Is Contador a great guy??

245

Comments

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    jerry3571 wrote:
    I think the Kloden thing was fool up really. If AC carried on his attack and try to consolidate his Yellow Jersey then fair enough but he managed to blow the legs off his Team mate who says "he would've offered his wheels if AC had punctured on the descent". I think Kloden was cooked and may have easily blown anyway but I think Contador wanted to attack and then when he did, got an earfull from the Team Car and then sat up; making the attack worthless and Kloden in no mans land.

    I have different theory, which is quite probably nonsense. I think Contador has said that he wasn't on top form that day and struggled a little.
    Now he would have known that the Schlecks were keen to get Frank on the podium and to do this they would have to attack to drop Kloden. If the Schlecks initiated the attack AC may have found himself in a little trouble, thereby encouraging a prolonged attack, and possibly losing crucial time to Andy. The best way to avoid this would be to attack himself on his own terms, within his own limits and drop Kloden, who he probably realised was about to blow any time soon, thereby preventing a Schleck onslaught.

    I think was Hinault that said you should attack when weak. Just a theory, probably nonsense.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    Dgh wrote:
    AC a great guy? I don't know. He's a great rider, that's for sure. And he seems like a genuinely pleasant guy (I do speak Spanish). But there are things that make one wonder.

    His reaction to Armstrong coming back showed some lack of grace. OK, LA was muscling in on his show, but he could've had an attitude of ," so, whatever, he'll be a good teammate."

    I think thats a pretty unfair view. From everything that i saw Bertie behaved like a true gent. I'm not sure what you expect the poor bloke to do. Maybe you underestimate the sheer power behind Armstrong and his return. hell we saw rules and regulations bent and broken just for him, and his influence was behind the peloton decisions in the Giro. This wasn't just any rider coming back and taking Bertie's armband.

    As far as keeping riders, i really don't know. I'd be pissed if i was Bertie that his right hand man jumped ship, and there are obviously things going on behind closed doors. But he had a tough time last year and kept it together. he seems to be a decent chap from where i'm looking...
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    RichN95 wrote:
    I have different theory, which is quite probably nonsense. I think Contador has said that he wasn't on top form that day and struggled a little.
    Now he would have known that the Schlecks were keen to get Frank on the podium and to do this they would have to attack to drop Kloden. If the Schlecks initiated the attack AC may have found himself in a little trouble, thereby encouraging a prolonged attack, and possibly losing crucial time to Andy. The best way to avoid this would be to attack himself on his own terms, within his own limits and drop Kloden, who he probably realised was about to blow any time soon, thereby preventing a Schleck onslaught.

    I think was Hinault that said you should attack when weak. Just a theory, probably nonsense.

    This is not nonsence as is probably closer to the truth. From a tactical standpoint is very clever. As you say, if he was weak he didn't want the Schlecks to know it. When he crosses the line, he looks completely cooked, as he does in almost allthe photos during the last part of the stage. Hinualt did give his opinion on the matter at the time but I forgot what it was...

    Here is what Contador said:
    “On the climb, when I was speaking with Andreas. I said I am going to attack,” Contador said after the stage. “He said, ‘if you want, attack.’ I thought it was going to be a mano-a-mano with Andy Schleck and I. Then I saw that Andreas was struggling and I wasn’t distancing the Schlecks, this is the big regret I have from the day.

    “It was a tactic we thought about before the stage, to attack to distance the Schlecks,” Contador added. “I spoke with (team director Johann Bruyneel), he told me to attack if I wanted, I attacked and I saw that the brothers were strong, I saw that Andreas stayed back, I was constantly looking back to see if he was coming back but he suffered a bonk behind and he couldn’t regain the wheel – for that I am pretty sad about it.”

    And what the bare faced liar that Bruyneel is said:
    “That attack from Contador 3km from the top, that wasn’t really… I had advised not to go” Bruyneel said. “He didn’t need to go. He didn’t need to attack. It was clear the two Schleck brothers would go full gas to the finish. I told him you don’t have to attack to win the Tour today, because the difference was there with Wiggins. It’s a bit of a pity that Andreas couldn’t hang on, because I think we could have been first, second and third on GC, and instead we are first, fourth and fifth.”

    Contador again
    “On the way down, the Schlecks were asking me to collaborate with them, and I said no because I had teammates coming up from behind,” said Contador. “I knew they would attack all the way to the finish line. I was controlling the two of them. In the sprint, I preferred to be a little more conservative and thinking about tomorrow. More than anything, just be calm.”

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/07/ ... e-17_95658
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Excellent full screen highlights of the whole stage here, including one of the highlight's of the Tour in Hushovd's solo ride.

    http://vimeo.com/5718703

    Note that Armstrong comes past Kloden and leaves him for dead. Kloden is clearly cooked from trying to ride with the three best climbers in the Peloton.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    IMHO Bert's quite canny! Hasn't taken the rise out of all the Twit's tweets and what not and petty digs. Just kept his own counsel and rode them all off his wheel. Said one or two things lately but could have had a right bust up if he'd wanted.
    Also, I thought he was tied into his contract so would have had probs is he broke it and went elsewhere.
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    I've yet to see any kind of convincing argument as to how Astana were going to leapfrog Kloeden past Schleck to get that 1-2-3 that JB was talking about. Til then the worst that can be said about Bertie's attack that day was that it meant Armstrong got on the podium instead of Kloeden. Or that it cost Garmin and Wiggo a podium.... :D

    [Edit: of course, that should be "leapfrog Kloeden *and Armstrong* past Schleck" - now that would be even more impressive....]
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    This whole episode has been done to death now hasn't it. As said above Andy Schleck was safely tucked up in 2nd. There is no convincing arguement that the 1,2,3 for Astana was on.

    Bertie seems a fairly decent guy, possibly that is something that irks Armstrong as much as his physical capabilities.
  • blackpanther
    blackpanther Posts: 221
    RichN95 wrote:
    [

    I have different theory, which is quite probably nonsense. I think Contador has said that he wasn't on top form that day and struggled a little.
    Now he would have known that the Schlecks were keen to get Frank on the podium and to do this they would have to attack to drop Kloden. If the Schlecks initiated the attack AC may have found himself in a little trouble, thereby encouraging a prolonged attack, and possibly losing crucial time to Andy. The best way to avoid this would be to attack himself on his own terms, within his own limits and drop Kloden, who he probably realised was about to blow any time soon, thereby preventing a Schleck onslaught.

    I think was Hinault that said you should attack when weak. Just a theory, probably nonsense.

    I agree he didnt look invincible that day, in fact i thought he looked as if an attack would crack him. different body language and subtle.
  • blackpanther
    blackpanther Posts: 221
    Also Armstrong showed that he didnt give a screw about kloden perhaps because he had blown or perhpas becasue hes Lance. Either way there wouild have been one rule for AC and a different less altruistic set for LA.

    Both AC and LA are winners its just that (for me) AC seems like a much more pleasent man.

    And in style stakes only one of them is a winner and he doesnt wear cowboy boots and spit baccy
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    Sorry mate I must stop you there as you are getting way ahead there.
    Have you seen those Sidi adverts and this years' too are...well...
    It makes you want Mr Pisterlo put that pistol to his head.
    If anyone would like to view this Crime against anything decent then follow the Link below; we all know the advert don't we!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5320yLK2us&NR=1

    -Jerry

    PS- I think this advert is reason enough for all riders to leave Astana.
    Nice guy, a dog of an advert.
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • deal
    deal Posts: 857
    jerry3571 wrote:
    Sorry mate I must stop you there as you are getting way ahead there.
    Have you seen those Sidi adverts and this years' too are...well...
    It makes you want Mr Pisterlo put that pistol to his head.
    If anyone would like to view this Crime against anything decent then follow the Link below; we all know the advert don't we!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5320yLK2us&NR=1

    -Jerry

    PS- I think this advert is reason enough for all riders to leave Astana.
    Nice guy, a dog of an advert.

    looks like they are playing spin the bottle (with a shoe)
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    Do we know what happens when you play spin the bottle?? I guess we do.
    I'm hoping "Spin the Cycling Shoe" has a slight variation on the original game otherwise anyone dropping the soap in the showers after the Paris Roubaix will have a bit of a fright. :shock:

    I'm not anti anything really but there's a time and a place.

    -Jerry
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • samiam
    samiam Posts: 227
    Yeah, contador is the best
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    The exodus to Shack was clearly down to three factors; money, certainty and past history/relationships. Armstrong took his buddies/cronies and the other riders who were (rightly) unhappy at not being paid.

    AC was never going to join him (for obvious reasons), but had several offers from the likes of Caisse, Garmin and Quick Step etc. Patrick Lefevre has since publicly praised AC as being very polite, honest and fair during their discussions........not adjectives you can apply to every stage racer in the peleton! For someone so precosiously talented, he seems to show a good deal of humility and respect for others, which is nice to see. Perhaps it's a Spanish thing, as Indurain was also pure class on a both an athletic and personal level.
  • Dgh
    Dgh Posts: 180
    pedro118118 wrote:
    The exodus to Shack was clearly down to three factors; money, certainty and past history/relationships. Armstrong took his buddies/cronies and the other riders who were (rightly) unhappy at not being paid.

    AC was never going to join him (for obvious reasons), but had several offers from the likes of Caisse, Garmin and Quick Step etc. Patrick Lefevre has since publicly praised AC as being very polite, honest and fair during their discussions........not adjectives you can apply to every stage racer in the peloton! For someone so precosiously talented, he seems to show a good deal of humility and respect for others, which is nice to see. Perhaps it's a Spanish thing, as Indurain was also pure class on a both an athletic and personal level.

    All of which may be true, but AC ought to think about how his team choices reflect on cycling as a whole. To go with Garmin would have been a powerful statement by the World's best stage racer that he was committed not only to being clean, but to being seen to be clean. That could only help the sport, which in turn would benefit him.

    OK, Astana may clean up, but with Spanish cycling's current reputation, fairly or unfairly some of the public will doubt AC.

    That would be unfortunate, because AC is the best stage racer in the World (I see only AS as a possible challenger for a fit AC for the next few years) with an entertaining, aggressive style, and who showed last year that he could handle Hinault-esque mindgames from within his own team.
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    Dgh wrote:
    pedro118118 wrote:
    The exodus to Shack was clearly down to three factors; money, certainty and past history/relationships. Armstrong took his buddies/cronies and the other riders who were (rightly) unhappy at not being paid.

    AC was never going to join him (for obvious reasons), but had several offers from the likes of Caisse, Garmin and Quick Step etc. Patrick Lefevre has since publicly praised AC as being very polite, honest and fair during their discussions........not adjectives you can apply to every stage racer in the peloton! For someone so precosiously talented, he seems to show a good deal of humility and respect for others, which is nice to see. Perhaps it's a Spanish thing, as Indurain was also pure class on a both an athletic and personal level.

    All of which may be true, but AC ought to think about how his team choices reflect on cycling as a whole. To go with Garmin would have been a powerful statement by the World's best stage racer that he was committed not only to being clean, but to being seen to be clean. That could only help the sport, which in turn would benefit him.

    OK, Astana may clean up, but with Spanish cycling's current reputation, fairly or unfairly some of the public will doubt AC.

    That would be unfortunate, because AC is the best stage racer in the World (I see only AS as a possible challenger for a fit AC for the next few years) with an entertaining, aggressive style, and who showed last year that he could handle Hinault-esque mindgames from within his own team.

    Interesting point, but I don't think AC ever had a decision to make, as Astana clearly played hard-ball over his contract and fought tooth and nail to ensure he saw out the remaining year.

    The grapevine seems to suggest that a move to Quick-Step is a foregone conclusion for next year, which would make more sense. At the time of the discussions with Bertie, remember Garmin had Vandevelde, Wiggins and Zabriskie as their stage-race team leaders, so in reality, was it ever likely to be a good fit?
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    pedro118118 wrote:
    Perhaps it's a Spanish thing, as Indurain was also pure class on a both an athletic and personal level.

    Bit rich to suggest that class is limited to the Spanish based on two riders years apart.

    If you like generalisations how about asking Samuel Eto, Ashley Cole or anyone of numerous black footballers what they think of a very Spanish thing...........


    Disclaimer. I apologise in advance for using Ashley Cole and class in the same post.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    dougzz wrote:
    pedro118118 wrote:
    Perhaps it's a Spanish thing, as Indurain was also pure class on a both an athletic and personal level.

    Bit rich to suggest that class is limited to the Spanish based on two riders years apart.

    If you like generalisations how about asking Samuel Eto, Ashley Cole or anyone of numerous black footballers what they think of a very Spanish thing...........


    Disclaimer. I apologise in advance for using Ashley Cole and class in the same post.

    Jeez racism and Spanish sports fans thats a forum all to itself that one.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    blackpanther wrote:

    And in style stakes only one of them is a winner and he doesnt wear cowboy boots and spit baccy


    Contador-Selle-Italia.jpg

    Depends on what you determine as style i spose.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    blackpanther wrote:
    And in style stakes only one of them is a winner and he doesnt wear cowboy boots and spit baccy
    Quite so.

    best-of-livestrong-nike-shoes-1.jpg
    nike-sportswear-air-zooom-tiempo-austin-texas-1.jpg
    N-PoggioIII6.JPG

    VS

    [deleted by mod due to malware from bikereviews . com. Please DO NOT embed images from or link to this site]
    = One clear winner
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rockmount
    rockmount Posts: 761
    frenchfighter wrote:
    One clear winner
    If you are a ladyboy ! :lol:
    .. who said that, internet forum people ?
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    rockmount wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    One clear winner
    If you are a ladyboy ! :lol:

    Crikey those Contador shoes are a bit effeminate, aren't they? Not seen them before.

    Don't like any of that athlete-endorsed stuff to be honest, I'm quite happy with my plain white dhb shoes for well under a hunge...!!
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

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  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    rockmount wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    One clear winner
    If you are a ladyboy ! :lol:


    LOL superb............absolutely superb. hahahahahhahaha
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    rockmount wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    One clear winner
    If you are a ladyboy ! :lol:


    LOL superb............absolutely superb. hahahahahhahaha
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    frenchfighter wrote:
    blackpanther wrote:
    And in style stakes only one of them is a winner and he doesnt wear cowboy boots and spit baccy
    Quite so.


    [deleted by mod due to malware from bikereviews . com. Please DO NOT embed images from or link to this site]

    = One clear winner

    Didnt you tell us AC didnt do naff ads though ?
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    rockmount wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    One clear winner
    If you are a ladyboy ! :lol:

    +1

    Top comment..............
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    frenchfighter wrote:

    [deleted by mod due to malware from bikereviews . com. Please DO NOT embed images from or link to this site]

    = One clear winner

    I'm sorry but that's a horrible shoe (and I'm a Sidi wearer).

    If Liberace had cycled he would have worn that shoe.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    First off the point is it is undeniably clear who has style and who actually doesn't have any (to the extent they are among the worst in the peloton).

    Second Contador doesn't wear those shoes, they were designed by Sidi to show off their brand.

    Third he wears gleaming white Sidis which are infinitely better than any black or worse black and yellow shoe.

    Fourthly I am not surprised some of you don't like it given a unusual (to me) like of black shoes on this forum.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    frenchfighter wrote:
    First off the point is it is undeniably clear who has style and who actually doesn't have any (to the extent they are among the worst in the peloton).

    .

    why do you have to force your opinions - just what style are we talking here? sartorial? if so i'd love some examples of how stylish contador is. please refrain from showing any pictures of LA in his compression socks, this thread isnt abut him

    regarding those sidis you used them as an example of style , now you seem keen to distance your fantasy boy from them? i assume that mercx, hinault, coppi rtc all had no style wearing their rubbish black shoes?
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    I think LA always looks pretty good on the bike, and the Black and Yellow Livestrong stuff is very stylish in my humble opinion.

    I don't want this to become a love/hate fest of LA, and I'm not a particular fan of his, by the whole style argument is pointless, one man's style is another man's Silver Lame suit :)

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