Contador blasts LA

[pmcg76]

So now the Merckyx's don't know what they are talking about? LA has always been a prima-donna but at least he was coachable. Why is it that JB can't get away from the best Grand Tour rider fast enough?

Jeez, a cyclist with 4 GTs at age 26, not coachable, what are you on about. Why was there never any problems with Contador in previous victories, Astana loaded their Giro squad last year with the same riders, AC, Kloeden, LL, there were no problems. At the Vuelta Levi was not that far behind AC.

In 2 GTs last year AC proved he was the better rider over Kloeden, Levi and is the only one with a Tour in his palmares so how there was 4 leaders this year is beyond me. Didnt hear Bruyneel or anyone else criticsing AC last year when he was winning for them. There is one common problem this year that was not there last year. Any takers, anyone.

 

[richwagmn]

Not a single guy on here can present a logical argument why JB would terminate his relationship with Contador. It is very simple, the kid is entirely un-coachable.

Ummm, because JB didn't terminate it. AC did (effectively) when he asked to be let out of his contract. This was AC's decision. He chose not to renew last year and more than that, wanted to be let go.

 

[BikeCentric]

This is all very childish and silly.


Will someone please shut the two of them up?

Baggins for the first time I fully agree with you. This whole thing is getting really ugly and is the last thing I want to be reading about when wanting to read up on cycling.

 

[powerste]

Not a single guy on here can present a logical argument why JB would terminate his relationship with Contador.

That's a pretty sweeping statement. You must know everyone on this board really well.

I'd say that being a high roller in the Lance brand has its allure. That seems to keep Carmichael happy and well-compensated.

It is very simple, the kid is entirely un-coachable.

That may be true. Only time will tell. We won't know until next year when he does one of the following:
-Rides like a better team player, preferably on a team that supports him from the get go - dominates
-Continues to be uncoachable, attacks heedless of the risks, and shows no respect for his team - and still wins anyway because he's stronger than anyone else
-Fails to restrain himself and blows up due to poor tactics, overconfidence, poor team riding, or some combination of the three

I'm not willing bet on any one of those outcomes yet. But I suspect we will see one of them very prominently next July.

Finally, wrt/ AC being uncoachable in this year's TdF, JB bears some serious responsibility. He touted AC as his one guy for the Tour win and then chose not to fully support him as such due to the return of a certain egomaniac.

In AC's situation vis a vis JB, I'll bet that many of us would have suffered a coachability hit.

 

["flahute"]

Bruyneel didn't have the cojones to tell armstrong that Contador was leader.Look at when they punctured there was at least 4 waiting for the texan.Only 1 when Contador punctured.Then look at early season races contador had the 3 rd team in paris-nice and armstrong the 1st team in his race.
Bruyneel has treat armstrong like a god and contador awful.Surely its down to the ds to sort any problems out.
I'm just pleased the BEST MAN WON.Watch out next year for an even bigger margin.

 

[BYOP88]

JB does not need a "guaranteed job". WTF? He retired after Discovery went south. What else does he need to accomplish? .

How about winning some monuments for a start?

Contador put the MJ at total risk because he is not team oriented. Not wanting to be team oriented in a sport that demads it = uncoachable.

Yeah the uniballer is the ideal team player, if you do a google search for team player it takes you directly to the uniballer's web page.

 

[Anonymous]

Wait . . . so wasting the efforts of two domestiques to get 41 seconds is great tactically, but putting in an effort that CLEARLY didn't affect a leader to get 21 seconds was stupid? Really? The group was being driven by Columbia, there was no need for Astana to do anything (you didn't see Spartacus driving did you).

His mentality was driven by the presence of Lance Armstrong. You folks really need to actually follow cycling and not just the self serving arguments that Armstrong makes.

Uh, Cancellara was by himself. LA put his two on the front only in the last 10k and only after Columbia established the gap. Then of course there is the the order of start going in to the ITT to consider. It's quite an advantage to go late or last, don't you agree? You may actually want to take your own advice and follow cycling. There is actually alot going on.

 

[iceaxe]

This sums up the tour. nothing more needs to be said.

 

[williej]

It's not just LA.....

For Johan to post that comment is a pretty strong statement. Like I said. The silence from the rest of the Astana team might be deafening - and quite defining as well. AC might me just turn out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing and it appears that LA and JB don't suffer fools lightly. Levi already called him out earlier in the tour. We already know what he did to Kloden. What the heck you think guys like Popo think of the guy. This is gonna hurt him more than you think.

 

[jamfra67]

Not a single guy on here can present a logical argument why JB would terminate his relationship with Contador. It is very simple, the kid is entirely un-coachable.

yeah right. Why can't the coachable one's win? Listen man Contador has a better record at his age than when Lance was the same age. Was Lance uncoachable when he was 26? You can spew all your gabbage,but the record speaks for themselves. If thats your standard then the coachable ones are so lousy. Ask JB yourself. Stop conveniently having selective amnesia of the facts before and during this tour.

 

[richwagmn]

. Then of course there is the the order of start going in to the ITT to consider. It's quite an advantage to go late or last, don't you agree?

I sure do. Wait, wasn't AC ahead of LA after stage 7? Why yes he was. And.. that meant he would start behind LA in the ITT.

 

[lagartija]

How about winning some monuments for a start?





Yeah the uniballer is the ideal team player, if you do a google search for team player it takes you directly to the uniballer's web page.

hahahahahahaha...............good one

 

[Belokki]

EGO ALLEERT! Shaping up to be really bad!

 

[scribe]

yeah right. Why can't the coachable one's win? Listen man Contador has a better record at his age than when Lance was the same age. Was Lance uncoachable when he was 26? You can spew all your gabbage,but the record speaks for themselves. If thats your standard then the coachable ones are so lousy. Ask JB yourself. Stop conveniently having selective amnesia of the facts before and during this tour.

Lance was uncoachable at the age of 26 because he was recovering from cancer treatment.

 

[Anonymous]

I think the point is that the merckx's are hardly neutral when it comes to Lance armstrong. Doesn't Eddie's son work for the Trek-Livestrong Under 23 team? Eddie was having a drink with Lance throughout the Tour (as he tweetered).

You mean, of course, except that one time when Lance bridged a solo Axel Merckyx several years ago late in the Amstel Gold Race. Eddy then later called Lance's tactics "stupid" as neither ended up winning. You mean "hardly neutral" like that?

 

[scribe]

For Johan to post that comment is a pretty strong statement. Like I said. The silence from the rest of the Astana team might be deafening - and quite defining as well. AC might me just turn out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing and it appears that LA and JB don't suffer fools lightly. Levi already called him out earlier in the tour. We already know what he did to Kloden. What the heck you think guys like Popo think of the guy. This is gonna hurt him more than you think.

Horner has called out AC too during the tour, but some consider him and Levi shills. I think the Bruyneel situation is the most damnable, but some here are quick to point out he is insignificant.

 

[usedtobefast]

I guess Lance missed the thank you at the dinner Saturday night because he was at the Radio Shack dinner.

so what is your point? just overstating the obvious?

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

Lance was uncoachable at the age of 26 because he was recovering from cancer treatment.

Oh, how convenient. Geez!!!

 

[saphblue]

Finally, wrt/ AC being uncoachable in this year's TdF, JB bears some serious responsibility. He touted AC as his one guy for the Tour win and then chose not to fully support him as such due to the return of a certain egomaniac.

In AC's situation vis a vis JB, I'll bet that many of us would have suffered a coachability hit.

In June, JB unequivocally stated that Contador was the team leader for the Tour. Then in the first week of the Tour, the tune changes to whoever's strongest on the road. It isn't difficult to see what a schism that would cause and the frustration AC must have felt. I think AC made some poor decisions, but on the other hand JB handled the situation poorly. I blame that on his personal longstanding friendship with LA. There's no reason this situation had to get so out of control.

As for the "war of words", it's all really sad. I watched the Contador press conference and while I'm not totally fluent in Spanish, it didn't seem as egregious as it's being made out to be. On the other hand I agree that the bad feelings should have been left at the Tour and these guys (adults and professionals, after all) should move on.

 

[jdrtdr]

The chicken will be back

Hey maybe the chicken will be back next year, as you all know he was whipping AC's *** before he got thrown out w/o a positive test result!! Also AC is not an innocent rider he has links to OP and it was somehow thrown out by the Spaniards of course, but the got Basso!! Humm?? Did all you LA hater see the ratings for versus? Say what you want by he bring the $$$ to the sport, which if you race you know there is not enough around anymore, cycling needs LA more than he needs it, sorry just the truth!!

 

[Belokki]

This is proving nothing! It will only leave a bad taste in everybody's mouth and may even hurt Contadors career! Contador should have known! Messing with Lance! Lance has a huuuge respect in the peloton and I don't think anybody would side with Contador! He just made the most influental rider in history and Johan his enemy!

 

[usedtobefast]

Wait a minute there buckaroo ;-)

When did anyone say AC was not a team guy before this year? The difference was caused by LA. I really think AC was in an intractable situation. He in no way wanted to race with LA (he asked to be let out of his contract).

he did. i believe after stage 17.

 

[bchambers]

Lance and Twitter comments

Contador's comments from his press conference basically sounded like fact to me. It didn't come across like whining to me ... more like the facts. However, Lance's comments sound as though he's has finally turned about 12 years old (maybe 10). Lance lost ... end of story. Everyone knew he wouldn't win and he will not win next year either.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

Hey maybe the chicken will be back next year, as you all know he was whipping AC's *** before he got thrown out w/o a positive test result!! Also AC is not an innocent rider he has links to OP and it was somehow thrown out by the Spaniards of course, but the got Basso!! Humm?? Did all you LA hater see the ratings for versus? Say what you want by he bring the $$$ to the sport, which if you race you know there is not enough around anymore, cycling needs LA more than he needs it, sorry just the truth!!

Contador, Evans, Schleck's everybody needs Lance more then he needs Cyling. He is the largest reason they make what they make today and get the international attention. Period!! you guys don't like Lance that is fine, but he is huge for the sport. And, inside all of those pros know it.

 

[frizzlefry]

This is proving nothing! It will only leave a bad taste in everybody's mouth and may even hurt Contadors career! Contador should have known! Messing with Lance! Lance has a huuuge respect in the peloton and I don't think anybody would side with Contador! He just made the most influental rider in history and Johan his enemy!

I wouldnt say enemy. Punching bag maybe. But AC can hold his own on the bike. Its where he ends up that could make or break him.