Contador - team radio - Time Trial

[Apolitical]

I would be suprised if Astana didn't have their own people along the roads feeding back times. Obviousely, these readings aren't that accurate.

 

[Ryaguas]

Haha, wasn't that Saiz who just wouldn't stop yelling through his megaphone?

Yep was Sainz... but He always yelled "VENGA VENGA VENGA VENGA VENGA"

Of course it was not in doubt because we KNEW AC would attack Schleck when he dropped his chain to gain 39 seconds

Ok here we go again... cry me a river...

Of course that is so inconsequential when Contador went on to win in such a dominant style by the second smallest win in Tour history of 39 seconds

mmmm I think that the second smallest was Pereiro vs Kloeden with 23 seconds though...

 

[Ryaguas]

on a side note, when will radios be ban from ProTour races? Is it next year?

Nop... for 2012 though... UCI is not totally conviced yet... but I think that radios are going to dissapear in the next 4years...

 

[this_is_edie]

I would be suprised if Astana didn't have their own people along the roads feeding back times. Obviousely, these readings aren't that accurate.

Like all teams, astana has a tv feed in the car and were getting times including virtual GC.

 

[this_is_edie]

Nop... for 2012 though... UCI is not totally conviced yet... but I think that radios are going to dissapear in the next 4years...

ah. thanks for the info!

 

[michaeld]

Haha, wasn't that Saiz who just wouldn't stop yelling through his megaphone?

VengaVengaVengaVengaVenga..

Or what ended up sounding like:

BengabengaBengabengaBengabengaBengabengaBengabenga..

 

[Ryaguas]

VengaVengaVengaVengaVenga..

Or what ended up sounding like:

BengabengaBengabengaBengabengaBengabengaBengabenga..

mmmm I don't know if you speak spanish but in spanish that sounds similar... (French - Spanish native speaker)

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

on a side note, when will radios be ban from ProTour races? Is it next year?

2012 is when the UCI intends to ban radios for all class races. But I think we will see some lobbying from the teams to prevent this. So who knows...

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

Well about this: In Contador's case is not true, I read once a Contador's interview in Marca where He said that He really liked to be cheered for the ppl and from his DS car, that that gave him a lot of energies and focus on the race... if you hear well you can hear that Martinelli was cheering him from the car and Sanquer too, they were yelling a lot...

Thanks for this. I'm not surprised some guys like it.

I've just preferred not having it. I always remember Lemond in the '89 Tour saying he wanted nothing that day ... I think there is something romantic about keeping it 'real'.

Ps: I'm really curious to see where Contador goes too. And if he stays at Astana who they'll have back.

 

[Publicus]

Of course it was not in doubt because we KNEW AC would attack Schleck when he dropped his chain to gain 39 seconds.

Of course that is so inconsequential when Contador went on to win in such a dominant style by the second smallest win in Tour history of 39 seconds.

Yep, he sure was dominant!

LOL. No one could have predicted that Andy would cause his chain to drop in the middle of an attack. He drew his sword and promptly dropped it. What followed thereafter was immaterial (IMO) since the fatal error was his own.

But I think everyone thought that Andy needed upwards of a 1:30 on AC to hold him off in the time trial. Of course that turns out not to be the case, but again conventional wisdom was even the 31 seconds wasn't enough.

 

[Ryaguas]

Ps: I'm really curious to see where Contador goes too. And if he stays at Astana who they'll have back.

Ufff I'm with you mate... this year Astana will have a lot of time to look and try to sign really youngs talents and hardened famous riders cuz they have unlimited budget... but I've been looking for rumours and news about it but they are almost impossible to find...

 

[Bobby G]

Of course that is so inconsequential when Contador went on to win in such a dominant style by the second smallest win in Tour history of 39 seconds.

It wasn't even his smallest winning margin. Evans finished 23 seconds behind him in '07. Then it also ranks behind, Lemond in 89 @ 8 secs, Pereiro in 06 @ 32 secs and Jansenn in 68 @ 38 secs.

 

[Squares]

It wasn't even his smallest winning margin. Evans finished 23 seconds behind him in '07. Then it also ranks behind, Lemond in 89 @ 8 secs, Pereiro in 06 @ 32 secs and Jansenn in 68 @ 38 secs.

My Bad, I didn't look up the records.

My real point was sarcasm in response to a person who claimed that the Tour was so boring because Contador was sooooooo dominant.

Dominant riders don't win by 39 seconds.

Was Contador dominant in 2007? No, he only got the yellow when the Chicken was pulled by his team.

Was Pereiro dominant in 2006? No, he only got the yellow because CSC and T-mobile refused to call Phonak's bluff and let him gain 30 minutes in a break. Even then, it took a positive doping control to get rid of Landis and give him the Dominant win.

So, I ask, did you think this years Tour was boring because of Contador's domination?

 

[Bobby G]

No, it wasn't boring. It was hardly exciting, not due to the dominance of a rider however. I completely agree that he wasn't dominant. Last year he was dominant, this year he was in control.

 

[Angliru]

Contador said after the race that he suffered in the time trial like he has never suffered before in any race in his life.

He also stated that he was told over team radio during the first third that Schleck had actually gone ahead (when in fact closest Schleck came to was 2 seconds behind) and consistently downplayed his lead in the time they were reporting to him.

He said what his team had done to him with the information on the team radio was "cruel" (his words).

QUESTIONS

Is it common for teams to misreport time advantages/disadvantages on team radio in order to either comfort them (pad up the number) or encourage them to try harder (downplay them). I had always assumed for some reason the team radios were reporting as accurately as possible and the riders took the tactical decisions.

Secondly, could this possibly have some long-term consequences for Contador's contract extension discussion with Astanna. Although the big hug between Contador and Vino at race end implied there are no issues and this could just be a minor matter resolved internally.

Well it wouldn't have been Vino giving him the time splits over the radio so he wouldn't be holding any animosity towards him. Nor would the sponsors be responsible. Regardless I believe it may be an often used way to motivate the rider by saying he's behind. I've seen it quite frequently in boxing matches where a boxer's manager and corner men will tell him he further behind on the cards that he really is if they think that their fighter needs to have a fire lit under him.

 

[eireman]

A rider as good and rich as Bert shouldn't soley rely on his team.
Top riders don't rely on their teams for full coaching or medical why time trial splits.
Easy to have helpers on course with white board giving times and radio link as required. I am sure some were there.

 

[Angliru]

Of course it was not in doubt because we KNEW AC would attack Schleck when he dropped his chain to gain 39 seconds.

Of course that is so inconsequential when Contador went on to win in such a dominant style by the second smallest win in Tour history of 39 seconds.

Yep, he sure was dominant!

Let it go. You'll feel better. Trust me.

 

[Angliru]

LOL. No one could have predicted that Andy would cause his chain to drop in the middle of an attack. He drew his sword and promptly dropped it. What followed thereafter was immaterial (IMO) since the fatal error was his own.

But I think everyone thought that Andy needed upwards of a 1:30 on AC to hold him off in the time trial. Of course that turns out not to be the case, but again conventional wisdom was even the 31 seconds wasn't enough.

Everytime I see a reply of that incident with Andy attacking and then dropping his chain, I think of this Seinfield episode where I believe Kramer is driving on the stretch of freeway he has sponsored in his name after he had expanded the lanes by painting over the original dotted lines that separate the lanes and repainted the lines. He's driving along chewing his gum furiously while smiling and nodding his head to some manic music playing on his radio when everything starts to come apart in a disastrous fashion.

 

[nia O'Malley]

Nop... for 2012 though... UCI is not totally conviced yet... but I think that radios are going to dissapear in the next 4years...

That news is worthy of ten weekly candles to every single saint I can think of for the next two years


No race will ever be really interesting again with those things floating around. I hate them.