Does Contador have what it takes, MENTALY, to be a consistant champion??

[La Pandera]

Has anyone pointed out that MENTALLY is misspelled? too lazy to go back and look.

Considering he also mispelled Beloki, both of those should have been sure signs to proceed with caution.

 

[Dedelou]

none! He did win the world hardest race 7 times tough, Contador has at least 4 more years of suffering, just to get even... will he be champion at 32?

Only 4 more years? Probably you mean in order to beat the 7 TDF. But only 3 more gt wins to pass amstrong records as grand tour winner. And with the schedule he has he could do that in a matter of two years. Menchov may have 7 grand tours too and pass or equal amstrong. But then all records are made to fall. This is so true in most sports.

 

[scribe]

Considering he also mispelled Beloki, both of those should have been sure signs to proceed with caution.

I can't hear you, you know.

 

[Villaba]

none! He did win the world hardest race 7 times tough, Contador has at least 4 more years of suffering, just to get even... will he be champion at 32?

Profesional cycling is not only about Tour de France. Armstrong prepared only one big race a year. For me, for instance, Eddie Merckx is a much greater champion than Armstrong, even with less TDF wins.

And yes, with 32, Alberto could be in perfect condition to be able to win big races, it is a good age for a cyclist, as Armstrong, among others, demonstrated.

 

[thrawn]

fine we dont agree!

I will certanly not agree with you on 2007 Cadel being better than 2005 Basso!
A human males prime is betwen 25-30 years!
Cadel at the age of 28 was 8th in 2005 and 30 when he was runner up! he was in his prime years in both ocasions, the difference being in 2005, he faced better opposition and was left behind!

In 2005 he rode aggainst: Basso, Vino, Ullrich, Levi, Armstrong, Rasmussen all left him behind!

In 2007 he rode aggainst Conti, Rasmussen, and Levi! Rasmussen left him behind, but was removed from the Tour for violation of team rules, not being available for doping control somwhere in spring and that came to bite him in the ***, and Conti left him behind

You cant even mention the opposition in the same sentence! Grotesc difference...

Cadel's first tour was 2005. His 2005v2007 performance has little to do with the opposition he faced.

 

[luckyboy]

Profesional cycling is not only about Tour de France. Armstrong prepared only one big race a year. For me, for instance, Eddie Merckx is a much greater champion than Armstrong, even with less TDF wins

For pretty much everyone he is.

Anyway, LOL at this thread, well the first post anyway.

AC's not riding the Vuelta this year is he? It'll be good to see him try for one of the other GT's again.

 

[forty four]

Not if you're Alberto Contador.

You have to understand, he was the only one able to retire Lance, and the American's bítches (Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwin, Bob Roll and Greg Hummer) will never forgive him for that. So the LA crowd, acting like a well-oiled team of gossip prostitutes, go out and spread the slogans out without even giving it any though. Some of those slogans make it to these forums too. So we get people questioning the endurance of a guy who's won 5 GTs, something only a handfull of athletes have ever been able to do. And, consequently, something even Lancy Boy wasn't even able to do himself.

Their commentary is so one-sided, their dislike so ingrained that if you go back to the beginning of the Tour you'd find out that 60-70% of their predictions were dead wrong. And this is supposed to be a panel of "experts" mind you.

Doesn't matter what Alberto does. In their eyes he's always about to crack or unable to follow someone up a climb or about to stab someone in the back, or about to attack his own teammates, about to be dropped, et cetera.

The most pathetic bunch of lunatics I've ever seen and heard in my life.

la's retirement has absolutely nothing to do with contador that statement makes no sense.

 

[nicholaaaas]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-elated-but-admits-he-struggled

He suffered today, he showed that he panics and acts reckles under pressure (not the first time)...

He's a great rider(he won me over this year),but is he strong enough to cope with the ever mounting pressure...? Or will Schleck, a Basso, or a Menchov get the better of him in the near future??

Cycling just got interesting

he's about to win his 6th straight GT?

 

[nicholaaaas]

You have been listening to to much Versus commentary. Instead of calling the race they feed viewers some pre-scripted narrative that often has little to do with what's going on in front of them.

He won 5 Tours including the Giro and Vuelta in the same year. He's had a stellar early season contesting multiple races and winning and still had enough gas for the TdF. He is focused and disciplined and has beat the best in the world in cycling's greatest races 5 out of 5 times.

Turn off Phil and Paul and check out what's actually happening on the road.

FYI not to the writer of this post to the OP who was the last to win 2 GT's in one season? It was 10 years before AC did

 

[nicholaaaas]

Not if you're Alberto Contador.

You have to understand, he was the only one able to retire Lance, and the American's bítches (Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwin, Bob Roll and Greg Hummer) will never forgive him for that. So the LA crowd, acting like a well-oiled team of gossip prostitutes, go out and spread the slogans out without even giving it any though. Some of those slogans make it to these forums too. So we get people questioning the endurance of a guy who's won 5 GTs, something only a handfull of athletes have ever been able to do. And, consequently, something even Lancy Boy wasn't even able to do himself.

Their commentary is so one-sided, their dislike so ingrained that if you go back to the beginning of the Tour you'd find out that 60-70% of their predictions were dead wrong. And this is supposed to be a panel of "experts" mind you.

Doesn't matter what Alberto does. In their eyes he's always about to crack or unable to follow someone up a climb or about to stab someone in the back, or about to attack his own teammates, about to be dropped, et cetera.

The most pathetic bunch of lunatics I've ever seen and heard in my life.

Once again I have been told by Versus' producer that their coverage is "Lanceocentric" because that's what sells advertising in America. You have to take Versus with a 8-ball of crack-sized grain of salt

 

[nicholaaaas]

Well, Eddy Merckx his Hour Record lasted until 2000, and it's practically impossible to compare cyclists of other generations, but the Hour Record is imo the best indicator for that. As they have to ride the same bike and in the same conditions as Merckx did.

Eddy Merckx even had a back injury when he broke the Hour record, so he could've done even better if it wasn't for that injury. And he only tried once after a busy season.

I hope Cancellara sets his goals to the Hour Record in the near future. He has won everything there is to win in a Time Trial then.

so by your logic... if Fabian breaks the Hour record he is the greatest rider of this generation?

btw... i am still far more impressed by Chris Boardman's 56.whatever kph. that's 35 mph for an hour. it don't matter how areo you are. that's impressive... and clearly he's the greatest cyclist ever

 

[santacruz]

Cycling just got interesting

you mean dull? watching AC is not fun for me..

 

[henryg]

He had it easy so far, strongest team with weak opponents, the real test of his strenght and carachter beggins now... We will se if he has what it takes to be an ATG!

The average winning speed in the Tour did not crack the 40km barrier until 99 and that was in an era fueled by EPO.

Average speeds now are 40+km per hour. The guys "without a pulse" in third and fourth are turning in faster speeds then the winners in the Tours of a few years ago and all the Tours of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

So when you look at the facts the competition is tougher now then ever. Contador's winning times are faster then 90% of Tour winners. The only thing without a pulse is the premise of this thread.

 

[ustabe]

If he beats Scheck convincingly next year, I'll see him as ATG, until than no more than a very good rider

Well good for you, Belokki.

 

[53 x 11]

Yes. No discussion needed.

 

[ironhead]

Why throw Versus and Phil and Paul under the bus. What did they say that provokes that idiotic statement.

You have been listening to to much Versus commentary. Instead of calling the race they feed viewers some pre-scripted narrative that often has little to do with what's going on in front of them.

He won 5 Tours including the Giro and Vuelta in the same year. He's had a stellar early season contesting multiple races and winning and still had enough gas for the TdF. He is focused and disciplined and has beat the best in the world in cycling's greatest races 5 out of 5 times.

Turn off Phil and Paul and check out what's actually happening on the road.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Contador looks set to win his 5th straight Grand Tour and someone seriously started this thread? Really?

 

[LaBici]

Not if you're Alberto Contador.

You have to understand, he was the only one able to retire Lance, and the American's bítches (Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwin, Bob Roll and Greg Hummer) will never forgive him for that. So the LA crowd, acting like a well-oiled team of gossip prostitutes, go out and spread the slogans out without even giving it any though. Some of those slogans make it to these forums too. So we get people questioning the endurance of a guy who's won 5 GTs, something only a handfull of athletes have ever been able to do. And, consequently, something even Lancy Boy wasn't even able to do himself.

Their commentary is so one-sided, their dislike so ingrained that if you go back to the beginning of the Tour you'd find out that 60-70% of their predictions were dead wrong. And this is supposed to be a panel of "experts" mind you.

Doesn't matter what Alberto does. In their eyes he's always about to crack or unable to follow someone up a climb or about to stab someone in the back, or about to attack his own teammates, about to be dropped, et cetera.

The most pathetic bunch of lunatics I've ever seen and heard in my life.

Well Well Thank You! .. i am finally having what i have been saying for the past few years. The bias shown by the four *****es has been nauseating! I was so livid at them last year for the way they kept ignoring AC and fawning over LA. LA was not the leader of Astana last year, and he should have been called fo being the selfish petulant uncooperative team member that he was, Instead they made Contador out to be the devil... Such a disgrace.

 

[Mellow Velo]

If Lance had such great opposition, how come most of them used to get dropped on the climbs by George Hincapie!

A month ago, Belokki was spouting about how Armstrong was going to take his 8th.
Now he says he is past it and not even worthy of being called opposition, to boot.

I love these fanboy threads.
They are as funny, as they are desperate, pathetic and nostalgic.

 

[Belokki]

If Lance had such great opposition, how come most of them used to get dropped on the climbs by George Hincapie!

A month ago, Belokki was spouting about how Armstrong was going to take his 8th.
Now he says he is past it and not even worthy of being called opposition, to boot.

I love these fanboy threads.
They are as funny, as they are desperate, pathetic and nostalgic.

*** edited by mod ****

 

[La Pandera]

Taking a quote from the Velonews Tour de France issue (page 104):

"I'm close to 39 and I'm racing guys in their mid-20's. And I also must say, this current generation of riders, I truly believe they are better than the guys I raced against when I was 30. So all the rivals we had in those years, I don't think they compare to Andy or to Contador or to Frank (Schleck) or to this current crop. So I got hit from both sides, so to speak--I got older, and these guys got better."

Coming from someone who actually raced against both generations, I would hope this puts an end to this debate, ridiculous as it is on one side. Need I say who this is quoting?

 

[Belokki]

Taking a quote from the Velonews Tour de France issue (page 104):

"I'm close to 39 and I'm racing guys in their mid-20's. And I also must say, this current generation of riders, I truly believe they are better than the guys I raced against when I was 30. So all the rivals we had in those years, I don't think they compare to Andy or to Contador or to Frank (Schleck) or to this current crop. So I got hit from both sides, so to speak--I got older, and these guys got better."

Coming from someone who actually raced against both generations, I would hope this puts an end to this debate, ridiculous as it is on one side. Need I say who this is quoting?

took the presure of himself... what else did you expect from Lance... '''Dont mind me, Im just an old geezer riding about among the best young ones I ever saw...''
he Beat Schleck remember...??

 

[Belokki]

Prime Lance > Conti
Prime Ullrich > Andy
Basso > Frank

 

[La Pandera]

took the presure of himself... what else did you expect from Lance... '''Dont mind me, Im just an old geezer riding about among the best young ones I ever saw...''
he Beat Schleck remember...??

No need to remind him, since he hasn't been hesitant to remind us of his age since his return. He obviously underestimated the competition when he made his decision to come back and pursue #8.

The only Schleck he beat is Frank. Which one were you referring to? Beating someone shouldn't lessen your appreciation and respect for their abilities.

 

[Belokki]

No need to remind him, since he hasn't been hesitant to remind us of his age since his return. He obviously underestimated the competition when he made his decision to come back and pursue #8.

The only Schleck he beat is Frank. Which one were you referring to? Beating someone shouldn't lessen your appreciation and respect for their abilities.

After the 2008th Tour I'm not surprised... even one of the commentators, who was very anti Lance said he would have smashed that field of riders, even at the age of 36...