Contador Isolates Self

[LargusMeans]

Forgetting that the two riders in question are Armstrong and your man crush Contador, do you REALLY expect that a team should throw a rider who is SECOND ON GC under the bus for his leader WHEN THERE IS NO NEED TO??? Are you really that ****ing stupid?

Kevin

This from the guy thats raced professionally. AK cracked big time, I've been there, when it happens there is NOTHING you can do. How the hell do you know that the Schlecks weren't about to stand up and go again? The most ridiculous thing about all of this is if it was LA that had been up front and made the move and it was AC that had cracked and slipped back, not one of you fanboys would say a word about. It would be all about how AC cracked and couldn't hang with the king. Kloden was hanging on for dear life and didn't do any work for AC in the last climb and he definately wasn't going to win the stage in that condition.

 

[hfer07]

I just feel sorry for Kloden for taking so much sh!t over the last couple years..
From being outrun by LA at the finish line, to be relegated to help Vino just to end up being kicked out of the tour, and lastly to deal with the latest LA/AC soup opera.. I guess he's indeed a "Super Domestic"

 

[joe_papp]

Bravo Contador! Not.

Contador did the right thing by attacking when he did...

Sure, if the goal was to drop Andreas Klöden and torpedo Astana's hopes of a 1-2-3 podium finish in Paris.

 

[Futuroscope]

Maybe LA stil a d*** but you would have never seen him do what AC did today as a team leader. TITLE of team leader means to reward those who work so hard for you. The move was stupid!!! it was up to the brothers to do all the work. Astana had a great chance to be 1,2,3 in Paris and a leader an current Yelloy Jersey what better reward.

Yesterday when LA come back to the leaders he could have blown by, becuase he was flying.....instead he slowed down to help the leader AC.

No doubt AC is a great talent and will probably win more tours, but he must think on all possibilities prior to attacking. He knew he was in the wrong hoping Kloden would get back to him by looking back over and over.

Say what you want about LA, his teams would have given their all for him, Landis, Hincapie, Herras, Popo and the list goes on. He also gave his all for his teammates.

you are twisting everything and forgetting that its not about what 'lance would have done'. contador is leading the tour of france.

 

[richwagmn]

This from the guy thats raced professionally. AK cracked big time, I've been there, when it happens there is NOTHING you can do. How the hell do you know that the Schlecks weren't about to stand up and go again?

+1. Kloden was clearly at his limit. Aren't people assuming Kloden is the equal of the Schlecks and Contador? Kloden was doing well to stay with those guys.

Now, did AC have to attack? Not really, but he's obviously still a little nervous. That, coupled with his phenomenal climbing ability, explains his attack.

He'll learn to relax as he matures. But he's a hell of a lot more interesting to watch in a tour than LA ever was. He has... panache where Armstrong was more of a robot.

 

[richwagmn]

Sure, if the goal was to drop Andreas Klöden and torpedo Astana's hopes of a 1-2-3 podium finish in Paris.

Who gives a damn about a 1-2-3 finish? Did LA ever have to worry about placing another of his teammates on the podium? Hell no. Why should Alberto? (although he clearly did).

LA fans are just fuming at his big flop. Does anyone really believe LA is gonna get better as he ages? Contador is just at the beginning of his best performance years. No way LA will challenge for a tour win next year. No effing way.

And JB will be a fool to make LA the leader of their new team.

 

[nslckevin]

This from the guy thats raced professionally.

For the record, I have never held a professional racing license, nor have I ever claimed to have held one. I did get "paid" (as an amateur) for a couple of years back in the '80s, but at best it was almost enough to cover entries, tires and gas.

Kevin

 

[nslckevin]

Who gives a damn about a 1-2-3 finish? Did LA ever have to worry about placing another of his teammates on the podium? Hell no. Why should Alberto? (although he clearly did).

Okay, trick question: Which is better.

1. Rider X wins the Tour.
2. Rider X wins the Tour and his team mates place 2nd and 3rd???

Kevin

 

[richwagmn]

Okay, trick question: Which is better.

1. Rider X wins the Tour.
2. Rider X wins the Tour and his team mates place 2nd and 3rd???

Kevin

Given that AC won't be riding with LA next year, why should he care? JB/LA have burned that bridge long ago. Too bad JB won't have a tour contender next year.

 

[Psalmon]

Just watched it all again.

Finish seemed a steady climb at that point, no major pitches that would have otherwise dislodged Kloden unless Frank and Andy or Riis saw the opportunity (hadn't yet). Kloden looked like he could have maintained that pace, but the acceleration was too much.

When you look at how much effort Kloden put in on the descent to get caught by Lance and Nibali, 30 some seconds back, you have to objectively conclude that Alberto had no way of making a move like that schtick cause the schelcks would have combined to run him down (not to mention AC would have had to take all kinds of unnecessary risks in the descent, alone).

Alberto looked back for Kloden over 20 times after dropping Kloden, clearly concerned. He understood what he did. Heck he even said it later.

Only thing I can't understand on the day was what Armstrong was doing when Frank attacked. It was like he was looking down at his gears almost stopping on the side. Then he couldn't get going again, like he accidentally mis-shifted up. He really looked like an inattentive amateur there. The Vs. guys properly noted Contador's "questionable tactics", but I wish they would call Lance out when appropriate and say "What the $#$@ is he doing letting Frank up the road! Like he can't climb with Frank Schleck? Like he didn't expect Frank to try and bridge?" That was a major screw up by Armstrong also.

 

[Psalmon]

I just feel sorry for Kloden for taking so much sh!t over the last couple years..
From being outrun by LA at the finish line, to be relegated to help Vino just to end up being kicked out of the tour, and lastly to deal with the latest LA/AC soup opera.. I guess he's indeed a "Super Domestic"

Here Here Hfer!

 

[richwagmn]

Like he can't climb with Frank Schleck? Like he didn't expect Frank to try and bridge?" That was a major screw up by Armstrong also.

You must be confused, only AC effs up. LA is always tactically perfect. Please try to understand this in the future.

 

[pmcg76]

I think it is so funny that people are questioning Contador when he is about to win his 4th Grand Tour, it would undoubtedly be his 3rd Tour on the trot if he had been there last year.

I clearly seen Contador having a chat with Kloeden and gesticulating just before he attacked so Kloeden obviously gave him the green light. The attack might be considered pointless but if it had worked, it would have been considered a victory of some panache by the yellow jersey. If Kloeden had stayed with the leaders to the finish, he would be sitting in 2nd and Lance would be down in 5th as he was already over 2 minutes down when Contador attacked.

For Kloeden to lose so much time so qucikly showed he was cooked. I dont think there will be a Astana 1-2-3 because Kloeden and Lance need to take huge amounts of time out of the Schlecks in the TT but very likely to lose it on the way to Ventoux again. I think Astana will finish with 2 on the podium in Paris, Contador and who, I just dont know.

As for screwing team-mates, fair play to him because you can bet your last dollar if Lance was the race leader, the rest would have been expected to play domsetique duty a la Postal service and they would have screwed Contador big time.

Just get out Alberto, go your own way.

 

[Max Cadence]

Okay, trick question: Which is better.

1. Rider X wins the Tour.
2. Rider X wins the Tour and his team mates place 2nd and 3rd???

Kevin

Yes, someone gets it. Contador knocked his teammates off of the GC podium with his attack. He did not put any time between himself and the Schlecks. He flicked his teammates by putting time between Kloden-Armstrong and the Schlecks. He did not secure his yellow jersey in any way other than removing his teammates from close proximity – which they weren’t going to overcome anyway. Absolutely the worst team tactic ever. He attacked like an overzealous junior when he should not have. He should not have attacked because Kloden was right there and only dropped because of the AC attack. Otherwise, Armstrong could’ve bridged or at least limited losses to the Schlecks. Alberto Contador single-handedly ruined any possibility of an Astana podium sweep. The only riders he moved further away from are his teammates who are not opponents. He did not add ANY extra security to his lead. He had the lead anyway. No need to attack. He only flicked his teammates. It is just that simple.

Who cares about a 1-2-3 GC podium? That would have been absolutely amazing. Unprecedented as far as I know; squandered – ruined by a 26-year-old junior. Contador was never going to lose. Anyone could have told you Contador was going to win this thing. The frosting on the cake is to position the rest of the team. Modern racing is all about moving the chess pieces not merely first place. Clearly he didn’t see the whole picture much like the majority of posters here. Yes, he has a lot to learn, which is the point of the original post.

Why should Contador care? Because he will always need a loyal team and he is showing that he does not deserve one.

 

[scribe]

Only thing I can't understand on the day was what Armstrong was doing when Frank attacked. It was like he was looking down at his gears almost stopping on the side. Then he couldn't get going again, like he accidentally mis-shifted up. He really looked like an inattentive amateur there. The Vs. guys properly noted Contador's "questionable tactics", but I wish they would call Lance out when appropriate and say "What the $#$@ is he doing letting Frank up the road! Like he can't climb with Frank Schleck? Like he didn't expect Frank to try and bridge?" That was a major screw up by Armstrong also.

Erm. He buried Wiggins with that amateur move. It was purely tactical and to the benefit of the yellow jersey. Bruyneel stated today that Wiggins was a major target of Astana's on that stage.

Condadick paid his thanks by spanking on another minute of pacemaking to bring the Shreks beyond LA and Kloden in the GC.

 

[richwagmn]

Erm. He buried Wiggins with that amateur move. It was purely tactical and to the benefit of the yellow jersey. Bruyneel stated today that Wiggins was a major target of Astana's on that stage.

Condadick paid his thanks by spanking on another minute of pacemaking to bring the Shreks beyond LA and Kloden in the GC.

Ummm, and that's why Armstrong said he should have went with the move? Methinks you give LA too much credit.

 

[scribe]

Ummm, and that's why Armstrong said he should have went with the move? Methinks you give LA too much credit.

Wrong again. He wanted to go with the move but Wiggins was right there. This isn't rocket science.

 

[richwagmn]

Why should Contador care? Because he will always need a loyal team and he is showing that he does not deserve one.

Yea, the most amazing rider of the current crop doesn't deserve a strong team. Just what do you think this sport is about?

Man, the LA lovers are really all up in arms over this one. Imagine if their boy doesn't get a podium spot? And to think LA thought of himself as equal to AC. What an ego.

 

[frizzlefry]

Ummm, and that's why Armstrong said he should have went with the move? Methinks you give LA too much credit.

Of course he is going to say that in hindsight. He figured he would bridge on the descent or next climb. he didnt figure AC was going to drag the Schlecks all over France.

 

[richwagmn]

Wrong again. He wanted to go with the move but Wiggins was right there. This isn't rocket science.

Keep sniffin' that saddle.

 

[scribe]

Rocket appliances

 

[frizzlefry]

Keep sniffin' that saddle.

You guys have seriously got to come up with something new.

 

[fulcrum]

Maybe LA stil a d*** but you would have never seen him do what AC did today as a team leader. TITLE of team leader means to reward those who work so hard for you.

Right, you pay them back with delivering a TdF win. The rest are sentimental nit pickiness of the pro-lance croud. The domestiques feel part of the win because they contributed to it... except on those cases when they haven't actually contributed much to it. Then, a win by the leader is not fulfilling for the team and they focus on other things like whether their egos got stroked properly, whether the domestique is 3rd or 6th in the GC and other inconsequential stuff that is not part of the main goal: win the Tour.

 

[Max Cadence]

Yea, the most amazing rider of the current crop doesn't deserve a strong team. Just what do you think this sport is about?

Man, the LA lovers are really all up in arms over this one. Imagine if their boy doesn't get a podium spot? And to think LA thought of himself as equal to AC. What an ego.

This sport is about TEAMS. Why you conclude I'm a Lance lover shows your own bias. I would feel the same if it were Saxo acting this way.

 

[scribe]

Saxo is an awesome team. Clearly, Contador would never fit in there either.