Contador: Vuelta new mountain (nice video)

[sartoris]

Nice video of Alberto Contador training on the new and incredibly hard mountain to be climbed at this year's Vuelta. Great comments and anecdotes by Alberto.

This area is where he used to train as a teenager. He used to take his bike on a train from his home near Madrid and after 2 hours he would get off the train, leave his backpack at a bike shop and start pedalling in the area around where the video was shot (Sierra de Navacerrada - Madrid). Then he would do the return trip back home. Since he caught the early train from Madrid, the first stops where full with people dressed for work at the office. Many complaints by these because of the greasy stains from Alberto's bike

He's talking about how hard this mountain is: you must remain seated because of the terrain (concrete). Only 3 km but similar to Angliru, Pla de Corones or Mortirolo.

Looking forward to watching this stage after seeing him grab his third Tour. Cheers!

http://www.marca.com/2010/06/25/ciclismo/1277462676.html

 

[icefire]

According to the rules he should have been fined for taking his bike onboard the train before 9:30 AM

 

[reyan12]

nice video! i think AC will ride the vuelta this year.

 

[lancewillwin8]

[edited by mod]

 

[Publicus]

I see things are heating up a bit. The fanboys are getting nervous and more belligerent in their indignation.

 

[la.margna]

[EDITED BY MOD]

I am not at all a Dopador supporter, but what you say, says actually a lot more about you than about AC. no comment necessary. just sad. too such people on this planet.

 

[reyan12]

[EDITED BY MOD]

i cant believe you'd created a new account again.anyway a person like you doesnt vary much from your namesake.

 

[Barrus]

That looks like a fantastic stage and Bert looks like he is in great shape actually. This probably is even more confirmation that he will be doing the Vuelta this year.

But am I the only one who finds it funny tha the says that you need to remain seated, although throughout the video he standing on the pedals

 

[Francois the Postman]

Nice footage. Somehow I get a better sense of a mountain this way, with all the inappropriate angles and without spectators, than seeing it "live" during a stage. It looks a beast.

 

[icefire]

That looks like a fantastic stage and Bert looks like he is in great shape actually. This probably is even more confirmation that he will be doing the Vuelta this year.

But am I the only one who finds it funny tha the says that you need to remain seated, although throughout the video he standing on the pedals

That, and the train high and sleep low

There is no mention to the Vuelta in the video. That's the closest thing to altitude training he can get near home. And he sounds as if he got a strong cold. Nor surprising, as the weather there has been ugly recently.

Nevertheless, sports daily Marca is obviously playing part of the Vuelta campaign to promote the stage.

 

[python]

That, and the train high and sleep low

There is no mention to the Vuelta in the video. That's the closest thing to altitude training he can get near home. And he sounds as if he got a strong cold. Nor surprising, as the weather there has been ugly recently.

Nevertheless, sports daily Marca is obviously playing part of the Vuelta campaign to promote the stage.

icefire, your post just lead me to think about berto's training and then to a question - perhaps he supplements his training with some home based altitude simulating tent/device ?

as far as i know just about all top riders at one time or another referred to that type of home-based device.

have you ever read or heard anything along those lines for berto ?

 

[icefire]

icefire, your post just lead me to think about berto's training and then to a question - perhaps he supplements his training with some home based altitude simulating tent/device ?

as far as i know just about all top riders at one time or another referred to that type of home-based device.

have you ever read or heard anything along those lines for berto ?

I've never heard or read anything on Berto using a hipoxic tent, but I'm not the most up-to-date with news around him. Just try to help with translation

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I know Gesink has a built in 'height room' in his house in Aalten.
So it's definately possible to live/sleep at 'altitude' even if you are at sea level, without having to use a tent.

 

[Bala Verde]

He also had his TT bike on top of the car, so I wonder what his training would have looked like. He first climbs an incredibly steep mountain, and then goes on to do some TT practicing, or vice versa?

 

[Tom T.]

That road surface looks rough. Nice-looking, though. Can't wait to see it in the Vuelta.

 

[icefire]

That road surface looks rough. Nice-looking, though. Can't wait to see it in the Vuelta.

True. It's rough concrete for improving the grip of the maintenance vehicles that regularly go to the antenna station at the summit. Ice and snow usually last there until May.

 

[Bike Boy]

Cool video! looks like a nasty climb, but the thought of descending it frightens me more.

 

[Tangled Tango]

True. It's rough concrete for improving the grip of the maintenance vehicles that regularly go to the antenna station at the summit. Ice and snow usually last there until May.

Very steep roads like that are normally rough throughout Spain. I live in Asturias (northern coastal region) and they use such rough surfaces to help with traction when wet. It´s horrible decending on them.

Back on topic; I truly hope (doubtful though) AC rides La Vuelta. I´m planning to climb the Los Lagos stage finish. It´s a killer. Would be great to see him there.

 

[isayic]

That, and the train high and sleep low

There is no mention to the Vuelta in the video. That's the closest thing to altitude training he can get near home. And he sounds as if he got a strong cold. Nor surprising, as the weather there has been ugly recently.

Nevertheless, sports daily Marca is obviously playing part of the Vuelta campaign to promote the stage.

Maybe that a person who is heavier has to stay seated but Alberto just has a weight of about 60 kilos. He didn't rule out to ride the Vuelta but there isn't a decision yet. The video is great and it was in this area where Alberto when he was 13 left his older brother behind him when he was climbing and someone said to his (Alberto's) father," Paco you must get Alberto into a team the kid is not normal."I think he is speaking like always. He had to undergo surgery of his nose and in the throat area after a crash and he attends speech therapy.

 

[Orinda8]

Very steep roads like that are normally rough throughout Spain. I live in Asturias (northern coastal region) and they use such rough surfaces to help with traction when wet. It´s horrible decending on them.

Back on topic; I truly hope (doubtful though) AC rides La Vuelta. I´m planning to climb the Los Lagos stage finish. It´s a killer. Would be great to see him there.

That looks like a 20% grade at least;AC even seemed to be struggling on one part of the climb; the sprinters will abandon before that stage

 

[icefire]

Here's the detailed profile:

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=380

The stage finish will be about 1km before the summit due to the space requirements of the race infrastructure. That makes only 2.5 km after the summit of Puerto de Navacerrada.

 

[Bike Boy]

Here's the detailed profile:

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=380

The stage finish will be about 1km before the summit due to the space requirements of the race infrastructure. That makes only 2.5 km after the summit of Puerto de Navacerrada.

Thanks for posting.

how unpleasant those last 4 km must feel for the riders, especially considering the altitude.

 

[bobs nob]

i cant believe you'd created a new account again.anyway a person like you doesnt vary much from your namesake.

I think lancewillwin8 IS Lance.

 

[icefire]

Thanks for posting.

how unpleasant those last 4 km must feel for the riders, especially considering the altitude.

There's another factor not mentioned in the video. The place can be quite windy and there's no shelter at all.

 

[Parrot23]

If it's true he was climbing that road when he was 13, that says a lot