Contador's main rivals...

rick_chasey

...according to Contador are: Basso, and Armstrong.


A certain Luxembourger is conspicuously absent.

Mind games from Contador? I think so.

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... r_dauphine

I think he's still looking to lose a couple kilos by the sounds of that interview. "My climbing is still not quite top".

Leroy42

Contador has lots of rivals, the list is pretty much all the main team leaders, but has he got anybody that can beat him...

No. It's Contadors to lose. I reckon if Contador put his mind to it he could win all three Grand Tours in the same season, but at the moment I reckon he has fixated on Lances record in the TdF.

Of course it is not certain he will win, but it will circumstances, bad luck etc which will be the cause rather than someone else 'beating' him

iainf72

Basso is talking a good game

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/basso-t ... nce-podium

I wouldn't discount Andy or Cadel at this stage. Armstrong remains an unknown quantity until after TdS.

camerone

iainf72 wrote:

Basso is talking a good game

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/basso-t ... nce-podium

I wouldn't discount Andy or Cadel at this stage. Armstrong remains an unknown quantity until after TdS.

armstrong, in switzerland, 2 weeks before the tour........ he has old friends there no?

Moomin23

If anyone, it has to be Shleck (A) but Cadel Evans, as much as I dislike him, has been showing some reall grit and determination this year, so IMHO, it's between these two. I also predict that Wiggo will be nowhere to be seen, nobody was watching or marking him last year when he made his move at Verbier, but I have a feeling they will this time. But, as with never writing off the Germans for the World Cup, don't be surprised if last years third place is somewhere in the reckoning!

frenchfighter

Really pleased Basso has stepped up many levels this year and hope he comes to the Tour in great form. Another mountain challenger would be brilliant.

I get the impression Contador isn't overly concerned with contenders - when asked who was in the Dauphine to fear, he hadn't looked at the start list. I guess that demnstrates a lot of confidence.

frenchfighter

Andy:

"I think my chances are pretty good this year. The course fits me pretty well. There's a lot of climbing, a small time trial at the beginning, which won't make a big difference, and then we go to the Pyrenees, where there will be a lot of climbing. I think the course is something that will fit me pretty well. I think I have a good chance."

Schleck is happy to be heading into what he feels is a more difficult Tour de France: "Last year, I missed some more climbing. I hope it doesn't hurt anyone's feelings on my team for me to say this, but there were not enough climbs last year. I'm happy that there's a lot more this year."

Jens:

"Andy's brother is going to be stronger than last year, because Frank had a lot of knee troubles before last year's Tour. He would do a day of training, then take a day off, a day of training, then two days off. It was an on and off training situation for him, so, sure, he won a stage, but he was not in top shape. Believe me, that's a mistake that won't be repeated, so I'm really counting on Frankie being a lot stronger."

"In the ideal scenario, we have only the top contenders at the end of the stage, everybody is alone: Cadel is alone, Sastre is alone, Lance is alone, Contador is alone, and then we have Frank and Andy there, and then they can work together as a team. They're brothers you know, they're not just colleagues, they're brothers! They love each other, they like each other, they like to help each other, they like to see each other winning, there's no jealousy between them. They're like one unit. So that makes them, for other teams, really dangerous for the Tour de France, you know?"

Basso:

"I would say that Contador is currently the best rider in the world and in the top three riders in the world in the time trial behind Cancellara. If he does not have a bad day, or if you can't use your team to your advantage, it is almost impossible to beat him. "

"To win a Grand Tour, you must be good at both the individual time trials and mountains, and also have a good team…I think I can do an excellent Tour."

"I think the Giro has been good for me. To race the Giro and the Tour in the same season is tough and can cost a lot of effort, but it's worth the risk. I am happier when I start the Tour after winning the Giro than if I had come fresh to the race. I will rely on my form and my team's strength."

pedro118118

I don't see Schleck winning a GT (let alone the Tour) until he makes some drastic improvements to his TTing.

Bottom line is Bertie (and other good GC testers) will put 2mins into Andy Schleck in the (very limited) TT kms this year. Will he make that time up on the on the dangerous cobbles/wind of the first week? Probably not. Will he be able to attack and ride Bertie (and others) off his wheel in the mountains and claw time back (a la Basso/Evans at the Giro)? Probably not.

Seems to me the other CG contenders are relying on Bertie's misfortune, rather than a realistic game plan of attack.

rick_chasey

pedro118118 wrote:

I don't see Schleck winning a GT (let alone the Tour) until he makes some drastic improvements to his TTing.

Not even the Giro?

Andy's not THAT bad at TTing. He's not his brother.

pedro118118

Maybe I was being unfair - possibly the Giro/Vuelta.

As far as Andy's TT skills are concerned, he is poor when compared to other GC contenders (Basso aside!) and that's what counts. The likes of Contador, Wiggins, Evans, Menchov et al all wipe the floor with him against the clock and he ain't gonig to win the Tour when he starts with a de facto deficit of 2-3 mins to make up.

Frank is a lost cause for GC, as he is truly hopeless against the clock.

luckao

I remember that he was still being criticised for his style during the Annecy TT. He might want to take a bit of time to speak to two of his team-mates, who happen to be two of the best in the world, or just get himself one of those special bikes.

Arkibal

Leroy42 wrote:

Contador has lots of rivals, the list is pretty much all the main team leaders, but has he got anybody that can beat him...

No. It's Contadors to lose. I reckon if Contador put his mind to it he could win all three Grand Tours in the same season, but at the moment I reckon he has fixated on Lances record in the TdF.

Of course it is not certain he will win, but it will circumstances, bad luck etc which will be the cause rather than someone else 'beating' him

:roll: