Will Contador race like this on the volcano?

[No_Balls]

AC is a try hard. what was the point really - to feed his ego?

No, because he felt good and wanted to race. As explained afterwards.

it wasnt necessary to now put his team under pressure for the next 2 weeks, when he clearly could take it whenever he wanted to.

His team would be under pressure despite having the jersey or not. They still have the overhanging mission to protect and defend their captain. They need to be strong mostly during the next week and given they´ve been cruising up to this point, i think they are really fresh.

if i were his team mates, id just say "f-u AC, you want us to chase? do it yourself". then have bjanne screaming like a little girl down the radio (oh for safety sake of course..)

You know that this attack was planned, do you?

 

[Angliru]

AC is a try hard. what was the point really - to feed his ego?
it wasnt necessary to now put his team under pressure for the next 2 weeks, when he clearly could take it whenever he wanted to.

if i were his team mates, id just say "f-u AC, you want us to chase? do it yourself". then have bjanne screaming like a little girl down the radio (oh for safety sake of course..)

You do realize that should Saxo want to give up the jersey to avoid having to "put his team under pressure for the next 2 weeks" they quite easily do so?
It is a common occurrence in grand tour racing.

 

[quarterpounder]

Flew away at an 8% part when he saw everyone was tired or not on the front line.

Why would Contador follow Scarponi on his attack in the strade bianche stage? Scarponi attacked when the hill was almost over. No point in following him when he was going to be reeled back in easily on the last flat part.

And the sprint in stage 7 was also on a relatively flat part. I just don't see the problerm here.

You know if AC had lost time on stage 8, you definitely would have told us that it wasn't his type of climb and to wait for the real mountains.

When AC couldn't follow on stage 7 Joaquim Rodriguez and Rujano didn't seem to have any problem closing the gap and that finish doesn't exactly suit them either. So I don't think it's strange if people had doubts.

As for the gravel stage I didn't mean the Scarponi attack in particular, just the stage in general.

Also it has certainly happened before that a rider has improved overnight.