Giro d'Italia 2011: Stage 14 Lienz to Monte Zoncolan

[c&cfan]

andy schleck 07 39:12 conti 11 41:20

i don't know what you were trying to say. however, that is, maybe, the biggest proof that he is taking it easy...

 

[Barrus]

i don't know what you were trying to say. however, that is, maybe, the biggest proof that he is taking it easy...

Wasn't 2007 a different approach to the climb? If I am not mistaken they did the "easiest" approach that time

 

[The Hitch]

Wasn't 2007 a different approach to the climb? If I am not mistaken they did the "easiest" approach that time

Negative, they did the easier side in 2003. 07 10 and 11 have been the harder side

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

i don't know what you were trying to say. however, that is, maybe, the biggest proof that he is taking it easy...

Also, Schleck was on his way with Piepoli and Simoni, cooperating all the way to the top, while Contador was with Scarponi, Anton and Rodriguez, then Scarponi, then a reborn Nibs (twice) and never went all out or took turns.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

nevermind..

 

[XlandaluzeX]

That still doesn't justify sitting on the guy's wheel for 3k to let a friend win and then attacking him in the last K.

He should have pulled a bit (even a fake couple of pulls would have done), to then be free to not seem like a classless rider who benifits off the work of a direct rival. It doesn't show much respect for a colleague who worked his a$$ off and was "thanked" for it in this way.

There are dignified ways of doing business and undignifed ways. Contador erred on the latter today.

uhh, Igor Anton - Contador are no friends

Anton fully deserved the win, Contador let the other GC contenders chase Anton (sign that he wasnt SUPER today), Nibbles had to pull as hard as possible to defend his 2nd place, and Contador took advantage and tried to attack him on the last km (7 secs on 1 km after suckin wheel for long = again sign that he was not SUPER )

 

[theyoungest]

hard to say.
1- he was in the break a lot last year, so him performance was impressive.
2-he didn't gain 10-15 minutes from a successful break this year

I think he is climbing better on a whole. For his age he is doing a great ride.

Have you checked his unnecessary time loss in the first week last year? It amounts to more than 30 minutes (!)

Well done by him today, best youngster in the stage.

 

[boomcie]

uhh, Igor Anton - Contador are no friends

Anton fully deserved the win, Contador let the other GC contenders chase Anton (sign that he wasnt SUPER today), Nibbles had to pull as hard as possible to defend his 2nd place, and Contador took advantage and tried to attack him on the last km (7 secs on 1 km after suckin wheel for long = again sign that he was not SUPER )

Yeah, sucking wheel on the Zoncolan. Hilarious remark.

 

[c&cfan]

nevermind..

I do love all the songs from that album. even the nameless,endless

 

[whittashau]

So Nibbles is a bad climber?

 

[Kwibus]

Also, Schleck was on his way with Piepoli and Simoni, cooperating all the way to the top, while Contador was with Scarponi, Anton and Rodriguez, then Scarponi, then a reborn Nibs (twice) and never went all out or took turns.

Also I'm pretty sure they were using the 'nitroboost' in 2007 as well.

 

[No_Balls]

andy schleck 07 39:12 conti 11 41:20

Andy Schleck 0 GT wins, conti 6

 

[Ildabaoth]

That still doesn't justify sitting on the guy's wheel for 3k to let a friend win and then attacking him in the last K.

He should have pulled a bit (even a fake couple of pulls would have done), to then be free to not seem like a classless rider who benifits off the work of a direct rival. It doesn't show much respect for a colleague who worked his a$$ off and was "thanked" for it in this way.

There are dignified ways of doing business and undignifed ways. Contador erred on the latter today.

If Nibali was stronger, Nibali would have taken the 2nd place. There is not drafting in Zoncolan. Moreover, taking pulls at +15% gradients doesn't work. If anything, it makes things more difficult for cyclists. I don't like Contador and I find it boring his dominance. But quite a few riders have sat behind Contador's wheel this giro, to try to attack him later on (unsucessfully, anyways), and nobody said it was unfair to Contador.

 

[c&cfan]

Andy Schleck 0 GT wins, conti 6

andy's wins (GTs + stage races, his specialty)=0 at 26
contador=5673254. at 28

enough said.

 

[Kwibus]

The first 5km of the climb I've rarely seen Contador put up so much suffer faces before. He seemed to get better the next few kms, but the fact he couldn't create a real gap on Nibali in the last 1.5km is proof he was suffering.

The fact he stops pedalling the last few metres and closes his mouth makes him look at ease. Allthough the lines in his face didn't look that smooth to me.
To me he just looked dissapointed, because they were booing him.

Nice riding by Nibali. He's still getting better and deserved more credit. He doesn't go crazy when people attack. He sticks to his tempo and makes sure he doesn't blow up.

 

[XlandaluzeX]

Yeah, sucking wheel on the Zoncolan. Hilarious remark.

yeah, whatever, have u ever ride a bike ? wasnt Tiralongo pulling of Kreuziger all the way up ?

and im not blaming Contador for what he did, he did just fine according to his goals, he played smart

 

[spalco]

The fact he stops pedalling the last few metres and closes his mouth makes him look at ease. Allthough the lines in his face didn't look that smooth to me.
To me he just looked dissapointed, because they were booing him.

Wouldn't surprise me if Contador really felt offended by that. He seems to me like the kind of person who wants to be liked by everyone.

 

[boomcie]

yeah, whatever, have u ever ride a bike ? wasnt Tiralongo pulling of Kreuziger all the way up ?

and im not blaming Contador for what he did, he did just fine according to his goals, he played smart

No, my bike got stolen when I was 4, so I never got to ride it.

Drafting is virtually useless on climbs as steep as the Zoncolan.

And to clarify: I am not a Contador fan at all. He should not be riding.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Also I'm pretty sure they were using the 'nitroboost' in 2007 as well.

That's the understatement of the century Of course they were.

 

[rhubroma]

uhh, Igor Anton - Contador are no friends

Anton fully deserved the win, Contador let the other GC contenders chase Anton (sign that he wasnt SUPER today), Nibbles had to pull as hard as possible to defend his 2nd place, and Contador took advantage and tried to attack him on the last km (7 secs on 1 km after suckin wheel for long = again sign that he was not SUPER )

Regardless if they were friends, and I don't agree with you that they don't have a friendly professional relationship, the leader of the race doesn't act that way.

Either he attacks Nibali and bridges up to Anton from 3 ks out, or he exchanges a pull or two with the Italian, to then drop him in the end having contributed something. Sitting on the wheel, while not chasing down Anton, to then attack the wheel you sat on at the top seemed too opportunistic to be considered dignified of a racer of his caliber and with his margin, to not use the word class.

Like I said, there are ways of going about business that are more dignified than others. While tactics are something else. He could have still played the tactical game to put more time in Nibali, without going about it as he did.

 

[DenisMenchov]

andy's wins (GTs + stage races, his specialty)=0 at 26
contador=5673254. at 28

enough said.

Andy positive tests: 0
Contador : 1

And that makes Andy wins a GT, then he wins this year, and that makes

Andy: 2 GTs (2 Tour de France)
Contador: 4 (2 Tour de France)

 

[rhubroma]

If Nibali was stronger, Nibali would have taken the 2nd place. There is not drafting in Zoncolan. Moreover, taking pulls at +15% gradients doesn't work. If anything, it makes things more difficult for cyclists. I don't like Contador and I find it boring his dominance. But quite a few riders have sat behind Contador's wheel this giro, to try to attack him later on (unsucessfully, anyways), and nobody said it was unfair to Contador.

I don't buy this argument.

And I never said Nibali deserved anything, in fact he was clearly the third best today. However, because of this, and since Contador played off his rival's weakness the way he did refusing to pull even when Nibali asked him too, even when he probably could have bridged up to Anton when the gap was down to 15 seconds from like 3 k out, I didn't like his style of riding today.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

It's a shame we didn't see the exact point where Anton went away the 2nd time but he had been making the pace with Contador on his wheel and Scarponi following. Presumably Anton upped the pace and just rode away from them. I don't see any reason why Contador wouldn't follow if he could given that Scarponi was gapped also and Nibali was behind

 

[Kwibus]

The shrink

Wouldn't surprise me if Contador really felt offended by that. He seems to me like the kind of person who wants to be liked by everyone.

I'm pretty sure he is like that. Unfortunately for him he doesn't have a lot of charisma and certainly isn't a guy that every likes instantly. He's a nice guy and probably was rather shy. His "i want everybody to like me" personality actually makes him do awkward stuff every now and then.

I think Contador doesn't want to offend anyone at any time. Unfortunately for him he does every now and then, but that's usually because he seems to be a bit clumsy in his social skills. (Like the wink last TdF)

So that's my 2 cents. I'm an amateur shrink

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I don't buy this argument.

And I never said Nibali deserved anything, in fact he was clearly the third best today. However, because of this, and since Contador played off his rival's weakness the way he did refusing to pull even when Nibali asked him too, even when he probably could have bridged up to Anton when the gap was down to 15 seconds from like 3 k out, I didn't like his style of riding today.

Fair point. It's not going to please everyone, but I thought he did a great ride today and did exactly what he had to do and nothing more.

He has no reason to help Nibali. None. If he had attacked earlier, he may have gone into the red and hurt himself. He took advantage of the position in which he put Nibali on previous stages and saved himself. If he had helped Nibali, he would have been roundly criticized for helping chase down a fellow countryman. Contador chose the correct course of action. He attacked when the risk was the least. It shows his maturity as a rider. I realize it's not that fun or glorious to watch, but it's the correct course of action, IMO.