Schleck: Three Grand tours not Possible?

[llime76]

Schelck opinion on triple crown on grand tour not possible?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contadors-triple-crown-claim-crushed-by-schleck

He is still young, in fact he got always 'white' jersey on TdF. is he thinking only TdF? or thinking his ITT performance?

Would Contador be challenge? or any rider ?

Any opinion on these?

 

[Ferminal]

Well Schleck struggles to ride one GT and three one-day races at peak level per year, so I can understand him saying that.

 

[Cerberus]

He's probably right, hell, Contador says it's probably not possible.

 

[euanli]

When Schleck manages to win one GT, then maybe I'll give some weight what he says.

 

[Cerberus]

When Schleck manages to win one GT, then maybe I'll give some weight what he says.

When you manage to finish second in one perhaps I'll give some weight to what you say. Altenatively we could judge comments by their merits, your comment for example has none, Schleck on the other hand is most likely correct. The difficulties in peaking for just 2 consecutive GTs are obvious by the many failed attempt to do well in both the Giro and the Tour and the relatively few successes. No one has even come close to winning all three.

 

[Barrus]

When you manage to finish second in one perhaps I'll give some weight to what you say. Altenatively we could judge comments by their merits, your comment for example has none, Schleck on the other hand is most likely correct. The difficulties in peaking for just 2 consecutive GTs are obvious by the many failed attempt to do well in both the Giro and the Tour and the relatively few successes. No one has even come close to winning all three.

To be honest, I'd actually like to see Contador to start with two grand tour wins. If he skips the Tour next year, I think that there is a good possibility for him to win the Giro and the Vuelta and then look the year after that if he wants to try all three.

To be honest if anyone would be able to do it of this generation, it would be Contador

 

[Cerberus]

To be honest, I'd actually like to see Contador to start with two grand tour wins. If he skips the Tour next year, I think that there is a good possibility for him to win the Giro and the Vuelta and then look the year after that if he wants to try all three.

To be honest if anyone would be able to do it of this generation, it would be Contador

Definetly Contador is the one with the best chance and certainly the Giro-Vuelta double is doable for him since he's already done it and there's time to recover between (though i don't see him dropping the Tour). Winning the Giro-Tour or Tour-Vuelta is even IMO realistically possible and if he wins the Giro-Tour and feels that he has a chance there's no reason not to try to go for the triple, but actually doing it is IMO a very low percentage scenario. As I said Contador himself even admitted it might not be possible.

 

[sherer]

I think the Contador of June \ July this year can't do it but if he could get back to the form on the year before he has a chance at doing all three. he's said said year he wants to do the tour again anyway but is rumoured to be doing the Giro too.

 

[Barrus]

Definetly Contador is the one with the best chance and certainly the Giro-Vuelta double is doable for him since he's already done it and there's time to recover between (though i don't see him dropping the Tour). Winning the Giro-Tour or Tour-Vuelta is even IMO realistically possible and if he wins the Giro-Tour and feels that he has a chance there's no reason not to try to go for the triple, but actually doing it is IMO a very low percentage scenario. As I said Contador himself even admitted it might not be possible.

But it is good that he dreams about it, that he really wants something like that. Such a motivation is something I think often appears to lack on the side of Schlecklet

 

[Straßenrennen]

The biggest reason why he wont do it, is the fact that his next season would be ruined, look at carlos, a real workhorse of a rider, who doesnt even need albertos speed to be "dangerous". Even he was usless by the "4th" tour.

 

[Cerberus]

But it is good that he dreams about it, that he really wants something like that. Such a motivation is something I think often appears to lack on the side of Schlecklet

Sure it's fine as a dream, but IMO you shouldn't put to much energy into pursuing unrealistic goals. Of cause he doesn't have to do that. he can try doing the Tour-Vuelta for example and if that works out the Giro-Tour. If he can do those and not feel completely wasted he can try for the triple. He's young enough that he can try to build up and experiment a few times rather than throw away a season on something that might not be possible, for him or anyone else.

 

[Ryaguas]

I don't know why Andy "attacks" Contador's dreams... OFC there is always a Psychological war... He is showing that he doesn't has an ULTIMATE dream in cycling... maybe his dream is won a TdF, and OFC that is not a lesser dream cuz the competition is really hard, but that is not a BIG BIG dream like could be the double Giro - Tour or Tour - Vuelta or Giro - Vuelta, some ppl has said it, He is lacking of motivation and that impossible dream that every cyclist should has...

3 GTs in one season? the probabities to make it are like 5 or 8% with Contador maybe 10 or 15% but that is possible... The person to make it should be experience in GT, have really studied the parcours, have an almost perfect preparation, be able to deal with the physical and psychological pressure and the media pressure, also have an amazing team just working for him and to protect him when he has those "bad days", etc... and the person that has the mayorities of that conditions is Contador...

We just have to wait and see how he will handle the "Double" next year, that I think will be Tour - Vuelta, and after that we can make or conclusions...

 

[Dedelou]

When you manage to finish second in one perhaps I'll give some weight to what you say. Altenatively we could judge comments by their merits, your comment for example has none, Schleck on the other hand is most likely correct. The difficulties in peaking for just 2 consecutive GTs are obvious by the many failed attempt to do well in both the Giro and the Tour and the relatively few successes. No one has even come close to winning all three.

You probably don't remember that only a few years ago. the vuelta was back to back with the other GT in the early part of the season giving very little time to recover in between vuelta, giro Tour.
In those years , the tour lasted 4 weeks too. So for the like of Eddy, Bernard, jacques, or Coppi it was impossible to attempt the 3. Now the racing is more regulated, shorter races, less ITT distances, less overall. The vuelta is later in the year with enough time to recover from the Tour de France, so feasible schedule wise. Weather it is possible to do it and do well on each is another matter. We should ask Sastre his opinion

 

[JPM London]

Sure it's fine as a dream, but IMO you shouldn't put to much energy into pursuing unrealistic goals...

Well, he already won the Tour - several times. He already did the Giro/Vuelta double. What's left for the best stage racer to do? More GT's, yes, but realistic or not; any goal less than the triple would not be ambitious enough...

No doubt in my mind it's a real goal of his and Bjarne's - probably one of the reasons he signed with Saxo. I think Conti is softening it in the public is because he's not really a trumpet-blower.

 

[El Pistolero]

This reminds me of a short story about Alexander the Great.

The day before the big battle of Gaugamella the Persian king offered A LOT of money to Alexander the Great if he retreated and stopped the conquest of Persia(he was allowed to keep the western part of Persia though, that which he had already conquered.)

One of Alexander's councellors said "If I were you I'd accept that offer". To which Alexander the Great responded "Yeah, I'd do that too if I were you".

Point I'm trying to make is: Alexander the Great is Contador and Andy Schleck is that councellor.

Andy Schleck: Winning 3 Grand Tours in one season is impossible.
Alberto Contador: Yeah, I'd say that too if I were you.

 

[JPM London]

I don't know why Andy "attacks" Contador's dreams... OFC there is always a Psychological war...

You're saying the happy couple are having an argument?

To me it sounds a lot more like a journo trying to inflate it - has happened before, no? In the end, what other answer is there to the question of doing a triple? Yes, it's damn hard - anything is possible, but extremely difficult. All the journo has to do is to add a bit of colour and - hello - there's a good story about Andy saying Conti is stupid...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Schleck can only peak 2 times a year max, most races he rides at a mediocre level.
Ofcourse he can't understand.

But riders like Contador ride close or in peak form in almost any race they start

 

[sherer]

Weather it is possible to do it and do well on each is another matter. We should ask Sastre his opinion

Not quite sure what the weather has to do with it unless they affect Contador with his allergies

 

[Cerberus]

You probably don't remember that only a few years ago. the vuelta was back to back with the other GT in the early part of the season giving very little time to recover in between vuelta, giro Tour.
In those years , the tour lasted 4 weeks too. So for the like of Eddy, Bernard, jacques, or Coppi it was impossible to attempt the 3. Now the racing is more regulated, shorter races, less ITT distances, less overall. The vuelta is later in the year with enough time to recover from the Tour de France, so feasible schedule wise. Weather it is possible to do it and do well on each is another matter. We should ask Sastre his opinion

You're right I don't remember is as such, but I did know it, I'm still about it being possible even witht the "new" schedule. Sastre is in fact an example, he has ridden all three GTs in one season, but he hasn't managed to be even close to top form for all of them.

Well, he already won the Tour - several times. He already did the Giro/Vuelta double. What's left for the best stage racer to do? More GT's, yes, but realistic or not; any goal less than the triple would not be ambitious enough...

There's the Tour-Vuelta double, there's the Giro-Tour double, both are harder and more prestigious than the Giro-Vuelta double. There's also the Ardennes classics, and the WC or even the triple crown of cycling. The triple is not the only possible ambition for him to have.

No doubt in my mind it's a real goal of his and Bjarne's - probably one of the reasons he signed with Saxo. I think Conti is softening it in the public is because he's not really a trumpet-blower.

It might be a real goal, but I'd still like to see him win two consecutive GTs before I accept that it's a realistic goal, preferably the Tour-Vuelta since there's only 1 month between those. If he tries that next year it should at least give us a clue, personally I'm sceptical.

 

[jaylew]

This reminds me of a short story about Alexander the Great.

The day before the big battle of Gaugamella the Persian king offered A LOT of money to Alexander the Great if he retreated and stopped the conquest of Persia(he was allowed to keep the western part of Persia though, that which he had already conquered.)

One of Alexander's councellors said "If I were you I'd accept that offer". To which Alexander the Great responded "Yeah, I'd do that too if I were you".

Point I'm trying to make is: Alexander the Great is Contador and Andy Schleck is that councellor.

Andy Schleck: Winning 3 Grand Tours in one season is impossible.
Alberto Contador: Yeah, I'd say that too if I were you.

Didn't think of that analogy but it's pretty much what my immediate reaction was as well. It's not a criticism of Schleck, but he is really only able to be in the form needed to win races a couple times out of the year, so of course to him it would truly seem impossible. He could be right, but someone like Contador would think otherwise.

 

[theyoungest]

For Schleck it's impossible, Contador could pull it off.

 

[saganftw]

ok here is the logic behind his statements

AS thinks its impossible to win three GT
impossible means nobody can do it
"nobody" includes contador as well as any other cyclists

if he wanted to attack contador he would have said contador cannot do it,but cyclist xy can

you just blow the thing out of proportion,just read the article correctly especially this part ...Pressed to explain the reasons behind his statement, the young Luxembourger smiled knowingly and replied...

 

[theyoungest]

ok here is the logic behind his statements

AS thinks its impossible to win three GT
impossible means nobody can do it
"nobody" includes contador as well as any other cyclists

if he wanted to attack contador he would have said contador cannot do it,but cyclist xy can

you just blow the thing out of proportion,just read the article correctly especially this part ...Pressed to explain the reasons behind his statement, the young Luxembourger smiled knowingly and replied...

I don't think anybody suggests it's an attack on Contador. But it's a bit strange for a guy who can only hold top form for four weeks in a year to tell this as a general truth.

 

[Dewulf]

Definetly Contador is the one with the best chance and certainly the Giro-Vuelta double is doable for him since he's already done it and there's time to recover between (though i don't see him dropping the Tour). Winning the Giro-Tour or Tour-Vuelta is even IMO realistically possible and if he wins the Giro-Tour and feels that he has a chance there's no reason not to try to go for the triple, but actually doing it is IMO a very low percentage scenario. As I said Contador himself even admitted it might not be possible.

Exactly, surely next step is Tour-Vuelta, and depending on that, maybe Giro-Tour the next year. Especially if he won Giro-Tour then it might be possible to continue on and ride the Vuelta....but his team need to be up for it too.

I don't think people are taking this into account when interpreting AS's answer, and i don't think his own ability to hold form (or lack thereof) has much to do with whether his answer is right or not.

 

[El Pistolero]

People often say it's impossible because it has never been done.

I'm pretty much convinced that Eddy Merckx could have won all 3 Grand Tours in one season if the Vuelta took place in late August and September.

What would stop Contador from entering the Vuelta if he ever manages to win the Giro-Tour? It wouldn't harm him if he tried to win the Vuelta now would it? The way I see it, the Giro-Tour double is the most difficult and after you done that the Vuelta is just the icing on the cake. If you succeed in winning the Vuelta then you'll become a legend, if you don't then you still had an amazing season.