn't exist any more. Words not in quote boxes are mine from last year.

Bruyneel announced during the Tour that he had "heard whispers" and would leave Team Astana at the end of the season. While he may have heard whispers, the rest of us heard before the Tour started that Astana was ready to fire his *** and take back the team he had allowed Armstrong to use as his personal plaything.

Here's a quote from a July 4 Tim Maloney Universal Sports article, which can be found in its entirety here.

But Nikolaï Proskurin, the vice-president of the Kazakh cycling federation, had harsh words for Bruyneel in L'Equipe after non-payment of team fees caused the Astana team to ride without team logos on their jerseys at the Giro d'Italia.

"We were not happy with (Bruyneel's) behavior as it caused major embarassment to Kazakhstan, and we have more than enough reason to fire him. Contrary to what most people think, (Bruyneel) works for (the Kazakh cycling federation) not the other way around.”

The President of Kazakhstan was also involved, as you can see in this Cycling Weekly article by Andrew Canning posted July 3:

These comments could be largely dismissed as posturing but a statement from the Kazakh President no less seem to add weight to the rumours of a Kazakh take-over at Astana.

According to L’Equipe, President Nursultan Nazarbaiev proposed re-structuring the team around Alberto Contador without Lance Armstrong and Bruyneel.

“We are going to approach Alberto Contador and propose lengthening his contract,” said Nazarbaiev.

“He will be our sole leader for the years to come, he will have every liberty to choose the riders that he wants to have at his side.

“In our mind, the team will be made up of Spanish and Kazakh riders, amongst those Alexandre Vinokourov”.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/381241/rumours-circulate-of-a-kazakh-coup-at-astana.html

 

[Angliru]

Amazes me that Bruyneel would think that he has the "juice" to declare to the sponsors that Vino is unwelcome. As I understand it Armstrong made absolutely no efforts to connect with the team sponsors and only bad mouthed them upon his return. His strategy to "ride for free" was spun as some great humanitarian effort to imply his spreading cancer awareness was his chief motivating factor when it was actually to allow him the freedom to garner potential sponsors for his and Bruyneel's own team, eventually with the admitted plan of absconding (Minus Contador and any riders loyal to him)with all the team's talent whether under contract with Astana or not. It is an expansion of the tactic of obtaining all the talent that could be a threat but this time with the intention of seriouosly weakening the prospects of one of the 2 riders that they have deemed as a real threat to Armstrong's dream of a storybook ending to his comeback and overall career. It was even rumoured that they tried to lure Andy Schleck away from Saxo Bank, who I believe is still under contract, another issue that the UCI needs to address, teams stealing riders under contract from other teams.

 

[python]

<snip>
One of the things that has always puzzled me (and I would appreciate it if anyone who knows could answer this question) is why Vino and Bruyneel had such a contentious relationship.

simply put, power struggle.

i recall reading in de telegraaf bruyneels own words (in his blog in dutch). something to the extent that it was part of his deal with the kazakh federation that vino is not joining Astana under his watch. bruyneel claimed the kazakhs broke the agreement by pressuring him.

why he did not want vino back ? as i said above, power struggle. he understood that vino's return would put an end to his and armstrong's team management. bruyneel dressed it as vino's doping past but in reality they had a number of deep disagreements (it all was in the international media at one time or another) including:
(i) the number of kazakhs on the tdf team
(ii) firing of gusev for alleged doping
(iii) bazaev suspension

 

[theswordsman]

Well, good, glad to see it.

And thanks for all the info on the subsequent post.

You're welcome. Vino is back in Tenerife doing yet another straining camp. He and Iglinsky are talking about seven hour days with lots of climbing.

http://astanafans.com/topics/ru/vino-4-ever

From a new interview before Castilla y Leon. Contador was presnting the team with his brother Fran and their friends who will ride the Titan Desert event to raise money for the Doctors Without Borders Emergency Fund. Google Trtanslation

The allergy can be one of the main problems in Castilla y León

"This year the dates have been delayed and is advanced allergy. The forecast is for rain, but I hope to have fun," said Madrid cyclist in the presentation of proof of Titan Desert Mountain, which will hand his brother Fran Specialized equipment within the-Counter-MSF.

Contador known references the Alto de El Morredero, one of the acensiones that mark the future of the race. " "I know the final Morredero but I have heard that it's a port that has ramps constant and difficult, and then there's the 15-kilometer time trial, which suits me," he said.

Regarding the performance of his team, Astana, in the preparation stage of the Tour de France, Contador was "very pleased" with his companions, to the point that recognized that the problem will be choosing between a large number of candidates.

"I'm very happy with how your computer is running. The Astana always a difficult challenge because sometimes you have to bear the responsibility of the race from start to finish. For the moment we are monitoring very close races. I feel happy because they will have headache for the Tour to the list because there are many candidates, "he said.

Contador said as names almost fixed for the Tour of Benjamin Noval, Vinokurov, Iglinsky, Oscar Pereiro, who is training like never before, David de la Fuente and Dani Navarro "·

http://www.marca.com/2010/04/12/ciclismo/1271094624.html

 

[Publicus]

Contador said as names almost fixed for the Tour of Benjamin Noval, Vinokurov, Iglinsky, Oscar Pereiro, who is training like never before, David de la Fuente and Dani Navarro "·

That seems like a pretty decent core group, assuming DDLF can get back up to form. Wouldn't be surprised if he road the Giro (at least part of it) for training purposes.

 

[Beech Mtn]

One of the things that has always puzzled me (and I would appreciate it if anyone who knows could answer this question) is why Vino and Bruyneel had such a contentious relationship. I heard the Bruyneel despised Vino, but for what? Surely it couldn't be because of his past doping violations?

It looks like Bruyneel took the Kazakh's money, did not honor his promises to the Kazakh Federation/sponsors, and attempted to make off with the Astana ProTour license during the 2009 Giro in order to start his new team with Lance prior to the 2009 TdF.

Take a look at what Assan Bazayev had to say about last year's Astana team in this translation of an article that came out last summer:

http://astanafans.com/getting-to-know-baza-part-2.html

It doesn't help matters that Johan and Lance made statements in the press that came across as derogatory and racist towards Kazakhstan, the people paying the bills.

Edit - here's one of Bruyneel's offensive quotes. The whole article can be found here
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/bruyneels-year-of-living-stressfully

"What Vinokourov and Kascheskin messed with isn't my mistake and except for those two there's nobody in Kazakhstan. Yes, three domestiques, including two I'm not trusting [note, JB means Max Iglinsky and Assan Bazayev] and a bunch of young guys who aren't ready for the Tour de France. I'm being judged on the results and the international image of the team, not on the image of the team in a godforsaken country such as Kazakhstan.

And here's a not very tactful comment from Lance:

"I've already said that all I know about Kazakhstan is Astana and Borat. I don't know anything more," Armstrong said when last asked about the issue. "It's not my team, it's not my sponsor.

Vino is a proud patriot of his home country. He has a lot of reason to dislike Johan. In my opinion, Bruyneel was just a user, used the Kazakhs and their money when he needed it, and then raided the place like a thief on his way out.

Edit - here's another article about the tense relations between Lance, Bruyneel, and the Kazakh sponsors:
http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderreport/2009/06/08/lance-armstrong-for-great-glory-of-kazakhstan/

 

[Beech Mtn]

On the topic of Alberto and Vino in 2010 - an interesting little research project is to look at the roster of current Astana riders and see how many of those guys were previously on a team with Vino. There are a lot of guys (not just the Kazakhs) who were on earlier versions of Astana or Liberty Seguros as teammates to Vino. One of them was Alberto Contador. The point is, a lot of these guys have worked together before, and must have some sense of trust in Vino and the team as a decent place to work.

 

[theswordsman]

His good performances in the Volta ao Algarve and in the Criterium International options have skyrocketed in Madrid in the line of the capital of the pilgrim. Alberto himself has his own petition to the saint: 'Health for me and those around me. The message will be lodged after the pilgrimage route that will take him and other global forefront runners tested on Alto del Morredero or in a trial challenging the streets of Ponferrada. "It is a mountainous lap.The Morredero is a much tougher climb than the Laguna de los Peces, "says Oscar Puyol, local asset, referring to the difficulties of travel with respect to the last edition.

The constant rolling hills and the top berciana-with more than 14 kilometers of steep ramps... (delete mention of former teammate)

http://www.nortecastilla.es/v/20100413/deportes/ciclismo/vuelta-peregrinos-20100413.html

 

[ratatata]

The new customized bike

http://www.albertocontador.es/popup...www.albertocontador.com/prensa/fotos/346g.jpg

 

[theswordsman]

That seems like a pretty decent core group, assuming DDLF can get back up to form. Wouldn't be surprised if he road the Giro (at least part of it) for training purposes.

Astanafans isn't always up to the minute with the squads, but for now they've got Kazakhs, Tiralongo and Gasparotto for the Giro.

 

[theswordsman]

And the press release about Castilla y Leon and also the new bike. I hope the fact that they used the red to represent the new leader's jersey for the Vuelta means that he'll go for it.

Alberto Contador arrived in Burgos with his team mate Jesus Hernandez, and did together the last training before the Tour of Castilla and Leon, which begins tomorrow with a course that likes very much the leader of Astana. “It's a tourn that I faced with enthusiasm”, he says, “is a nice race with a final climb in the third stage, a time trial in the fourth and the final in Santiago de Compostela”. Contador finished second overall past year, behind his former team mate Levi Leipheimer, and has won the 2007 and 2008 editions.


Alberto Contador starts the race “with motivation and to see how legs respond because the last comtetition was nearly two weeks ago”, although his aim is double. “Of course, as I always say, where I go I like being at a high level and be ahead in the standings, but I don’t know what is my level here, nor the rest of the riders. And it will be also a preparation for the classics, Fleche and Liege, though these races I am aware that I start thinking more to gain experience, because I still don’t know them well and there are riders who are better than me”.


Alberto rode this morning with a new bike, designed especially for him. This is a Tarmac SL3 “with a design that has made Specialized based on the idea of the Triple Crown, with the yellow of the Tour, the Giro\'s pink and red jersey of the Vuelta, which changes this year. It is an aggressive design, personalized and I like it a lot”.


Specialized plans to build a very limited number of replicas of this new Alberto’s bike to be launched in the coming months and for which orders are already being received. Meanwhile, Alberto maybe can upload it to the podium in the Tour of Castilla and Leon, although he is very prudent. “Well, I would like, but we will to see how things are going. I hope I can race well with this bike ... because if I don’t, I’ll change it again”, he jokes.

http://www.albertocontador.com/prensa.detalle.php?id=346

 

[krebs303]

shouldn't the road be less dangerous if it has been improved?

"The course was redesigned near the Côte de la Haute-Levée, which we will not use," the organizers said. "Road improvements on the descent made the route dangerous for the riders."

Contador to ride La Flèche Wallonne

second thought maybe bad translation

 

[krebs303]

The new customized bike

http://www.albertocontador.es/popup...www.albertocontador.com/prensa/fotos/346g.jpg

Nice rig. tasteful, no butterflies

 

[Polish]

The new customized bike

http://www.albertocontador.es/popup...www.albertocontador.com/prensa/fotos/346g.jpg

It is a bit presumptuous of Specialized to decal their bike with the Tour/Giro/Vuelta tricolors
considering those victories were WON ON A TREK.

Could be kharma issues...

Now when Alberto is in France wearing yellow - THEN Specialized can pimp
up a Yellow Bike

 

[Publicus]

It is a bit presumptuous of Specialized to decal their bike with the Tour/Giro/Vuelta tricolors
considering those victories were WON ON A TREK.

Could be kharma issues...

Now when Alberto is in France wearing yellow - THEN Specialized can pimp
up a Yellow Bike

Ah, but Alberto won the race, so it should be reflected on HIS bike.

 

[ridley]

The new customized bike

http://www.albertocontador.es/popup...www.albertocontador.com/prensa/fotos/346g.jpg

Did the stencil template slip on the downtube? Could they NOT get his name in a straight line ?

 

[dolophonic]

It is a bit presumptuous of Specialized to decal their bike with the Tour/Giro/Vuelta tricolors
considering those victories were WON ON A TREK.

Could be kharma issues...

Now when Alberto is in France wearing yellow - THEN Specialized can pimp
up a Yellow Bike

Yeah, you got's to chill there, Berti won em so he get's them on his bike.

 

[theswordsman]

A fresh article on Alberto's allergies.

In the first stages of Giro 2008, Sicily and the south, the heat and open fields reminiscent of the pressure off Alberto Contador, choking and swelling, which caused her allergy."Although I ended up gaining the Giro, I spent straws," said Contador, who until this year and then has barely competed in April and May, the months that are more insidious and grass pollens.

"Only the worst spent the last weekend of March this year, in the forests of Corsica for the Criterium International, where I think the worst was the tremendous wind shook the trees." Since that race, since the crisis of the col de L'Ospedale that ended his legend of invincibility and that made him doubt the most sensitive, Contador is dedicated to train, to score with his sweat ports Segovia and Avila.

In his sights, the Tour of Castilla and Leon, who both like and that starts today, and the Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic that would add to his resume to feel even more complete rider: the best cyclist in the world to stage races will also show the best evidence of a day.
Both, in the weeks most dangerous for allergy, which will come under strain. "But I saw that the weather will be cold and rainy in Castilla y Leon [the race, Contador already won in 2007 and 2008, when he ran in March this year runs from today until Sunday, North the community, since Belorado Road to Santiago with moments out in Morredero, Friday, and a trial in Ponferrada Saturday] and I think that in Belgium make very good either, so that allergy can breathe, I hope. "

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/depo...eba/alergia/elpepidep/20100414elpepidep_9/Tes

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

It is a bit presumptuous of Specialized to decal their bike with the Tour/Giro/Vuelta tricolors
considering those victories were WON ON A TREK.

It's not about the bike, fanboy. Or haven't you heard.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

It is a bit presumptuous of Specialized to decal their bike with the Tour/Giro/Vuelta tricolors
considering those victories were WON ON A TREK.

It's not about the bike, fanboy. Or haven't you heard.

Up next, Nalini can't put championship colors on riders' jerseys, because, sigh, the race was won wearing Castelli.

 

[Polish]

It's not about the bike, fanboy. Or haven't you heard.

Next time you see your bike, you should apologise.
Its best to treat your bike with respect...

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Next time you see your bike, you should apologise.
Its best to treat your bike with respect...

Don't tell me, tell Lance. It's his book.

 

[Oldman]

Yeah, you got's to chill there, Berti won em so he get's them on his bike.

....and he can tatto them on any part of his body.