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Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
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| fosforgasXIII |
Posted on 03-04-2013 18:35
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dev4ever wrote:
I wonder if Contador ever will come back to his old level..
Maybe if he goes to the butchery for a steak. |
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| Aquarius |
Posted on 03-04-2013 19:49
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ruben wrote:
Yeah, he looks off the entire season now. Not bad, but not good either. Just decent.
Contador isn't really a peaker so I wonder if this is just it, or he can still improve?
Let's leave the steak aside...
I guess he stands no chance with his 2012-self against Sky and their train in France next July, so he might be trying something else. That'd be more endurance work, more training, etc. and have a major peak in July. Not getting wasted in smaller races (even if he struggles, it takes less mental energy than fighting for the win).
That or he is getting old, or he's going more lightly on the steaks. |
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 03-04-2013 20:10
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Just rewatched a final km..there is no panic about Contador.
These days are over anyway when he won every race-tour that he started.
He will be still mayor threat for Sky and TdF. He is rider who has balls and exelent tactic skill. Only thing that can do something against Sky fast moving "tank" |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 15:16
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| issoisso |
Posted on 03-04-2013 21:45
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roturn wrote:
Wasn`t Contador ill last week?
Could explain a lot.
He was, but also he doesn't seem to be the rider he once was. It's only natural, he was very good very young (like a Sagan or a Cavendish) and now he's 30.
Reach the top early, decline early. Reach the top late, decline late.
Aquarius wrote:
I guess he stands no chance with his 2012-self against Sky and their train in France next July, so he might be trying something else. That'd be more endurance work, more training, etc. and have a major peak in July. Not getting wasted in smaller races (even if he struggles, it takes less mental energy than fighting for the win).
He's also been saying since January that that's his plan, but it doesn't account for this much suckage
Edited by issoisso on 03-04-2013 21:47
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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| kimiopn |
Posted on 03-04-2013 22:31
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issoisso wrote:
He was, but also he doesn't seem to be the rider he once was. It's only natural, he was very good very young (like a Sagan or a Cavendish) and now he's 30.
Reach the top early, decline early. Reach the top late, decline late.
Are we forgetting that just 7 months ago he beated a very strong Rodriguez and Valverde? Oh and Froome was there too, 10 minutes behind Contador at the end.
After he got back from suspension he was 4th on Eneco Tour, won Vuelta, was 4th in San Luis, 2nd on Oman and 3rd on Tirreno.
I believe that only a fresh Froome can beat him in the Tour. And that Saxo team will be very very strong working for Alberto every day and in much better shape than now Spoiler only Kreuziger arrived with less than 5 minutes to Henao today
No declining!!....yet  |
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| issoisso |
Posted on 03-04-2013 22:34
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kimiopn wrote:
Are we forgetting that just 7 months ago he beated a very strong Rodriguez and Valverde?
He beat them with sheer balls and good tactics. His legs were weaker.
kimiopn wrote:
Oh and Froome was there too, 10 minutes behind Contador at the end.
Froome had been on a form peak since June, of course he was dead by then.
kimiopn wrote:
After he got back from suspension he was 4th on Eneco Tour, won Vuelta, was 4th in San Luis, 2nd on Oman and 3rd on Tirreno.
The old Contador would've won all those at a canter, with the exception of San Luis. This is not the old Contador
kimiopn wrote:
I believe that only a fresh Froome can beat him in the Tour. And that Saxo team will be very very strong working for Alberto every day and in much better shape than now
We'll have to strongly disagree
kimiopn wrote:
No declining!!....yet
It's a big decline from the rider who won almost every single stage race he entered
EDIT: I went through the Saxo guys this season's results. Wow they really suck this year. Almost all of them.
Edited by issoisso on 03-04-2013 22:59
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 04-04-2013 06:10
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issoisso wrote:
kimiopn wrote:
Are we forgetting that just 7 months ago he beated a very strong Rodriguez and Valverde?
He beat them with sheer balls and good tactics. His legs were weaker.
kimiopn wrote:
Oh and Froome was there too, 10 minutes behind Contador at the end.
Froome had been on a form peak since June, of course he was dead by then.
kimiopn wrote:
After he got back from suspension he was 4th on Eneco Tour, won Vuelta, was 4th in San Luis, 2nd on Oman and 3rd on Tirreno.
The old Contador would've won all those at a canter, with the exception of San Luis. This is not the old Contador
kimiopn wrote:
I believe that only a fresh Froome can beat him in the Tour. And that Saxo team will be very very strong working for Alberto every day and in much better shape than now
We'll have to strongly disagree
kimiopn wrote:
No declining!!....yet
It's a big decline from the rider who won almost every single stage race he entered
EDIT: I went through the Saxo guys this season's results. Wow they really suck this year. Almost all of them.
I think Saxo are building up for GTs especially, you are usually good prophet,but even you are wrong many times, so i have to disagree and say that Saxo will be strong in Grand Tours this year. Roche and Kreuziger and not just someone (i know you will come and say otherwise in the reply, but well) and if they will work together, they can do very well. They are both Tour top 10 material and add Contador + Riijs to it = profit.
But they have no chance against Sky obviously, that is another story, that will get solved at courts in years to come.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 04-04-2013 06:11
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| fosforgasXIII |
Posted on 04-04-2013 14:39
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Van den Broeck abandoned.
And Andy Schleck tried to go in an early break away apparently
Edited by fosforgasXIII on 04-04-2013 14:44
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| RedDisciple |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:08
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We must agree that Contador isn't the rider who won almost all the stage races he entered, but he raised the bar so high that people expect those amazing results every time.We have to give the man credit for what he has done and cut him some slack, because he is far from being finished or something like that.He is still a great rider and one of the best climbers in the world, if not the best.
Edited by RedDisciple on 04-04-2013 15:08
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:14
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Taaramae dropping out of the break, it seems. |
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| fickman |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:18
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Taaramäe probably is never going to be in a top level agian. What a shame. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:19
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Aaaand Schleck drops out of the peloton. He's not even trying  |
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| juszta |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:19
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Andy is going backwards on the climb... What a surprise...  |
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| fickman |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:23
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France is in the opposite direction of the climb. Thats why  |
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| Kirchen_75 |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:32
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At least Andy is still in the race. |
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| Montolivo |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:34
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Great ride downhill by Ratto to be back in the group with P.Velits and M.Montaguti. They have a lead of 4min 20sec on the peloton with 29km to go. |
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| ianrussell |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:40
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Just catching up now - Velits did well to get in the break given his current strength and GC position. |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:53
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Nice to see Peter there, good move from OPQS.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:54
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At last they're doing something right... |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 04-04-2013 15:55
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But favourites should not have a bigger problem in catching them probably.
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