The official debate: Should Contador have waited for Schleck?

[Moose McKnuckles]

Love the fact that some Americans are very much in to telling us Europeans about the protocols and traditions associated with our sporting events - if only you'd been prepared to honour such traditions by returning our tea in 1773 we would be so much more likely to take notice

We'll send you back your tea if you take all our Tea Party with it as well.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Shift properly? SRAM is indexed shifting, not friction shifting.... isn't it? How do you improperly shift an indexed shifter?

Ride much?

 

[El Pistolero]

Karin schatje, Contador is spanish, but Sanchez is Basque. There is a huge difference!!

Sanchez wants Conti to win. Here in Belgium they have a show called "Vive le Velo" and they showed a brief portrait of Samu Sanchez and Luis Leon Sanchez.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Here are Schleck's words after he cooled down, for those who are getting carried away:

I'm not going to cry because I lost the MJ. My legs are itching, the Tour isn't over. Things like that are motivating me more.

I was feeling really well today, mechanicals do happen

They waited for me in Spa, it was just. Today was different though.

I am in the same situation as last year except I am much stronger this year.


http://www.lavoixdessports.com/Spor...ndy-schleck-une-scene-pareille-ca-me-mo.shtml

Don't worry. The 3 Week Fans will still find a way to put that into negative spin against Contador the Lanceslayer.

Dang, this thread is like an itch, you know you shouldn't scratch.

Still, CN has gained big members.

A long evening ahead, for some. Bon chance!

 

[nia O'Malley]

Karin schatje, Contador is spanish, but Sanchez is Basque. There is a huge difference!!

He is spanish. The one spanish man in a basque team. Sanchez is not a basque surname to start with

 

[Publicus]

Anyone ????

They do. He says he found out after he was up the road with Menchov and Sanchez.


If this was truly rider error, I have no more sympathy for Andy (or scorn for AC) than I have sympathy for AC for being at the back of the group that precipitated Andy's attack in the first place. Both were born of rider error and allowed the other to gain an advantage.

 

[roundabout]

Karin schatje, Contador is spanish, but Sanchez is Basque. There is a huge difference!!

Sanchez was born in Oviedo, Asturias, i don't think he has Basque blood in him.

 

[schnebit]

Ride much?

All the time... when I shift, it goes into gear... 'click'.

 

[nicholaaaas]

let's not forget Alberto was locked on Andy's wheel today in a reversal of yesterday. When Andy attacked Alberto wasn't there. And I find it hard to believe it would be cause of lack of ability. I would be interesting to see if Andy attacked when he was getting a bottle or something

 

[VeloCity]

It was a game changer.

Any more than AS gaining a minute on AC being held up by crashes on St 3 was? Why is this one a "game changer" and that one not? AS gained more time on that stage than AC did here, seems to me the St 3 situation was more of a "game changer" than this one is. I think people are being highly selective in their outrage here.

 

[BroDeal]

Love the fact that some Americans are very much in to telling us Europeans about the protocols and traditions associated with our sporting events - if only you'd been prepared to honour such traditions by returning our tea in 1773 we would be so much more likely to take notice

It is the duty of Americans to ensure people from a "european" nation with such illustrious cycling palmares as Britain know about these things. When was the last time you guys won the TdF? I seem to have forgotten.

 

[nicholaaaas]

Sanchez was born in Oviedo, Asturias, i don't think he has Basque blood in him.

Correct he's just regular spanish

 

[Biological Entity]

They do. He says he found out after he was up the road with Menchov and Sanchez.

If this was truly rider error, I have no more sympathy for Andy (or scorn for AC) than I have sympathy for AC for being at the back of the group that precipitated Andy's attack in the first place. Both were born of rider error and allowed the other to gain an advantage.

Hmmm. Now taking your line for TFF, huh? AC fanboys must be getting desperate if they're pretending that is the same thing.

 

[US Patent Exploding Cyclist]

And let me also add that if I were AC and I were at the back when my main competitor attacked me, when I went by him struggling with his pedals, I would have thought "Sucks for you." Maybe it is "sporting" to attack when Andy did, but it was a bit of a weasel move, and one good turn deserves another IMO.

You're telling me that attacking an opponent who is out of position is "a weasel move"?

That makes no sense. That is smart racing. Cancellara attacked when Boonen was out of position at PR, was that "weasel" too.

TFF you generally have good arguments but I think your opinion is biased on this one.

Edit: This may have already been discussed. I came back from a meeting and did not notice the "12" pages that had been added.

 

[Gcraenen]

Well Fabian knew very well the day before who the favourites were and waited for EVERYONE so how is the next day any different except for the fact Andy managed to get thru and was on his wheel. Had stage 3 not going down like that then I would agree he should have waited. I'm sure as he was looking over his shoulder thinking about waiting while Giuseppe Martinelli was screaming in his ear they didnt wait on the cobbles you dont wait in the mountains.

Alberto seems to be a humble man off the bike. And anyone who criticises how he rode the 09 tour. He was and is the team leader. a geriatric Lance comes back and his bs could easily have cost Alberto the tour. Johan and all the rest of the RS boys were not riding for him. He did it pretty much on his own. He couldn't trust them and did what he had to. It was like the day Lemond gave back his first tour... but Alberto refued to play second fiddle to lance's mid life crisis.

he has won every Grand Tour he's contested since 2007 and will win this one. And after Saxo Bank's TACTIC on stage 3 this one is fair too

I agree about the 2009 tour. It was very reminiscent of the way Hinault owon one more than he should have bullying Lemond. contador learned from that and didn't let Lance do the same to him. I lost alot of respect for Hinault in 1985/6 and the same last year for my fellow Texan.

 

[SpartacusRox]

At the end of the day El Pistolero shot himself in the foot.

Yes he may win the Tour but he has lost the respect of a lot of fans.

 

[schnebit]

Here's how I saw it from watching the video... Andy had a decent gap... Alberto was no where to be seen. Vino looks like he was going to bridge when Andy came almost to a complete halt and was looking down at his chain rings. Vino went straight by him and then all of a sudden you see Alberto go around Andy (rear camera view). I have to believe that there were a few seconds where Alberto saw Andy almost standing still.

For a guy with as many miles in his legs as Alberto, he had to have some idea that something was wrong...

 

[turtlesoup]

Only man who got cheated today was Voeckler. Amazing ride by him and all the media is on schlecklet. Guess he was really missing Frank, a teamate there for a bike change would have been nice. tonight calls for 2 blood bags rather than 1 hes got some serious riding to do.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

SRAM Red cassettes absolutely stink. I'm not sure this has been said in this thread, but it needs to be said.

 

[Gcraenen]

Sanchez wants Conti to win. Here in Belgium they have a show called "Vive le Velo" and they showed a brief portrait of Samu Sanchez and Luis Leon Sanchez.

Sorry vriend, dan heb ik mij vergist. ik dacht dat hij Bask was. Rijd voor een Bask team in elk geval.

 

[luckyboy]

Did anyone see Schleck say something into AC's ear as he went up to the podium for the white jersey? Only lasted a few seconds..

 

[Biological Entity]

Any more than AS gaining a minute on AC being held up by crashes on St 3 was? Why is this one a "game changer" and that one not? AS gained more time on that stage than AC did here, seems to me the St 3 situation was more of a "game changer" than this one is. I think people are being highly selective in their outrage here.

Have actually addressed the cobbles issue several times.

First of all, AC badly positioned himself at that part of the race - none of the other favourites were caught out - and he made a poor job of chasing back on. But the cobbles are a completely random situation - that's why Schleck himself had the grace to admit they should not be included in the tour. The whole issue was also very early in the tour and the teams have been planning their strategy for time for these mountain stages.

There is a long tradition of not attacking the yellow jersy when he has a mechanical problem on a critical mountain stage - AC and his team will be well aware of this. That's probably why Vino started to wait - but AC went straight to the front and attacked like a mad man.

 

[2wheels]

It's no Zapruder moment but my take is:

1. I've ridden some major climbs in the Alps but not at the speed where I'm "sprinting" past other riders - the "contador knew at the time" brigade really should be honest with themselves and consider if they've really ever been in that position even as amateurs
2. Once Sanchez and Menchov go - Contador really has no choice

Love the fact that some Americans are very much in to telling us Europeans about the protocols and traditions associated with our sporting events - if only you'd been prepared to honour such traditions by returning our tea in 1773 we would be so much more likely to take notice

Contador didn't seem to mind letting Menchov and Sanchez ride away yesterday, did he? He had plenty of choice.

And, on behalf of a lot of my friends who are the real (Native) Americans-- we'll give you Brits back a spot of tea as soon as you give back a few continents to the people who used to own them!

 

[Hugh Januss]

All the time... when I shift, it goes into gear... 'click'.

The problem was the front shifter, the one that is affected by pressure on the pedals while shifting. When you try to shift with too much load the chain can come off. Rider error, not mechanical problem.

 

[turtlesoup]

SRAM Red cassettes absolutely stink. I'm not sure this has been said in this thread, but it needs to be said.

what is AC menchov and sanchez using?