Schleck - very nearly

Kléber

It's only with hindsight that we know Contador could have ignored those attacks and worried solely about Andy Schleck. Yes, Schleck was seen as his biggest rival before the race but it's not easy to ignore the attacks, besides by chasing them down you keep yourself at the front of affairs and control the race.

jimmythecuckoo

Pokerface wrote:

Playing "what if" is a never-ending game.

in life and in cycle sport.

dougzz

Arkibal wrote:

not disagreeing with you, but when has AC done a good TT on a flat, +50km TT?

In truth I have no idea, I just have this idea that AC is one of the better TTers. Probably over lumpier or shorter courses?

Abdoujaparov

A (geeky) point on the TT - it's worth bearing in mind that headwinds benefit poorer time trialists (all else being equal) because wind resistance exponentially increases the effort required. In other words, with a headwind contador would have to put in a larger amount of effort to go faster than schleck as compared to if there was a tail wind or no wind at all.

TheHelpfulDevil

Abdoujaparov wrote:

A (geeky) point on the TT - it's worth bearing in mind that headwinds benefit poorer time trialists (all else being equal) because wind resistance exponentially increases the effort required. In other words, with a headwind contador would have to put in a larger amount of effort to go faster than schleck as compared to if there was a tail wind or no wind at all.

Very good point well made. when on a ride in bad weather helps people like me who have no talent or fitness able to hold the guy in front's back wheel.

Monty Zoncolan

Oh Lord, I've just worked out that those abstract stripes on Contador's helmet and back wheel are actually his 'pistolero' shooty finger thing. Egads.

paulcuthbert

FJS wrote:

The chain incident is blown out of proportion - it's not, IMHO, the main moment Andy Schleck lost the Tour. For me, with hindsight, the most significant moment where he lost was the stage to Morzine.

When I first started reading that I went "WHAT!?" because Schleck won that stage. But I take your point.

In the end it was a combination of a lot of things - failing to attack earlier up to Avoriaz, "Chaingate", and what some people think were 'questionable' tactics on the Tourmalet.

But I guess he's still young enough to learn all of this - so finishing 39 seconds behind a great champion who struggled to beat you and beat you with conviction, coupled with your best years ahead of you is the most positive thing to take away from the Tour for Schleck.

He'll win it one day...