Contador to ride Giro

El Imbatido

From PodiumCafe

Cicloweb.it speculates that Alberto Contador might be a surprise addition to the Giro d’Italia this year, in part thanks to the offices of Astana sports director Giuseppe Martinelli. Yes, that Martinelli, the guy who drove the car for Marco Pantani, Stefano Garzelli, and Damiano Cunego when they won the Giro. That would quite put a twist into the plot of this Giro, if the Ciclowebbers prove correct in their prediction. Contador or no, it should be a good party there in Italy with Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre, the Liquigas-Doimo ménage leading the chase for the Pink Shirt.

Dunno what is going on here but i did not see that coming. Do you think he is maybe just messing with LA or do you reakon it is just a hoax?

He is probably the only current pro that could do the Giro/Tour double.

What do you think is going on?

redddraggon

If he won the Giro and Tour in the same year he would be a hero. It's just a shame the WC course probably wouldn't suit him, or it'd be a good time for a tilt at the Triple crown of cycling

calvjones

If Schleck is a wreck he might figure July will be a walkover so this is a good year to try.

However, he'd have to go hard to beat Evans in May so think its very unlikely he'll go for GC in both.

Kléber

He could do it. Whether he will is another matter, especially since he's already said he's going for the Ardennes classics too. I suspect he's got a long career ahead and can aim for these things in time.

thomasmc

I dont think it will happen unless he is that sure of himself for July that he thinks he can do the double. As you say he is the only current pro who could conceivably do it and with Andy S's & LA's slow starts to the season maybe he feels this could be his year of destiny.

deejay

El Imbatido wrote:

From PodiumCafe

Cicloweb.it speculates that Alberto Contador might be a surprise addition to the Giro d’Italia this year, in part thanks to the offices of Astana sports director Giuseppe Martinelli. Yes, that Martinelli, the guy who drove the car for Marco Pantani, Stefano Garzelli, and Damiano Cunego when they won the Giro. That would quite put a twist into the plot of this Giro, if the Ciclowebbers prove correct in their prediction. Contador or no, it should be a good party there in Italy with Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre, the Liquigas-Doimo ménage leading the chase for the Pink Shirt.

I doubt if he will ride it but wouldn't it be nice if he did and then won the double (the other spaniard did it) which would bring the 7 Tally very close in double quick time.
Could be very annoying to someone who is desperately trying to avoid slipping from the Radar Screen.

rick_chasey

I really hope he does. It's about time cycling grand tours got a little romantic again.

FJS

I don't think there is any doubt whether trying to win the Giro-Tour double is a realistic ambition for him this year, but Paris-Nice, Ardennes, Giro, Tour? It would be great if he tried, and this year might be a good year to do so - there are much more known and unknown unknowns about serious challengers in the long term future.

greasedscotsman

Is Astana strong enough?

gattocattivo

greasedscotsman wrote:

Is Astana strong enough?

Not sure how much assistance he really gained from Astana at the Tour last year (apart from the team time trial, obviously) so maybe this doesn't matter.

calvjones

thomasmc wrote:

I dont think it will happen unless he is that sure of himself for July that he thinks he can do the double. As you say he is the only current pro who could conceivably do it and with Andy S's & LA's slow starts to the season maybe he feels this could be his year of destiny.

Only pro? I think if Cadel won the Giro against weakish opposition, then Bertie fell off/was busted in June and Schlekette still karked, I might have a tenner on Cuddles.

takethehighroad

If he's wanting to do the Giro-Tour double, he'd be clearly trying to differentiate himself from "him". Is it possible to get bored of winning the Tour every year and then stopping untinl the following Feb?

It's a big if though, that one

pedro118118

If he's riding the GIro, then he'll probably go for the win - that seems to be the way he races, almost as if he can't help himself. I suppose the question is how far into the red would he have to go beat the likes of Pellozitti, Menchov, Evans etc. If he's still in contention after a couple of weeks, then he would probably give it a go. If he's foudn it tough and has ridden conservatively and is well off the pace, then I can't see him risking his chances at the Tour.

Another interesting question is whether Wiggo will have a proper go at the Giro, as this represents a much more realistic objective than the Tour?

I really hope the Giro is a cracker and the Tour of California is put well-and-truly in it's place.

blazing_saddles

greasedscotsman wrote:

Is Astana strong enough?

He won the Giro in 2008, with a big name, but out of shape team, that were consistently absent when it counted.
We all know about last year's Tour.

The current team has lots of Italian experience.

Who dares wins. Go for it, if its realistically possible.

frenchfighter

pedro118118 I find myself agreeing with the majority of your comments on all threads...!

Apparently it is a real possibility that Wiggins will go all out for the Giro.

greasedscotsman

Blazing Saddles wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Is Astana strong enough?

He won the Giro in 2008, with a big name, but out of shape team, that were consistently absent when it counted.
We all know about last year's Tour.

The current team has lots of Italian experience.

Who dares wins. Go for it, if its realistically possible.

Fair point about the 2008 Giro and last year's Tour, but we're talking about the Tour AND the Giro. There's only so much riding off other teams you can do, at some point in one of those races your going to need your team to do some work for you, aren't you?

But don't get me wrong, I would love to see him try. But then I'd love to see him win in the Ardeness and the follow up with a Tour win.

pedro118118

frenchfighter - cheers, glad to hear someone does!

I really hope Wiggo does give it a proper go. If he can minimise his losses to the other GC contenders in the mountains (a la Menchov last year), there's 3 short ITTs and a TTT to sink his teeth into, which should, in theory, suit him*

*although, not sure about the ITT up the Plan de Corones?!

I'd get more excited at Wiggo competing for a Giro win than a Tour top 5.

moray_gub

pedro118118 wrote:

I
I really hope the Giro is a cracker and the Tour of California is put well-and-truly in it's place.

The TOC is what it is a fledgling week long/ 8 days or whatever stage race nothing more it does need put in its place. Nobody that i am aware of thinks it is competing with the Giro for status.

iainf72

pedro118118 wrote:

I really hope Wiggo does give it a proper go. If he can minimise his losses to the other GC contenders in the mountains (a la Menchov last year), there's 3 short ITTs and a TTT to sink his teeth into, which should, in theory, suit him*

Did you listen to last weeks Real Peloton podcast? Made me think that lots of TT miles in a grand tour probably doesn't suit a Wiggins going for overall. As he gets more tired through the race, TT'ing suffers a bit. TT miles early, yes, but later in the race not so much.

Kléber

Wiggins has delivered results in the time trials at the end of the race.

moray_gub

pedro118118 wrote:

frenchfighter - cheers, glad to hear someone does!

I really hope Wiggo does give it a proper go. If he can minimise his losses to the other GC contenders in the mountains (a la Menchov last year), there's 3 short ITTs and a TTT to sink his teeth into, which should, in theory, suit him*

*although, not sure about the ITT up the Plan de Corones?!

I'd get more excited at Wiggo competing for a Giro win than a Tour top 5.

I reackon the mountains in the Giro will blow Wiggo away and i consider an on form Menchov a far better climber than Wiggins is. I think last years Tour 4th will be be the highest peak Wiggo achieves in GT terms least.

iainf72

Kléber wrote:

Wiggins has delivered results in the time trials at the end of the race.

When competing for overall? He lost more time than you'd expect at Annecy, didn't he?

moray_gub

Kléber wrote:

Wiggins has delivered results in the time trials at the end of the race.

If he hadnt bombed on the run in last years Tour final TT he might have made the podium so maybe that point iain makes has merit.

le_patron

Never did quite get to the bottom of what caused that Annecy run-in issue...a sudden wind or something was claimed.

Kléber

iainf72 wrote:

Kléber wrote:

Wiggins has delivered results in the time trials at the end of the race.

When competing for overall? He lost more time than you'd expect at Annecy, didn't he?

Yes, but that was cramp, not bad legs or fatigue. His splits were excellent until the top of the climb up the small col. OK, you get cramp if you over do it but he can handle TTs at the end of three weeks quite well.

I'd agree that the Giro would be better for him, this year's Tour is a climb-fest. But even Wiggins has said in interviews that he knows it takes a crash or illness for him to win. Still, if the likes of Zootemelk and Pereiro can have their day, it's something to aim for.

El Imbatido

Kléber wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Kléber wrote:

Wiggins has delivered results in the time trials at the end of the race.

When competing for overall? He lost more time than you'd expect at Annecy, didn't he?

Yes, but that was cramp, not bad legs or fatigue. His splits were excellent until the top of the climb up the small col. OK, you get cramp if you over do it but he can handle TTs at the end of three weeks quite well.

I'd agree that the Giro would be better for him, this year's Tour is a climb-fest. But even Wiggins has said in interviews that he knows it takes a crash or illness for him to win. Still, if the likes of Zootemelk and Pereiro can have their day, it's something to aim for.

Im pretty sure the Giro has more climbing than the tour. That is part of the reason why Sastre chose to target it. + in the last 5 years the Giro has had much more climbing.

iainf72

Kléber wrote:

Yes, but that was cramp, not bad legs or fatigue. His splits were excellent until the top of the climb up the small col. OK, you get cramp if you over do it but he can handle TTs at the end of three weeks quite well.

I'm just basing it on what Rod Ellingworth mentioned. I'd say Cadel Evans suffers from something like that. He can do TT's a lot better early in a race than later in a race.

a 50km TT at the end of a 3 week race is more about recovery than being a brilliant tester.

When I'm in charge of the Tour, the first TT will be 88km and there will be a mountain one and a 40km at the end. That'll sort the men from the boys.

Kléber

I know what you mean, fighting for the GC is obviously very hard work and it can take its toll and we see how some riders can finish in the top-10 of the final TT when they'd struggle to make the top-40 in the first one.

But Wiggins rode a steady race, he wasn't attacking and chasing, more pacing himself. In some ways every key stage was a TT for him.

iainf72

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Who dares wins. Go for it, if its realistically possible.

Speaking of possible : Are you expecting any rainbows for adults round your way soon?

Anonymous

The thing with Wiggins in a mountain TT is that he can clearly climb well but not explosively, so they should suit him.

My humble amateur opinion based on nothing except wot I saw on the idiot's lantern.

frenchfighter

iainf72 wrote:

[a 50km TT at the end of a 3 week race is more about recovery than being a brilliant tester.

Which is why Contador is such a great GT TTer. His recovery is superb. It is also one reason he can hurt everyone in the mountains, as he arrives freshest. Sastre is another who is great towards the end.