Will Contador Be Juiced Up Again Upon His Return

[BYOP88]

I probably posted this before somewhere, but this touches on the most delicious part of all of this to me.

If Alberto smokes Chris (and for arguments sake, let's say everyone is in top form), then Sky fans will scream "DOPER!"

If Chris smokes Alberto, Sky fans will scream "Haha! Without the dope, Contador is now nothing!"

But what if they are neck-and-neck, ala Alberto and Andy throughout much of the 2010 TdF, and Contador's numbers are consistent with his finest performances of the past?

Will that mean that both Contador and Froome are now capable achieving clean performances that are equal to or greater than doped performances of the (Contador's) past?

Or are such possibilities only limited to Sky?

Or will the argument be that Froome is able to ride clean at a level that matches a currently doped Contador?

And might that mean that Froome and Sky are clean because the test results say so, but that Contador is doped...just because?

[add your options here]

It will be interesting. I truly hope that both Sky and Saxo show up at the TdF with their top riders and respective teams in top form.

No matter what happens, Sky fans will believe that Froome is clean and Contador is dirty.

 

[Granville57]

Somebody got a pic of that "not this shyt again" dude from Star Trek with his palm on his forehead?

Probably not the one you had in mind, but when the absence of all logic is actually laughable...

 

[the sceptic]

I probably posted this before somewhere, but this touches on the most delicious part of all of this to me.

If Alberto smokes Chris (and for arguments sake, let's say everyone is in top form), then Sky fans will scream "DOPER!"

If Chris smokes Alberto, Sky fans will scream "Haha! Without the dope, Contador is now nothing!"

But what if they are neck-and-neck, ala Alberto and Andy throughout much of the 2010 TdF, and Contador's numbers are consistent with his finest performances of the past?

Will that mean that both Contador and Froome are now capable achieving clean performances that are equal to or greater than doped performances of the (Contador's) past?

Or are such possibilities only limited to Sky?

Or will the argument be that Froome is able to ride clean at a level that matches a currently doped Contador?

And might that mean that Froome and Sky are clean because the test results say so, but that Contador is doped...just because?

[add your options here]

It will be interesting. I truly hope that both Sky and Saxo show up at the TdF with their top riders and respective teams in top form.

thats why you dont see any sky fans here yet. If they say Contador is doping now, but he ends up getting destroyed by Froome anyway they will look like even bigger tools.

 

[Granville57]

I don't think I've yet directly addressed the OP

Will Alberto Contador be back to his old doping habits when He returns to the Peloton.

He had better be.

 

[Red Rick]

He did have a good winter though, it's impossible to know how much improvement is due to juice and which part is due to good training.

 

[The Hitch]

You better take that back!!!!

Ok.

Seriously though, RC makes a good point, Barry Bonds was one of those clean athletes who "didn't need drugs because of his natural athletic talent".

 

[BYOP88]

Ok.

Seriously though, RC makes a good point, Barry Bonds was one of those clean athletes who "didn't need drugs because of his natural athletic talent".

Aside from BALCO and the Miami Biogenesis issue, baseball is cleans, I tell you, cleans

 

[RobbieCanuck]

That's all I've got to say.

Which is saying nothing! Pretty vacuous.

 

[RobbieCanuck]

Somebody got a pic of that "not this shyt again" dude from Star Trek with his palm on his forehead?

You mean that make believe picture about the make belief Star Trek in the make believe universe? Is that the one?

 

[RobbieCanuck]

Ok.

Seriously though, RC makes a good point, Barry Bonds was one of those clean athletes who "didn't need drugs because of his natural athletic talent".

Bonds was past his prime when he was chasing the home run record and had to dope because he knew his talent wouldn't do it. In his prime he didn't have to dope. Same sad story for most dopers - he will never get into the Hall of Fame just the Hall of Shame.

 

[Beech Mtn]

The Contador clinic thread: officially more jodido than the Froome thread. (and in much fewer pages)

God help us, come July.

 

[BYOP88]

Bonds was past his prime when he was chasing the home run record and had to dope because he knew his talent wouldn't do it. In his prime he didn't have to dope. Same sad story for most dopers - he will never get into the Hall of Fame just the Hall of Shame.

I disgaree. Bonds was doping for most of his career. He may have been clean with the Pirates but not with the Giants, look how much he bulked up when he was with the Giants compared to photo's of him as a Pirate.

He averaged 25 home runs a year with the Pirates and went to 40 a year with the Giants. With the Giants he hit a home run every 10 AB's with the Pirates it was 1 home run every 20 AB's.

There have been 8 60+ home run seasons in the history of baseball and 6 of them came in a 4 year span(1998-2001). There's only been 2 instances of 70+ home runs in a season again they came in the same 4 year span.

After the 2001 season where Bonds set the record with 73 home runs in a season he played 6 more years and hit 195 more home runs. Would've been more but in 2005 he only played in 14 games due to injury.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml

 

[ChrisE]

You mean that make believe picture about the make belief Star Trek in the make believe universe? Is that the one?

Yeah. Make believe world. You got a lifetime pass?

 

[RobbieCanuck]

Yeah. Make believe world. You got a lifetime pass?

Juvenile - is your IQ equal to your age?

 

[RobbieCanuck]

I disgaree. Bonds was doping for most of his career. He may have been clean with the Pirates but not with the Giants, look how much he bulked up when he was with the Giants compared to photo's of him as a Pirate.

He averaged 25 home runs a year with the Pirates and went to 40 a year with the Giants. With the Giants he hit a home run every 10 AB's with the Pirates it was 1 home run every 20 AB's.

There have been 8 60+ home run seasons in the history of baseball and 6 of them came in a 4 year span(1998-2001). There's only been 2 instances of 70+ home runs in a season again they came in the same 4 year span.

After the 2001 season where Bonds set the record with 73 home runs in a season he played 6 more years and hit 195 more home runs. Would've been more but in 2005 he only played in 14 games due to injury.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml

At the risk of being off topic you make great points. Here is an interesting comparison

Non Steroid Steroid
1986 -1998 1999-2007
Age 21-33 Age 34-42
3 NL MVP 4 NL MVP
BA .290 BA .316
age 21-33

 

[RobbieCanuck]

I disgaree. Bonds was doping for most of his career. He may have been clean with the Pirates but not with the Giants, look how much he bulked up when he was with the Giants compared to photo's of him as a Pirate.

He averaged 25 home runs a year with the Pirates and went to 40 a year with the Giants. With the Giants he hit a home run every 10 AB's with the Pirates it was 1 home run every 20 AB's.

There have been 8 60+ home run seasons in the history of baseball and 6 of them came in a 4 year span(1998-2001). There's only been 2 instances of 70+ home runs in a season again they came in the same 4 year span.

After the 2001 season where Bonds set the record with 73 home runs in a season he played 6 more years and hit 195 more home runs. Would've been more but in 2005 he only played in 14 games due to injury.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml

Great Analysis and at the risk of being off topic, consider this comparison

Non Steroid years, 1986 - 1998, age 21-33, 3 NL MVPs, 8 Gold Gloves, BA .290, hits 1917, HR 411, RBIs 1216, SBs 445

Steroid years, 1999-2007, age 34-42, 4 NL MVP, No Gold Gloves, BA .316, Hits 1018, HRs 351, RBIs 780, SBs 69

My thesis is he was not on base much as evidenced by his 69 SBs because his body couldn't take it, no gold gloves (again aging and past his prime) but good hitting stats due to the dope.

Sorry Admin guys, but it arises out of HSNHSN's statement as follows,

"If one assumes all athletes at the top of their sport are doped, it doesn't mean one ignores skill and talent. There's just an interplay between these two going on at top levels."

Getting back to Contador, he didn't look juiced today, just naturally great!

 

[Afrank]

If you want to discuss Bonds or any other athlete create a thread for it. But keep this one about Contador.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Which is saying nothing! Pretty vacuous.

Exactly what you are saying. Come on you really think Contador is clean? Along with the entire Canadian Olympic team and multi-millionaire athletes in a range of sports who get paid for one thing, to perform. Sorry but you are either trolling or just not especially bright.
I thought I'd heard everything what with people defending Froome and Horner and on and on, but Contador? Really?

 

[ralphbert]

The Contador clinic thread: officially more jodido than the Froome thread. (and in much fewer pages)

God help us, come July.

Nothing proves he is taking drugs more than posing with the pistol out and a pancake on his head. I love him but he should have Frisbeed that thing in to the crowd before getting the guns out. Ridiculous.

 

[EnacheV]

Imagine Contador and Riis bombed with are you clean/puppy face yes/doping questions on the TdF rest days press conferences

Better than HBO Comedy by miles. Can't wait.

 

[Ferminal]

Where does a prime Bertie rate on an all-time (really only mean the last 15-25 years since it got "boring") list of exhibitionists?

 

[Ferminal]

New true starting date for the season has to be when a Clinic thread goes FR over people identifying a spade.

 

[Christian]

So I believe the spanish term for this is "fullo retardo"


I'll show myself out...

 

[zigmeister]

I think you have misread AC. He has a voracious appetite to win and I think he is PO'd at his "lacklustre" performances in '12-'13. Here is his '12-'13 palmares.

2012 - 1st Milano–Torino1st Jersey red.svg Overall classification Vuelta a España 1st Stage 174th Overall classification Eneco Tour9th Giro di Lombardia9th World Time Trial Championships

2013 - 2nd Overall classification Tour of Oman3rd Overall classification Tirreno–Adriatico 1st Jersey red.svg points classification3rd Klasika Primavera4th Overall classification Tour de France4th Overall classification Tour de San Luis 1st Stage 65th Overall classification Tour of the Basque Country5th Milano–Torino10th Overall classification Critérium du Dauphiné

Not great but not too shabby

Don't discount the desire of an athlete to win.

PS before you post back about LA's "desire to win" note that even LA admitted it is not that he wanted to win, he just did not want to lose. There is a huge difference in attitude. AC wins with enthusiasm but with modesty.

He had a few good performances. A lot of cyclist during that time did as well. We could go down the list...Gilbert??

But to go from basically a mid-pack/average finsher after his bust, dormant is how I like to view it, to now he is completely dominating, and not just a few seconds here and there...he is pulling amazing attacks on the climbs, literally riding people off his wheel for solo finishes in the flats as well.

His performances as of late have to be put into the "very suspicious" category, simply based of the results, but also, based off his history and nearly lack thereof the past 2.5yrs.

At this rate, he is going to drop Froome, and anybody else, in every TDF climb and just ride to a 10 minute victory.

In yesterday's stage, he beat Valverde by what, 15 seconds...the rest of the riders didn't start dribbling across the line, looking like they wanted to die from the effort, 30 seconds after, then 1 minute and it just kept going on and on.

Of course, Alberto gets off his bike looking like he just got up from a nap and refreshed...come on now.

 

[Parrulo]

Explain me how winning a GT straight after a 8 month period without racing, 1 year and 2 months if we only count high level races, counts as a lack of results. Particularly when he beat 2 guys that were absolutely flying.

Also after his positive he still dominated a Giro and who knows where he would have finished without all those crashes at the Tour. So how the hell can you say he became "mid pack/average finisher" after his bust?
The only real lack of results happened last year where he still finished 4th in the Tour (second before the last MTF).
Imo i think his performance last year can be explained mostly by a slightly safer program and perhaps a crappy off season base level training. But mostly by his program obviously.