Is Contador Breaking an Unwritten Rule by Winning

[Moondance]

Personally I rather like the fact that Contador goes out there and wins (or tries to, but he usually succeeds) all season long. I wouldn't mind if he were slightly less successful, since it would make the races a bit more tense. But if the choice is between Contador, year-round superman or a clone of Andy 'Four Weeks a Season is all I Do' Schleck, then give me Contador, as is, please,

 

[Cobblestoned]

So he should follow the Armstrong routine of showing complete and utter contempt for all races except for the Tour de France.

I dont beleive there has ever been, or ever will be, an unwritten rule in cycling regarding winning races.

Thats like saying that there is an unwritten rule that if you win the Tour of Flanders you should let someone else win Paris Roubiax.

No rule there and Lance's palmares even underline, that "utter contempt for all races except for the Tour de France" is a fakking lie.
Perhaps you should not only look at wins at Tour or some selected palmares and calendars in your head, but also other results and other races of early season that he definately rode quiet well and even won.

Lance will even have better palmares than whole Team Sky together at age of 10 - Tour de France not included. lol

Your post and other comments here suit some other rider I liked, really better. Much better.
But people liked him anyway. Perhaps he might even be the reason for Lance focusing more than he even wanted.

 

[Ryaguas]

I can't think of another GT contender winning consistently this early other than the odd win by a GT guy at Paris Nice in the modern era.

Besides Alberto there is other rider... take a look to my avatar

 

[Parrulo]

Besides Alberto there is other rider... take a look to my avatar

indeed how could we forget piti? almost blasphamy

 

[c&cfan]

indeed how could we forget piti? almost blasphamy

piti is just amazing.

best allrounder ever.

 

[Matthijs]

It's nothing new. He's been winning early season races for years now. Besides, it's not as if anyone else on his team would be pocketing these races. Honestly, I think it's refreshing that he doesn't follow the Sastre/LA/Schlecklet* plan.

*Andy does at least focus on the Ardennes, of course.

Sastre races a lot to win, it's just that he mainly ride GT's. Usually with one weeklong stage race, but you can't expect him to content in form in his first race after a rest period right? Sastre have nothing to do with those guys you mention who can go to races for months without targetting anything.

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah I don't think I'd lump Sastre with LA + Schleck.

Is AC definitely doing an Ardennes classic/some of them? Be interesting to see how he does at Fleche second time round.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah I don't think I'd lump Sastre with LA + Schleck.

Is AC definitely doing an Ardennes classic/some of them? Be interesting to see how he does at Fleche second time round.

Only Fleche.

 

[jaylew]

Sastre races a lot to win, it's just that he mainly ride GT's. Usually with one weeklong stage race, but you can't expect him to content in form in his first race after a rest period right? Sastre have nothing to do with those guys you mention who can go to races for months without targetting anything.

I like Sastre but I definitely think he fits the mold.

 

[Ferminal]

We should be celebrating GT contenders trying to win in March. Not just Alberto, but Ivan, Michele, Cadel, Vince and Robert too.

 

[BroDeal]

Personally I rather like the fact that Contador goes out there and wins (or tries to, but he usually succeeds) all season long. I wouldn't mind if he were slightly less successful, since it would make the races a bit more tense. But if the choice is between Contador, year-round superman or a clone of Andy 'Four Weeks a Season is all I Do' Schleck, then give me Contador, as is, please,

This!

The last thing that we need is another insult to the sport like Armstrong.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

That's how it's supposed to be.

 

[movingtarget]

Of course there is collusion in cycling as in other sports. You see it every year. You work with me and I will let you win the stage. Of course sometimes, promises are not kept ! Contador is winning because he can and he has always been a rider that takes his opportunities. He is one of the only riders that seems to be able to win throughout the year. If he was treading on someone's toes, they would never admit it publicly.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

You know, sometimes you see a thread like this, and say to yourself, whoever came up with that saying "there's no such thing as a stupid question" would probably change their minds right about now.

Is Contador breaking an unwritten rule by racing to win? Seriously? I'm speechless.

 

[Ildabaoth]

I don't like Contador. And I think he shouldn't be racing now. However, it is a good thing he races to win. And he isn't the only one who does that; it is just he is so gifted than he can intend to win and effectively win almost every stage race he is in. Moreover, I have never heard of that unwritten rule the OP mentions; quite the opposite, must unwritten rules are acts of chivalry, not to look down on several races disrespecting them and disrespecting the other riders.

 

[Angliru]

I like Sastre but I definitely think he fits the mold.

Any rider that has ridden 3 grand tours in a year (more than once) and regularly does 2 grand tours (competitively) in addition to the odd stage races and classic shouldn't be lumped in that category IMO.

 

[Cobblestoned]

This!

The last thing that we need is another insult to the sport like Armstrong.

Insult to sport - yeah. Nearly as good as "showing complete and utter contempt for all races except for the Tour de France".
Thats how I know some of my colleagues in here.
This is what comes out of people who only followed cycling in July.
Ok, no allegations because of that.
Thats how it is.
btw, have you got some evidence for your prefabricated opinion ?
Of course you don't have, because its just a prefabricated opinion.
Why don't you people just use Ullrich ? Don't be afraid. Or does that not fit tone of the forum ?
For this kind of discussion he is the way better example, like I hinted earlier.

One can only laugh about how desperately focused and wrong some people can be.

 

[xmoonx]

Besides Alberto there is other rider... take a look to my avatar

1-Yeah and where is that other rider?

2- AS's 2009 palmares: (pretty good for someone who only targets one 4 week race a year)
1st National Road Race Champion
1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège
1st Stage 2 Tour de Luxembourg
2nd Overall Tour de France
1st Young Rider classification
2nd La Flèche Wallonne
8th Monte Paschi Eroica
10th Amstel Gold Race

3-Maybe given the (current) level of competition it's no longer feasible to excel or even do well year round?

 

[michaeld]

..I watched...every Tour of California. I'm informed.

Funny stuff. Go back a bit further to Hinault, Merckx. They won everything. The teammates probably were paid more for this, and benefited more overall.

 

[Mambo95]

2- AS's 2009 palmares: (pretty good for someone who only targets one 4 week race a year)
1st National Road Race Champion
1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège
1st Stage 2 Tour de Luxembourg
2nd Overall Tour de France
1st Young Rider classification
2nd La Flèche Wallonne
8th Monte Paschi Eroica
10th Amstel Gold Race

When people say Andy only races four weeks a year, only three of those weeks are the Tour. The other week is the one which encompasses Amstel, F-W and LBL.
Beyond that he's left with the Schleck family challenge (aka National Champs) and a 1.1 race in Italy. Plus a couple of boozy lads holidays in California and Spain.

 

[Parrulo]

When people say Andy only races four weeks a year, only three of those weeks are the Tour. The other week is the one which encompasses Amstel, F-W and LBL.
Beyond that he's left with the Schleck family challenge (aka National Champs) and a 1.1 race in Italy. Plus a couple of boozy lads holidays in California and Spain.

how do the schlecks do? isn't it like 1 year frank and 1 year andy?

 

[xmoonx]

When people say Andy only races four weeks a year, only three of those weeks are the Tour. The other week is the one which encompasses Amstel, F-W and LBL.
Beyond that he's left with the Schleck family challenge (aka National Champs) and a 1.1 race in Italy. Plus a couple of boozy lads holidays in California and Spain.

The point is (and I am no Andy fan) is he does race to win. Amstel, F-W and LBL are prestigious races. Maybe that and a little partying is all he can legitimately do, and still be competitive.

 

[c&cfan]

The point is (and I am no Andy fan) is he does race to win. Amstel, F-W and LBL are prestigious races. Maybe that and a little partying is all he can legitimately do, and still be competitive.

sorry? do you really watch cycling?

 

[Parrulo]

sorry? do you really watch cycling?

and do you? haven't you seen how andy raced to win in tirreno? he was one of the first in everystage to get droped

 

[c&cfan]

and do you? haven't you seen how andy raced to win in tirreno? he was one of the first in everystage to get droped

tirreno doesnt count. everyone knows that andy is always dominating there.. lol

the funny thing is,

what are these tards going to say next year when machado wins the 3 GTS and the classics while cardoso is beating cav and petachi?