Contador's "surprise" attack

[jaylew]

Not to mention that the grade was not that steep. Very impressive. Imagine if it had been 7-12%. He would have taken another minute at least.

Agreed, especially considering the headwind and Contador's small stature.

 

[kloftus1044]

I think if anyone could have followed Alberto, they would have. Where was Sastre? Evans? Sitting back in the bunch. I expected more from both of those guys and when the opportunity came, they didn't answer the door.

As for the climb being easy, well, the grade wasn't as steep as some but if the climb was easy, everyone would have followed Contador, right? 20 seconds in 2km is a lot of time.

 

[DavidT]

You nimrod ... Imagine the media backlash if Armstrong went after AC ... they would have hung him ... Armstrong is playing the 'good teammate' card ... but should keep his mouth closed as clearly there's no need to badmouth his teammate for attacking. Those comments should be within the team.

What is a nimrod? If its good then thanks, appreciate it.
I wrote nothing about Armstrong chasing after Contador. I wrote about Armstrong choosing not (or unable) to challenge for yellow by closing the time gap on Noncentini before Contador tried for yellow himself.
Please read properly before nimrodding me!

 

[BeachBum]

Fascinating. You have two men who have both won multiple GTs. They would be the undisputed leader on any other team.

Yet they are on the same team.

You can't seriously expect one to work for the other.

This year will show us what 1985 could've been, if GlM had been less meek and deferential.

Each one is going to do anything and everything they think they can get away with. Lance gets in a split in stage 3? Alberto puts in an attack today? Sure, and we'll see more of that from BOTH of them, along with Lance playing to the media (Pangaea hinted at this) as much as he can without being too overt. He got in a double zinger today: AC was off plan, and I'm (LA) the good teammate.

...and hey, don't get me wrong, it doesn't matter who wins. The road will decide. I just want a knock down drag out fight just like last year, when the CSC pack took turns at Cadel. If and when LA and AC go mano e mano (my $$ says WHEN not if), awesome. With any luck we'll get a race that looks like the 86 Tour or the 04 Giro.

 

[Irish2009]

The surprise should be that only AC and Silence Lotto attacked (Evans then VanDen Broeck then Evans again).Good to see Menchov in the first group, but lets face it if your 3mins+ behind you have to attack and make up some time, whenever you can, and this would indicate that today nobody in the group of ten could. To all those who hate Evans style of riding I hope your views were mellowed by todays stage.

 

[Bala Verde]

didn't sound like he was slagging contador to me. Although you could argue that when he says you four need to talk to eachother and the other three slaged ac shows him as the odd out.

I don't really see how Bruyneel could have expected that AC (non english speaker) could have 'telephoned in' his attack 2k before the finish. I think he, as a cyclist, knew he could go, or he saw an opportunity right there and then, trusting his 6th sense. If you think you can go, you don't first discuss tactics or communicate. Your team at the front will see you fly by and then hold their legs still to slow down the pace of the group with favorites. You drop a gap of 2 and who can follow then?

20s in 2k, is a good deal, when no one else could follow and with only 2 more mountain top finishes to go.

 

[dobrien]

newbie poster here; love the forums.

So, no Lance sycophant here, but please remember he HAS indeed been out for a long time, and for him to be here today at this level, responding as he did and clearly not under any real strain, is quite remarkable. This is a guy who has won 7 tours, and is renowned for his ability to get stronger in the third week of a GT, an ability I think we will find he has not yet lost. My feeling is he didn't attack today because it just wasn't that great a day for it, Contador's gain notwithstanding. Long way to go.

AC may be a little stronger now, but with only two more mountain top finishes I see his out and out chances of doing what he did today relatively limited.

I think Lance's comment <..there are plenty of days at the end of this Tour when there are only [going to be] a couple of guys together.> is most interesting. I predict these two will be hammering each other the last week with no pretense of teamwork... can't wait til stage 17!! And Le Ventoux!!

And we thought we'd never see the likes of Hinault/LeMond ever again.

 

[BikeCentric]

That's garbage. I've watched it several times now and he/they just couldn't go with him. Does anyone actually think these guys are just going to give the race favorite another 20 secs if they can help it?

Exactly, not to mention that if Berto was getting some draft at the time of his attack then it would have helped Andy latch onto his wheel; at worst it would have had a neutral effect at the time of the attack. Andy couldn't jump as hard as Berto and couldn't latch on to his wheel period; I wish he wouldn't make excuses.

 

[BikeCentric]

Fascinating. You have two men who have both won multiple GTs. They would be the undisputed leader on any other team.

Yet they are on the same team.

You can't seriously expect one to work for the other.

This year will show us what 1985 could've been, if GlM had been less meek and deferential.

Each one is going to do anything and everything they think they can get away with. Lance gets in a split in stage 3? Alberto puts in an attack today? Sure, and we'll see more of that from BOTH of them, along with Lance playing to the media (Pangaea hinted at this) as much as he can without being too overt. He got in a double zinger today: AC was off plan, and I'm (LA) the good teammate.

...and hey, don't get me wrong, it doesn't matter who wins. The road will decide. I just want a knock down drag out fight just like last year, when the CSC pack took turns at Cadel. If and when LA and AC go mano e mano (my $$ says WHEN not if), awesome. With any luck we'll get a race that looks like the 86 Tour or the 04 Giro.

I think your analysis is totally correct but it makes me wonder why LA is even bothering to try to play the media spin game. I mean who cares if LA gets the media and ignorant fans on his side, what matters in the context of winning the Tour happens on the road and in the peloton and Armstrong playing for media sympathy will do nothing to change or affect that. I guess he's just setting himself up to play the victim after he loses which is pretty much sad and pathetic for a champion of his stature.

 

[BikeCentric]

The surprise should be that only AC and Silence Lotto attacked (Evans then VanDen Broeck then Evans again).Good to see Menchov in the first group, but lets face it if your 3mins+ behind you have to attack and make up some time, whenever you can, and this would indicate that today nobody in the group of ten could. To all those who hate Evans style of riding I hope your views were mellowed by todays stage.

Agreed one has to think that Menchov and Sastre simply couldn't attack because they needed to, wind or not. And yes I was very impressed by Cadel making the gutsy attacks that he needed to.

 

[BeachBum]

...it makes me wonder why LA is even bothering to try to play the media spin game.

Well, my guess it that he's also playing head games with AC, just like (irony of ironies) Hinault did with LeMond. Of course, there's 2 possible outcomes to this. AC might crack, or it might just harden his resolve. If AC really was off plan today, it shows that he is willing to fight for the win, even though that might be contrary to the wishes of JB and LA.

Alberto has a stiffer spine than Greg did in 85.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, my guess it that he's also playing head games with AC, just like (irony of ironies) Hinault did with LeMond. Of course, there's 2 possible outcomes to this. AC might crack, or it might just harden his resolve. If AC really was off plan today, it shows that he is willing to fight for the win, even though that might be contrary to the wishes of JB and LA.

Alberto has a stiffer spine than Greg did in 85.

There is a big difference between the two situations. Everyone is acting as though Contador has never won a GT. Heck, he has even won this one.

Again, I still am not sure why all of the fanboys are not happy that Mr Armstrong is good enough to be in 3rd. I mean, this is all about cancer, right?

 

[Bagster]

I'll take nothing away from Contador's attack and his form. Clearly he is a force in the peloton. But there were riders in that lead group who very possibly could have gone with him, and for strategic reasons did not. And there were riders in that group who should have gone, and could not. I'd be careful about those gross generalizations. Not all were chum in the wake of Alberto... not yet anyway.

The likely scenario is that with about 2K out Bruyneel gave the call to AC to have a go in order to see what the response would be from the other GC pretenders. None of then could afford to give time away to AC and needed to at least be with him at the finish. The fact that none of them responded is a good indication that they were unable to. Another nail in the coffins.

It wasn't about AC vs LA today and I think that Armstrong just did what he had to do. He was hardly going to drag anyone back up to Conti even if he was able to. What he did do was again make the Lance hateboys, who only days ago were loudly proclaiming that he would be back in the Gruppo after todays stage, look like the complete bunch of muppets that they are.

 

[Bagster]

There is a big difference between the two situations. Everyone is acting as though Contador has never won a GT. Heck, he has even won this one.

Again, I still am not sure why all of the fanboys are not happy that Mr Armstrong is good enough to be in 3rd. I mean, this is all about cancer, right?

Yeah third is pretty good. Given the fact that you were only days ago saying that he would be out the back after todays stage. Don't you get tired of getting it so wrong all the time?

 

[BikeCentric]

The likely scenario is that with about 2K out Bruyneel gave the call to AC to have a go in order to see what the response would be from the other GC pretenders.

Sure dude, sounds like a "likely scenario" since you say so even though all of the riders and the Director in question contradict what you say.

But hey, let's just make stuff up, it's fun. Here, my turn: AC attacked to embarass and punish Jurgen Van den Broeke for attacking becuase he secretly hates the Dutch and is infuriated at the thought of anyone wearing wooden shoes.

 

[Publicus]

I'll take nothing away from Contador's attack and his form. Clearly he is a force in the peloton. But there were riders in that lead group who very possibly could have gone with him, and for strategic reasons did not. And there were riders in that group who should have gone, and could not. I'd be careful about those gross generalizations. Not all were chum in the wake of Alberto... not yet anyway.

There were no non-Astana riders in that front group that could go (or Astana riders for that matter). Despite what Baby Schleck said he had an opportunity and couldn't hold his wheel.

 

[Publicus]

The likely scenario is that with about 2K out Bruyneel gave the call to AC to have a go in order to see what the response would be from the other GC pretenders. None of then could afford to give time away to AC and needed to at least be with him at the finish. The fact that none of them responded is a good indication that they were unable to. Another nail in the coffins.

It wasn't about AC vs LA today and I think that Armstrong just did what he had to do. He was hardly going to drag anyone back up to Conti even if he was able to. What he did do was again make the Lance hateboys, who only days ago were loudly proclaiming that he would be back in the Gruppo after todays stage, look like the complete bunch of muppets that they are.

Apparently you haven't visited the Official Lance Thread where the fan boys are organizing an Astana minus Contador revolt for having the temerity to take time on his rivals.

As for LA, he handled himself well. Didn't look anything like the LA of old, but definitely acquitted himself well.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah third is pretty good. Given the fact that you were only days ago saying that he would be out the back after todays stage. Don't you get tired of getting it so wrong all the time?

Um, he was out the back of Contador's group...by 21 seconds. Again, 3rd is good.

 

[Anonymous]

Um, he was out the back of Contador's group...by 21 seconds. Again, 3rd is good.

In fact, I think they have a gold star for that...or maybe just a fridge magnet, I can't remember.

 

[Bagster]

In fact, I think they have a gold star for that...or maybe just a fridge magnet, I can't remember.

If you call one man a group then I would go for the fridge magnet and award it to yourself

 

[Anonymous]

If you call one man a group then I would go for the fridge magnet and award it to yourself

Good lord you are stupid.

 

[Bagster]

Apparently you haven't visited the Official Lance Thread where the fan boys are organizing an Astana minus Contador revolt for having the temerity to take time on his rivals.

As for LA, he handled himself well. Didn't look anything like the LA of old, but definitely acquitted himself well.

Lol! Well a lot of fanboys aren't known for their race astuteness for the most part, love is blind after all just the same as hate. I like Lance's riding but I at least try to be objective.

Yeah he did acquit himself well and easily looked as comfortable as any of the others. He didn't looked too stressed to me when he shut down Cadels attack, in fact he made it look easy. Mind you, Cadel tends to attack in slow motion.

 

[Anonymous]

What's funny about this is that if you watched the race, Contador spent most of the climb on Lance's wheel. So, who was dragging who? But, that doesn't fit the "Lance is a horrible teammate" theory that seems so popular around here.

And yes, AC is clearly the strongest.

did seem that contador was doing very little work

i innitially assumed it was planned as levi and la didnt react.. now im not so sure...

interesting comment from exelmerclx

axelmerckx: Here are my thoughts. Congrats to Felliu and Nocentini! Contador made sure he passed Lance in GC, to win the tour you need teammates...

i always pay much more attention to cyclists than the press... AC burned his breeches?

 

[Anonymous]

Lol! Well a lot of fanboys aren't known for their race astuteness for the most part, love is blind after all just the same as hate. I like Lance's riding but I at least try to be objective.

Yeah he did acquit himself well and easily looked as comfortable as any of the others. He didn't looked too stressed to me when he shut down Cadels attack, in fact he made it look easy. Mind you, Cadel tends to attack in slow motion.

that was an attack?

i just assumed his wheel slipped and he pedeled slightly faster for a few yards..

 

[Bagster]

Good lord you are stupid.

I'm stupid? You were the one that was bleating on earlier in the week about how Lance would be gone after today, that he wouldn't even be in the same group as the real contenders. Now that he has made you look like a fool again you come up some lame *** comment about him losing 21 seconds to AC's "group". He was never going to go with AC on that attack anyway, now that would have been really stupid. All AC was doing was seeing how his rivals would respond and he got the answer he wanted. LA was not a factor in that. If you can't see that then you are even more hate blinded than I thought.

But hey look on the bright side: There are two more weeks to go yet so you will have ample opportunity to get it tend wrong again. At least you are consistent.