Contador GT triple in 2013 or 2014?

[jordan5000]

Alberto Contador has said that he wants to try win all 3 GTs in one season, his team manager Bjarne Riis thinks it can be done, but I'm not sure. Contador has said he won't try it next year, but I think if he wins the tour next year he'll try for all 3 in 2013. I know what you're all thinking "he can't do it, it's impossible!" but Contador showed his dominance at the Giro this year and the main goal will obviously be the tour, if he wins the tour (he's won it 3 of the past 4 times he's entered) I'd assume winning the Vuelta would be a formality, honestly the competition isn't usually that fierce at the Vuelta and it won't be unless somebody decides they want to try and win the Vuelta just to stop him. I think it can be done but I doubt it will be done. What are your opinions? Also I'm not a Contador fan (I like the Schlecks and Cav) so don't call me a fanboy please

 

[happychappy]

He couldn't do the Giro/Tour double this year, so what's different about 2013? He should just concentrate on walloping the whininig Schlock brothers.

 

[cineteq]

How about winning a double first?

 

[hrotha]

Winning the Vuelta should be easy, until you see big names like Scarponi and Antón, and to a lesser extent Van den Broeck, thoroughly beaten by people who you reckon should be inferior, but who have reached the late season in better form. I repeat: late season. That's important.

As for Contador, the other day he said if he had won the Tour this year he'd have started the Vuelta to see what he could do.

 

[luckyboy]

This Giro course was one of the hardest ever, so he just needs to wait for an easier one.

Obviously, Tour + Vuelta should be do-able next year.

 

[jordan5000]

How about winning a double first?

He has won a double, in 2008 when his team wasn't allowed in the tour. This was a poor tour from AC and he still got 5th.

 

[jordan5000]

He couldn't do the Giro/Tour double this year, so what's different about 2013? He should just concentrate on walloping the whininig Schlock brothers.

How are the Schleck brothers whiners, I usually don't hear much whining from them.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Without his crash and the loss of time and knee injury it caused, I think Contador would have had a good chance of winning this year's Tour. With an easier Giro and a stronger team, he will do it.

 

[will10]

How are the Schleck brothers whiners, I usually don't hear much whining from them.

welcome to lolville

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

How are the Schleck brothers whiners, I usually don't hear much whining from them.

Have you been to an ear doctor lately? If not I suggest that you run--do not walk--to get an appointment.

 

[jsem94]

Without his crash and the loss of time and knee injury it caused, I think Contador would have had a good chance of winning this year's Tour. With an easier Giro and a stronger team, he will do it.

I fully agree. Contador is the type of rider who could pull this off, and I'd love for him to do a 100% attempt at it.

 

[Parrulo]

I fully agree. Contador is the type of rider who could pull this off, and I'd love for him to do a 100% attempt at it.

without the time lost on the stage 1 crash and bad ttt he would be on the podium. . . he could have done the double if he had a better team protecting him and for the TTT. instead he spent 3 weeks limping across france . . .

 

[roundabout]

I am guessing should Contador ride the Vuelta there will be a prologue - maybe technical, maybe with a climb in it, a TT before the mountains, mostly single climb mountain stages, easier final week.

He can do the double-triple-quadruple when he likes and as often as he likes but I hope he doesn't ruin the parcours by getting the Vuelta organization to cave in to his wishes.

Not that an average Vuelta course is very hard to ruin.

 

[Parrulo]

I am guessing should Contador ride the Vuelta there will be a prologue - maybe technical, maybe with a climb in it, a TT before the mountains, mostly single climb mountain stages, easier final week.

He can do the double-triple-quadruple when he likes and as often as he likes but I hope he doesn't ruin the parcours by getting the Vuelta organization to cave in to his wishes.

Not that an average Vuelta course is very hard to ruin.

he doesn't seem to be the kind of rider that would do that, but i wouldn't put it past the vuelta organization to put some favourable parcours knowing he is riding

 

[Califootman]

How about winning a double first?

Didn't he do that in 2008? Admittedly, that was a Giro/Vuelta double and one of the other combinations would be more indicative of potential success at the triple.

Much will depend on the outcome of the CAS hearing in November and the parcours for future Grand Tours, but if I were Contador I'd stick with trying the Tour/Vuelta double for 2012 and 2013. If he won all those he'd have five TdF titles, putting him up with the legends of cycling in that category. He'd also have ten total Grand Tour wins, putting him one behind Merckx for the all-time lead. That would set him up nicely for a run at the triple in 2014. A Giro win would then tie him with Merckx for total GT wins, and make him the first rider to win each GT at least three times. At that point, he'd pretty much have the "greatest GT racer of all time" title sewn up, so it wouldn't matter much if he wasn't able to win the TdF and/or Vuelta that year.

 

[Parrulo]

Didn't he do that in 2008? Admittedly, that was a Giro/Vuelta double and one of the other combinations would be more indicative of potential success at the triple.

Much will depend on the outcome of the CAS hearing in November and the parcours for future Grand Tours, but if I were Contador I'd stick with trying the Tour/Vuelta double for 2012 and 2013. If he won all those he'd have five TdF titles, putting him up with the legends of cycling in that category. He'd also have ten total Grand Tour wins, putting him one behind Merckx for the all-time lead. That would set him up nicely for a run at the triple in 2014. A Giro win would then tie him with Merckx for total GT wins, and make him the first rider to win each GT at least three times. At that point, he'd pretty much have the "greatest GT racer of all time" title sewn up, so it wouldn't matter much if he wasn't able to win the TdF and/or Vuelta that year.

too be honest that sounds like a very good plan. would be a bit weird to see contador taking the tour and the vuelta for himself for 2 years in a row but honestly i think that after the tour everyone realized that one way or another a GT is always more exciting with contador there.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

How are the Schleck brothers whiners, I usually don't hear much whining from them.

are you effin serious?

Under what kind of media-barren rock do you live?

 

[Forunculo]

From what I read he only peak for the Giro, he rode the Tour becuase CAS decision was delayed but he hasn't prepared well the TdF.

A Tour-Vuelta is perfectly able.

A Triple maybe, if can did a soft giro, split the team in two and be powerfull, the parcours at Tour favoured him and the field in the Vuelta is weak I see a decent chance.

I'm not agree with some of you that Contador did a bad Tour. We learn more of a Champion from his losses than his victories. And Contador lost in a manner nobody could lose at current days.

Of course the Radioshack fusion could be key to lock the chance of a triple.

 

[roundabout]

he doesn't seem to be the kind of rider that would do that, but i wouldn't put it past the vuelta organization to put some favourable parcours knowing he is riding

You need to have stages that suit you, either a prologue, a mountain time trial or two time trials.

Contador after the 2011 Tour about the route.

 

[Parrulo]

Contador after the 2011 Tour about the route.

i don't see as pointing out the obvious is forcing an organization to change the parcours. he said having more time trials would suit him better which everybody knows and honestly this years tour had one of the lowest amount of tt km's ever so meh.

 

[Forunculo]

Contador after the 2011 Tour about the route.

40 km tt in 3500 km is a shame for Tour de France.

And was for nothing Schleck lost the tour in this 40 km of 3500.

 

[roundabout]

i don't see as pointing out the obvious is forcing an organization to change the parcours. he said having more time trials would suit him better which everybody knows and honestly this years tour had one of the lowest amount of tt km's ever so meh.

I didn't say forcing. A triple or even a Giro-Tour double is a major achievement which can be helped already at the route planning/unveiling stage so hinting in public about a suitable course doesn't hurt.

 

[roundabout]

40 km tt in 3500 km is a shame for Tour de France.

And was for nothing Schleck lost the tour in this 40 km of 3500.

gee, I hope Contador gets 120km of flat wind-barren TT and no mountains. Afterall he is a time trialist now since 4 HC finishes don't suit him.

 

[hrotha]

Without his crash and the loss of time and knee injury it caused, I think Contador would have had a good chance of winning this year's Tour. With an easier Giro and a stronger team, he will do it.

In other words, to do the triple he would need perfect conditions and good luck for at least five months straight. Very unlikely.

 

[Forunculo]

gee, I hope Contador gets 120km of flat wind-barren TT and no mountains. Afterall he is a time trialist now since 4 HC finishes don't suit him.

Better 21 Paris-Ruboix stages, Tour could claim they give chances for all.