Contador apologizes on youtube

[sunnyIce]

This must be unprecedented in professional sports, heck, professional anything.

Berto actually goes on youtube and apologizes for today's drama. pretty cool and generous of him me thinks.

chk out:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/contador-apologizes-on-youtube/

also my first post

 

[scribe]

Yes. But the race is over now and he apologizes for it? OK.

 

[sunnyIce]

whatever. people are so weird.

 

[Jamsque]

Is there anyone who can offer a better translation than the one in that video? It's a little clumsy and I don't want to read too much in to what he is saying without knowing what he actually meant.

 

[Anonymous]

If it's sincere, then good for Bertie.

 

[Obeeone]

Sorry for the cynics... AC was being sincere. I think we are one replay from being forgiving...... replays do not show the human error, they show a single dimension right or wrong, which in my experience has never been real life. The world cup exposed this, I still think the best team won.

 

[hrotha]

Is there anyone who can offer a better translation than the one in that video? It's a little clumsy and I don't want to read too much in to what he is saying without knowing what he actually meant.

(pretty hilarious acoustic guitar intro)

Hello everyone. Today I managed to get on the podium, that makes me happy. The problem with that was the circumstances. Right when I attacked Andy had a mechanical in the last climb. The race was in full gear and, well, maybe I made a mistake, I'm sorry. At a time like that all you think about is riding as fast as you can. I'm not happy, in the sense that, to me, fair play is very important. Just like I did in the Spa stage, when both Andy and Fränk were behind the pack, I didn't hesitate to stop the bunch so that they could catch up. Many people criticized me for doing that, especially after the stage on the cobbles, when the crash happened and the whole bunch split as a result, and it allowed Andy to take time on me, but I always settle it by saying I'd do it again. The kind of thing that happened today is not something I like, it's not my style and I hope my relationship with Andy will remain as good as before.

(outro)

 

[Roadrage]

The apology probably is sincere, but the damage is done. You can't compare stage two (where Cancellara in fact did the pace slowing) and stage three to what happened today. The big difference being Andy had the yellow jersey. To attack it when he had a mechanical problem is cheap and unethical.
And I was just starting to like Contador....

 

[El Pistolero]

The apology probably is sincere, but the damage is done. You can't compare stage two (where Cancellara in fact did the pace slowing) and stage three to what happened today. The big difference being Andy had the yellow jersey. To attack it when he had a mechanical problem is cheap and unethical.
And I was just starting to like Contador....

Where did someone like Cancellara get so much influence on the peloton anyway? Are they that impressed by his palmares? I doubt that to be honest. I can think of a few guys in the current peloton with a better palmares then Cancellara and they would never be able to pull something like that off.

 

[hfer07]

The apology probably is sincere, but the damage is done. You can't compare stage two (where Cancellara in fact did the pace slowing) and stage three to what happened today. The big difference being Andy had the yellow jersey. To attack it when he had a mechanical problem is cheap and unethical.
And I was just starting to like Contador....

but Saxo team & Andy didn't have any problem attacking Chavannel who was wearing the MJ after having crashed, punctured, & bike changed on stage 3...
I think Andy's luck just ran out today-can't stretch it for too long...

 

[scribe]

Where did someone like Cancellara get so much influence on the peloton anyway? Are they that impressed by his palmares? I doubt that to be honest. I can think of a few guys in the current peloton with a better palmares then Cancellara and they would never be able to pull something like that off.

I think several teams discussed it with the MJ holder. Since they were in charge of dictating the pace, they were obligated to handle the neutralization.

Sorry if you weren't really looking for a serious answer.

 

[Anonymous]

Where did someone like Cancellara get so much influence on the peloton anyway? Are they that impressed by his palmares? I doubt that to be honest. I can think of a few guys in the current peloton with a better palmares then Cancellara and they would never be able to pull something like that off.

Had you seen, in person, Flanders and Roubaix you would not ask.

 

[Hillavoider]

AC is just too nice for his own good. Do Saxo and the Schleps want the race given to them, "oh when anything happens to the poor schleps the race is neutralised, except when the younger schlep is out in front on fabians wheel then its okay"

schlecks are schleps

 

[scribe]

but Saxo team & Andy didn't have any problem attacking Chavannel who was wearing the MJ after having crashed, punctured, & bike changed on stage 3...
I think Andy's luck just ran out today-can't stretch it for too long...

Chapeau to Contador and hope that Andy's luck improves next year.

 

[El Pistolero]

Had you seen, in person, Flanders and Roubaix you would not ask.

I've seen them in person(Flanders at least, I don't live far away from where Cancellara attacked Tom Boonen on the Muur), but no way Tom Boonen would have been able to do something like that even if he was on a team with an important GC contender.

Let's see three times Paris-Roubaix and 2 times Flanders? Yeah.

 

[Roadrage]

Where did someone like Cancellara get so much influence on the peloton anyway? Are they that impressed by his palmares? I doubt that to be honest. I can think of a few guys in the current peloton with a better palmares then Cancellara and they would never be able to pull something like that off.

He (Fabian) had the yellow jersey. I should think that was obvious. With it comes some respect from the peleton and the authority to slow the field when a major accident involving multiple riders occurs. That's no rule but it means something to those of us who respect sportsmanship.

 

[El Pistolero]

He (Fabian) had the yellow jersey. I should think that was obvious. With it comes some respect from the peleton and the authority to slow the field when a major accident involving multiple riders occurs. That's no rule but it means something to those of us who respect sportsmanship.

People really respect the yellow jersey in the first week? I'd have ordered Astana to ride a long Team Time trial if I was shouting in their earplugs, but w/e.

 

[reigarc]

I would have prefered contador saying, sorry man i just had to use the opportunity to win the race.

Instead of opting for the politician's "i didn't know" "i didn't realize" etc

Specially when he knew exactly what he was doing.

But it's pretty sneaky to want to come out on top on both...

 

[Martin318is]

The apology probably is sincere, but the damage is done. You can't compare stage two (where Cancellara in fact did the pace slowing) and stage three to what happened today. The big difference being Andy had the yellow jersey. To attack it when he had a mechanical problem is cheap and unethical.
And I was just starting to like Contador....

Cancellara slowed the front of the bunch (eventually) but Contador was well behind that bunch in a smaller group and he slowed that one down immediately. They were losing time to Cancellara before the front group eventually slowed right down and it all started to come back together

 

[scribe]

People really respect the yellow jersey in the first week? I'd have ordered Astana to ride a long Team Time trial if I was shouting in their earplugs, but w/e.

It depends on who is wearing it. Saxo being a strong team motivated to protect the jersey until the Alps, signaled them to take control of the neutralization. I don't think it was because of Canc.

 

[Maxiton]

but Saxo team & Andy didn't have any problem attacking Chavannel who was wearing the MJ after having crashed, punctured, & bike changed on stage 3...
I think Andy's luck just ran out today-can't stretch it for too long...

Good point. Sometimes you get as good (or bad) as you give. (And didnt they attack Cadel when he was MJ and went down?). But some of us already knew the younger Horseface (Schlicklette) was a twerp. The disappointment comes in seeing the desperation and poor judgment of Contador. NOW he realizes he made a mistake. Or, he is simply taking too much heat . . . .

 

[hrotha]

People should stop confusing what's being said about the incident with what Saxo & Andy are actually saying about it.

 

[scribe]

People should stop confusing what's being said about the incident with what Saxo & Andy are actually saying about it.

What do you mean? I've read where Riis doesn't make too much of the situation, even though I think he's gotta regret losing the tour because of it.

 

[hrotha]

What do you mean? I've read where Riis doesn't make too much of the situation, even though I think he's gotta regret losing the tour because of it.

I mean people saying Andy is a twerp, that Saxo are hypocrites and stuff like that.

 

[Maxiton]

I mean people saying Andy is a twerp, that Saxo are hypocrites and stuff like that.

Yeah, OK, I stand corrected. I'm not too fond of Schleck but calling him a twerp is uncalled for. But it's not about confusing anything with anything - it's just about forgetting myself for a moment. Riis et al are downplaying now because cyclists don't like to air their laundry in public.

For what it's worth I'm almost hoping, after today, that he puts the hammer down and puts Contador in difficulty.