Contador's "surprise" attack

[OCLV5500]

This is hilarious. They are 1/3 of the way through the Tour and people are already making predictions... Haven't any of your “predictors” ever watched a Tour before?

 

[auscyclefan94]

One of the many bad things about the internet is that it lets mentally ill rejects like "ThoughtforFood" converse with other people.

"The pot calling the kettle black" LOL

 

[richwagmn]

Lance carries the tour de france on his shoulders. Contador , the little puke, needs to understand that the tour and especially contador are zero without Lance and the hype he brings to the tour. Contador's only goal should have been to ensure that Lance got the yellow today. that would have been good for the tour. Contador is an inconsequential pimple of a man.

If Lance is half as enraged as I am, he is going to destroy Contador. I hope Contador never races again.

Translation: If the .0002% of Americans who watch the TDF ONLY when LA is participating stop watching, the TDF will cease to exist. Sort of like how babies forget something is there when you put a blanket over it.

 

[Bagster]

Lance carries the tour de france on his shoulders. Contador , the little puke, needs to understand that the tour and especially contador are zero without Lance and the hype he brings to the tour. Contador's only goal should have been to ensure that Lance got the yellow today. that would have been good for the tour. Contador is an inconsequential pimple of a man.

If Lance is half as enraged as I am, he is going to destroy Contador. I hope Contador never races again.

Your not serious of course, because that would make you a total moron.

 

[colwildcat]

Translation: If the .0002% of Americans who watch the TDF ONLY when LA is participating stop watching, the TDF will cease to exist. Sort of like how babies forget something is there when you put a blanket over it.

What I find funny is the typical American view of world sport. We think that just because we don't like soccer, that the rest of the world shouldn't. We think that just because most don't watch the Tour when Lance isn't riding, that the rest of the world turns off the TV as well. The Tour would have happened, and the roads would have been just as crowded if Lance wasn't riding, much to the surprise of most.

It really sucks to be an American whose favorite sports are cycling and soccer.

 

[colwildcat]

Your not serious of course, because that would make you a total moron.

Yes, he was. And yes, you're correct on the second point as well.

 

[richwagmn]

What I find funny is the typical American view of world sport. We think that just because we don't like soccer, that the rest of the world shouldn't. We think that just because most don't watch the Tour when Lance isn't riding, that the rest of the world turns off the TV as well. The Tour would have happened, and the roads would have been just as crowded if Lance wasn't riding, much to the surprise of most.

It really sucks to be an American whose favorite sports are cycling and soccer.

Yea, it's such a disappointment to those who think that way when they find out that the rest of the world can act without their permission. Just who does the rest of the world think it is anyways?

 

[auscyclefan94]

What I find funny is the typical American view of world sport. We think that just because we don't like soccer, that the rest of the world shouldn't. We think that just because most don't watch the Tour when Lance isn't riding, that the rest of the world turns off the TV as well. The Tour would have happened, and the roads would have been just as crowded if Lance wasn't riding, much to the surprise of most.

It really sucks to be an American whose favorite sports are cycling and soccer.

Typical ceptic tanks - yanks

 

[gatete]

Lance carries the tour de france on his shoulders. Contador , the little puke, needs to understand that the tour and especially contador are zero without Lance and the hype he brings to the tour. Contador's only goal should have been to ensure that Lance got the yellow today. that would have been good for the tour. Contador is an inconsequential pimple of a man.

If Lance is half as enraged as I am, he is going to destroy Contador. I hope Contador never races again.

I always find it funny to see how the preference/personal taste always get the objectiveness off me, I simpatize to what you're feeling except I was feeling the exact same way about Armstrong 3 days ago, at the end I'm sure I've said this before in this forum: I'ts not about whether I, the riders, you peple in the forums are right, but about who we root for, at least it makes more sense when who we like is winning, and make us sick (like I was feeling about LA 3 days ago) when we're losing.

 

[rhubroma]

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.

Which guys could have gone but didn't for strategic reasons? That makes noooo sense.

Everybody but Armstrong was behind AC. No when he went the others, if they had the legs, had to go with him. That they didn't means only one thing: they didn't have the legs.

And Armstrong? He needs to realize he's too old to win the Tour, as Hinault has correctly pointed out. Only his fanboys think otherwise. But their god has fallen and we, who have waited to see it but because of his retirement thought we never would, can only thank Armstrong now for having given us the opportunity to by coming back. Imagine the man finally has some merit after all, especially since his own ego has made the fall so pleasant to watch. Even Lance admited involuntarilly and indirectly to his own arrogance, when admitting that his comments on last year's Tour, and particularly those addressed to Sastre's victory, were unjust. Though if he had any real dignity, he would have just placed himself in the services of the man with more natural talent from the outset. The best thing is that Lance has come back to compete against someone on his own team, which his own megalomania has led him erroneously to believe was not the superior athlete that he truly is.

Doping aside, AC is more the natural genetic freak than Armstrong ever was. And the only thing preventing a true masacre, is AC's own team, which is a pitty. Whereas the only thing against the man is his nerves, which are his only weak link. If he controls them though, the others havn't a chance.

I'm not fanboy of his, mind you, and it's only the presence of Armstrong which has allowed me to wish him well, otherwise I'd be indifferent to him.

 

[fatterboy]

attack

Looked to me like Contador was waiting for Armstrong to make a move to get the yellow jersey, but when Armstrong sat on without the desire (or the capacity) to challenge for yellow, in the end Contador felt time was running out and finally went for it himself, a few seconds too late as it turned out.

I dont know why you would think AC was waiting for LA to attack it was never going to happen on that stage .they droped the yellow they are minutes up on so called tour contenders so the best thing to do is play it cool .To me AC is worried about LA why?becausc he is the most intelligent rider in the race.AC wasted energy for what to get 6 seconds on LA that it .there are 2 weeks of racing left with a second to last stage which is a killer ,best thing for AC, is to stick with LA and learn from him .AC will win the tour LA has nothing to prove he's been there,done it and got the yellow T-shirt. As for the stage LA did the team thing and AC was the protected rider in Astana.

 

[*G*K*S*]

Lance carries the tour de france on his shoulders. Contador , the little puke, needs to understand that the tour and especially contador are zero without Lance and the hype he brings to the tour. Contador's only goal should have been to ensure that Lance got the yellow today. that would have been good for the tour. Contador is an inconsequential pimple of a man.

If Lance is half as enraged as I am, he is going to destroy Contador. I hope Contador never races again.

Lol. You sound like you wear Nike brand.

 

[rhubroma]

I dont know why you would think AC was waiting for LA to attack it was never going to happen on that stage .they droped the yellow they are minutes up on so called tour contenders so the best thing to do is play it cool .To me AC is worried about LA why?becausc he is the most intelligent rider in the race.AC wasted energy for what to get 6 seconds on LA that it .there are 2 weeks of racing left with a second to last stage which is a killer ,best thing for AC, is to stick with LA and learn from him .AC will win the tour LA has nothing to prove he's been there,done it and got the yellow T-shirt. As for the stage LA did the team thing and AC was the protected rider in Astana.

No Lance didn't attack, cause he couldn't have, was at his limit. Lance had every reason to put more time in his rivals, especially AC, by attacking, but couldn't plain and simple because he didn't have the legs.

By contrast AC had every interest to drop the guys he did. And just 6 seconds! Listen, those six seconds make a huge difference in terms of the team tactics. AC not only demonstrated he's the strongest, but is now the team frontrunner. So if we don't see Lance at his services now, then we will know that his postion is to only race for himself. Period. And not to help the strongest guy if that is not himself, as he has said.

 

[Animal]

Lance carries the tour de france on his shoulders. Contador , the little puke, needs to understand that the tour and especially contador are zero without Lance and the hype he brings to the tour. Contador's only goal should have been to ensure that Lance got the yellow today. that would have been good for the tour. Contador is an inconsequential pimple of a man.

If Lance is half as enraged as I am, he is going to destroy Contador. I hope Contador never races again.

Jeebus! "enraged"?

This is sick.

I cheered LA on for 7 straight tours too. I was there on the roadsides in 2000, and in 2003 where he actually had to suffer, yelling "GO LANCE".

And nowadays, more cynical about the whole drugged up structure of the pro scene, I don't really much care who wins.

But these know-nothing, beer-swilling, personal insult trading three week fans have pretty much swung it for me.

Their passive-aggressive victim mentality, just makes me want Armstrong to lose. I still don't care who wins, but these stupid tw-ats who have never done a f-ucking bike race in their miserable, gutbucket lives just tips the balance. Armstrong to f-uck up and die.

 

[Zen Master]

Lance carries the tour de france on his shoulders. Contador , the little puke, needs to understand that the tour and especially contador are zero without Lance and the hype he brings to the tour. Contador's only goal should have been to ensure that Lance got the yellow today. that would have been good for the tour. Contador is an inconsequential pimple of a man.

If Lance is half as enraged as I am, he is going to destroy Contador. I hope Contador never races again.

You are an absolute ****in moron !!!???
Tour de France exist 100 years before your precious idol with absolute the same hype with or without King Pharmstrong !!??

 

[vrusimov]

Contador is not a fool, he knows the traditions of teams and the yellow jersey, if LA got that jersey today, LA would have then become the team leader and the only remaining chance he would have had to beat LA would be the TT. Contador is a 3 time GT champion for a reason, he knew that after LA's time gain on stage 3, he had to get back that time today, period, end of story. Now he has placed himself at the front of the team again and once he pulls on the yellow, that will be game over for LA. LA knows this, hence why he was ****ed off and used the media for his passive aggressive war with AC.

LA-"That wasn't really to the plan, but I didn't expect him to go by the plan, so [it was] no surprise."

For a champion like LA, that is a pretty pathetic statement to make. Sorry but not everybody is going to roll over and let him win, especially AC who has his own ambitions of glory.

LA needs to stop playing this media game, I cheered for him for 7 straight tours, but I'm feeling different about this one. What did he honestly expect the winner of all 3 grand tours was going to do??

...this is an interesting analysis but you must consider the fact that Leipheimer has twice had Contador in his sights at the end of a GT...the Tour in 2007 and most recently, the Vuelta last year where the only difference between him and Leipheimer was bonus seconds...he's not always the strongest in the third week...Johan and Lance know this, hence their distrust of his ability in a tour backloaded like this one...efforts like today have to be paid for and the more times you do them the less you have in reserve for the coming stages...the question becomes how good will he be at Annecy and on Mont Ventoux at the end of three hard weeks...

...i don't expect Contador to roll over...he did exactly what he should've done today if he has designs on winning but the hardest parts of this race are yet to come and the 40 km TT won't favor him like the first one...the climb in the middle is short and not so steep...with a flat run-in to the finish...

...call it tit for tat, one-upmanship, payback, karma or whatever but Contador has signaled, with today's attack, his intent to escalate the battle between him and Armstrong...there was no way he was going to let Lance get that jersey before he did, not if he could help it...and as much as i'm pulling for Lance, Contador's insight into the team dynamics are superb...he's doing what Lemond would'nt do in 1985...

...in many ways this is fast becoming the battle that never was between Armstrong and Mayo in 2004...

...now having said that, he may have just unleashed a man that does'nt know how to not win and judging by his post-race comments we may yet get the one-to-one battle everyone's salivating for...a very powerful display by Alberto but 21 seconds on the top of Arcalis does'nt win Contador anything...too many kilometers left in play...if he does'nt distance Armstrong on Verbier or before that, the final TT may set the team order for Mont Ventoux...

...now we are left to wonder if Armstrong will pull the trigger somewhere before Contador gets the jersey...he did'nt look too uncomfortable today and he shut down Evans pretty easily...and he should have because he's probably 5-7 lbs. lighter than his Giro start...he is VERY thin, thinner than i ever remember him being so early in the Tour so we will see...the anticipation is sorta fun...

...say what you will about Armstrong but he did'nt attempt to close on Contador and played the team game, if only for a day...he was correct toward Alberto...that's not to say it will continue...

...perhaps Contador will prevail through to the end and in that case the young man certainly deserves his victory but "if" Armstrong has it within his power to take it he certainly won't give it away without a fight...and this is as it should be...may the best man win...neither rider's fans will accept anything less...

 

[vrusimov]

Which guys could have gone but didn't for strategic reasons? That makes noooo sense.

Everybody but Armstrong was behind AC. No when he went the others, if they had the legs, had to go with him. That they didn't means only one thing: they didn't have the legs.

And Armstrong? He needs to realize he's too old to win the Tour, as Hinault has correctly pointed out. Only his fanboys think otherwise. But their god has fallen and we, who have waited to see it but because of his retirement thought we never would, can only thank Armstrong now for having given us the opportunity to by coming back. Imagine the man finally has some merit after all, especially since his own ego has made the fall so pleasant to watch. Even Lance admited involuntarilly and indirectly to his own arrogance, when admitting that his comments on last year's Tour, and particularly those addressed to Sastre's victory, were unjust. Though if he had any real dignity, he would have just placed himself in the services of the man with more natural talent from the outset. The best thing is that Lance has come back to compete against someone on his own team, which his own megalomania has led him erroneously to believe was not the superior athlete that he truly is.

Doping aside, AC is more the natural genetic freak than Armstrong ever was. And the only thing preventing a true masacre, is AC's own team, which is a pitty. Whereas the only thing against the man is his nerves, which are his only weak link. If he controls them though, the others havn't a chance.

I'm not fanboy of his, mind you, and it's only the presence of Armstrong which has allowed me to wish him well, otherwise I'd be indifferent to him.

...no gods have fallen my friend...today was just the opening skirmish in a wider war that's sure to come...probably in the Alps...

...well the jury is out on his physiology but i'm sure it's quite excellent and maybe superior to Armstrong's but we don't have the data yet...

...all his massive accelerations could'nt alleviate Leipheimer's threat in the 07 Tour and more recently the 08 Vuelta...Leipheimer's time trialing nullified his escapade on the Angliru if not for time bonuses...

i'll say this...the man has a burst unseen since Pantani but his margins of victory don't leave a lot of margin for error...if it goes down the same way as the Vuelta and it's Armstrong and not Leipheimer then what?...

...if he does'nt distance Armstrong before Annecy he's going to have a major problem...he's going to need a lot more than two seconds...

 

[yourwelcome]

But these know-nothing, beer-swilling, personal insult trading three week fans have pretty much swung it for me.

Their passive-aggressive victim mentality, just makes me want Armstrong to lose. I still don't care who wins, but these stupid tw-ats who have never done a f-ucking bike race in their miserable, gutbucket lives just tips the balance. Armstrong to f-uck up and die.

Jeebus indeed, you really feel that strongly about Armstrong - who you've probably never met - just because his fanboys are annoying? You need your own head checked.

 

[pistolero]

Contador's plan

It's time to show the world who is the leader in astana,the plan for lance was finish the stage watching popovych ***?you have to move in climbing and alberto did it very well,little bit late for me.unlucky not get the yellow jersey it seems is the only way to shut up many voices...

 

[Animal]

Jeebus indeed, you really feel that strongly about Armstrong - who you've probably never met - just because his fanboys are annoying? You need your own head checked.

Sorry, but I did NOT feel "strongly" at all.

I nothinged him.

It's the f-ucking yanks on here.

The non-cycling, know nothing, beer guzzling "sports fans" who f-uck me off.

Not Armstrong. I have no problems being entertained by team politics and cycling polemiche.

It's three week moron fans that f-uck me off. That's all.

So p-iss and whine, and moan about your poor old self all you like.

 

[iceaxe]

Jeebus! "enraged"?

This is sick.

I cheered LA on for 7 straight tours too. I was there on the roadsides in 2000, and in 2003 where he actually had to suffer, yelling "GO LANCE".

And nowadays, more cynical about the whole drugged up structure of the pro scene, I don't really much care who wins.

But these know-nothing, beer-swilling, personal insult trading three week fans have pretty much swung it for me.

Their passive-aggressive victim mentality, just makes me want Armstrong to lose. I still don't care who wins, but these stupid tw-ats who have never done a f-ucking bike race in their miserable, gutbucket lives just tips the balance. Armstrong to f-uck up and die.

I've done adventure races that included mountain biking. I ride my bike 2 hrs a day just as a warm up to running.

 

[Animal]

A grammatical error immortalized as a username? Oh dear.

 

[Animal]

I've done adventure races that included mountain biking. I ride my bike 2 hrs a day just as a warm up to running.

I don't give a ****.

It's your whiny little whinings that are pathetic.

 

[yourwelcome]

Sorry, but I did NOT feel "strongly" at all.

I nothinged him.

Your words: "Armstrong to f- up and die." Maybe you should take the time to express yourself more accurately if you didn't mean to express any opinion on him?

 

[Anonymous]