Do people finally get it? It can’t be done, not in this age when riders target one GT specifically. Certainly not by Contador, and based on 2012, when he did the Tour/Vuelta, I’d say not Froome, either. Froome was smart enough to realize that, Contador either was in denial about this, or rode the Giro because he wasn’t confident about winning the Tour, even without the Giro. Take your pick.
2011, when Contador was younger and stronger, should have convinced everyone that it wasn’t possible, but a lot of people here remained in denial. They said Contador didn’t specifically prepare for the double that time. How do you prepare differently for the double? You have to win the Giro, which means your preparation up to that point can’t be very different regardless of whether you are targeting only that race, or that and the Tour. Maybe you can go a little easier in the Giro if you have a big lead over easy competition, but it’s not going to be a training ride. The only period of time where preparation might be different is between the Giro and the Tour, but how much can be different there? If you target only the Giro, you rest for the month after it. If you’re riding the Tour, too, you still rest most of that month.
Another reason given why this year would be different was because Contador crashed twice in the 2011 TDF, losing time and possibly some form. Point taken. But that time loss did not make the difference between winning and not winning. It might have kept him off the podium, but then, several other podium contenders crashed out of that race: Wiggo, Vino, Horner, e.g. Take away those crashes by Contador, but keep those other riders in the race, and Contador might have finished even lower, no way would he have won the race.
Contador is a great rider. Had he not ridden the Giro, it still looks as though Froome would be unbeatable in this Tour, but Alberto likely would have been his strongest challenger. As it is, he’s going to struggle mightily just to podium.
2011, when Contador was younger and stronger, should have convinced everyone that it wasn’t possible, but a lot of people here remained in denial. They said Contador didn’t specifically prepare for the double that time. How do you prepare differently for the double? You have to win the Giro, which means your preparation up to that point can’t be very different regardless of whether you are targeting only that race, or that and the Tour. Maybe you can go a little easier in the Giro if you have a big lead over easy competition, but it’s not going to be a training ride. The only period of time where preparation might be different is between the Giro and the Tour, but how much can be different there? If you target only the Giro, you rest for the month after it. If you’re riding the Tour, too, you still rest most of that month.
Another reason given why this year would be different was because Contador crashed twice in the 2011 TDF, losing time and possibly some form. Point taken. But that time loss did not make the difference between winning and not winning. It might have kept him off the podium, but then, several other podium contenders crashed out of that race: Wiggo, Vino, Horner, e.g. Take away those crashes by Contador, but keep those other riders in the race, and Contador might have finished even lower, no way would he have won the race.
Contador is a great rider. Had he not ridden the Giro, it still looks as though Froome would be unbeatable in this Tour, but Alberto likely would have been his strongest challenger. As it is, he’s going to struggle mightily just to podium.