Topic Summary
Posted by: froome19
« on: August 20, 2012, 15:19 »
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/anton-ready-to-take-next-step-at-vuelta"Comparisons are difficult but the data tells me I'm feeling better than last year, that's for sure. I have less beaten legs. I've prepared for this race very well, although results throughout the year have not gone as I expected. But that does not mean I’m not ready,"
targeting stage wins.
"If I get a shot [at a stage] I'm not going to knock it back, but I already have four stages and earning more is not essential for me. What we now want is to adjust and maintain concentration for 21 days, for the general [classification] fight."
"I will ride differently because I will look to the overall, trying to be steady and keep power but it is not easy. You cannot relax for a single day. It's about being smart. Let's see if I can do it."
Contador is the greatest rival but having him in the race brings more value to any result.
"I hope to use all my anger that I have. He [Contador] can have a bad day also. He is human, right?"
Posted by: froome19
« on: August 19, 2012, 21:45 »
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-explains-bonus-sprint-ambushSeems like Alberto is raring to go, it reminds me of the start of the 2011 Tour, but this time round I cant see any reason for him not being in top form. Contador explained that he had been in a good position anyway on the slight rise through Viana, where the time bonus was situated - preceding a loop round the town and final bunch sprint finish - and had seen the opportunity to go for the third place in the time bonus behind two breakaways.
"I was toward the front anyway with [Danish teammate] Niki Sorensen, we were well placed, and we decided to go for it," Contador said, "and if there's another opportunity to take two seconds or six seconds tomorrow, I'd do it again - major Tours are won and lost by seconds sometimes."
Posted by: froome19
« on: August 19, 2012, 21:39 »
I launched a campaign  against time bonuses after it cost Froome the Vuelta last year and it seems the Vuelta organisers have listened by bringing the time bonuses down to..: 1st:12 2nd:8 3rd:4 IMO it is a very shrewd and clever move as it still provides an incentive for people to go on the attack and make the race more exciting, yet it reduces the impact of the time bonuses and goes a step to allowing a GT to be won as it should be.
Posted by: Tuart
« on: August 19, 2012, 14:54 »
"I'm not angry"
"Yes you are. Why?"
"No, really I'm not, I just want to win"
"You're really, really, angry, you can tell us"
"Seriously, no I'm not, I'm feeling kinda relaxed atm, this sportif should be fun"
"But what about your anger, tell about your ANGER!"
"Aaaaargh, shut the flip up!"
Next Day's headline...
ALBERTO ANGRY!
Posted by: ram
« on: August 19, 2012, 11:35 »
Cheers, let's see. It's his race to lose anyway.
Posted by: Slow Rider
« on: August 19, 2012, 09:17 »
Wether or not Contador is guilty, he'll be angry anyway. If he's innocent, he's angry for obvious reasons. And if he's guilty then he could be angry because, like so many other dopers, he's convinced he is somehow 'entitled' to dope. Or he could think everyone dopes, and that he is the only one caught. He might feel the UCI didn't serve his best interests, he might feel tricked by them or anyone else, whatever. Again, not important wether it is true or not, but it will have lit that fire in his belly regardless.
Most prominently though, he'll be angry because his reputation has been severely damaged. And what better way to repair (part of) that reputation than by winning the Vuelta while crushing the opposition, while passing each doping test in it?
Posted by: ram
« on: August 19, 2012, 09:06 »
Sigh.. Flor, you are unbelievable. You'll type out why in the next post itself.
Posted by: Fleur
« on: August 19, 2012, 08:30 »
Sigh... ram you are unbelievable. Of course Alberto wants revenge, he feels he has been wronged either because he actually is innocent or because everyone else also dopes. It is perfectly understandable.
Posted by: ram
« on: August 19, 2012, 07:48 »
That says to me that he should be the opposite of vengeful, grateful even. They most likely tried to save his arse, more than most others and it was only when the ship was sinking that the UCI, with nothing in it for them (unlike other cases), abandoned it. I know they're a favourite punching bag, but they can't be criticised too much here beyond their original hush hushness. No honour amongst thieves.
If you want to take it elsewhere, no issues with that, but can't see the need for rage, revenge and fire in belly for his own mistake.
Posted by: AG
« on: August 19, 2012, 07:13 »
While you are right - he did kinda get screwed over the by the UCI.
He tested positive to minute amounts of a drug in levels that previously could not be detected, the UCI agreed (IMO) to cover it up but it got leaked ... and the CAS found him only guilty of basically taking a contaminated supplement. They found the possibility of him intentionally doping to be unlikely. We should go to the dark side for opinions about the rights or wrongs of that - but he likely feels like he has been wronged by cycling/UCI.
Posted by: ram
« on: August 19, 2012, 04:57 »
TBH, I don't understand the usage of revenge and anger for Contador. He wasn't wronged. Why should he be angry? He got caught flipping the rules, if anything this a chance at redemption more than revenge. What next? Frank Schleck look for revenge for getting caught with diuretics?
And though he is well favourite, his condition itself is a guess a la Menchov, who also was pretty good in the prologue of the Tour. He should win, but will he win by as much everyone thinks?
Posted by: ram
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:52 »
Alberto will win cos he is awesome :o 8)
Aye? Awesome matters? Good, I'll apply for a UCI license and my awesomeness will win all three GTs next year. But yes, Contador is well favourite.
Posted by: search
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:32 »
if anyone is interested, someone has upladed the official roadbook of the Vuelta to Mediafire (pdf-file, ~120mb)
Posted by: Fleur
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:13 »
Alberto will win cos he is awesome :o 8)
Posted by: The Hitch
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:12 »
Hi all, first time i've visited this forum, just stumbled across it when looking for something else. Looks a really good site, with plenty of knowledgeable and enthusiastic cycling fans.
Having read through this thread, i wonder if someone could answer my why everyone here is so certain Contador will win and will win easily??
The last time any of us saw Contador racing proper was in last years TDF (2011) where he was decidedly average. Was there an excuse for this? And to be fair the year before 2010 TDF he only won because Andy's chain came off. Ok he had an easy victory in last years giro, where he was mightily impressive beating Nibali and Scarponi. But Wiggins and Froome have since beaten Nibali and Scarponi by further in last years vuelta and this years tour. Also factor in that Contador hasn't had a serious race for over year, not counting Eneco as didn't see any signs of the world beater there. As a big bettor on cycling, i certainly wouldn't be baking him at the insane odds on prices and probably wouldn't even make him favourite. In fact i have a hunch that bertie won't make the podium? Am i going crazy??
For what it's worth i make this between Froome and Rodriguez, if Froome had come straight here without TDF i would be backing him massively but after a hard 3 weeks just a month ago, the final week may just find him out now. So i would probably side with Purito. I have also backed at big prices2 outsiders, i have a feeling that Mollema or Talansky could be right in the mix challenging for podium places.
I most definitely do not agree with the " without a broken chain schleck would have beaten Contador" claim. It totally ignores the screw you moment schleck did not just to Contador but the entire peloton on stage 3 when he refused to wait for them as they sat behind a crash and took a minute sitting behind cancellara. If you take the tour as a whole schleck was unable to drop Contador in the mountains and lost time on both tts so all things fair Contador still would have won even if not as dominant as always. 2nd point im not that impressed about wiggins beating scarponi in the vuelta considering scarponi withdrew after a crash  .nibali, it also should be.pointed out, was well out of form as coming 7th on gc suggests. The tour is more.relevant- as regards nibali and not scarponi who.post giro was just there to chase breakaways. But lets remember wiggins got 90%of his margin on nibali in give it all.tts. Contador, after taking the race by the balls on the first 2 mountain stages, was content to just sit in with the group until the final few k or even final few m of all the mountain stages. That does not.mean that if Contador (who was also alone and not with the 2nd 5th and 6th best riders in the race on his team) was told to beat nibali by as much as he could we would not see him putting minutes into.nibali and co.on every mountain stage with the ease he did it on etna and grossglockner
Posted by: Slow Rider
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:09 »
Contador has only been out for half a year, and during that time has probably trained hard. I still believe that if Contador gets to his Giro 2011 or Tour 2009 form, he's pretty much unbeatable in a 3 week race. But it is of course uncertain what kind of form Contador will arrive in. If he hasn't been able to train much, then it is entirely possible he won't be as good as most (including myself) expect him to be. However, I think he'll have a decent start and only improve from there, absolutely crushing everyone during the third week.
I hope you're right though, certainly a close Vuelta between mutliple contenders will be a lot more interesting than one completely dominated by Contador.
Posted by: Tuart
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:09 »
Well some would say we last saw Contador racing properly and fresh at the Giro last year, and we all know what he did there. That's why he's the undisputed favourite. JRod hasn't shown he can win a GT, or even win doing two GT's in a year, consistency and form big question marks, Moreno was better than him last year. Can't see how backing Contador as a favourite is more of a gamble than backing Froome who we literally don't know how he will respond doing back-to-back GTs (and the Olympics!). So does that leave? Contador.
Posted by: Legionnaire
« on: August 18, 2012, 12:00 »
Hi Slow Rider,
Thanks for the reply. I totally respect your opinion and Contador is no doubt one of the great riders of our generation. I just don't see him as far ahead of people like Froome and Rodriguez as most people do, and while he and his team may say he is in great form. the fact remains he hasn't raced for a year and so i feel others will have an edge in race hardened core fitness that will be apparrent in the final week.
Like anything it's great for people to have different opinions.
Lets just hope we all in for a great 3 weeks of racing, i certainly think this could be an epic tour with 4 or 5 riders in contention going in to the final couple of stages!
Posted by: DinZ
« on: August 18, 2012, 11:57 »
As Slow rider said i think a lot of people are looking at the Giro winning Contador not the tour one. not only did he win the Giro he utterly dominated.
normally a rider coming back from a ban would carry doubts but lets face it was not much of a ban. he will be fresh, he will not have lost match fitness and most people think he is going to be angry.
i personally do not think Froome will be able to carry form through the three weeks. Froome from the tour would have pushed an on form Contador but even then would not be favourite. a Froome with a full hard tour in his legs. do not see it. That leaves JRod. here i am not sure. watching him crack on the big climbs last year has damaged my faith in him. will need to make the time bonuses count
Posted by: Slow Rider
« on: August 18, 2012, 11:50 »
Hi all, first time i've visited this forum, just stumbled across it when looking for something else. Looks a really good site, with plenty of knowledgeable and enthusiastic cycling fans.
Having read through this thread, i wonder if someone could answer my why everyone here is so certain Contador will win and will win easily??
The last time any of us saw Contador racing proper was in last years TDF (2011) where he was decidedly average. Was there an excuse for this? And to be fair the year before 2010 TDF he only won because Andy's chain came off. Ok he had an easy victory in last years giro, where he was mightily impressive beating Nibali and Scarponi. But Wiggins and Froome have since beaten Nibali and Scarponi by further in last years vuelta and this years tour. Also factor in that Contador hasn't had a serious race for over year, not counting Eneco as didn't see any signs of the world beater there. As a big bettor on cycling, i certainly wouldn't be baking him at the insane odds on prices and probably wouldn't even make him favourite. In fact i have a hunch that bertie won't make the podium? Am i going crazy??
For what it's worth i make this between Froome and Rodriguez, if Froome had come straight here without TDF i would be backing him massively but after a hard 3 weeks just a month ago, the final week may just find him out now. So i would probably side with Purito. I have also backed at big prices2 outsiders, i have a feeling that Mollema or Talansky could be right in the mix challenging for podium places.
Welcome to Velorooms! Always good to have one more cycling fan on here Contador will win because when he's in top form, he's simply the best cyclist in the world. You're right that in the 2011 Tour Contador didn't win, but he was not in top form there. He was tired after a very hard Giro which, as you say, he won easily. His opponents on the other hand had a perfect preparation for the Tour, and arrived completely fresh. Have a look at winners of the Giro who tried the Tour in the same year: you'll find that since a doped up Pantani won both in the same year no one has been able to repeat that. In modern cycling, it's just too hard to peak for both the Giro and the Tour. Furthermore, Contador had a fall during the Tour which cost him time and injured him. That injury cost him a lot of strength. He didn't start fresh, his injury only added to that. And even in those circumstances he was able to liven up the Tour and ride a decent GC. Now that Contador is back after a suspension, he'll be in top form and fired up to win this thing. Froome is tired from the Tour and Rodriguez, while this course is perfect for him, isn't in the same league as Contador. Thus I think Contador will win this easily, and make the rest look silly in the process. It is of course entirely possible that you will turn out to be right, and Contador will suffer and not make the podium. I do not deem that very likely though, but you never know.
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