Contador. Decisions, decisions.

Kléber

Apparently He's had offers from Caisse d'Epargne, Garmin and Quick-Step. But Astana want him too.

He's leaning towards the Caisse, especially since he doesn't want to share the leadership of Astana with a headstrong Ferraristo like Vino, he's already experienced that this year

frenchfighter

That the best rider in the World is faced with this predicament is very sad. I hope he gets a good position fairly soon and then goes onto further greatness without having to worry about things that he shouldn't have to.

I didn't think he was interested in Garmin, but here is a direct quote from him:
"Technologically, Garmin are amazing. I've always been really impressed with their insistence on getting all the tiny details right. They did a spectacular Tour, Wiggins did brilliantly, and their TTT was just incredible. They nearly beat us, and they only had five guys by the end of it."

As Vaughters says, if Wiggins does go to Sky they will receive a fair whack which they could put towards Contador. At the moment this is purely hypothetical.

moray_gub

frenchfighter wrote:

That the best rider in the World is faced with this predicament is very sad. I hope he gets a good position fairly soon and then goes onto further greatness without having to worry about things that he shouldn't have to.

.

i think it would be sad if he didnt have teams chasing him.

disgruntledgoat

If I may... Quick Step

mrushton

But it's also about having a decent team to back you up (or not) as Cadel Evans aptly demonstrates.

Pokerface

frenchfighter wrote:

That the best rider in the World is faced with this predicament is very sad.

I wouldn't call him the "best rider in the world".

But certainly the best stage racing rider in the world. (Calling him the best rider in the world based on him winning stage races is a LITTLE like calling Lance the best rider in the world during his reign as Tour champion for 7 years.)


Don't think it really matters where he ends up. He's gonna win no matter what. In stage races, that is.

frenchfighter

Do you know who is first on the UCI rankings? Yes, it is Contador.

Do you know who is first on CQ rankings? Yes, it is Contador.

Both by ridiculously large margins.

So yes he is the best rider in the World by these standards.

I deal in facts. It is always good to know them before you try to rubbish someone's comment.

He is one of the best time trialists in the World (the best if there is a slight hill), he is the best climber in the world and he is the best rouleur amoung the climbers. If he set his sights on the Ardennes, which he will do so eventually, I would have him as favourite.

Just face it, Contador is the best by a long margin.

bompington

I think we've all been worried that there hasn't been too much from Frenchfighter recently, and disappointingly unobsessive at that. It's nice to see him back on form.

Gazzaputt

I think then Garmin must hedging their bets that Wiggo will go to Sky for them to ask Contador to join.

Surely they wouldn't want two serious GC contenders on their hands after the mess we saw this summer?

bigmat

The Garmin / Contador link is good PR both ways, Contador gets linked with the whiter than white boys, Garmin get linked with the world's top cyclist to show their sponsor how "serious" they are. I'd be very surprised if it happened though.

Pokerface

frenchfighter wrote:

Do you know who is first on the UCI rankings? Yes, it is Contador.

Do you know who is first on CQ rankings? Yes, it is Contador.

Both by ridiculously large margins.

So yes he is the best rider in the World by these standards.

I deal in facts. It is always good to know them before you try to rubbish someone's comment.

He is one of the best time trialists in the World (the best if there is a slight hill), he is the best climber in the world and he is the best rouleur amoung the climbers. If he set his sights on the Ardennes, which he will do so eventually, I would have him as favourite.

Just face it, Contador is the best by a long margin.

He's only high on those rankings because they are skewed towards overall placings in stage races - and particularly the Tour.

I think you'll find that Mr. Cavendish has the most victories this year. But I wouldn't call him the best cyclist in the world. Contador, while great - can't win one day races. Sorry - HASN'T won one day races.

He has only won 8 stages in races this year. 4 of which were ITT and one TTT. 3 overall victories (of course including the BIG ONE).


By your same logic - Valverde was the BEST rider in the world last year as he led the UCI rankings. But Alberto won two Grand Tours - and was by far the dominant rider.

I deal in FACTS also. And you just try and skew the facts to suit your argument with no regard for any outside thought.

frenchfighter

Are you serious. You are just proving my point that people cannot face facts and will try at all costs to defend their point of view. I could provide some wonderful quotes on this but you are no doubt aware of them and if you aren't then you can google them.

Do you think a sprint win equals a stage win or that five sprint wins equals a Grand Tour win. So you say those ranking are skewed towards Stage race wins - that is because they are worth more. In summary, 1 race does not equal another.

As it happens, Cavendish is the best sprinter in the World but all he can do is sprint, nothing else. This is fine and normal but means he wouldn't be the best overall in the World. Contador, as mentioned, can do more. In addition, Cavendish is 3rd and 5th in the rankings so he is pretty damn close.

Oh, and Valverde is 2nd in CQ and 6th in UCI.

If you think what Contador has won as 'only' then I am afraid I cannot even begin to explain otherwise. If you cannot see for yourself why this is already amazing then I will have no chance trying to make you see differently.

takethehighroad

Isn't Ballan the best rider in the world? I thought so, at least for anohter three weeks or so.....

Pokerface

frenchfighter wrote:

Are you serious. You are just proving my point that people cannot face facts and will try at all costs to defend their point of view.

Something about pot, kettle and black.

Kléber

It's a subjective question. If you think Kenny Van Hummel is the best, then good for you.

But there's no denying the versatility of Contador, he can win three week races and prologues alike, he's at home in a time trial and in a mountain stage. I certainly think he's the best rider around.

disgruntledgoat

I, for one, am reasonably confident that a sprint win does equal a stage win. Unless you force your opponent into the barriers or something.

All Pokerface did was state that looking at the same data it was possible to draw a different conclusion, then you effectively called him an idiot because a conclusion he said he didn't agree with wasn't the same as yours.

The world doesn't work like that, it's different shades of grey, rather than black and white. If sports could objectively prove with 100% certainty who was the best at any given activity, it wouldn't occupy a place in my daily paper and I woulnd't waste so much time and money following it.

Bakunin

I'm a huge Contador fan, but I think the goat is correct.

UCI rankings are crap...anything having to do with the UCI is crap.

moray_gub

Kléber wrote:

It's a subjective question. If you think Kenny Van Hummel is the best, then good for you.

But there's no denying the versatility of Contador, he can win three week races and prologues alike, he's at home in a time trial and in a mountain stage. I certainly think he's the best rider around.

For Grand Tours he is for sure but for one day classics which are a huge part of pro cycling to date he has been non existent. People like FF cant have it both ways a certain Texan got pelters and still does for focusing on GTs (or to to be precise one in particular) at the exclusion of the classics now Bertie more or less does the same and this is now become acceptable.

moray_gub

disgruntledgoat wrote:

I, for one, am reasonably confident that a sprint win does equal a stage win. Unless you force your opponent into the barriers or something.

All Pokerface did was state that looking at the same data it was possible to draw a different conclusion, then you effectively called him an idiot because a conclusion he said he didn't agree with wasn't the same as yours.

The world doesn't work like that, it's different shades of grey, rather than black and white. If sports could objectively prove with 100% certainty who was the best at any given activity, it wouldn't occupy a place in my daily paper and I woulnd't waste so much time and money following it.

+1

moray_gub

bompington wrote:

I think we've all been worried that there hasn't been too much from Frenchfighter recently, and disappointingly unobsessive at that. It's nice to see him back on form.

I dunno i though he was quite obsessive in the thread he started and then ran away from.

Roscobob

Moray Gub wrote:

bompington wrote:

I think we've all been worried that there hasn't been too much from Frenchfighter recently, and disappointingly unobsessive at that. It's nice to see him back on form.

I dunno i though he was quite obsessive in the thread he started and then ran away from.

The one that was an ego trip gone badly wrong?

Pokerface

Moray Gub wrote:

People like FF cant have it both ways a certain Texan got pelters and still does for focusing on GTs (or to to be precise one in particular) at the exclusion of the classics now Bertie more or less does the same and this is now become acceptable.

Bingo. By that reasoning, FF would have to admit that Lance is actually the world's best (active) cyclist as he has racked up more GT wins than any other current rider. And has more stage wins (mountains and TTs) than Bertie.


We'll just call 2009 an 'off' year for him. 8)

mfin

disgruntledgoat wrote:

All Pokerface did was state that looking at the same data it was possible to draw a different conclusion, then you effectively called him an idiot because a conclusion he said he didn't agree with wasn't the same as yours.

The world doesn't work like that, it's different shades of grey, rather than black and white. If sports could objectively prove with 100% certainty who was the best at any given activity, it wouldn't occupy a place in my daily paper and I woulnd't waste so much time and money following it.

Absolutely bang on, full of facts.

Personally Id like to see Contador go to Caisse (and Wiggins stay where he is for that matter too).

frenchfighter

Some of you guys are so sad. Like leeches you move onto the next thread to suck it dry. I stop commenting on the Big Tex thread because of your immature antics and so you come on to this thread to find entertainment. Really your lifes must be sad if that is all you can do. Never offering anything of value. Grow up. You are likely twice or thrice my age but with half as much maturity, control and common sense.

FJS

Back to Contador's decisions. If you understand Spanish, or read Dutch: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... tador_SPWK

He's open about not being keen to stay at Astana, doesn't rule out Qucik Step (actually made a surprise visit to Belgium this weekend and did a criterium there....), CdE seems a good bet, but also some talk of Farnando Alonso's new team; he seems to know a lot of its behind the scenes going ons. Still, probably not for next year yet.

micron

Contador has said he'd love to race the Ardennes Classics when he's on a new team so maybe QS isn't such a bad fit after all.

disgruntledgoat

frenchfighter wrote:

Some of you guys are so sad. Like leeches you move onto the next thread to suck it dry. I stop commenting on the Big Tex thread because of your immature antics and so you come on to this thread to find entertainment. Really your lifes must be sad if that is all you can do. Never offering anything of value. Grow up. You are likely twice or thrice my age but with half as much maturity, control and common sense.

Can you point to an example of somebody disagreeing with you and not adopting the attitude outlined above?

Pokerface

frenchfighter wrote:

Some of you guys are so sad. Like leeches you move onto the next thread to suck it dry. I stop commenting on the Big Tex thread because of your immature antics and so you come on to this thread to find entertainment. Really your lifes must be sad if that is all you can do. Never offering anything of value. Grow up. You are likely twice or thrice my age but with half as much maturity, control and common sense.

It's funny - because MY arguments were rational and based on YOUR facts!

This is how you work:

• Make a claim (for instance - Contador is the best rider in the world).
• Post some facts that support that claim.
• Wait for someone to disagree with you.
• Call them an idiot (but use big, sophisticated words so you can claim to be 'mature').
• Then, when they use the same facts you did to come up with a different conclusion, get frustrated and call them an idiot again.
• Wait for someone to agree with you.
• When popular opinion goes against you, come back and call everyone immature.
• Start new thread and repeat the entire process.

You must think you are the smartest people on the whole forum and that none of your conclusions are EVER wrong. Your imperial and numerical analysis is never wrong and can only ever lead to ONE conclusion. YOURS.

I very politely pointed out that Contador might NOT be considered the best cyclist in the world MERELY based on his UCI ranking, but conceded he is, by far, the best stage racer in the world.

And that's when you threw all your toys out of the pram and went to play somewhere else.

And you have the balls to call everyone else immature? Yeah, right.

dennisn

frenchfighter wrote:

That the best rider in the World is faced with this predicament is very sad. .................

I'm just going to take a guess that he will somehow muster up the courage and strength to see himself through this "very sad predicament". It's going to be tough for him. All that money, fame, and people clamouring for his services. He'll be lucky to survive. My sympathy goes out to him.

jimmerslimmer

<ahem> so...... back to the topic, where do people think contador will go? ... Is Garmin a serious consideration or is it as was said previous a mutual publicity stunt?

takethehighroad

Contador to Garmin is a possibilty as long as Wiggins goes to Sky. Garmin are setting themselves up as a GT squad, building on the experience and strength of their TTers and adding climbing domestiques and rouleurs who can also help out for Farrar when needs be.