Re: Re:
Publicus said:
Ramira said:
Publicus said:
Big Doopie said:
pedromiguelmartins said:
One rest day and he will glue himself to Froome's wheel until 2Km to go, until he does what he did at the Vuelta.
I wonder why everyone always assumes CoNtador benefits disproportionally from rest days...?
Because all things being equal he has better recovery than any other GC rider currently in the peloton.
Does he really? I know he's the most consistent and successful GC rider since he who should not be named, but is his recovery anything special?
In the Giro he was not even in the top 5 strongest riders on the final stage. Now this could have been because his peak was already gone so he could peak for the TDF, but still it has some meaning.
Back in 2011 he seemed easily in control, only to struggle to hang onto Schleck and almost losing time to him in the TT, a discipline he should have crushed him in.
In many of his other Giro/TDF wins he wasn't even close to being challenged in the final week, having already won the GC by then.
The only GT he's every shown a great last week was the Vuelta, but that's a different animal. It's after a long season, where most riders already have a GT in their legs, and his last two wins came after a suspension or an aborted TDF, meaning he was still coming into form at the start of the Vuelta, forcing him to get better later on, and having a lot less wear and tear from training and racing in his legs.
All in all I don't believe Contador is anything special when it comes to recovery. He's an exceptional climber and a solid time trialist, who's great in hilly time trials.
But if you want someone with great recovery look at Hesjedal, who was great this Giro, and won his only GT in the last week as well.
Yes really. And I disagree with your views here. Looking at the 2015 Giro, in isolation is simply wrong in light of his 2015 goals. He's at the 2015 TdF and looking solid for a podium position. Not sure how you conclude Hesjedal has great recovery. He finished 10'41 back on Contador at the Giro. Three weeks later he lost the Route du Sud to Contador. He was 35' down on GC going in to today's stage. Yes, I can see how you conclude he has better recovery than Contador.
You say I look at the 2015 Giro in isolation, while I offer at least 1 more example, which you completely ignore.
You also don't actually give any counter example.
And I'm pretty sure you realise I meant recovery within a race, not between races. Hesjedal was better than Contador in the final few stages of the Giro, even though he was nowhere near him early on. And when he beat Rodriguez to win the Giro he did it in the final week as well.
We have absolutely zero idea what Hesjedal did betweent he Giro and now, so it could have a dozen reasons, none of which have any relation to in race recovery.
Point me to any GT where Contador wasn't the best in the first few mountain stages but was in the final week (outside of the 2 Vuelta's where he started with no racing in his legs) and I might believe you.
For example:
2007 TDF: When Rasmussen got pulled he had 1:53 on Evans, he ended with 23 seconds, lost 1 minute 30 from stage 17 on.
2008 Giro: Took the Pink in stage 15, was 33 ahead of Ricco, and 1 minute 18 ahead of Bruseghin. They were 4 seconds and 2 minutes behind him respectively before the TT, which admittedly he crushed. Yet not exactly a display of final week climbing dominance.
2008 Vuelta: Took the gold jersey in stage 13, 1 minute 7 ahead of Leipheimer, ended 46 seconds ahead. Losing 21 seconds in that final week.
2009 TDF: Took the yellow in stage 15, was 2'26" ahead of Andy Schleck. Until the ITT it stayed at 2'26, there he jumped till 4'11" so he took 0 seconds to Andy in that final week.
2010 TDF: Took the yellow by 8 seconds in stage 15, 8 seconds ahead of Andy. Then was unable to take any more time till the ITT, where he took 31 seconds, by far the least he ever took on Andy Schlek in a TT.
2011 Giro: Was never threatened.
2012 Vuelta: Came back from suspension, so had no racing in his legs and was 100% fresh. Was behind Rodriguez early on, took the lead in Fuente de, then proceeded to lose 44 seconds to Rodriguez and 36 seconds to Valverde in the final stages. Even here he wasn't the best in the last week.
2013 TDF: After stage 13 he was 3rd, 2' 45" behind. In the end he was 4th 7' 10" behind. 2' 7" behind Quintana and 1' 23" behind Rodriguez. He had 2' 38" on Quintana and 3' 03" on Rodrigues, so he lost more than 4 minutes to both in his final week or so.
2014 Vuelta: He came back from injury, so no normal prep. Yet he was already leader by stage 10. He was 1' 18" ahead of Froome at that time (which was 1' 39" by stage 16). He ended up only 1' 10" ahead in the end. So once again, he failed to take time in the final week.
Basically when Contador wins a GT he does it by taking a lead and holding on to it in the final week. The only exception being Fuente de, where he didn't win back by being the best climber but by being the smartest rider.
There is simply no evidence Contador is better at recovery than other riders. Since his lead always seems to decrease in the final week. The only exception being the 2008 Giro and 2011 TDF, where he was able to take time on lesser time trialists in Ricco and Andy Schleck.
Again: Yes Contador is a great GT rider and an awesome climber, but his strength is NOT the final week. His strength is being to good early on and taking to much time for others to catch up. He then either loses some time through not being good enough, or because he's taking it easy. Neither option shows he's got great recovery.