Contador blasts LA

[palmerq]

Contador did well this tour, shame there is what seems like quite a big disagreement, although maybe it is blown up a wee bit. Well at least he waited till the end of the tour before he said this stuff, although he probably didn´t have to, but fair enough after armstrong and even leipheimer seemed to like undermining him during races, which is a bit odd for team mates:S.

I think this was a bad idea from the start having two guys who want to win so much, I don´t see anything wrong with astana pushing hard on the windy stage whe everyone was behind armstrong, infact I think this was quite a good idea. Contador attacking in andorra was good idea for him too, although his attack on stage 17 was a bit odd, but he did speak with old klodi and there was no harm done, I like to see the guy in yellow still trying to attack and win stages( i think it would have been pretty gay if contador had really gone for the win in the sprint after doing nothing for a long time). Bad idea for lance to be on the same team as contador though having two guys like that is always going end badly, I think it´s better to have the clear leader and someone like Klodi for back up, who isn´t going to complain.

But very good performance from contador I hope the no positives continue....

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

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.

Lance very well may not win next year. But, AC very well may not as well. AC will not have the Brunyeel/Armstrong blue print on his team to get him there. I will tell you one thing though. Lance will be a good bit more competative in the results next year than this year. Bet on it. AC won't be gift wrapped a TDF with 4 other top 5 TDF finishers.

 

[iceaxe]

to finish first in an endurance sport almost guarantees that you have an obnoxious personality.

 

[BYOP88]

cycling needs LA more than he needs it, sorry just the truth!!

That's right there were no races whatsoever from August 2005 until January 2009. Lance came back to tell the world about the fight against cancer and also to put unemployed cyclists back into work.

 

[Anonymous]

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.

AC was quite vocal in complaining about LL at the Veulta last year. LL smoked the final TT to close within a handful of seconds on Contador and the AC started complaining. The problem here is Contador wants no other strong riders on 'his" team. Sastre and Evans are sure glad they had "total" leadership and no other strong riders especially after the TTT stage.

 

[Publicus]

Anyone notice that in response to Contador's comments Lance (1) equates it with attacking the team and (2) threatens him? There was nothing in AC's comments that can in anyway be construed as an indicent of the team or a suggestion that he won the race on his own. Lance is trying to build a new narrative

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

That's right there were no races whatsoever from August 2005 until January 2009. Lance came back to tell the world about the fight against cancer and also to put unemployed cyclists back into work.

Let's not compare cycling during Lance versus Cycling without Lance. It could get ugly real quick. Bad direction IMO for the argument.

 

[lagartija]

man, i just waded through every post in this thread. i feel like i am in the middle of a junior highschool food fight. i read all la's tweets. he was pretty fair in his comments all along. ac proved he is a very strong guy. not much of a team guy, though. conjecture about things we do not know is fun, but not the "truth" who is the bigger douchebag? i say ac, stronger than la this year, but
he may have hell to pay for his "i did not need the team" attitude.
lance is no angel. i can speak as someone with personal experience. but he knows his stuff and what it takes to win 7 tdf. ok, i have now thrown my pie
in this food fight.

you know i can also share in the "personal experience" , and i agree LA does know how to win. but consider astana never had a problem until the arrival of LA, ..........as far as the d-bag comment, contador is a boyscout, he happens to have a serious engine and great determination and mental fortitude, he would have to in order to come out on top in a crappy situation. things were bad from jump on that team and he handled everything with decorum

 

[jamfra67]

you assume that Astana will even have a team next year that is even a PT team. Hell, it was a miracle they even raced in France with how the kaz's do things. I highly would not expect Astana to be a Pro Tour team come next year. Time will tell, but I don't see Vino doing Jack Diddly.

Lance and Johan had the TRS in the works since the Giro due to the Kaz's lack of professionalism and lack of payment. It's called "Job Security". It's called smart business.

Onto Alberto I have no idea if he is uncoachable. I know he is pretty dang amazing on a bike expecially uphill. Now, let's see how he does in the pack like the rest without the Johan/Armstrong Grand Tour Model. You know the one that has dominated Grand Tours for a decade now. AC will have an awakening next year. He could still win no doubt, but it will not be near as easy as it has been for him under Johan.

You guys are so unbeleivable. So you actually beleive that Bruyneel is the only DS that can win tours. Talk about the Bruyneel model. Listen man without the talent do you think he can succeed? What about the DS of Saxo and Garmin are they not good enough to win tours. Stop insulting the other DS. Bruyneel got an exceptional talent in Lance Armstrong and build a team around him and got 7tdf titles. Do you beleive another DS cannot do the same with AC who has shown more talent. How many gran tour titles Lance had when he was 26 yrs? Was it not the same thing during the Indurain era and the Hinault years. Dont you think the other DS learn from what each other is doing? Contador is going to give all the pessimists a rude awakening in the future. The New World Order has begun. Get with the program.

 

[BYOP88]

Let's not compare cycling during Lance versus Cycling without Lance. It could get ugly real quick. Bad direction IMO for the argument.

Hmm cycling seemed to manage before Lance and will manage fine when he leaves again, maybe in the US it needs him, but in Europe I don't think so.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

Anyone notice that in response to Contador's comments Lance (1) equates it with attacking the team and (2) threatens him? There was nothing in AC's comments that can in anyway be construed as an indicent of the team or a suggestion that he won the race on his own. Lance is trying to build a new narrative

Alberto spelled team on stage 17. Or his definition of the word. Period!! Next year he will recognize how much he admired his Brunyeel teams on his 4 Grand Tour victories. Next year is going to be a whole new game for him. Enjoy the spoils LOL

 

[Anonymous]

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.

Sorry, meant TTT.

 

[Publicus]

so what is your point? just overstating the obvious?

Find it hilarious that a guy who refused to celebrate Contador grabbing the yellow jersey and when he won the overall on Saturday is lecturing anyone about team. It is clear in Lance's mind that he is the team. And that tells you all you really need to know about this situation.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

you know i can also share in the "personal experience" , and i agree LA does know how to win. but consider astana never had a problem until the arrival of LA, ..........as far as the d-bag comment, contador is a boyscout, he happens to have a serious engine and great determination and mental fortitude, he would have to in order to come out on top in a crappy situation. things were bad from jump on that team and he handled everything with decorum

Things were crappy from the start. ouch, I am sure Cadel and Sastre and Wiggins and well the Schlecks would have been just ****ed to have 4 top 5 finishers in the TDF on their team to help them win another Grand Tour. The horrible situations some have to endure.

 

[richwagmn]

Sorry, meant TTT.

Ok. Different story then.

 

[UpTheRoad]

But there is an "m" and an "e."

That's good. Also, there is an "i" in "win" in case Lance doesn't remember what that is like after four years.

 

[RigelKent]

Anyone notice that in response to Contador's comments Lance (1) equates it with attacking the team and (2) threatens him? There was nothing in AC's comments that can in anyway be construed as an indicent of the team or a suggestion that he won the race on his own. Lance is trying to build a new narrative

Where is the threat? I'm not defending Lance, I just haven't seen anything approximating a threat. P!ssing and mo@ning? Yup.

 

[slim83]

to finish first in an endurance sport almost guarantees that you have an obnoxious personality.

I am going to guess that

1. you have no clue what you are talking about
and
2. you don't win much

There are plenty good people that win endurance sports everyday. Good attitudes and good personalities. How can you even judge population as a whole on 2 children bickering?

 

[pmcg76]

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.

How many times do I have to repeat myself on this issue, yes Lance is very important for the lesser cycling nations but if people actually followed cycling in Europe year round, they would know the limit of Lances powers. Cycling is the national sport of Belgium and has been for forever, Lance has had nothing to do with that.

The Tour de France has been the biggest annual sporting event in the world since forever...it does not need Lance to survive and never has. How the hell have other events like the Giro or Vuelta survived all this time without Lance, because cycling in those countries has always been among the top 3-4 sports there and does not need Lance. Cycling in Germany rose and fell with Ullrich and the doping problems. The former Soviet states, why are Astana willing to continue with Vino but not Lance, surely not if Lance is so important. Increased coverage of the Tour in UK this year, mainly due to Cavendish/Wiggins. Greg LeMond had more of an impact in increasing cycling salaries and bike modifications than Lance.

Yes, Lance really brought the sport to the US and that is why he seems so necessary but believe me, he is not that necessary in Europe, national heroes are more important.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

You guys are so unbeleivable. So you actually beleive that Bruyneel is the only DS that can win tours. Talk about the Bruyneel model. Listen man without the talent do you think he can succeed? What about the DS of Saxo and Garmin are they not good enough to win tours. Stop insulting the other DS. Bruyneel got an exceptional talent in Lance Armstrong and build a team around him and got 7tdf titles. Do you beleive another DS cannot do the same with AC who has shown more talent. How many gran tour titles Lance had when he was 26 yrs? Was it not the same thing during the Indurain era and the Hinault years. Dont you think the other DS learn from what each other is doing? Contador is going to give all the pessimists a rude awakening in the future. The New World Order has begun. Get with the program.

No, Bruyneel is not the only DS that can win. The others can win when Brunyeel doesn't focus on those tours. That has happened a couple of times the past decade. The talent yes. The talent that Lance and Johan put together to form those teams. No Saxo and Garmin DS's are not good enough to win Grand Tours that Johan and his teams focus on. Contador will see life as it really is for the others in the peleton next year. Fun times ahead.

 

[Publicus]

Alberto spelled team on stage 17. Or his definition of the word. Period!! Next year he will recognize how much he admired his Brunyeel teams on his 4 Grand Tour victories. Next year is going to be a whole new game for him. Enjoy the spoils LOL

So you replied to my comment why? I will say whatever you think about Stage 17, he showed how much team means to him by apologizing to everyone that night at dinner.

My point stands. In lance's mind he is the team. Any criticism of him is a critcism of the team. And that helps explain a lot of what we saw over the last 3 weeks.

 

[Anonymous]

Find it hilarious that a guy who refused to celebrate Contador grabbing the yellow jersey and when he won the overall on Saturday is lecturing anyone about team. It is clear in Lance's mind that he is the team. And that tells you all you really need to know about this situation.

Wrong again. You don't attack your teamates (Kloeden). Ever. End of story.

 

[scribe]

Wrong again. You don't attack your teamates (Kloeden). Ever. End of story.

Some argue he was attacking the Shreks. Oh wait, they lumbered right up behind him, licking their chops.......

 

[biker77]

Wow. Contador makes one comment that shows a lot of restraint and now the forum is against him? Give the guy a break. LA is annoyed because this was his one chance to stop AC, who could conceivably win the next 6 tours. I would guess AC will make this his lifes work now.

Good for AC getting horner off the team. Not because I don`t like horner, it just shows AC new what was going on.

 

[jamfra67]

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

What was his record? I appreciate his fighting spirit in coming back from cancer,but it ****es me when it is continually being used as an excuse. The same happened when Greg Lemond recovered from the Hunting Accident and won the tour. The guy has 4 gran tours at age 26 how many Lance had at 26,25,24,23? Stop hiding behind the Cancer thing