meatpants

I'm gonna say it, and pi** off at least half of you: Alberto Contador is genuinely a nice guy. If you notice, most people began hating on him last year after he passed Lance on the mountains, and left Kloden while Kloden was blowing up. At that point, LA began saying things about him to the media, and via twitter (really, dude, you were 37 years old... twittering?).

AC didn't speak English very well, and just kept his mouth shut, and sat and took it. then he took the Yellow Jersey, and Lance didn't shut up about it, until last week.

If you go back and look at last year's footage, when AC attacked, leaving Armstrong, AC looked to Lance about 3-4 times on that stage, wanting to know when Lance was going to attack. Lance couldn't go, and said nothing, staring straight ahead. It was after that that everything blew up.

Last year's tour proved that there was a new guard. Kloden, LA, Levi, Cadel, etc. are done- they won't win the tour anymore unless the new guys fall off of a cliff, or make serious errors.

Because of the media (Phil Liggett especially comes to mind) was so critical of AC, AC went out and learned English. If you notice, he tries very hard to give English interviews to Versus, and although they aren't great, you can see that he is someone who is trying very hard.

Prior to 3 months before the tour, it was AC's team, and they were doing very well. AC excelling at his sport drew the contempt of guys who had lost a step but didn't know it, and of journalists who have a penchant for young, white 'boys'.

I hope that he wins, and that Phil Liggett and the rest get their hands out of Mark Cavendish's and Andy Schleck's pants for a minute to seriously consider a great cyclist, who really is a humble guy (as much as a millionaire pro cyclist can be).

He does, however, need to dump the whole Pistolero thing... uggg.

Zanobi

I guess you'd say piss off to all the riders too because they'd tell you Jens is the nicest guy in the tour.


And I think you need to go back and look at the tapes again. AC got pissed because Lance rode smart early on and made the break when the peloton split due to crosswinds (he's been on the ball this year so he's not embarrassed again). He was on the attack every chance he got after that. I agree the language barrier was an issue for him, but if you ask me it made him not trust the rest of the team because he couldn't communicate effectively.

Yeah, some people started talking smack unnecessarily. Yes, some people are such big Lance fans that they'll take what he says as gospel (and Sherwin is an HTC fan and can't go more than 30 seconds of a broadcast without pointing out how great they are, it happens). AC made a name for himself with the way he rode for himself when they could have had all 3 podium spots. He may be nice, but he's no different than the many others out there. He rides only for himself.

TechKnowGN

I find it funny that Jens Voigt is both the nicest guy and the biggest load of man in the entire tour. How the hell he does some of the things he does is beyond me. When he took that huge pull the other day I was like holy hell, he has to pop soon....

and 2 minutes later I said the same thing...

and then finally about couple minutes later he finally did.

Keith99

There was all but zero chance of Astana having all 3 podium spots last year. On the stage where AC did attack for major time it was only a matter of time until the Schleck brothers went. If for some unknown reason they did not on that stage at least Andy would have gone on Mont Ventoux.

I can not recall any time in the history of the Tour when a rider who came in as the favorite for Yellow and was still in contention was asked to adjust his race to help the placing of teammates further down the rankings. EXCEPT for last year.

I can think of a time when a team had a realistic chance to take all 3 places, they made no special effort to insure lower steps on the podium.

DiabloScott

I wish they'd let him speak castellano. And any other rider ought to be able to be interviewed in a language they're confident in. Hard enough thinking of something meaningful to say at the end of a hard ride in a zoo of reporters without having to think of how to say it in another tongue.

And when they do let some non-English stuff get on, I'd rather they put up subtitles than overdubs... I like to hear their voices.

Crash716

I bet Vino would argue different.

velomonk

Contador may not be the nicest guy in the peloton – he is a young superstar athlete after all – but he's been made to look like much more of an ******* than he really is, that's for sure.

And screw english, the least they can do is translate.

meatpants

i'm pretty sure he is requesting to speak in English- he has a translator with him, but is trying to work his English game. pretty cool, IMHO

Laminarman

He said his ten seconds today were "a psychological blow" to Schleck. I think he's arrogant and a weasel and he speaks better English than he lets on. Andy Schleck is sometimes a bit arrogant (heck they all are) but I'm pulling for Andy.

wabbit

I don't think 'nice' is the right term, but classy, someone who acts decent.
apparently Oscar Freire has a reputation for being a really classy, decent guy and everyone likes him! A lot of times sprinters are seen as 'bad' because sprints can be nasty, they do risky stuff and even get into shoving, but they usually seem to be the opposite in person! Probably because sprinters can't be nervous or high strung.

Gilberto Simoni was always being razzed for his 'trash talking' Lance Armstrong, but that's just part of the game...it's all part of psyching out the other guy....in interviews he always seemed to be very softspoken, modest and unassuming.

ritepath

He already has two wins, this year will make his third. He seems to give a pretty good interview, I can't seem to find any reason not to like him. He's going to be around several more years so everyone should just get used to it.

cwk132

Versus also said that after one of the stages last week he went over to the Radioshack bus to give Johan and Lance commemorative watches. It can either be interpreted as kind of a ******y move or as an act of kindness/out of respect for two other great cyclists. Take it as you will.

kleinboogie

It's Jens Voigt, everyone knows that.

OrionKhan

Wise move to edit that post.

TommyL

I think folks who dislike Contador are using him as a scapegoat for the fact that Lance isn't winning his 11th straight tour this year.

In fact, most people who sit a home and complain about the character of cyclists need to get a life. We have no idea what these guys are like as individuals outside of cycling, and we're not professional cyclists. If a rider publicly does something exceptionally classy, I will like them more. If they slip up, I try give them the benefit of the doubt. The result? I am a fan of most of the riders in the peloton, and every race/stage is quite enjoyable for me!

kleinboogie

Heh, yeah. Too many opinions in one post is not a good thing. I still think it's Jens.

embankmentlb

Everything I have read or heard about Contador indicates he is a class act. I can't say that about his former team mates.

guadzilla

Agree about Contador. My Spanish is a lot rustier these days, from lack of use, but I do follow his Tweet and FB updates, and he comes across as a very, very classy guy.

Today - an hour and a half after the stage was over:
"Great day today for the team.Congratulations Vino!:-)I am happier than if I had won."

He also congratulated Andy Schleck the day AS beat him on the climb - and not in a backhanded way either. I really dont get the AC hate (well, actually, I do - Meatpants pretty much nailed it).

V.

DiabloScott

Oh oh... prepare to be attacked by the SPOILER NAZIS....

pandabear

No, he didn't. Chill. The reporter asked if he though it was a psychological blow, spoon-feeding him quotes, and he simply said it was "good for his (own) head."

slcbob

I agree that the whole Pistolero thing is ridiculous. It's the one thing I actively dislike about Contador.

As for the rest, for a guy who has every right to be an arrogant @$% with his skills, from what I hear I do think he's fairly humble and easy going. And I really do think he was placed in a horrible position last year. I was pre-disposed to be sympathetic to him for that. And he's still a young pup.

wabbit

eh, it's all part of the psychout game. What are they supposed to say? 'Oh geez...i may as well just give up now...'

prettyshady

still the nicest guy in the tour?

Greg_R

Nice - maybe; classy - no.

guadzilla

Well, he could have done the classy thing by sitting up, yes.

But given that Andy has gained about 3-4" due to various crashes (Contador losing out when he crashed while AS not losing any time during his own crash), I dont really blame him. Ultimately, this is a competition, not a charity.

V.