Contador to Trek Segafredo

pelevin

Having apparently signed up for the next 2 seasons I wonder will Contador struggle to adapt to having team-mates in the next chapter of his career. Though rumours are he's dying to bring Majka with him to help him in the mountains by being up the road on a break, or else out the back having been up the road earlier on a break. Kreuziger is also very much wanted if he can get over his earpiece problems.

He more or less won 2015 Giro & 2014 Vuelta on his own so it might be a rude awakening for him. Anyway glad he's continuing for the immediate future.

Inquitus

Aye its good to see him continue racing, I still want to see Contador v Froome v Quintana all in form and uninjured one year before he does pack away his cleats.

Shame that crash on the flat has clearly ruined his GC chances in this Tour, hopefully he can try for a stage win or two in the Alps, tomorrow looks like being another long day for him nursing his injuries.

RobFowl

I think AC is past his best and won't challenge in the TDF again. Suspect he has another Vuelta/Giro or two in him though.

odyssey06

Maybe he'll bring Nico with him, his last reliable team mate...

pelevin

I'd have thought this would be realistically his last TdF chance if he still had one in him but sadly obviously any chances of competing went straight away with those cashes. Far from an easy decision, & maybe for all I know not a realistic one for him, but I think he might be better off abandoning this Tour in preference for trying to win the Vuelta rather than hoping for a late stage win here.

velo.2010

odyssey06 wrote: »

Maybe he'll bring Nico with him, his last reliable team mate...

He brings Jesus Hernandez, who is his training buddy more than anything else. Also, De Jongh, his mechanic, and maybe one or two more trusted staff. If Degenkolb is also signed by Trek, then there is still the issue of diluting the team for the Tour. That simply doesn't happen with Sky and Movistar where its all about one rider.

Its the 100th Giro next year and RCS are determined to lure Froome, Quintana etc. I can see Froome going to the Giro next year if he wins this year's Tour. Maybe an opportunity for Contador if he skips the Giro next year?

cats pyjamas

Nico is rumoured to be going to the Qatar/Dubai (one of those states out there) based team next year with Nibali

pelevin

velo.2010 wrote: »

Its the 100th Giro next year and RCS are determined to lure Froome, Quintana etc. I can see Froome going to the Giro next year if he wins this year's Tour. Maybe an opportunity for Contador if he skips the Giro next year?

Would be great to have such a full-on Giro, whatever about riders skipping it to have a leg-up over rivals for the Tour! In terms of racing terrain, narrow roads, greater intimacy, the Giro has it over the Tour for me, tough of course in terms of the beauty of the general landscape the Tour is magnificent.

Brian?

pelevin wrote: »

I'd have thought this would be realistically his last TdF chance if he still had one in him but sadly obviously any chances of competing went straight away with those cashes. Far from an easy decision, & maybe for all I know not a realistic one for him, but I think he might be better off abandoning this Tour in preference for trying to win the Vuelta rather than hoping for a late stage win here.

I keep seeing people float the idea of him abandoning the Tour and going for the Vuelta. No chance. It's not in his nature to quit. When he abandoned the tour in 2014 he'd just cycled 50km, over a cat 1 climb with a broken leg.

He could still finish top 5, his form is improving every day, just not enough to hang in today.

pelevin

Brian? wrote: »

I keep seeing people float the idea of him abandoning the Tour and going for the Vuelta. No chance. It's not in his nature to quit. When he abandoned the tour in 2014 he'd just cycled 50km, over a cat 1 climb with a broken leg.

He could still finish top 5, his form is improving every day, just not enough to hang in today.

I agree that it doesn't seem to be in his character to abandon. I'd just prefer him to be in great shape for the Vuelta & so not lose the condition he'd been building for the Tour for the last many months, rather than in a sense lose that for the sake of maybe a late stage win. Though for him if that latter path is what feels right for him fair enough, & it is probably the more impressive or admirable thing to do in terms of character & pride.

gordongekko

Brian? wrote: »

I keep seeing people float the idea of him abandoning the Tour and going for the Vuelta. No chance. It's not in his nature to quit. When he abandoned the tour in 2014 he'd just cycled 50km, over a cat 1 climb with a broken leg.

He could still finish top 5, his form is improving every day, just not enough to hang in today.

:D

Brian?

gordongekko wrote: »

:D

laugh away, but he didn't abandon out of choice to save himself for the Vuelta as previously suggested. He abandoned because he couldn't go on

quozl

Or that is his story... His DS didn't look very convinced.

Brian?

quozl wrote: »

Or that is his story... His DS didn't look very convinced.

I will never believe Contador gave up easily. He's hard as nails.

pelevin

Take it on the chin Brian. You said it wasn't in him to quit the day before he quit. Your credibility is gone down the swanny.

Brian?

pelevin wrote: »

Take it on the chin Brian. You said it wasn't in him to quit the day before he quit. Your credibility is gone down the swanny.

I'll do no such thing. I said it wasn't in him to quit and concentrate on the Vuelta as long as he could still stay in the Tour. I maintain that. He got sick and couldn't continue.

Contador has never quit a race when he could continue on. For Christ sake look how long it took him to abandon in 2014 after his crash.

He did not quit to save himself for the Vuelta. He abandoned because he was sick.

If he abandoned to save himself for the Vuelta, there would be war inside Tinkoff.

pelevin

Ah come on. Take it on the chin, Brian!

pelevin

To add, my last couple of posts not too serious naturally enough.

oflahero

Stand your ground Brian?, the day someone admits they were wrong on the internet is the day civilisation falls.

Brian?

oflahero wrote: »

Stand your ground Brian?, the day someone admits they were wrong on the internet is the day civilisation falls.

That's unfair. I've admitted I'm wrong on boards many, many times. I'm wrong quite a bit.

For instance, I dismissed Froome as useless descending or on cobbles. I was seriously wrong there.

I'm right this time though.

pelevin

Brian? wrote: »

I'm right this time though.

In the sense that Contador wasn't about to quit.

Lusk_Doyle

pelevin wrote: »

In the sense that Contador wasn't about to quit.

THAT COMMENT WAS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT!!!

pelevin

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

THAT COMMENT WAS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT!!!

All these subtleties are making me dizzy.