Giro d'Italia, Stage 19: Bergamo - Macugnaga 209km

[Arnout]

Surely, he must have caught some sort of illness? It doesn't make sense to improve every day, until winning on the hardest mountain of them all, and then suddenly suck the rest of the race.

There must be some sort of illness involved, because there is out of form, there is tired and then there is this.

He says he is very tired and he doesn't have the power anymore, so it must be something health related. But then he has a very, very nice solo victory on the Zoncolan and that's were he came for.

 

[AussieGoddess]

hmm - well I have not really been a fan of Contador .... but actually this Giro - and this stage - has won me over a fair amount.

Contador has so much class.

Kudos from me

 

[The Hitch]

and that picture is already up on his webpage
http://www.paolotiralongo.it/

lol. Contador is getting good at his "I tried my best to win and aim disapointed to be second" poses for the victory cam.

 

[Andre.J]

I can't stand all these gift stages. Is this how it's going to be from now on? If you catch the guy in front of you...fvck him and take the stage win. Forget the false politeness. AHHH...it's sickening!

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I can't stand all these gift stages. Is this how it's going to be from now on? If you catch the guy in front of you...fvck him and take the stage win. Forget the false politeness. AHHH...it's sickening!

If you're from Belgium and you still don't understand why Contador did that today then your citizenship should be revoked.

 

[henryg]

I can't stand all these gift stages. Is this how it's going to be from now on? If you catch the guy in front of you...fvck him and take the stage win. Forget the false politeness. AHHH...it's sickening!

You can bet Contador will have many allies among teams without a top GC contender at the Tour. We help you put time on your closest rivals, we get some stage wins. The other GC riders will be trying to get everyone to work against Contador but he already has them out flanked.

 

[Andre.J]

If you're from Belgium and you still don't understand why Contador did that today then your citizenship should be revoked.

You race to win; this is not a popularity contest. You must be anglo-saxon, revoking is a political term...I'm talking cycling. Can't you see how ridiculous it looks; Tiralongo raising his arms as if he had actually won the stage proper. Rujano doing the same the other day. If you cant see "La connerie" behind it, then it's sad. What the fvck does me being from Belgium have to do with it? That's as stupid as my anglo-saxon comment. Get it?

 

[henryg]

You race to win; this is not a popularity contest.

No one can win alone and you can not always have your team around. Behave like a **** and you will find yourself isolated. Contador is being smart. He is forming alliances and handing out favors that will help him win the Tour if he races in it as he hopes to do.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I can't stand all these gift stages. Is this how it's going to be from now on? If you catch the guy in front of you...fvck him and take the stage win. Forget the false politeness. AHHH...it's sickening!

It's a stage race, Contador was not racing Tiralongo he was racing Nibali who was chasing 6 seconds behind. If AC hesitates and trys to go for the stage win then Nibali either makes up time or catches him. Maybe he could have tried to accelerate again to lose Tiralongo but why? He was getting what he wanted out of the day. Bonus, he gets to repay someone who slaved for him last year and cement a working relationship for the future.
If you really don't understand this then I recommend that you watch only Match Sprinting.

 

[AussieGoddess]

yep - what HJ said

You can bet Contador will have many allies among teams without a top GC contender at the Tour. We help you put time on your closest rivals, we get some stage wins. The other GC riders will be trying to get everyone to work against Contador but he already has them out flanked.

and this

Its all about making friends and not only this race - but future races.

If Astana (or other teams) dont have a major GC contender - they are going to go for stage wins or whatever else they can get out of the race .... and they will help those who will help them get there.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

friendship aside, I dislike seeing stages end like this.

 

[thirteen]

I can't stand all these gift stages. Is this how it's going to be from now on? If you catch the guy in front of you...fvck him and take the stage win. Forget the false politeness. AHHH...it's sickening!

ahhh, so you don't like sportsmanship in cycling?

i suppose you didn't like Stage 4 when the whole peloton "gifted" Leopard-Trek the win either?

before you poo-poo that and say it's not the same thing, it is. they are both a sign of respect.

Tira could have gotten a stage win long ago if he hadn't dedicated himself to working his a$$ off for whoever his team leader was for the past 12 years... Contador, who wasn't in the best shape during the last TDF, may not have won that edition without Tira's selflessness.

if Tira could have done it himself, AC would not have intervened... it was an act of grace.

 

[Benotti69]

I am not sure the ASO and RCS will be pleased with such 'racing', to see 2 riders come to the line and discussing alliances and then at the line 1 makes like he has beat the other to take the stage. Kills the sense of anticipation of who is gonna win the fight for the line, and these type of finishes are not going to win new fans to the sport. A little bit like a goalkeeper letting his mate on the other team score a goal and not making the effort to try and save it.

Ah well, keeps the CN forum happy.

 

[slim charles]

I am a fan of Contador, but I am not sure how to feel about what he did yesterday. While I cannot know what happens in his head, what he is thinking, I am pretty sure that what he did, he didn't do out of arrogance, and that he sincerely wanted to help his friend. For that, I can only applaud him, and I am very happy that Tiralongo won the stage. However, it can also be interpreted as 'I decide who wins the stage'.

 

[thirteen]

I am nor sure the ASO and RCS will be please with such 'racing', to see 2 riders come to the line and discussing alliances and then at the line 1 makes like he has beat the other to take the stage. Kills the sense of anticipation of who is gonna win the fight for the line, and these type of finishes is not going to win new fans to the sport. A little bit like a goalkeeper letting his mate on the other team score a goal and not making the effort to try and save it.

Ah well, keeps the CN forum happy.

lol! yes it does!

(but that goal analogy is just stupid.)

to be honest, though, not always. when it's a bitter fight for the winner's jersey, it annoys me. did not like the gift to Schlecklett last year at all. then again, i also saw nothing wrong with AC counter-attacking and continuing on when AS lost his chain. (how much time did he get when Canc played patron and stopped anyone from racing after the danger was past? )

there's sportsmanship and there's sportsmanship...

i most definitely prefer a guy capable of going for the jugular when necessary... when push comes to shove, i do like my men ruthless

 

[thirteen]

I am a fan of Contador, but I am not sure how to feel about what he did yesterday. While I cannot know what happens in his head, what he is thinking, I am pretty sure that what he did, he didn't do out of arrogance, and that he sincerely wanted to help his friend. For that, I can only applaud him, and I am very happy that Tiralongo won the stage. However, it can also be interpreted as 'I decide who wins the stage'.

and what's wrong with that?

part of the winning mentality is f**king with your opponent's heads.

 

[Benotti69]

lol! yes it does!

(but that goal analogy is just stupid.)

to be honest, though, not always. when it's a bitter fight for the winner's jersey, it annoys me. did not like the gift to Schlecklett last year at all. then again, i also saw nothing wrong with AC counter-attacking and continuing on when AS lost his chain. (how much time did he get when Canc played patron and stopped anyone from racing after the danger was past? )

there's sportsmanship and there's sportsmanship...

i most definitely prefer a guy capable of going for the jugular when necessary... when push comes to shove, i do like my men ruthless

It was very generous of Contador to give something to a former hardworking teammate and a guy like Tiralongo has put in a lot of hard years for others, but it devalued the win to me and devalued the race. All IMO.

 

[thirteen]

It was very generous of Contador to give something to a former hardworking teammate and a guy like Tiralongo has put in a lot of hard years for others, but it devalued the win to me and devalued the race. All IMO.

i respect your opinion.

i just feel the complete opposite in this case.

(IRL, i'm disgustingly competitive and 1) was never good enough to ever gift a win and 2) would never have accepted a gift... being just a fan, i can be a little more magnanimous )

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't think Navarro cares that his stage win at the DL last year was all Contador's doing.

 

[Winterfold]

To those of you struggling with an essential part of cycling -creating alliances, think about this way - if Contador had zipped past Tiralongo - a guy who has put other people's victories in front of his own achievements for 12 years, and was a key helper for AC last year - how would Contador have looked?

Somewhere between 'totally bereft of class' and a 'steaming pile of manure'

And would you want to do the guy a favour if he needs one down the line?

 

[jmspinto]

Respect

Of course I consider all opinions, but from what I´ve seen yesterday, the word "champion" has a new meaning! Call it tactical, call it given, call it friendship, call it respect, call it what you want. I think Contador was great! I´me becoming more and more a fan of him, and at this kind or form, honestly, he´s unbeatable! Even if he "gave" the win, the final of the stage was interesting.

 

[No_Balls]

and what's wrong with that?

part of the winning mentality is f**king with your opponent's heads.

This. Cycling is a mental game as well. When you create your reputation in the peloton you have to do it in the oppositions head also.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

I don't think Navarro cares that his stage win at the DL last year was all Contador's doing.

Or how Colom got his stage given to him by Vino in 2007 Dauphine.

* man, what a race it was, astana took four stages out of seven

 

[henryg]

Ah well, keeps the CN forum happy.

Contador could give a crap about CN forum opinions.

He is doing what any good Padrino would do. Be generous with your allies and ruthless with your competition. When Andy is looking for allies on the road to isolate the favorite he is going to find it tough going. The mountains is were this will really play in Contador's favor. Climbers like Rujano looking for a stage win will be flocking to Contador to help him put time on the Schlecks for a chance at a stage win. Andy must be getting very nervous watching this years Giro.

 

[No_Balls]

Contador could give a crap about CN forum opinions.

He is doing what any good Padrino would do. Be generous with your allies and ruthless with your competition. When Andy is looking for allies on the road to isolate the favorite he is going to find it tough going. The mountains is were this will really play in Contador's favor. Climbers like Rujano looking for a stage win will be flocking to Contador to help him put time on the Schlecks for a chance at a stage win. Andy must be getting very nervous watching this years Giro.

And not only that. ANY given climber (and perhaps even the climbers domestiques) with the knowledge of Contadors generosity could be willing to help him pull a string or two hopeful of their possible rewards after.

Andy won´t realize this since he thinks the world is circulating around him. But he will learn the hard way that cycling is a lot more then just showing up in June and have a GT handled over to him.