Contador 2010

[joy118118]

Just see this one

http://www.tuttobiciweb.it/index.php?page=news&cod=28717&tp=n

Zomegnan and then confirmed, "just yesterday we received confirmation: Alberto Contador will host the Tour of Italy 2011.

Does not know it is true or not.

 

[theswordsman]

Just see this one

http://www.tuttobiciweb.it/index.php?page=news&cod=28717&tp=n



Does not know it is true or not.

Yep, I was just heading here with the same one - Tuttobiciweb was quoted on a French website. I think I quoted here the part of an interview where he said that he doesn't want to be tied to one race, and he mentioned the Giro next year in that. Just imagine if he wins the Tour and the Vuelta this year. Plus, he'd be closer to peak climbing fitness for the Ardennes Classics.

 

[metaCYCLE]

Yep, I was just heading here with the same one - Tuttobiciweb was quoted on a French website. I think I quoted here the part of an interview where he said that he doesn't want to be tied to one race, and he mentioned the Giro next year in that. Just imagine if he wins the Tour and the Vuelta this year. Plus, he'd be closer to peak climbing fitness for the Ardennes Classics.

don't forget it's still springtime and it will HAVE to rain...

 

[theswordsman]

don't forget it's still springtime and it will HAVE to rain...

Earlier today I left a link at his website for a high tech hayfever mask
Picture him racing in this bad boy.
http://www.respro.com/products/allergy-relief/hay-fever/sportsta_mask/


Here's the end of the other interview again:

Nothing Giro this year. And the Vuelta?

“The Vuelta could re-enter in my plans, but it is not said that the next year does not come to the Giro. It's a race that I like and then I think that a runner must run throughout the year, the most important races of the season. I do not want to be a racer obsessed with only one big goal. I'm not a runner specialist.

It's not like Armstrong?

"No, he's unique." He laughs.

http://www.ilgiornale.it/sport/linte...e=0-comments=1

 

[flicker]

Yep, I was just heading here with the same one - Tuttobiciweb was quoted on a French website. I think I quoted here the part of an interview where he said that he doesn't want to be tied to one race, and he mentioned the Giro next year in that. Just imagine if he wins the Tour and the Vuelta this year. Plus, he'd be closer to peak climbing fitness for the Ardennes Classics.

No way he will ride the vuelta, just to strenuous a season for Contador. To hard on his body after the tour. contador will need downtime.

 

[metaCYCLE]

No way he will ride the vuelta, just to strenuous a season for Contador. To hard on his body after the tour. contador will need downtime.

faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar fetched but maybe riding it for Vino?

 

[thehog]

Earlier today I left a link at his website for a high tech hayfever mask
Picture him racing in this bad boy.
http://www.respro.com/products/allergy-relief/hay-fever/sportsta_mask/


Here's the end of the other interview again:


http://www.ilgiornale.it/sport/linte...e=0-comments=1

I think the actual translation for the Armstrong question was "No he's a farking idiot and shags his mum" - or words to thy effect.

 

[theswordsman]

Actually, I think he's more concerned with coming up with eight fresh teammates for the Vuelta. If he can't race the Tour and the Vuelta at age 27, I sure don't see Vino going hard at the Giro, helping Contador win the Tour, then trying to win the Vuelta, and beat Cancellara in the World Time Trial Championship?

This Giro announcement raises one big question mark for me, though. Normally riders sit down with team management to discuss race schedules for the coming year. Unless RSC just offered him a big pile of cash, there's not much reason for Alberto to commit to the race more than a year in advance. And it would be really odd for him to start negotiating with a new team this summer having already signed up for a race. Really, it's unusual for him to announce it without seeing if the corsa suits him.

Does this mean he's planning to stay at Astana, and let Sanquer and Martinelli help guide his career for a while?

 

[thehog]

I think he wants to dispell every Armstrong myth that ever exsisted. That's what motivates him.

Lance has created a monster.

Actually, I think he's more concerned with coming up with eight fresh teammates for the Vuelta. If he can't race the Tour and the Vuelta at age 27, I sure don't see Vino going hard at the Giro, helping Contador win the Tour, then trying to win the Vuelta, and beat Cancellara in the World Time Trial Championship?

This Giro announcement raises one big question mark for me, though. Normally riders sit down with team management to discuss race schedules for the coming year. Unless RSC just offered him a big pile of cash, there's not much reason for Alberto to commit to the race more than a year in advance. And it would be really odd for him to start negotiating with a new team this summer having already signed up for a race. Really, it's unusual for him to announce it without seeing if the corsa suits him.

Does this mean he's planning to stay at Astana, and let Sanquer and Martinelli help guide his career for a while?

 

[Francois the Postman]

Part of an interview with Contador

.

Thanks for that.

Seems that every times he opens his mouth Contador only confirms my conviction that we have someone here who loves to be part of the history of it all, like a kid in a candy shop.

Wants to enter classic races just to have been in it. Isn't full of himself, answers questions frankly, not avoiding flaws in himself, and always with respect for other riders. Won't rise to the bait, but can still put the boot in, in his own classy way. "Unique". LOL. That's a WWF quality smack-down compliment.

I guess this is what makes him so exciting for me. He is the type of rider who will keep showing up in totally semi-inappropriate places, and wants to compete, rather than prepare. Even if he knows he is not in line for a win and it might dent the perception of invulnerability, and probably risking a weaker show in races he ought to win hands down if he sets his mind to it as a consequence. As he just doesn't set his mind to it exclusively. He is tempted by participation, rather than a win. Classics and semi-classics and minor stage races are sideshows to others, but to Contador they are apparently magic history he wants to experience up close. And gifted enough to make "giving it my best shot" something to at least consider, for anyone who wants to take a top spot for himself.

He will be weaker in GTs than he can be.

I love seeing someone with his abilities enjoy cycling as much as I do, all year round. Joy+class instead of missions+class. Make that mission, singular. With the steady progress of the younger generation, some classy old-timers who still have it, and several riders whose abilities span the one-day/stage-races speciality divide, bring on the next years, we really have the return of cycling on our hands.

Felt like a long wait, at times. Mostly because even the riders who always kept that attitude were slowly being forced to follow new-age tactical handbooks that were written in the shadow of dope, radios, and the success of someone with, what I still see, as limited road abilities, but unbeatable media star power.

I hope that Contador's attitude to it all is the sort of stuff that will inspire younger riders, and we can close the door on people whose have one mission in life, and pursue that goal at all cost. People with great ability, and who manage to keep hitting their target, and still leave me with the impression that they totally failed to enjoy what they just took part in, somehow.

If he fails to inspire a big segment of the English speaking world, more power to him, I would say. This obsession with pleasing markets that never will embrace cycling the way we hope they will is doing the sport more harm than good. Contador gets that as long as the races are bigger than the riders, people can retire and the story will live on without missing a beat.

Anyone who thinks Lance has promoted the Tour across the world will come to realize that the Tour promoted Lance successfully around the world. I suspect we will see one of the more exciting Tours for ages, and a far bigger segment of the watching audience will deem it to be very dull, and switch off, when their man can't match the hyped expectations. And, to be frank, hopefully for good.

We had a decade to explain what the Tour was all about, but not once did Lance manage to convey the beauty of it all, explain the history of it all, instil the awareness that the totality is far bigger than Lance. Contador oozes that what I was missing in the attitude of the person most able to promote cycling, the guy on top.

Joy, respect, and awe. Welcome back.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I think he wants to dispell every Armstrong myth that ever exsisted. That's what motivates him.

I think he really doesn't care about Armstrong. That's the really funny bit.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

No. He's Unique. He Laughs.

http://www.ilgiornale.it/sport/linte...e=0-comments=1

That is a sig worthy comment raught thur' .

 

[alberto.legstrong]

I think he wants to dispell every Armstrong myth that ever exsisted. That's what motivates him.

Lance has created a monster.

He would have been a monster without Lance. Lance is just trying to stand in his shadow right now.

 

[Francois the Postman]

This Giro announcement raises one big question mark for me, though. Normally riders sit down with team management to discuss race schedules for the coming year. Unless RSC just offered him a big pile of cash, there's not much reason for Alberto to commit to the race more than a year in advance. And it would be really odd for him to start negotiating with a new team this summer having already signed up for a race. Really, it's unusual for him to announce it without seeing if the corsa suits him.

I don't think he needs a lot of cash to be persuaded.

He has a totally cavalier attitude to racing. He wants to take part. An almost child-like "reason". He'll commit to show up, and will take the race as it comes, and figure out how it all fits in, rather than the other way round. I know we all got used to the other way of thinking, but here' a guy who can be competitive in all, and doesn't really "target" wins, but targets "races" instead. Can more or less dictate what his calendar will look like to the team. And thoroughly thrives on being there.

Skipping it this year means he won't have be there for 3 years minus a few days come 2011, in his head. That's probably as long and absence as he will tolerate.

Does this mean he's planning to stay at Astana, and let Sanquer and Martinelli help guide his career for a while?

If Vino plays ball in July, I would be amazed if he uproots come the fall. Not that he won't get offers. But it's been obvious he wants to take the hassle out of the things around cycling, and just race instead. Moving from a happy and successful place seems to go against his nature, at least, that's my impression.

I doubt if Contador had really considered that even to be a possability by the end of last year, but he looks very happy and comfortable with the current set-up. Which is all the more impressive given that it was cobbled together when all that was on offer to "cherry-picked left-overs" was insecurity and had a potentially disruptive Vino all over it. I suspect that some who jumped the Astana ship, understandably, are regretting it now. If they get Astana stable through the year I expect to see a thoroughly strengthened Kazakh-Spanish squad for 2011.

Like you noted, he already seems more preoccupied with where he is gonna race in 2010 than who with. He has the luxury of thinking that way, thanks to his talent. He can dictate where he will race to any team, but to me it indicates, right now, he is fairly settled on where he will be come 2011. Here, his own team, or somewhere that is "a done deal" could all fit that bill.

To me only the first option, remain with Astana, makes sense. Right now.

Only Vino can blow it. And I expect Vino to blow it only if he thinks he can beat Contador regularly. I imagine Contador's legs will keep Vino's wilder ambitions in check (and mate).

Actually, having Contador on "his own" team means there is a good chance that Vino will show up at races as the team leader where he won't have Contador to deal with, or even has a willing Contador there to support him. I's happily play second fiddle every now and then for that arrangement.

 

[ferryman]

There is nothing 'child like' about Contador. More 'pueblo boy' nonsense. Poor Spanish kid, FFS get real.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Only Vino can blow it. And I expect Vino to blow it only if he thinks he can beat Contador regularly. I imagine Contador's legs will keep Vino's wilder ambitions in check (and mate).

I think you are misguided about Vino. He has actually shown himself to be an extremely loyal person in several situations. He's not some loose cannon who will betray another person on a whim.

Also, Vino and Alberto have been teammates before. Quite a few of the guys on the current Astana squad were on earlier versions of Astana/Liberty Seguros in years past. They have chosen to return and ride with Vino again. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that AC was set to leave Astana, and that the only reason he is still there is because of Vino.

Vino knows he doesn't have too many more years of riding left, and is preparing for a future managing this team. He has done a good job of helping to select a group of riders, management, and staff that mesh well together - complementary riding styles and personalities.

Vino owes a debt of sorts to AC for staying - it made keeping the ProTour license easier, and it allows Astana to be invited to the TdF and other important races. Prestige and reputation of the team were helped by having AC stay. For that, I fully expect Vino to "reach into his suitcase of courage" and "turn himself inside out" for AC at the Tour. These two men are friends, and seem to have rekindled a very healthy, respectful partnership.

 

[mr. tibbs]

.

Thanks for that.

Seems that every times he opens his mouth Contador only confirms my conviction that we have someone here who loves to be part of the history of it all, like a kid in a candy shop.

Wants to enter classic races just to have been in it. Isn't full of himself, answers questions frankly, not avoiding flaws in himself, and always with respect for other riders. Won't rise to the bait, but can still put the boot in, in his own classy way. "Unique". LOL. That's a WWF quality smack-down compliment.

I guess this is what makes him so exciting for me. He is the type of rider who will keep showing up in totally semi-inappropriate places, and wants to compete, rather than prepare. Even if he knows he is not in line for a win and it might dent the perception of invulnerability, and probably risking a weaker show in races he ought to win hands down if he sets his mind to it as a consequence. As he just doesn't set his mind to it exclusively. He is tempted by participation, rather than a win. Classics and semi-classics and minor stage races are sideshows to others, but to Contador they are apparently magic history he wants to experience up close. And gifted enough to make "giving it my best shot" something to at least consider, for anyone who wants to take a top spot for himself.

He will be weaker in GTs than he can be.

I love seeing someone with his abilities enjoy cycling as much as I do, all year round. Joy+class instead of missions+class. Make that mission, singular. With the steady progress of the younger generation, some classy old-timers who still have it, and several riders whose abilities span the one-day/stage-races speciality divide, bring on the next years, we really have the return of cycling on our hands.

Felt like a long wait, at times. Mostly because even the riders who always kept that attitude were slowly being forced to follow new-age tactical handbooks that were written in the shadow of dope, radios, and the success of someone with, what I still see, as limited road abilities, but unbeatable media star power.

I hope that Contador's attitude to it all is the sort of stuff that will inspire younger riders, and we can close the door on people whose have one mission in life, and pursue that goal at all cost. People with great ability, and who manage to keep hitting their target, and still leave me with the impression that they totally failed to enjoy what they just took part in, somehow.

If he fails to inspire a big segment of the English speaking world, more power to him, I would say. This obsession with pleasing markets that never will embrace cycling the way we hope they will is doing the sport more harm than good. Contador gets that as long as the races are bigger than the riders, people can retire and the story will live on without missing a beat.

Anyone who thinks Lance has promoted the Tour across the world will come to realize that the Tour promoted Lance successfully around the world. I suspect we will see one of the more exciting Tours for ages, and a far bigger segment of the watching audience will deem it to be very dull, and switch off, when their man can't match the hyped expectations. And, to be frank, hopefully for good.

We had a decade to explain what the Tour was all about, but not once did Lance manage to convey the beauty of it all, explain the history of it all, instil the awareness that the totality is far bigger than Lance. Contador oozes that what I was missing in the attitude of the person most able to promote cycling, the guy on top.

Joy, respect, and awe. Welcome back.

Thisthisthis. Very nice, Mr. Postman.

 

[progressor]

There is nothing 'child like' about Contador. More 'pueblo boy' nonsense. Poor Spanish kid, FFS get real.

Heretic

 

[awal3207]

I am by no means a Lance fanboy but I can categorically state that if it had not been for Lance´s Legacy of winning the tef 7 times I would not be into cycling. The first year i watch the tdf was the year after he left but it was aroused by interest in TDF after randomly reading his book that was given to me by a friend. Now I live the tdf irrespective of who rides or wins. I think it has gone both ways

 

[shadowblue]

I am by no means a Lance fanboy but I can categorically state that if it had not been for Lance´s Legacy of winning the tef 7 times I would not be into cycling. The first year i watch the tdf was the year after he left but it was aroused by interest in TDF after randomly reading his book that was given to me by a friend. Now I live the tdf irrespective of who rides or wins. I think it has gone both ways

that's great and all. but do you only just watch the tdf?

 

[luckyboy]

There are other races?!

 

[cyclopeon]

Thisthisthis. Very nice, Mr. Postman.

Ditto and ditto.

 

[cyclopeon]

Earlier today I left a link at his website for a high tech hayfever mask
Picture him racing in this bad boy.
http://www.respro.com/products/allergy-relief/hay-fever/sportsta_mask/

That was a joke, right?
Follow the Racing/ Road Racing link: it's about motorbike racing. "Low Breathing Resistance": Low (and compared to what?), not No. I'll eat my shorts if I'm wrong (calm down, calm down ) but I doubt this thing would be functional for anyone in the peleton.

 

[Angliru]

At Francois The Postman (post #1139)
Great post as usual. My sentiments exactly regarding Contador and the sport.
He simply gets out there and races/competes. He shows each event the respect it is due by giving his best. I truly pity those that cannot appreciate what he brings to the sport and simply enjoy the ride that he's taking us on on at what is really not even the mid-point of his career.

 

[knewcleardaze]

At Francois The Postman (post #1139)
Great post as usual. My sentiments exactly regarding Contador and the sport.
He simply gets out there and races/competes. He shows each event the respect it is due by giving his best. I truly pity those that cannot appreciate what he brings to the sport and simply enjoy the ride that he's taking us on on at what is really not even the mid-point of his career.

Well said, to the both of you.
Am I crazy to think there is more to cycling than only winning at any and all costs?