The Strongest Contador?

[Miburo]

No Clinic talk, I know it's hard

When do you think Contador was at his best? Or do you think Contador we haven't seen Contador at his best, that he can still improve? Or is it downhill from now on?

It's been a while since i've done a thread. And with a poll of course. A thread with no poll is just not the same.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

waiting for 13
With Riis I think he can reach yet another level

 

[maltiv]

Between Tour 09 and Giro 11, but Tour 09 gets the vote due to better competition. He easily beat an in-form Andy Schleck in the mountains and also defeated Cancellara and Tony Martin in the time trial.

 

[The Hitch]

Verbier VAM record. And won the tt. To be fair matching Pantani up Plateu de beile is also worth considering but all time VAM record means Contador 09 is one of the best cimbing forces of all time.

Its also a bit harder to compare to Giro 11 and those Etna numbers might have been pretty darn high too but once again, VAM record Verbier, nuff said.

 

[burning]

I woted for 2007 because 2009 route was pretty bad (Nothing happened between Arcalis and Verbier and almost nothing happened at Arcalis too) and he was just insane at Galibier-Plateau-Peyresourde

 

[Miburo]

Verbier VAM record. And won the tt. To be fair matching Pantani up Plateu de beile is also worth considering but all time VAM record means Contador 09 is one of the best cimbing forces of all time.

Its also a bit harder to compare to Giro 11 and those Etna numbers might have been pretty darn high too but once again, VAM record Verbier, nuff said.

I knew his numbers were high (lemond issue) but i didn't know it was a record. Even compared to Pantani/armstrong days?

 

[Angliru]

Verbier VAM record. And won the tt. To be fair matching Pantani up Plateu de beile is also worth considering but all time VAM record means Contador 09 is one of the best cimbing forces of all time.

Its also a bit harder to compare to Giro 11 and those Etna numbers might have been pretty darn high too but once again, VAM record Verbier, nuff said.

We have to keep in mind he had extra motivation with the return of LA and his attempts to undermine Contador's efforts to show his superiority. There was a fire in his riding at the Tour in 2009 that hasn't been seen since. I think though that he still has it in him to match the level. Several riders of his era didn't reach their peaks until their 30's.

 

[serfla]

Giro '08. No?
He should ride it in 2013. as well.
Just to be sure about Wiggo.

 

[apmfbs]

I will vote tour 2009 because he was really strong and had to survie Armstrong.
He had a very good level in the 2011 Giro

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Giro 2011, because he didn't have a comically strong team, and the route wasn't so soft. It's easier to set a VAM record on Verbier after a flat stage than on a steeper climb after four other category 1 climbs or when you're so superior to everyone else you can afford to spend your energy on trying to find ways for your friends to get stages.

 

[The Hitch]

Giro 2011, because he didn't have a comically strong team, and the route wasn't so soft. It's easier to set a VAM record on Verbier after a flat stage than on a steeper climb

Wait. Isnt it harder on Verbier than on a steep climb since you are gaining less m altitude for every km on the road than you are on say, Marmolada.

 

[Magnus]

Giro 2011, because he didn't have a comically strong team, and the route wasn't so soft. It's easier to set a VAM record on Verbier after a flat stage than on a steeper climb after four other category 1 climbs or when you're so superior to everyone else you can afford to spend your energy on trying to find ways for your friends to get stages.

With the same power output (and all other things equal), you'll have a higher VAM on a steeper ascent.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

With the same power output (and all other things equal), you'll have a higher VAM on a steeper ascent.

Perhaps I was partially incorrect then.

But it's still easier to put out your top power output on a climb after an otherwise flat stage than on a climb that finishes a stage over several tough mountains.

 

[lukinox]

It's hard to compare but I voted for Giro '11 just because he made it look so easy and I think that if he had better competition he could have gone even harder. In the 2009 Tour Contador has been super as well but, has someone already said, he had extra motivation because of the team situation. Anyway I'll be surprised if he can go even harder than during those two GTs.

 

[Ferminal]

Verbier is so misleading.

The real performance was Romme-Colombiere.

 

[movingtarget]

It's hard to compare but I voted for Giro '11 just because he made it look so easy and I think that if he had better competition he could have gone even harder. In the 2009 Tour Contador has been super as well but, has someone already said, he had extra motivation because of the team situation. Anyway I'll be surprised if he can go even harder than during those two GTs.

Even though Evans, Schleck and a few others were not at the 2011 Giro, I agree Contador looked like he was from another planet. Gifting stages and he seemed to be coasting even though he said after the race that is was harder than it looked, it looked pretty easy to me. I remember Simoni's comments about Basso when Basso won the Giro. Something like he was riding like an android or an alien. Both Basso and Contador were totally in control and dominant. I would be surprised to see that sort of dominance again from Contador even though he could keep winning.

 

[Afrank]

I would say Giro 2011, there may not have been as strong competition as there was at Tour 2009, but the route was one of the hardest we have seen in a long time. Plus he dominated the entire race; and he did it with ease. It's very close though, I'd say he was pretty close to the same level of strength in both races.

We have to keep in mind he had extra motivation with the return of LA and his attempts to undermine Contador's efforts to show his superiority. There was a fire in his riding at the Tour in 2009 that hasn't been seen since. I think though that he still has it in him to match the level. Several riders of his era didn't reach their peaks until their 30's.

Hmm, so all Riis needs to do to bring 2009 Contador back is sign a really good GT rider and send both him and Contador to the GT their targeting as co-leaders. Then just sit back and let Contador do his thing.

 

[hfer07]

Verbier is so misleading.

The real performance was Romme-Colombiere.

+1

Alcalis is rather a better example when Contador attacked while having that nasty headwind...

Folks also forget the "soft peddling" to keep LA in touch with the GC, the abrupt gaps already gained with the TTT, plus having Verbier as the very first MTF in the last week was not of a surprise for anyone to see the kind of "rage" that AC had in him to crush everyone...

Giro 11 to me is the ultimate demonstration of AC's powers-even if his competitors weren't near to challenge him-the parcours was madly tough to break anyone in a bad day...

 

[pdluz7]

waiting for 13
With Riis I think he can reach yet another level

I agree. : D

 

[SiAp1984]

2009. All sources indicate that he will never ever be that strong again.

 

[LaFlorecita]

2009. All sources indicate that he will never ever be that strong again.

Ha ha

 

[LaFlorecita]

Stupid phone I wanted to vote for tour 09 but voted for il giro

 

[airstream]

Obviously the 2007 Tour. Those who saw Contador Galibier attack and PdB when probably the peloton was never going slower than 1750 w/h during the whole 16 km ascent — cannot not agree with it. The Peyresourde twin flight became a real top of impunity in all senses. Apotheosis of the era as it is. I thought very much about the Tour over the years. Anyway it was the most spectacular GT for the last 10-15 years. Back then it seemed to me guys like Sastre and Kloden simply missed their form seriously, but I don't think so. They were waay behind naturally perhaps because of doctors' missteps or something. To a great extent, VAM record is one big conventionality compared to 2007, considering Verbier stage was flat in fact. According to some reports, the riders rode Arrate even faster than Verbier or something very very close, so it is the 2007 Tour.

The difference was the biggest in the 2011 Giro surely, but we should take into consideration rivals' form. They were weak even by their own standarts, but Scarponi. Yeah, all that is subjective perception certainly. The thread is based on it, though.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Giro '11.
Difficult parcours, dominant from the start with a weak team.

 

[greenedge]

I would say the 2007 TDF, that route was brutal- he had a close fought duel (with Rasmussen and Evans), he was impetuous and mentally strong.
The 2009 TDF and 2011 Giro he was great and the strongest but Andy was not a real challenge (even though he was really good in the mountains) and neither was Scarponi.

I hope he can be at his best in the 2013 TDF.

@Airstream: Kloden had crashed in 07, he came second to Cancellara in the prologue so it seemed like he had good form.