Contador's Attack on Le Grand Bornand

[euphrades]

What, in your opinion, is the timelimit for how long a race should be discussed?

I don't think there really is a timelimit, but I think the "attack" has been discussed thoroughly now. I guess the guys still focusing on it are the Lance and Contador fans....trying to say how their boy was in the right.

 

[scribe]

Have you guys seen Groundhog Day?

 

[HL2037]

If you guys think the subject has been discussed enough, you are free to stop discussing it at any time. You don't however get to decide what other people can discuss or for how long. If you get bored, simply skip the thread and read about something else. Don't try to censor other people.

 

[Señor_Contador]

What was really sad was seeing Contador's actions questioned time and time again by the team, publicly mind you, something that was NEVER done in Lance Armstrong's days: When lance decided to attack, he did. No questions asked, no "team comes first" bullshït, he put time on his rivals when he saw them suffering and that was the end of the conversation.

Alberto has won 3 grand tours, something Lance Arsmtrong has NEVER done, in a little over a year. He's gotta be doing something right. Give props to whom props are due.

Lance, please retire.

 

[Zen Master]

Have you guys seen Groundhog Day?

Rise and shine, campers ! Don't forget your booties because it's cold out there today !

 

[manolo]

Borrowing from another post in another thread...

Anyone here speak Spanish? Contador interview. On-line translators are not very helpful. http://www.elpais.com/articulo/port...ersonaje/elpepusoceps/20090823elpepspor_5/Tes

What the hell, might as well translate a few more parts:

El Pais:When you attack, you seek to be alone...

Alberto: I like to go it alone if I'm at the lead. Whether I prefer going in a group or not depends on the situation. If you're the race leader, sometimes what you want is to go in a group and you're happy with everybody going together. And there are times when you are alone and there's someone ahead which makes you empty yourself [give it your all]. That's what happened to me at Paris-Nice and I didn't like it too much.

El Pais: And then you bonk [at Paris-Nice], which gives Armstrong the opportunity to give you a sermon telling you you still have a lot to learn, when that race didn't mean that much to you, you already had it in your palmares, and you could take the liberty of taking a risk...

Alberto: That's right, you're describing it perfectly. I wanted to win, but I was very happy with my performance. My level of form was very, very high and it felt like a victory to me.

El Pais: You've noticed the changes in the peloton, which seems invaded by new people, by cyclists that only communicate in English, when before the official language was 'Italian- French-Spanish'

Alberto: It's evident. Most riders today speak enough English to carry a on a conversation. You can notice that the American riders are having more and more influence, when before [the peloton] seemed more European.

El Pais: Do you read?

Alberto: No, very little. The time I could dedicate to reading I use to look things up on the internet.

El Pais: Aren't you attracted to what books can give you?

Alberto: No, it's never been attractive to me too much. There's one book that hepled me a lot, and it still is an important book in my life, which Armstrong's book, Every Second Counts [Titled in Spanish My Return to Life, Mi Vuelta a la Vida, where he tells the story of how he beat cancer. I got a lot out of that book. The deal is is always from here to there so I don't have time for anything. What I most want when I have a little free time is to do nothing at all, be calm, with my feet up and not thinking about anything.

El Pais: Do you keep dedicating some time to your canaries in your garden?

Alberto: I've got them at home, in an aviary which doesn't take any time from me, but not like I did when I was a kid. What I do have is a dog named Tour, a Weimaraner, a hunting dog that was given to me as a gift by a television station [http://www.lamascota.com/ar/mascotas/perros/razas/todos/braco_de_weimar.htm] and he takes up a little of my free time. Animals have always caught my attention.

 

[manolo]

Here are some articles from Spanish newspapers on Contador's attacks during the race. They're not all complimentary! I had nothing else to do today. About Groundhog Day... Wow! Andie McDowell... what a cutie! : )

http://blogs.rtve.es/en-ruta/posts

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/depo...tador/reina/elpepidep/20090723elpepidep_1/Tes

And an on-line interview from back in June:

http://www.rutasporalcazar.com/foros/viewtopic.php?t=1219&sid=4c4e6d4d83f56c36b9c418ba7d90affa

 

[manolo]

What was really sad was seeing Contador's actions questioned... something that was never (!) done in Lance Armstrong's days: When lance decided to attack, he did. No questions asked... he put time on his rivals when he saw them suffering and that was the end of the conversation.

I think the big difference, though I may be wrong, is that it seems to me, that when Armstrong attacked, he didn't arrive at the stage finish with two potential adversaries or podium finishers... and, for all it may matter, I don't think he ever attacked, though I may be wrong, on a stage where the last 7 kms were downhill. So he usually ended up taking time from his rivals when he attacked, not "helping" them, even if it was by just by upping the pace.

I don't mean to support Armstrong, but the fact that when he attacked he seemed to me to break people seemed to make this attack by Contador seem futile and trivial. I wish he [Contador] hadn't done it.

I hated the scene of the Schlecks celebrating their victory and Contador riding their wheels, patting them on the back saying "Go ahead. I won't contest the stage win." I thought it was demeaning to the team, and, of course, in hindsight, a totally unnecessary, unfruitful attack. But... that's the way it happened...

 

[hfer07]

 

[El Imbatido]

This topic is almost 6 months old. Please let it die already.

 

[manolo]

I think its.. sad... that this is still being discussed.

Can't... stop!... writing... about... this!... Help!... Must... write.. more!... I... hate!... Contador!... And!... I hate... Armstrong!... too!... Why???... Why did this have to happen?... Why did they not?... Behave?... Respectfully?... Towards each other..???... Why?... What did Alby ever do to you, Lance?... Why did Leipheimer have to crash?... Why?... Why wasn't Horner on the Tour team?... I'm... losing it... Having... a ... nervous... breakdown... ... Well... my only comfort is... next year... at band camp... I mean... at the Tour... when Contador takes... Frank... and Andy... with him... at least... Armstriong and Kloeden... and Levi... and Horner.. will show the world who the world's best cyclist... truly is... Ah, better, now! Thank god! That was killing me! : ) Happy Thanksgiving all! : )

 

[thehog]

From English translation from Reuters orginally in Spanish from Marca:

"I am realistic and I know that I have a weaker team than in previous years and for that reason we'll have to work hard on motivation in training so that we know what we can achieve and how to do it," said Contador, who turned 27 on Sunday.

"I know that it will be a difficult year and it's possible I won't be able to win the Tour even if I am in good shape.

"People will be focusing a lot on me but my rivals know that the team I will have is not the same as before."

Armstrong and Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel are forming a new team, RadioShack, for next season, and Contador confirmed his relationship with the American had never been easy.

"That's nothing new," he told Marca.

"I am thinking about the 2010 Tour, not the 2009 one, even though I admit he pushed me to the limit in all areas, psychologically and physically.

"But it helped me a lot to mature and I hope to exploit that experience next year."

Contador said his program in 2010 would be similar to past years and he did not plan to compete at May's Giro d'Italia as it would be asking too much so close to the Tour de France, which gets under way at the start of July.

He said he may take part in the Vuelta a Espana depending on his performance in France.

Looking further ahead, he did not rule out staying with Astana beyond 2010.

"We'll have to see how everything goes because Astana could be a great team and I decide to stay, even though I may also change teams or set up my own, something that would be highly motivating but would tax my energy."