Gracias Alberto Contador - thread.

[HL2037]

The mental toughness, the willingnes to run a risk instead of always playing safe, humble and graceful in defeat as well as in victory. No compromises, always aiming for the moon, no excuses when it doesn't work out. Others have expressed it better, just wanted to chime in: Gracias.

 

[Christchurch]

The Hitch;
Then when i saw his performance in this Tour, how he handed himself , how he handles DEFEAT.
How he handled his bad luck and his defeat off the bike. No anger, no tears, no impatience, instead saying after losing a 110km stage by 2km that he went for fun and enjoyed his day. No excuses either even though he was well within his right to bring them up.
How he handled defeat on the bike, attacking and attacking and attacking at every turn, owning descents even though he had never been seen as a great descender. Attacking a major mountain stage 15km in.

As i watched Contador at this Tour I became a fanboy.



Nice post that man.

A group of us have been doing a tour de garage during the tour. (Line up a row of bikes on wind trainers in someone's garage in front of a screen projecting the previous nights tour stage). Sad possibly, but good fun.😀

The other night someone brought his kids along. Everytime Contador was shown, the children were encouraged to boo and throw nuts at the screen. Everytime a Schleck appeared, a big cheer arose in the room. Talk about conditioning - excellent balanced parenting, not!
No wonder the boo boys jeer at Contador, look at the environment that has been created by Lance, "chaingate" etc.

Talent AND Humility in the one package - Alberto Contador

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

Hello pukeko,

Is that the same tour de garage grupetto that made it onto tv last year?

IMO, the way the Spanish riders comport themselves is much more appealing to the kiwi psyche, than the sense of smug self importance and entitlement that Phil and Paul seem so enamored of. It's a pity the lame coverage gives us poor anglophones so little help with the language barrier.

Even with that impediment, people are finally starting to understand Bert's character tho, and he IS a pretty full on character IMO.

@HL2037, Actually I think you expressed that pretty well, +1 sir.

 

[No_Balls]

It is great to see Big Bertie has crossed the language-barrier with the only talk cycling fans should know and appreciate: attacking, winning, but also losing and lose it with style and grace.

I am amazed with all the nice words in this thread. Makes me restore the faith in humanity.

 

[LaBici]

I have always been a fan of Contador. I greatly admire him for the way he dealt with the asshats on Astana in '09 and was very pleased with the way he has handled himself throughout his career.

And he won the Giro!

Only great riders ride and win more than just one of the great tours - cyclists who have won all three of the Grand Tours: Merckx, Gimondi, Hinault, Anquetil, and Contador!! These riders are in a special league. .. those who only ride one are in a lesser category ;-)

 

[Kender]

contador won it for cadel. andy was too busy rubber necking contador to take notice he was being outriden by cadel

 

[moonstation2000]

Great heart shown by Contador! A shame he lost so much time early on due to the crashes slowing him down, and the injuries due to crashes, and the Giro tiredness. But the defiance he showed to his misfortune was impressive, he earned more of my respect this year (got a lot of respect from me vs. Armstrong a few years ago too)...

Also, what was up with the Schlecks? Can't help but feel they could have won this thing if only they had taken Evans seriously, it's as though they didn't count him as part of the competition...

 

[Jeanne]

Alberto, great champion!! And after all this year, he turned into one of my favorites! A lot of class and so much talent, simply amazing!

 

[Marmot]

Contador was the rider of the Tour for me. Backing up after such a hard Giro would have been an incredible effort, and even an anonymous finish in the top 10 at the Tour would have been superb. However, to claw his way into the top 5 in such an entertaining style was more than I could ask for as a fan of bike racing.

 

[Captain_Obvious]

So, any word on whether Bertie will do the Vuelta. A Giro/Vuelta dubble would be sweet.

 

[thirteen]

So, any word on whether Bertie will do the Vuelta. A Giro/Vuelta dubble would be sweet.

ha! i thought about that too 😀

he has to be utterly exhausted, though...

 

[Christchurch]

Hello pukeko,

Is that the same tour de garage grupetto that made it onto tv last year?

IMO, the way the Spanish riders comport themselves is much more appealing to the kiwi psyche, than the sense of smug self importance and entitlement that Phil and Paul seem so enamored of. It's a pity the lame coverage gives us poor anglophones so little help with the language barrier.

Hello July, yep, that's us - different garage this year though.

Nice take on the psychology of regards towards Contador, reading this forum's posts it seems to be international in nature. Most people's BS radar seems to be working with some of the commentary we're getting.

Nice to see the lone troll get treated with the contempt (s)he deserves. Also good to see the Schleck fans acknowledging a rival's value, maybe there's hope for professional cycling after all.😎

Felicitaciones y buena suerte Alberto (I hope that means; congratulations and good luck!)

 

[jilbiker]

Great heart shown by Contador! A shame he lost so much time early on due to the crashes slowing him down, and the injuries due to crashes, and the Giro tiredness. But the defiance he showed to his misfortune was impressive, he earned more of my respect this year (got a lot of respect from me vs. Armstrong a few years ago too)...

Also, what was up with the Schlecks? Can't help but feel they could have won this thing if only they had taken Evans seriously, it's as though they didn't count him as part of the competition...

Yes, I saw AC asking AS to share the load and push it on stage19 so they could distance Cadel some more, but he was reluctant at first, may be he was tired or did not care. Later he changed, Phil Legget said he may have heard from the car to join AC but by then it was too late. Obviously AS didn't think putting bounds of time on Evans was important. They never took Evans seriously.

 

[Arnout]

I think also Riis is more fond of Contador than he was on the Schlecks, even though he guided them in pro cycling.

I noticed in his interviews I saw this year he was really proud. "Contador attacks when he is good". "Contador will not give up".

After the stage to Gap I saw him happier than ever. "That is Alberto Contador".

Says enough.

I have always loved Contadors riding style and this Tour was no different.

 

[Ferminal]

I think also Riis is more fond of Contador than he was on the Schlecks, even though he guided them in pro cycling.

I noticed in his interviews I saw this year he was really proud. "Contador attacks when he is good". "Contador will not give up".

After the stage to Gap I saw him happier than ever. "That is Alberto Contador".

Says enough.

I have always loved Contadors riding style and this Tour was no different.

It's a good partnership, I hope they stick together, regardless of the decision next month.

 

[The Hitch]

Damn i want to see Voeckler and Hinault on that late night talk show.

 

[The Hitch]

So, any word on whether Bertie will do the Vuelta. A Giro/Vuelta dubble would be sweet.

lol no way will Contador do the Vuelta.

 

[MKirilenko]

Contador today was interviewed just before Cadel getting yellow, and he actually corrected the Eurosport reporter, thats its his actually 2ND "lost" Tour, and that he finished 31st once 🙂

Also I didnt notice, that if it wasnt for the crash on 1st stage he would be on podium today, if im not wrong

 

[Anonymous]

On twitter
albertocontador
De cena con el equipo tras un Tour diferente,con contratiempos pero q acabo con muy buen sabor de boca gracias a vosotros.Ya pienso en 2012!

 

[Grayguard]

Yes, I saw AC asking AS to share the load and push it on stage19 so they could distance Cadel some more, but he was reluctant at first, may be he was tired or did not care. Later he changed, Phil Legget said he may have heard from the car to join AC but by then it was too late. Obviously AS didn't think putting bounds of time on Evans was important. They never took Evans seriously.

Another good point. AS only started to work, when Kim Andersen told him to do so - but even then, he was told to not work "too hard". If AS and AC had worked 100% to distance CE, who knows what could've happened. If he didn't want to work 100% on this, he would've been better of staying in the peleton.

Well, as it turned out Contador did all he could this year, and has no reason to second his choices during this tour imho. Same can't be said for AS.

 

[mewmewmew13]

After seeing the pic of Riis giving Alberto a bear hug after the Alpe it appears that they are quite close and Bjarne seems protective of Contador. 🙂 ..I think it's sweet

 

[jilbiker]

After seeing the pic of Riis giving Alberto a bear hug after the Alpe it appears that they are quite close and Bjarne seems protective of Contador. 🙂 ..I think it's sweet

Alberto for ALL his skill has the biggest plus that separates world class champions...He listens to his Director. Alberto listened to Bruyneel (until LA showed up and his logic/strategy twisted). Riis did not get that from AS. This ability to listen is in all top names i can think off, Woods, Jordan, Agassi etc.

 

[Granville57]

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Cadel and his secret wingman: the punisher of rivals


I just had to revive this post from the Alpe d'Huez thread. An instant classic!

I'd like to present today's Giant Brass Balls award to Alberto Contador for attacking from 90km out. I don't know how he sits on a bike seat with those things.

😀

 

[Spaniard]

This guy really loves cycling to ride with that knee:

http://estaticos.marca.com/imagenes...a/1311600976_extras_mosaico_noticia_1_g_0.jpg

 

[peloton]

This guy really loves cycling to ride with that knee:

http://estaticos.marca.com/imagenes...a/1311600976_extras_mosaico_noticia_1_g_0.jpg

wow. No wonder some here noted that he was limping on the bike a few stages after that crash... Looks bad.