Re: Re:
ninjadriver said:
Taxus4a said:
I read lot of people that says contador cant win Tour de France becouse he should be tired after Giro...
I see this:
http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/rider_palm.asp?riderid=5&year=2014&all=1¤t=0
and valverde was even stronger in la Vuelta than in the Giro, and he won San Sebastian between both and he was second in Lombardia.
Of course is good to be fresh as Horner was in la Vuelta, but it supossed than Contador wanst at his best in Tirreno or la Volta, so i think that Giro is not very bad, he didnt ride a lot at hius best...
I dont see difference when Froome win Oman, second in Tirreno, (but he showed a hight level, the best), CI, Romandie and Dauphiné, is it not that to be tired?
Interesting comparison, Taxus, regarding Valverde's 2014 TDF/Vuelta vs. Contador's 2015 Giro/TDF, however, I respectfully disagree with your conclusion, because:
1. Valverde finished almost 10 minutes down in the 2014 TDF, while Contador labored like a mule to hang on and WIN the 2015 Giro, getting dropped by Landa, then Aru, then Landa again, then Aru again (something like that). Contador didn't finish 10 minutes down (although had they raced another 2 mountaintop finishes, he might have).
2. Neither Contador nor Froome was anywhere near his peak at the 2014 Vuelta, which otherwise had an exceptionally weak GC field (J-Rod was about it).
3. Racing the weaker-fielded Vuelta as the 2nd of the back-to-back tours on tired legs is a lot easier than riding the strongest-fielded and fastest paced TDF as the 2nd tour.
As I've said previously, I give Contador ZERO SHOT to win the TDF. I give him a marginal shot of even making the podium. I hope he runs into (non-health) trouble, abandons, and then goes on to win the Vuelta. It'll be Froome vs. Nibali, with Quintana barking if he can TT and his team can TTT.
I dont compar performances or things like that, I just say that for Vaklverde Tour was his main objetive, he focus the season to be strong there, as Quintana did Giro, and Imo, just rainy days, especially in the first weak, put them out of the fight for yellow.
Later he won San sebastian, with very hot weather, and he showed a similar performance, or even better, with similar shape, in la Vuelta.
For Evans was similar.
Can anybody tell me why Giro-Tour is different than Tour Vuelta? Usually contenders are weakers in the Giro.
The only reason I found is that if you do Tour Vuelta in the Vuelta you will find people with another GT, Giro or Tour, except some exceptions as Horner, some spanish and some young people... But if Valverde or Puyrito or evans has showed he can be in Tour Vuelta al a hight level, and even be at Lombardia very strong, why is the reason to dont be strong in le Tour after Giro?
it is mentally demanding, it is maybe not at the reach of everybody, it is not at the reach of anybody in the first attemp (as we see with Froome in his Tour -Vuelta (anyway he was 4th)
if Valverde losed time on le Tour wanst becouse doent mean he didt focus his sahpe on le Tour or he didnt get the same tired than Nibali. it was a demanding Tour for him with the rain.
Rigoberto wanst at his level in this Giro, but he train to be there at his best, and for him meybe to start with an Ilness made the Giro more demanding phisically than for Contador.
And I think that if now Rigo found himself very nice, he is without pressure,. if he is lucky and he found a good situation in GC just for the circusntances (as landa in the Giro) he could be with the best in the climbs.
I think that not everybody can do that double at hbis bnest shape, of coruse Valverde yes, Purito similar, and I think contador is one of those (Froome as well), but Tour si a demanding race with the best in the best shape...For him to had the Giro is maybe a bit more challenging, but as well is less pressure, and as he always like, more remarcable if he win, as he and press did in la Vuelta.
The problem is Froome, Quintana, Nibali and maybe more people, not the Giro, and it will be the same without the Giro, or very similar, with more pressure.