Notices
Professional Cycling For the Fans Follow the Tour de France,the Giro de Italia, the Spring Classics, or other professional cycling races? Here's your home...

Contador's Rise

Old 07-23-09, 09:52 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 450
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Contador's Rise

I'm not too familiar with what young Contador has gone through to reach his current heights, other than his Wiki entry. Did any of you veteran cycling fans know of him before his win in 2007? Was he a prodigy climber young or something? How did he step up from climber to all-round star?
monosierra is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:00 AM
  #2  
.
 
botto's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 40,375
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 27 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by monosierra
I'm not too familiar with what young Contador has gone through to reach his current heights, other than his Wiki entry. Did any of you veteran cycling fans know of him before his win in 2007? Was he a prodigy climber young or something? How did he step up from climber to all-round star?
yes.
botto is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:01 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 99
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
He was a prodigy climber who has greatly improved his all around riding.

He sort of backed into the 2007 TdF title at a very young age in a year with no true peleton patron and the rasmussen doping controversy, but he stamped the law down last year in the Giro and Vuelta and has clearly elevated himself to one of the true greats the past two offseasons.
vadimivich is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:02 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
drafters65's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC/NJ
Posts: 445

Bikes: 02' Fuji Team, 85' Miyata ninety SS, 18' Citizen Rome

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
someone drug test this kid...
drafters65 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:09 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 736
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by monosierra
I'm not too familiar with what young Contador has gone through to reach his current heights, other than his Wiki entry. Did any of you veteran cycling fans know of him before his win in 2007? Was he a prodigy climber young or something? How did he step up from climber to all-round star?
He was hired by the right DS. Bruyneel was very conscious of him before his hired him for the 07 season. Unfortunately, Bruyneel has not been able to bring up his IQ or tactics.
daveF is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:10 AM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
reef58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 1,690

Bikes: Serotta Nove

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Don't worry they will.

For some reason if someone other than Lance wins it must be drugs. He is just better drugs or not. He is even much better than I thought. Lance should reconsider his plans. Today was his day to prove he still has it, and he failed.

Richard

Originally Posted by drafters65
someone drug test this kid...
reef58 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:11 AM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
reef58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 1,690

Bikes: Serotta Nove

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Yea that is killing his performace.

Richard

Originally Posted by daveF
He was hired by the right DS. Bruyneel was very conscious of him before his hired him for the 07 season. Unfortunately, Bruyneel has not been able to bring up his IQ or tactics.
reef58 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:13 AM
  #8  
pluralis majestatis
 
redfooj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: you rope
Posts: 4,206

Bikes: a DuhRosa

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 537 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by daveF
He was hired by the right DS. Bruyneel was very conscious of him before his hired him for the 07 season. Unfortunately, Bruyneel has not been able to bring up his IQ or tactics.

some people will say anything.....
his IQ and tactics hasnt hurt his GC standing I see...
redfooj is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:27 AM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 311
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by daveF
He was hired by the right DS. Bruyneel was very conscious of him before his hired him for the 07 season. Unfortunately, Bruyneel has not been able to bring up his IQ or tactics.
LOL........

AC not only had to beat the other TDF teams, but he also had to beat (most of) Astana...

From where I sit, he has outsmarted all of them at their own game.
Romans8:28 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:36 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
drafters65's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC/NJ
Posts: 445

Bikes: 02' Fuji Team, 85' Miyata ninety SS, 18' Citizen Rome

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by reef58
Don't worry they will.

For some reason if someone other than Lance wins it must be drugs. He is just better drugs or not. He is even much better than I thought. Lance should reconsider his plans. Today was his day to prove he still has it, and he failed.

Richard
that was a compliment
drafters65 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:38 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 736
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Romans8:28
LOL........

AC not only had to beat the other TDF teams, but he also had to beat (most of) Astana...

From where I sit, he has outsmarted all of them at their own game.
It's a team sport with team goals as well. Look at Bruyneels interview on Velonews. Who does Contador work for. Well shortly it will be Vino & he'll be wishing Bruyneel was still there. Think it is smart to ignore your bosses advice? How long do you stay employed? They also had a goal of putting as many riders on the podium as possible, did they not?
daveF is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:47 AM
  #12  
Legs of Steel
 
chrisvu05's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: On my bike
Posts: 1,832

Bikes: Pegoretti Marcelo, Cannondale six13

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by reef58
Don't worry they will.

For some reason if someone other than Lance wins it must be drugs. He is just better drugs or not. He is even much better than I thought. Lance should reconsider his plans. Today was his day to prove he still has it, and he failed.

Richard
I think the issue is he beat Cancellara....people don't beat Cancellara in a TT. It has nothing to do with lance.
chrisvu05 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:48 AM
  #13  
Up on the Down Side
 
CyLowe97's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago(ish)
Posts: 6,334
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by chrisvu05
people don't beat Cancellara in a TT.
Even I know this, so I'll say it:

incorrect.
CyLowe97 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:49 AM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
erader's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: silicon valley
Posts: 1,774
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by daveF
It's a team sport with team goals as well. Look at Bruyneels interview on Velonews. Who does Contador work for. Well shortly it will be Vino & he'll be wishing Bruyneel was still there. Think it is smart to ignore your bosses advice? How long do you stay employed? They also had a goal of putting as many riders on the podium as possible, did they not?
what bruyneel tried to do was hamstring the tour champion and place armstorng as team captain. if lance had taken yellow on arcalis bruyneel's machinations could have very well cost astana the yellow jersey.

all this having the yellow jersey ride to place domestiques on the podium is just more lance twitter BS .

ed rader
erader is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:50 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 736
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by chrisvu05
I think the issue is he beat Cancellara....people don't beat Cancellara in a TT. It has nothing to do with lance.
As well as his background. He was initially linked to Operation Puerto. However, he's Spanish & not a single Spanish rider has been banned with the exception of Valverde & only in Italy.
daveF is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 10:50 AM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
erader's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: silicon valley
Posts: 1,774
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by chrisvu05
I think the issue is he beat Cancellara....people don't beat Cancellara in a TT. It has nothing to do with lance.
vu, that makes you sound like a fu !

ed rader
erader is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 11:28 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 311
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
"He (Contador) has worked very hard, earning the right to represent our team as the leader this July."
Buryneel on 6/26/09

YEAH RIGHT...........

Can anyone show me where the "team" actually acted in the best interest of Contador and treated him as a true leader?

Dropping in him in a wind split peloton and actually putting riders in front to drive up a time gap?

Keeping him “throttled” from attacking rivals on mountain top finishes under the guise of hurting his team?

The only time the teams interests aligned with “supporting” Contador was when they coincided with supporting Lance. The TTT was important to LA, driving/controlling the peloton was important to LA, etc.

It was obvious to me that from the beginning, it was JB and LA plan to get Lance into yellow ASAP AHEAD of Contador. If they had been successful in doing that, Lance would have been anointed “temporary” leader (just pretending) and use it as further justification to throttle Contador. The longer Lance stayed in yellow the more it would have become impossible for AC to attack without being heavily, heavily criticized. AC knew this and took matters into his own hands.
Romans8:28 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 11:37 AM
  #18  
Up on the Down Side
 
CyLowe97's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago(ish)
Posts: 6,334
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 4 Posts
Blah blah blah.

AC did his talking in the mountains and the TT's. What more do you want him to do?

If wants to gloat at this point about winning despite his team, then he should go ahead and do so. If he chooses to be less obnoxious about it, then so be it. Good on him either way.

BTW, does anyone know if he's going to defend his Vuelta title this year?
CyLowe97 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 11:45 AM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
reef58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 1,690

Bikes: Serotta Nove

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Also keep in mind this year's course was meant to keep the time gaps close. If it were a tougher course in that reagrd AC would have a 10 minute lead probably.

Richard
reef58 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 11:52 AM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Quel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 3,653
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Romans8:28
"He (Contador) has worked very hard, earning the right to represent our team as the leader this July."
Buryneel on 6/26/09

YEAH RIGHT...........

Can anyone show me where the "team" actually acted in the best interest of Contador and treated him as a true leader?
I think you (and JB) are using the term "leader" interchangeably with "best rider". In this case, I don't think the same. Lance and AC each thought they were both the leader and best rider, and both were mistaken. I have seen plenty to demonstrate AC is the best rider, but none of his actions seem to indicate he is the team leader.
Quel is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 12:02 PM
  #21  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 311
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Quel
I think you (and JB) are using the term "leader" interchangeably with "best rider". In this case, I don't think the same. Lance and AC each thought they were both the leader and best rider, and both were mistaken. I have seen plenty to demonstrate AC is the best rider, but none of his actions seem to indicate he is the team leader.
No............ leader means (and meant) leader:

https://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug...=afp&type=lgns

It wasn't until the eve of the TDF when the "strongest/best" rider talk started, which oddly enough was supposed to be settled after the first TT, then the mountains, etc, etc

I seriously doubt that JB/LA even consider it settled now, after all there are still three stages

Last edited by Romans8:28; 07-23-09 at 12:06 PM.
Romans8:28 is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 12:06 PM
  #22  
Elitist Troglodyte
 
DMF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas
Posts: 6,925

Bikes: 03 Raleigh Professional (steel)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by erader
what bruyneel tried to do was hamstring the tour champion and place armstorng as team captain. if lance had taken yellow on arcalis bruyneel's machinations could have very well cost astana the yellow jersey.
Uhh... WHAT? Are you watching the same race as the rest of us!?


With two exceptions Alberto has been following Bruyneel's instructions closely. The first exception gained him a few seconds that he didn't need, and the second cost his teammate dearly - and the team a probably podium spot. I guarantee you that he regrets the second. It was obvious at the time!

Tactics aside, under Johan he learned how to TT and to TTT. Without the time he gained in those two disciplines he might not have sniffed yellow at all.
__________________
Stupidity got us into this mess - why can't it get us out?

- Will Rogers
DMF is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 12:13 PM
  #23  
Elitist Troglodyte
 
DMF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas
Posts: 6,925

Bikes: 03 Raleigh Professional (steel)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Quel
I think you (and JB) are using the term "leader" interchangeably with "best rider". In this case, I don't think the same. Lance and AC each thought they were both the leader and best rider, and both were mistaken. I have seen plenty to demonstrate AC is the best rider, but none of his actions seem to indicate he is the team leader.
I absolutely agree, except that if you read his quotes carefully, LA always said that AC is the "best rider". Of course he also said that he (Lance) is (or was) riding "to win", but that doesn't contradict his opinion of AC.

There a plenty of parallel situations. Jens Voigt, for instance, is referred to as the Saxobank "team leader", even though he may be the 3rd (or even 4th) best rider on the team.

What most of the people here seem unable to grasp is that a team leader - by definition - is not out only for himself.
__________________
Stupidity got us into this mess - why can't it get us out?

- Will Rogers
DMF is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 09:50 PM
  #24  
pluralis majestatis
 
redfooj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: you rope
Posts: 4,206

Bikes: a DuhRosa

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 537 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by daveF
Think it is smart to ignore your bosses advice? How long do you stay employed? They also had a goal of putting as many riders on the podium as possible, did they not?
You'll be a pretty dumb boss if you wont support the best rider on the planet....
redfooj is offline  
Old 07-23-09, 11:05 PM
  #25  
Señor Member
 
USAZorro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hardy, VA
Posts: 17,935

Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs

Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1491 Post(s)
Liked 1,072 Times in 634 Posts
Originally Posted by drafters65
someone drug test this kid...
You mean beyond all the days he takes a stage, wears the yellow jersey, or is selected for "random testing" at least one day out of three while in competition?
__________________
In search of what to search for.
USAZorro is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.