# seriously, contador is not out yet



## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

2:0x minutes off of cadel.

that is not insurmountable.

he's still in it.

even levi is now 5:xx off of cadel.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

bas said:


> 2:0x minutes off of cadel.
> 
> that is not insurmountable.
> 
> ...


What have you seen in this years tour that gives you confidence that he can climb better than Evans, Andy, Frank or Basso?

Len


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## biobanker (Jun 11, 2009)

But his legs just dont seem to have it. He couldnt stay with the group today. If he returns to Giro like dominance, he can do it, but I cant see it in his legs...


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

It is all about tactics. He is lulling them into a false sense of confidence by letting them ride away from him.


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## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

krisdrum said:


> It is all about tactics. He is lulling them into a false sense of confidence by letting them ride away from him.


so by this time next month, he'll have them where he wants them


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

I think he'll bounce back... but by how much and when?


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

The truth is, _everybody_ has good and bad days, and you can't make too much of today's stage.

But it hardly looks good for him. Not the dominant Contador we're used to seeing. But who know, maybe his legs will wake up.


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## eminefes (Mar 2, 2010)

Not exactly the same situation, but Contador couldn't keep up with Schleck in stage 8 last year either:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiuDsotnvNQ

Time will tell


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

He's done, I woudl guess he will lose small chunks of time on each uphill finish if he dosn't fall aprat all together. Weither its his knee of the fatigue from the Giro he just dosn't have it and I doubt he will be getting back this tour.


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

I think it shows that riding the Giro and the TDF in the same year isn't doable if you want to contend for GC. IMO, more concerning for AC than the few seconds additional time lost to Schleck was seeing Navarro and Hernandez crack early on the final climb. That doesn't signal good things in the days ahead as far as help goes.


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

Perhaps he'll feel a little better as he heals up from the earlier crash, but he's gonna have to start attacking Evans in the high mountains, as he can't expect to make up that kind of time in the ITT.

I'm guessing his strategy right now is limit time losses in the Pyrenees, as he clearly does not have the legs to attack, and hope for recovery and a second wind by the time the race reaches the Alps.

But of course, the Shlecks, Evans, Basso can all smell the blood in the water, and will possibly look to eliminate him in Stage 14 before he can recover for the Alps.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

It's obvious he's far from fresh, and perhaps he does have a later, bigger investment in mind, but it's just all insane given his time deficit he'd think like that. He's fighting, and that's all we know he's going to do.

As a fan I could comfortably write him off if tomorrow is like this. While it's not all that honorable to use the Giro as an excuse, there's no denying it happened. Doubling up is perhaps too much for anyone.


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## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

krisdrum said:


> It is all about tactics. He is lulling them into a false sense of confidence by letting them ride away from him.


I try this tactic all the time!

Seriously, though, while he doesn't look as dominant as he has in years past, I'm not writing him off just yet.


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## JoelS (Aug 25, 2008)

He's done. He didn't have it today, and is unlikely to in the next 2 stages. He's not going to get the time back. Unless he figures out some new doping cocktail on the next rest day, or goes for a blood transfusion again. But he's likely under a lot of scrutiny right now and hopefully won't resort to that.

I think he may be working up an excuse to withdraw as an attempt to save face. That's probably what bringing up a knee injury was all about.


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## mtrider05 (Aug 8, 2009)

Writing someone like Contador off after the first mountain stage is pretty stupid, especially considering the exact thing happened last year.


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

I think Bertie has a big job on his hands if he's gonna win the Tour this year, and his pedaling looked really laboured at times today. His cadence was slow and ponderous, not the usual dance.

But a we've seen in years' past, his recovery is as good as anyone else out there. Sure it's a blow to lose some more seconds on the first day in the mountains. But there are lots of mountains still to come, and being good on the first day doesn't mean you're guaranteed to be good every day.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

watching the ol schleck 1-2 is the key to attacking him and other rivals...they really worked him today tag teaming.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

eminefes said:


> Not exactly the same situation, but Contador couldn't keep up with Schleck in stage 8 last year either:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiuDsotnvNQ
> 
> Time will tell


and if he was 2:00 off by then, he would have lost the Tour.


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## tricycletalent (Apr 2, 2005)

He is done. He had to ride the Giro. He couldn't dope as much afterwards as Pantani probably did to speed regeneration. He is here because it was his chance at a ticket out of his positive doping test last year, but it won't work out. Both Fränk, Andy, Basso, Evans and Sanchez looks stronger. He might just hang in there for fourth, if he has the morale. Oh, he will probably have to ride the Vuelta as well, or the worlds, just to create chaos, should he be found guilty.


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## erj549 (Jul 26, 2008)

krisdrum said:


> It is all about tactics. He is lulling them into a false sense of confidence by letting them ride away from him.


No, no he isn't. What brilliant strategic move have you ever seen Contador make that leads you to believe that he would intentionally give up time on his rivals to induce a false sense of security? If he's feeling good, he always attacks, strategy and consequences be damned. He may not be out of it yet, but he's definitely not bluffing.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

The fat lady is warming up and is holding a fork.

fc


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

francois said:


> The fat lady is warming up and is holding a fork.
> 
> fc


I agree. He was not impressive so far, and today he was on the ropes and losing time, instead of gaining. Doesn't look good. Yet it's too early to dismiss him entirely. Andy Schleck, Evans and Basso weren't exactly successful in attacking either, but they probably should have.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Whats the chance he is racing clean this year and just can't put time in to the other riders?


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## ocean-ro (Nov 23, 2009)

He`s not out yet, but didn`t look sharp eighter.
It`s still a long way to go. I hope the winner will be decided by races like today not by crashes.
So far was a interesting Tour


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## ilmaestro (May 3, 2008)

pulser955 said:


> Whats the chance he is racing clean this year and just can't put time in to the other riders?


Interesting question. Definitely possible.


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## Andy Pancroft (Jul 15, 2011)

krisdrum said:


> It is all about tactics. He is lulling them into a false sense of confidence by letting them ride away from him.


I completely agree with this! AC is notorious for laying in wait!! I wouldn't count him out just yet.


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

pulser955 said:


> Whats the chance he is racing clean this year and just can't put time in to the other riders?


This, he won't be having any miracle recoveries this year. Reading UCI and letour's comments the un stated obvious answer was he could ride but he was going to be "watched"


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## jwcurry83 (Jun 21, 2010)

The way the Schleck brothers are riding, they are going to be tough to beat; the look on Contador's face during the last 2km today said it all.. I think he is done.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

ilmaestro said:


> Interesting question. Definitely possible.


but what about Giro then? I think he is just overcooked.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I'm probably the biggest Contador fan on this website, and even I think he's gone the proverbial Tour Too Far. There are a lot of riders the accountant has to contend with. Even though many of the contenders have gone by the wayside, all of them aren't going to fold up, or be beset by horrible luck.


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## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

mtrider05 said:


> Writing someone like Contador off after the first mountain stage is pretty stupid, especially considering the exact thing happened last year.


but he can't juice this year


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

asciibaron said:


> but he can't juice this year


Says who?


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Normally the 'dancing on the pedals' is poetry in motion but those bobbing shoulders are becoming increasingly annoying. I am keen to see Albert Beancounter hand over the title - even if it's to Cuddles. Yes, really.


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## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

pretender said:


> Says who?


everyone waiting for him to juice - if that man wins a stage, his urine will be viewed more than the Zapruder film.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

I would not write him off even if the Giro took something out of him. But I don think that his doping routine was now thrown off and he is possibly screwed now.


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