Giro 2011: Stage 16 Belluno - Nevegal12.7 km ITT

[Bavarianrider]

Contador is by far the best. But his performances are not out of this world. The rest is just mediocere.

 

[roundabout]

Why should he apologize? I didnt see Andrew apologizing for using Cancellara to put as much time into Contador on the cobbles while Bertie was standing in the Frank Schleck crash traffic jam, looking at his watch.

Schleck got a minute on cobbles, Contador got 39secs on the mountain, and Contador is the one that should apologize???

I didn't write that he should apologize, I did write however that I think that his apology may have been prompted by the reception he got at the finish. Had everybody said 'meh, that other guy should learn to shift' I doubt that he would have apologized.

Edit: as history seems to repeat itself somewhat, there's also the Crostis cancellation with Contador now claiming that he wasn't against riding the Crostis despite Riis being one of the ringleaders behind the cancellation and Contador himself being one of the people who started the panic about the descent being dangerous. Of course that happened after another less than favorable reception.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Why should he apologize? I didnt see Andrew apologizing for using Cancellara to put as much time into Contador on the cobbles while Bertie was standing in the Frank Schleck crash traffic jam, looking at his watch.

Schleck got a minute on cobbles, Contador got 39secs on the mountain, and Contador is the one that should apologize???

Exactly. What a joke that people are still whining about the Port de Bales. Hopefully, Contador will put 5 minutes on the Schlecklet this year at the Tour and end the whiny b!tching.

 

[BYOP88]

Why should he apologize? I didnt see Andrew apologizing for using Cancellara to put as much time into Contador on the cobbles while Bertie was standing in the Frank Schleck crash traffic jam, looking at his watch.

Schleck got a minute on cobbles, Contador got 39secs on the mountain, and Contador is the one that should apologize???

Also the day before the cobble stage weren't the Schleck's behind when Cance said "stage over today"?

 

[YoRUsh]

At the moment he apologized he already knew hed be riding for Riis the year after, I think this also was an extra motivation to give an apology. I didnt think the apology was necessary. After watching the footage a lot of times, you can see that he was already moving up in the group before AS lost his chain, so i dont think he attacked because AS had a problem, but as a reaction on the attack of AS. Should he have stopped to repair AS' bike?

 

[Bavarianrider]

Also the day before the cobble stage weren't the Schleck's behind when Cance said "stage over today"?

I don't like Contador, but he was absoultely right to keep on going when Schleck dropped his chain. Did Schelck wait for him on the cobbles. Why should you wait for somebody who isn't able to shift gears the right way?

 

[Scirea]

I imagine that for most, being the best goes along with having an out-sized ego. I'd hold up Bode Miller as an exception - by most accounts a great guy and also happens to be the best male skier the USA has ever seen.

Since when Contador has a huge ego? Guy is one of the most down-to-earth guys.

 

[jobiwan]

I don't like Contador, but he was absoultely right to keep on going when Schleck dropped his chain. Did Schelck wait for him on the cobbles. Why should you wait for somebody who isn't able to shift gears the right way?

The only argument I could make is that Albert wasn't in yellow on the cobbles, but they didn't wait for Chavanel, either.

I would say I enjoy Alberto's style of racing, and to me he seems like a genuine guy. Still, without Andy he is way too dominant!! Vive le tour! (and the Giro!)

 

[JimPanzen]

Why should he apologize? I didnt see Andrew apologizing for using Cancellara to put as much time into Contador on the cobbles while Bertie was standing in the Frank Schleck crash traffic jam, looking at his watch.

Schleck got a minute on cobbles, Contador got 39secs on the mountain, and Contador is the one that should apologize???

Right, but there is no need to point that out, because even the Schleck fans / Contador haters know that. But you can't blame them...it's more comfortable to have an excuse. The other way around, it would be the same.

 

[YoRUsh]

The only argument I could make is that Albert wasn't in yellow on the cobbles, but they didn't wait for Chavanel, either.

That would be something, first being gifted the yellow jersey (not that he didnt deserve it, but normally he'd been caught) and the next day everyone waiting for you to keep it

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

+1 sounds like a broken record.



@will. I agree, he is a pretty awful tt'r.

I'm not saying Nibali did bad. I'm just saying that today confirmed that Rujano and Scarponi are the 2nd and 3rd climber in the Giro, juding by the times on the climb today.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

oh common!!!!! you must have lost some serious money betting on Nibali to dislike him so badly

Again, just stating the FACT that both Rujano and Scarponi climbed faster than Nibali today. Nothing against Nibali this time. He will definately hold on to podium and probably even finish 2nd with that 31km ITT on the final day

 

[Wergeland]

Haven't read the whole thread...

Is the fact that Purito started with a TT-bike and changed to a 'regular' road bike discussed somewhere? Why did he do that? Some of the great TTers could perhaps have gained something on it, but Purito?

 

[GoAndyGo]

It is all what ifs. What if AC didn't attack when Andy popped his chain? What if Fabian didn't slow down the peleton for Andy when he fell? What if Andy would have slowed down Fabian when Frank fell and broke his collarbone and brought AC to a stop? What if Frank was there to domestique Andy up the mountains?

I think AC apoligized for 2 reasons. 1) The fans were not happy with the attack and booed him and 2) It was a more personal attack on Andy as they were riding together in the mountains and AC actually seen Andy have the mechanical then rode beside him and attacked.

The cobbles wasn't really personal. Fabian didn't accelerate and stomp out a monsterous pace when the peleton split due to the crash he just never slowed.

I wonder even how long it was before Saxo really knew that Contador had got caught in the crash.

AC won and Andy finished 39 seconds behind. That is history. The rest are what ifs?

 

[Barrus]

I need to say, good call by Rodriguez, I think if he did not have the benefit of the TT-bike he would have lost quite a bit more time in the first part of the TT and would probably not have ridden that well a TT

 

[UpTheRoad]

It is all what ifs. What if AC didn't attack when Andy popped his chain? What if Fabian didn't slow down the peleton for Andy when he fell? What if Andy would have slowed down Fabian when Frank fell and broke his collarbone and brought AC to a stop? What if Frank was there to domestique Andy up the mountains?

I think AC apoligized for 2 reasons. 1) The fans were not happy with the attack and booed him and 2) It was a more personal attack on Andy as they were riding together in the mountains and AC actually seen Andy have the mechanical then rode beside him and attacked.

The cobbles wasn't really personal. Fabian didn't accelerate and stomp out a monsterous pace when the peleton split due to the crash he just never slowed.

I wonder even how long it was before Saxo really knew that Contador had got caught in the crash.

Andy was the one who attacked before he forgot how to shift. Contador was responding and kept going, as he should have.

 

[robertocarlos]

Contador is by far the best. But his performances are not out of this world. The rest is just mediocere.

Well that is how gt riders are and by the way he is no alien. I do think that his performances at etna, stage 13 and this tt have been awe inspiring to me by the way he controls the race yet he is able to dominate his main rivals. look at from this prespective everibody has race under the same circunstances (weather, terrain, time, etc.) and contador has been able to put 5 minutes on the second place guy. To be fair with contador saxo has not put as much in the front compared with liquigas. On the other hand he is controlling a race that by nature is really hard to controll.

 

[Bavarianrider]

http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=indepth.view&id=119

Nothing outstanding at all. Contador is the ebst but far from suspicous with those kind of numbers.

 

[Parrulo]

The only argument I could make is that Albert wasn't in yellow on the cobbles, but they didn't wait for Chavanel, either.

I would say I enjoy Alberto's style of racing, and to me he seems like a genuine guy. Still, without Andy he is way too dominant!! Vive le tour! (and the Giro!)

the yellow argument is just so lame it makes me vomit everytime i see it

p.s. the if no1 waited for the schlecks on the stage canc neutralized would mean that by stage 2 both schlecks would already be 5 minutes behind on all the competition.

 

[robertocarlos]

The cobbles wasn't really personal. Fabian didn't accelerate and stomp out a monsterous pace when the peleton split due to the crash he just never slowed.

I wonder even how long it was before Saxo really knew that Contador had got caught in the crash.

AC won and Andy finished 39 seconds behind. That is history. The rest are what ifs?[/QUOTE]

Since they had radio's and the one that cause the crash was F.S. i would say they did it immediatley. I could also say that contador open a small gap befor actually slowing down. Rember contador is a professional and is paid to win not to be corteus, although you can be magnanimous when the ocassion arises and does not affect your standing.

 

[GoAndyGo]

Andy was the one who attacked before he forgot how to shift. Contador was responding and kept going, as he should have.

Contador was sitting down pacing behind Schleck and Vino and when Andy popped AC stood up and accelerated. He accelerated so fast he left Vino who was in front of Andy and AC when Andy popped the chain.

Good call on the he just kept going

Again I say AC won and Schleck finish 2nd by 39 seconds. The rest is what ifs.

 

[The Hitch]

lol apparently Rujano said that today showed he is 3rd best climber in the world = D

 

[Bavarianrider]

Contador was sitting down pacing behind Schleck and Vino and when Andy popped AC stood up and accelerated. He accelerated so fast he left Vino who was in front of Andy and AC when Andy popped the chain.

Good call on the he just kept going

Again I say AC won and Schleck finish 2nd by 39 seconds. The rest is what ifs.

Schleck wouln't have been anywhere close to Contador if Cancellara hadn't neutralized that one stage in the first place.

 

[GoAndyGo]

lol apparently Rujano said that today showed he is 3rd best climber in the world = D

Rujano has been riding pretty awesome except the bad climb up Zoncolan. If AC attacks again and Rujano can grab his wheel he might be able to put enough time on Nibali to grab the podium.

 

[jaylew]

lol apparently Rujano said that today showed he is 3rd best climber in the world = D

So who's #2 now? JoRod? NIbs? Scarponi? Horner?