The official debate: Should Contador have waited for Schleck?

[Eyeballs Out]

It's not a two-man race. AC has to be concerned with Menchov and Sanchez as well as AS.

What if AS had to stand by the road for a minute? Two minutes? Does AC stand there and wait with him while Menchov and Sanchez ride away?

I think it's easy to judge while sitting on the couch watching it on tv, but on the road it's a snap call and imo AC decided that he couldn't afford to allow DM and SS to ride away.

It is a two-man race but that's beside the point. All up to the individual about how he wants to ride. As it was Contador that drove it on - end of story. Chances are if he'd have sat up the others would but again that's beside the point

It wasn't a snap call either - they had 20 minutes to decide what to do

 

[Arnout]

Closest comparison is 2003 when Armstrong attacked fell and the peleton waited. It was Contador doing the work when Schleck stopped. He really is desperate to win.

I have to love people booing Contador now as he puts on the jersey.

Falling because of a supporter is something else than not knowing how to shift.

 

[Danobank]

I have always loved contador as a rider.

I now have lost respect for him as a person.

No class.

Big cheer for Schleck now!

 

[dlwssonic]

OMG he did his pistol shot~!

did he seriously do that?!?!? if he did i really have a lot of bad things to say about him i cant say on this forum

 

[Parrot23]

Bad by Bertie (esp. as he was initially asleep when Andy attacked).

Also, remember how much Andy benefitted on the Spa stage when Cancellera slowed everything down for him.

 

[Dunedain]

Seems to me like he did wait initially. But then when he saw he could put time into Schleck, he did. Didnt start going for it until he saw Schleck back on his bike. Dont forget, Schleck lost his chain attacking Contador.

Are you serious? Contador attacked immediately upon noticing the chain slip. Plus attacking a rider with a functional bike is racing, attacking a rider without a chain after not being able to follow said rider's attack is not.

 

[2wheels]

Contador had the chance to be a sportsman of the highest calibre. He chose to be a ruthless competitor. Maybe each characteristic is to be respected, but only one could be truly admired.

+1. Says it all. Argue it any way you like, but everything about Contador's body language betrayed eagerness to capitalize on Schleck's misfortune. Same with Sanchez on the descent; he knew Menchov was right with him so there was no point in bombing it-- except to kick Schleck while he was down. No class.

 

[patrick767]

By the way, Contador said he didn't know what caused Andy's problems and decided to give it a go.

But he continued to attack for the remainder of the climb. I find it very difficult to believe that he wasn't filled in on what happened to Andy.

It's terrible to see. I was neutral on AC previously and just enjoying the two top riders going at it. Now... go Andy!

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

was really interested to see the body language of AC on the podium, with a shot of AS watching on.

However, Dutch TV chose that moment to split screen, with the larger box going to a Gesink interview.

Sporting drama, and physical reactions to a controversial incident that might decide the tour vs the thoughts of a man who grew up on a pig farm and has the personality to match.

Great.

 

[MKirilenko]

Contador didnt attack, he was just catching Schleck on high speed, and as Andy almost stopped he jest flew right near him. Tour de France is not a charity, if u have a mechanical, its ur problem. Its actually fair of Contador he didnt mount a full attack, he just stayed toghether with Menchov and Sanchez, turning his head constantly in look for catching Schleck

 

[Ferminal]

Are you serious? Contador attacked immediately upon noticing the chain slip. Plus attacking a rider with a functional bike is racing, attacking a rider without a chain after not being able to follow said rider's attack is not.

Contador attacked to bridge the gap...

 

[Parrot23]

Really bad by Bertie (esp. as he was initially asleep when Andy attacked).

Also, remember how much Andy benefitted on the Spa stage when Cancellera slowed everything down for him. There's also the issue of bike handling (it wasn't an accident, but a self-caused error).

Doesn't make what Alberto good, though.

 

[scribe]

I watched the stage same as you...what makes you think that the attack by Andy was going to be successful?...Not saying it wasn't going to be, just saying from my point of view I saw Contador responding.

It was very unlucky for Andy and I too would be angry if I was in his position. I think it would have been excellent sportsmanship for Contador to wait but having said that lets be honest the stage was neutralised for Schleck after his problems on stage 2 and he was more than happy to attack the maillot jaune over the cobbles. If many posters were in Contador's shoes I wonder how many would have waited; I guess far less than the prercentage willing to diss AC at the moment.

Still Contador is no big Jan when it comes to humility.

There have been probably less than 5 times this race when these two guys hadn't been further apart from one another. Each time lead to a significant shift in standings. AS showed what he had in the tank trying to catch back on.

 

[superleicht]

Hard to see with my crappy feed but it appeared to have completely unshipped. AS was spinning the cranks and going nowhere.

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

So AC sits up and waits for AS but lets Menchov and Sanchez ride off?

Yes, it is impractical to wait for certain opponents when two of your other opponents can gain time.

I wouldn't have faulted Ac for just covering DM and SS, but that's not what he did. He actually attacked when he saw Schleck have a mechanical. Alberto was the instigator, not Denis or Samu.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Let's keep it all here: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=8900

 

[LKing25]

Contador has disgraced himself and im betting a lot of riders in the peloton will let him know it. I was neutral before this incident but i now hope AS destroys Contador on the Tourmalet.

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

It was disgraceful to attack when the MJ gets a mechanical.
absolutely disgraceful.
Bertie will lose a lot of friends in the Peloton for this Pussy move.

He should get awarded some pink pumps and a purse for his ride today
not the MJ.

Pathetic....

he deserved to get boooooooooooed at the podium.

 

[Four Winds]

I watched the stage same as you...what makes you think that the attack by Andy was going to be successful?...Not saying it wasn't going to be, just saying from my point of view I saw Contador responding.

It was very unlucky for Andy and I too would be angry if I was in his position. I think it would have been excellent sportsmanship for Contador to wait but having said that lets be honest the stage was neutralised for Schleck after his problems on stage 2 and he was more than happy to attack the maillot jaune over the cobbles. If many posters were in Contador's shoes I wonder how many would have waited; I guess far less than the prercentage willing to diss AC at the moment.

Still Contador is no big Jan when it comes to humility.

I honestly feel, judging by the reaction on here, that most would have waited. Obviously I can only speak for myself but in this particular scenario I would have waited.

We've all been saying that a 30 second lead for AS wasn't enough and he prob needed another 1.30. What today shows us is that AC was seriously worried that he might get it over the next 2 stages.

 

[SpeedWay]

The actions of a scared man.

 

[patrick767]

At the end of the day it's a race. A competition and there is nothing to say contador has to wait! They are all payed to do a job and contador as a favourite did his!

No one argues that Contador has to wait. It would, however, be a classy move and the TdF has a history of such respect and class. Contador chose not to follow in that tradition. Schleck just gained a lot of fans.

 

[erader]

AC was NOT in yellow on the cobbles. Which is the end of the discussion

schleck's teammate was in yellow. if cancellara hadn't neutralised the race we wouldn't be having this discussion.

erader

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Let's keep it all here: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=8900

 

[dlwssonic]

I have not read what you guys have wrote yet but it was not denis menchov and sanchez who started it contador attacked so he started it.

 

[The Hitch]

Did people boo contador on the podium?