# A thought about Contador



## Hawayyan (Feb 26, 2002)

I feel that all in all, he rode a good race, all occurrences considered.

My question is; why just the utter hatred displayed by most people on these boards? I don't want this going to the druggy board, so lets leave the CAS appeal out of it, we all know about that.

The way that most people are posting about him, and the names being called, it appears that he actually did something personal to them, like pushed them off their bikes at some point or something.


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

I think even aside from the PED issue, his style rubs some people the wrong way. Some will attribute it to Lance fanbois hating on Contador, but I think that may account for only a small contingent of the anti-Bert sentiment.

That said, I thought his performance this Tour showed the fans that he is the kind of competitor you want to see in a big race. Without Bert shaking things up, there would have been a whole lotta wheelsucking and looking around. Unlike the Shlecks, Contador is all about Go Big or Go Home, and as a fan, that's what you want to see, or at least that's what I want to see.


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

He doesn't seem to be a very likeable guy. He's certainly no worse than LA, but he doesn't have that thin veneer of being a good guy.
But my biggest gripe w/ 'Bert is similar to my problem w/ Cavendish (or Michael Schumacher in F1 or Sebastien Loeb in World Rally); when you are SO dominant that every race/stage you're contending becomes a foregone conclusion, it makes the sport less interesting.


(In other news- how long until this thread gets moved?  )


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## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

IMHO, many of the riders who win consistently, cream of the crop, are the ones who get the most negative attention on the forums. Heaven forbid if they have a great season followed by a disappointing one. Those who win fewer times but shine none the less are put on a pedestal. This fan hate/praise is almost as polarizing as the elephant and donkey.


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## jasjas (Dec 16, 2009)

serpico7 said:


> That said, I thought his performance this Tour showed the fans that he is the kind of competitor you want to see in a big race. Without Bert shaking things up, there would have been a whole lotta wheelsucking and looking around. Unlike the Shlecks, Contador is all about Go Big or Go Home, and as a fan, that's what you want to see, or at least that's what I want to see.


eh? and AS didnt? Schleck stayed away... whether it was the rt move or not who knows

AC is a great rider, personally i have no idea why people seem to hate him or any other contender, why make these things soooo personal? other than to get a reaction.


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## Buzzard (Sep 7, 2004)

I think part of it is the language barrier - lame, but probably accounts for some of the negative sentiment towards Alberto. It's hard to get a good read on a person's character if that person cannot effectively address the media (English, in this case). I know, at least for me, the interviews play a big part in my perception towards emerging riders. I'm not saying he is an emerging rider, but I just don't feel like I've gotten to know Alberto as a person since he came onto the scene.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Great racer, love to see him attack up the mountains. But... I can't stands the fingerbang.










Also, his car:



















and this T-shirt:


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

jasjas said:


> eh? and AS didnt? Schleck stayed away... whether it was the rt move or not who knows


I thread I made about this got moved to the doping forum, and I don't feel like rehashing it here.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Its the pistol.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

It's the pistol and the "questionable" sportsmanship maneuvers in the recent past. Not to mention the 2 drug incidence in his career.

That pic on the green shirt above doesn't help his image either.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

It's just his douchey, "I'm full of myself and my own greatness" attitude that irritates me.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

Hawayyan said:


> I feel that all in all, he rode a good race, all occurrences considered.
> 
> My question is; why just the utter hatred displayed by most people on these boards? I don't want this going to the druggy board, so lets leave the CAS appeal out of it, we all know about that.
> 
> The way that most people are posting about him, and the names being called, it appears that he actually did something personal to them, like pushed them off their bikes at some point or something.


I guess you didn't hear all the boo's at the race either? ask them too!


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

RRRoubaix said:


> He doesn't seem to be a very likeable guy.


How/why? He doesn't seem any worse than other riders out there. His voice is a tad whiny, but I think AS has complained much more than Contador over the years. 

I really don't have any gripes with Contador. He tends to dominate the GTs and I can't fault him for that. The fingerbang is a little on the lame side, but he's lucky to win enough to have a signature victory salute, even if it's a lame one.


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## baker921 (Jul 20, 2007)

I thought he rode well. Conducted himself in i/v professionally and has always been ready to ride with other teams giving away stage wins to get GC time.
I don't like the finger bang (maybe thats an Anglo Saxon thing) but I can't support drug cheats.


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## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

I like him, in spite of the fact his voice makes him sound like Minnie Mouse. But I came to admire his fortitude after Lance tried to take over Contador's team, and Contador just quietly went about his business and won the tour. I like how he competed this year, giving his all and going for the win, even when it was extremely unlikely.


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## serpico7 (Jul 11, 2006)

pdh777 said:


> That pic on the green shirt above doesn't help his image either.


LOL! I love that shirt. I like the guy more every year. First, giving the finger to Lance, then fighting back this year and now that shirt!


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

Every high profile cyclist has a lot of haters on the forums these days. Take it with a grain of salt.

fc


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## natrab (Jun 19, 2010)

Contador actually impressed me with his final interview after stage 20. He seems a little humbles by a lot of the negative attention he got and it seems like this tour he just came out and did a solid job and proved himself again to be a great rider. Nobody is perfect, and I myself disliked him from the start mainly from his persona in interviews as well as the common incidents brought up.

We all personify these riders and associate them with exaggerations of how we feel. I too felt like Andy seemed like a baby this tour and that pushed me to root for Evans, who really seemed down to earth and deserving of the win. I don't see any need to hate these guys severely as they are progressing a sport we all love and they are trying to keep a good image.

I was also impressed that Contador is learning English so he can try and communicate better with the press.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

My impression was that it had to do with what cannot be spoken of here from the posts I've seen.

I'm neutral on him, that would be the only negative for me, along with the fingerbang thing.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

IDK, something must be lost in translation, but he never really seemed that cocky on interviews. If anything he seemed more boring than anything. 

In the past Cav seemed to wave his arrogance with pride, but seems to have dialed that back a bid, perhaps because he's worth so much $ otherwise.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

He seems to go about his work in a professional manner. He seems to me to be a good guy.

I like his style.

Len


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## dhtucker4 (Jul 7, 2004)

Contador has won every Grand Tour he entered or was allowed to to enter, except one, for FOUR years. No other cyclist since 2000 has come near being so dominant. As for his tactical sense, let's see the Schleck brothers (Andy would be lost without his brother) do any better.

The ASO (the organizers of the Tour de France) punished the whole Astana team for one cyclist (Vinokourov) who failed a drug test during Le Tour for the following year. ASO should realize that there won't be a French cyclist or a French team to win the Tour. Now, ASO is in charge of the Vuelta de Espana, ASO is going to run the Vuelta with the same disregard for the rules that they have put in place, including leaking cyclist's drug test results to French newspapers, magazines, and news programs.


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## izzyfly (Jul 10, 2009)

Of all the current crop of top riders in the tour, I really can't pinpoint one single rider and say, that's a guy I'd love to hate. All the guys at the top, Evans, the brothers Shlecks, Alberto, TV - they're pretty much a quiet bunch, not much as far as innuendo, gossip-mongering, or stirring up controversy. I mean after the guy (AC) was literally shoved, slammed to the ground by Karpets, he didn't blame the guy, do any *finger-pointing*, no pistol shots and saying, 'my team's gonna get you now'. The same with the Schlecks, they're nice boys from Luxemberg brought up well by their mom, and of course the champ, Evans, very low-key, no complaints, just rides hard. 

My conclusion, everyone (who's got a chip on their shoulder) will always try to *find someone to hate*, it just makes them feel good in a neurotic way. And if anyone finds themselves hating on someone just because, then that's a red flag indicating a overdue check up with the psychiatrist, or minister.


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## Hawayyan (Feb 26, 2002)

I just don't see things like his salute "finger bang" being all that bad, especially not enough for me to feel such vitriol for the guy, as some others do. My brother played Professional Football here in the U.S. and his victory is NOTHING compared to the dances done after a touchdown. As for his interviews, those don't bother me at all.

Some of the comments in another thread earlier in the tour were stating things like, if he crashed, his team would just ride on without him, etc. Do any of us ACTUALLY know how his team feel about him, or are some of us just stating either what we wished would happen, or what we would do if we rode on his team?

I see him as actually a pretty decent guy, with unlimited potential and ability. As for humbleness, the guy has won 6 of 7 GT's he EVER entered, so considering that, I think he's plenty humble. After this tour, I like him a whole lot more than I used to, and I really never disliked him..


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

I think the boo thing is blown way out of proportion. The three stages I went to saw nothing but fans cheering him on. Even when he was struggling up Galibier, the fans were nothing but positive towards him. They cheered for him just like they did everyone else. I actually didn't care for him much till I saw him b:tch slap the guy on Alpe d'Huez. Very reminisant of what Hinault would have done. I liked it.


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## Lazy Spinner (Aug 30, 2009)

My issue with Contador is that he always has a lame excuse for everything.

"A friend brought me a special steak...it would be rude to refuse to eat it..."

"I didn't actually see what happened to Andy. I just happened to be planning an attack at that very moment...it was a coincidence."

"I only went to that doctor because I had allergies. I had no idea that nearly every professional cyclist in Europe was getting potentially illegal..."

Contador also suffers from the fact that his brother and manager Fran is widely considered to be one of the biggest d-bags in the sport. Many teammates past and present also say that he doesn't make much of an effort to be part of the team. He keeps to his entourage and expects you to just do your job on race day. (Sort of like a certain American star some years ago.)


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

Lame excuse for everything? That's Andy Schleck and on the sprinter side, Cavendish. Both are epic whiners.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

while I don't care for AC and def root against him for the reasons already stated, he is a badass on a bike. so, credit him for his ability and the excitement he can bring to race tactics.

Cavendish's finish line antics bore me...he seems like one of the NFL types who has to spike the ball every time he gets in the endzone. gawd, act like you've been there before...

Cadel and Tommy V are more the kind of riders I like...they grind out tough stretches and don't seem to be on a huge ego trip.


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## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

moabbiker said:


> Lame excuse for everything? That's Andy Schleck and on the sprinter side, Cavendish. Both are epic whiners.


Much the same as those complaining about whiners.


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## JoelS (Aug 25, 2008)

robdamanii said:


> It's just his douchey, "I'm full of myself and my own greatness" attitude that irritates me.


Agreed. He always has seemed so, well, smug.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

It's the language barrier. More to do with him being a top rider and not being able to speak multiple languages like many top riders before him. 

I also think Contador is just a much more guarded person, not showing any willingness to court the press or mix and mingle outside his comfort zone. 

Then again Sastre never really spoke much english and he's always been viewed as a super nice guy.


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## Taos Biker (May 27, 2008)

We hate the Yankees, Duke, the Lakers, USC etc. You win, you get hated these days.
I love the way Contador rides, balls of steel.
Would I want him as my BFF? Nope. But I judge him on how he rides.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

He's a doper, but at least he knows how to race. But for those crashes, he would've won the Tour this year.


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## F45 (Nov 25, 2010)

serpico7 said:


> That said, I thought his performance this Tour showed the fans that he is the kind of competitor you want to see in a big race. Without Bert shaking things up, there would have been a whole lotta wheelsucking and looking around. Unlike the Shlecks, Contador is all about Go Big or Go Home, and as a fan, that's what you want to see, or at least that's what I want to see.


I admired Contador for riding so aggressively after all that time lost on crashes. A lesser man would have been tilting.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

My issue with Contador come from last year when he chained his story a couple of times after Andy had the chain issue. If he would have picked a story and stuck with it I wouldn't have had as much of an issue with him. First it was I didn't see it, then I saw it, but was already in the middle of an attack. Just say one thing or another and don't keep changing it.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

I don't dislike him; I just sort of like the other favorites better.

He annoys me to some extent because he's obviously very talented, but ends up wasting it in what appears to be a continuing series of poor decisions.


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## albragi (May 11, 2007)

Creakyknees said:


> He's a doper, but at least he knows how to race. But for those crashes, he would've won the Tour this year.


The same can be said about Cadel Evans in the past. Do not see it as an argument.


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## albragi (May 11, 2007)

sorry, double post


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## albragi (May 11, 2007)

I do not like him, but cannot explain; like in real life, sometimes there is just no chemistry (not that I know him personally). I do not like that he does not race a lot (a la Armstrong, TDF is the main and probably the only goal). He participated in Giro only because he was not invited to TDF and IMO thought would be banned from TDF this year. To add insult to injury , his pedaling style is not fluid, kind of jerky. Should be enough


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

I forgot to mention chaingate. That was poor. Andy's lovefest with Contador afterwards was nauseating. I wanted the stomach full of anger and hoped to see more of it this year.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

albragi said:


> The same can be said about Cadel Evans in the past. Do not see it as an argument.


I'm gonna have to agree with this statement. A botched (sabotage?) Wheel change and a broken elbow while leading contador while wearing yellow may have been all that stood between Evans and gt victories. On the other hand, plenty of people hate Evans too.


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## Lynton (Jul 9, 2011)

All I can say is where there is smoke, there is normally fire. I can not respect any sportsman with his history.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

For me Cadel is the one I can't stand and still can't. The guy is wound way to tight. His blowing up during interviews. If his very senstive ego detects the slightest microscopic bit of disrespect he will have a full on melt down, sinking into a bipolar abyss. Everyone that isn't in his inner circle and even guys like Robbie McEwen(teamate in the past) have had to handle Cadel with extreme caution....something Robbie doesn't normally do.

Matter of fact give me a GC winner with an mans attitude like McEwen and you've got someone just about anyone would like.


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## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

It really doesn't make any sense to me, because to me, Lance always came across as an arrogant SOB and he has been accused of drug use, and lots of people still LOVE him. Well, not as much lately, but for YEARS....


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## Corsaire (Jun 2, 2006)

AC will come to dominate next TDF. He showed a lot of class and prowess. I doubt he would make the same mistake of mixing two consecutive tours. Finishing third in the TT said a lot.


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## bonkmiester (Sep 23, 2005)

robdamanii said:


> It's just his douchey, "I'm full of myself and my own greatness" attitude that irritates me.



yeah, contrast that with Voekler .... much more likeable guy


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

I'm not an AC fan, mostly for reasons already mentioned - winning too much (hey I'm from NY and I hate the Yankees for precisely that reason), the way he reacted to "chaingate", the response to last year's allegations, and that damned pistolero celebration.

But did anyone remember how the French loved Armstrong in 2009? Precisely because he DIDN'T win. He seemed more human, more relaxed, more accessible. It was nauseating to see Contador walk away with the Giro because as soon as Etna happened there was ZERO drama in the race. That's why this TdF was so exciting, five guys had a realistic shot going into the last week (even the last few days).

This year's Tour saw Contador ascend a few steps in terms of how I view him, how I respect him. In his interview after everything was said and done yesterday he practically gushed about Evans (as much as he could in his limited English, which I cannot hold against him, look how long it took for Lance to learn some French!) saying he deserved this win. I'm still not going to cheer for AC though because that would be like cheering for the Yankees simply because they didn't win the World Series last year...


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

he rode a tactically bad race. He was too far back in the peloton and clearly not 'protected' by his team. That goes down to the DS in my book. Spaniards for what ever reason like the back of the peloton and it gets them in trouble. Anyhow bad strategy and he's lost time and is hurt. He hasn't quite got the legs he had the year before because he rode and won a tough Giro. Does he roll over? No he attacks. He doesn't give up. Like him or not, the guy is a champion and a battler.
You can hate him all you want, but give the guy some due respect.


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## Wile_E_Coyote (Jul 15, 2011)

I try not to get too obsessed with any sportsman's public persona. The reality is; we will never know what they are truly like, because we will not have the chance to see them away from the sport. Cut and paste comments made in the heat of the moment are always a poor benchmark. I prefer to watch and admire their skills. In this case, what they can do on a bicycle.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Conti could have went easy the last few days, make exucses, sulked, etc. Instead, he worked to get better and raced his butt off. 

His stock went up with me a lot.


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

Seems to me that is just the way sports are. Unless he's your guy, on your team, whatever, most fans don't like to see the same guy dominate year after year. Especially when some less desirable personality traits/egos come to the surface from time to time. Some of the most dominant athletes seem to have something about them that just rubs you wrong.

I mean, aside from Lakers fans, who really wanted to see Kobe win another ring. Or Lebron take the title after all his bragging last off-season. Or Farve come back time after time. Or A-Rod win an MVP. Mixing AC's physical dominance over the last 2 tours, Chaingate, a few comments he made to the press, and his overall demeanor, he just seemed to fall into that category for me. I certainly don't hate him -- I admired the way he rode the Alp d'Huez stage this year and I actually found myself not wanting to see him caught by the end -- but I didn't really want to see him on the podium again.

I think LA is a little different, since he's an American and is "our guy," and went against the perpetual European dominance of the Tour. Ask any Laker or Yankee fan -- when that guy is on your team, you love him!


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

In regards to chaingate, I think the Tour de Suisse told us that he just doesn't know how to shift right.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> he rode a tactically bad race. He was too far back in the peloton and clearly not 'protected' by his team. That goes down to the DS in my book. Spaniards for what ever reason like the back of the peloton and it gets them in trouble. Anyhow bad strategy and he's lost time and is hurt. He hasn't quite got the legs he had the year before because he rode and won a tough Giro. Does he roll over? No he attacks. He doesn't give up. Like him or not, the guy is a champion and a battler.
> You can hate him all you want, but give the guy some due respect.


Certainly his thighs get respect. And I do respect his complete lack of quit. Putting power to the pedals on Saturday earns a solid in that regard.

But if his attacks were to work, he needed help he didn't have. Making that happen is part of the race that doesn't necessarily happen on race day - at least not on _that _race day. It seems like he may as well have been alone through the whole race - it was a rare occurance to see a like-colored jersey around him, or him working in any sort of alliance. Maybe we can blame the DS for some of that, but Riis is smarter than that, and the team more capable. 

Fans can make the decision they will, but it seems like the peloton has an opinion, too.


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## albragi (May 11, 2007)

atpjunkie said:


> *he rode a tactically bad race*. He was too far back in the peloton and clearly not 'protected' by his team. That goes down to the DS in my book. Spaniards for what ever reason like the back of the peloton and it gets them in trouble. Anyhow bad strategy and he's lost time and is hurt. He hasn't quite got the legs he had the year before because he rode and won a tough Giro. Does he roll over? No he attacks. He doesn't give up. Like him or not, the guy is a champion and a battler.
> You can hate him all you want, but give the guy some due respect.


He still has a lot to learn


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## jonstringer (Oct 4, 2009)

aengbretson said:


> But did anyone remember how the French loved Armstrong in 2009? Precisely because he DIDN'T win. He seemed more human, more relaxed, more accessible. It was nauseating to see Contador walk away with the Giro because as soon as Etna happened there was ZERO drama in the race. That's why this TdF was so exciting, five guys had a realistic shot going into the last week (even the last few days).
> 
> This year's Tour saw Contador ascend a few steps in terms of how I view him, how I respect him. In his interview after everything was said and done yesterday he practically gushed about Evans (as much as he could in his limited English, which I cannot hold against him, look how long it took for Lance to learn some French!) saying he deserved this win.


Well said... We saw AC face unpreventable bad luck, we saw him in physical difficulty many times in the mountains, we saw him congratulate the winners, fight his way back into GC contention against terrible odds, and finally saw him humbled. It made him more human in my eyes. Taking 5th was not his intention, but he improved his identity among racers and fans alike. Perhaps a maturity thing. His ITT alone was a testament to his courage. 

Best part of the tour was how often the big names "rolled the dice".


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

I'm neutral to negative on him. Then again, I am on almost all of the GC dominant riders. The fingerbang - totally lame, then again I ride a colnago with campy and some of the italian trends are just as bad as the fingerbang. I appreciate his attacks more than the Schlecks - they go for a few peddle strokes and then look around like chickens. I liked that he rode away, the group came back, he attacked again and hardly asked for any help. But he's a bore - I put Schlecks in there and LA, too. Even Cadel's GC win was a bore, however, he gets me with his stage wins in the giro and the one days, too. Nevermind the worlds.


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

aengbretson said:


> But did anyone remember how the French loved Armstrong in 2009? Precisely because he DIDN'T win. He seemed more human, more relaxed, more accessible. It was nauseating to see Contador walk away with the Giro because as soon as Etna happened there was ZERO drama in the race. That's why this TdF was so exciting, five guys had a realistic shot going into the last week (even the last few days).


This isn't totally accurate. The french give out their lemon prize to the rider that the press can't stand. LA won it for all his years except for the last when he improved.

I will say, the French embarrassing LeMond winning and taking the jersey and win away from the French man on the bicentennial of Bastille day - that would never, ever, ever happen. It would be like Jacques Cousteau beating the crap out of Babe Ruth in NYC on 4th of July in 1976 - Americans would be pissed!!!!


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## Chainstay (Mar 13, 2004)

*Too Many Haters*

I think these boards have too many haters in general. There are haters for Contador, Cav, Cadel, Schlecks, Farrar, Cancellera, Vino, Boonen and even Voeckler.

These guys are athletes not world leaders. The press crowd around them immediately following an emotional race. Then many of the posters on this forum, commence their psycho-analysis and character judgement based on their comments and "attitude".


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Chainstay said:


> I think these boards have too many haters in general. There are haters for Contador, Cav, Cadel, Schlecks, Farrar, Cancellera, Vino, Boonen and even Voeckler.
> 
> These guys are athletes not world leaders. The press crowd around them immediately following an emotional race. Then many of the posters on this forum, commence their psycho-analysis and character judgement based on their comments and "attitude".


Good Post! For the record:
I am no fan of the Andy Schleck to put it mildly. The way he rides just irritates me in the same way that The Sound of Music irritates me - Although I _am_ quite prepared to admit that he is probably nice to animals and old ladies and loves his Mum. 
The rest are on a scale of OK to Fantastic in my book.

Contador rode like the true champion that he is. In spite of lots going wrong, his head never dropped and he fought like a tiger until the very end.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

qatarbhoy said:


> I forgot to mention chaingate. That was poor. Andy's lovefest with Contador afterwards was nauseating. I wanted the stomach full of anger and hoped to see more of it this year.


Perhaps the Chaingate defenders should rewatch the clips as Andy started the attack. Contador responded to the attack. In races you don't have the luxury of stopping to see what happened. Furthermore, you can't go backwards on a course. An important fact that people conveniently forget is that Sanchez and Menchov responded to the attack as well. Why do we not blame these two riders? Subsequently, had he stopped to wait, AC and AS would be fighting for 3rd and 4th potentially.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

spade2you said:


> Perhaps the Chaingate defenders should rewatch the clips as Andy started the attack. Contador responded to the attack. In races you don't have the luxury of stopping to see what happened. Furthermore, you can't go backwards on a course. An important fact that people conveniently forget is that Sanchez and Menchov responded to the attack as well. Why do we not blame these two riders? Subsequently, had he stopped to wait, AC and AS would be fighting for 3rd and 4th potentially.


Watched the clips many times. It's far from cut-and-dried - like Berty's steak.


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## yurl (Mar 31, 2010)

I admit I've been a hater. I was impressed with the way AC conducted himself this tour and his attacks made it made things so much more exciting. I may change my mind yet


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Chainstay said:


> I think these boards have too many haters in general. There are haters for Contador, Cav, Cadel, Schlecks, Farrar, Cancellera, Vino, Boonen and even Voeckler.
> 
> These guys are athletes not world leaders. The press crowd around them immediately following an emotional race. Then many of the posters on this forum, commence their psycho-analysis and character judgement based on their comments and "attitude".


See...this is where youre wrong.

Just becuase some dont like an athlete's attitude or his approach, that doesnt mean we "hate" him.

I have HUGE issues with how both Cav and Spartacus conduct themselves, but I dont "hate" either of them. Quite the contrary.

And not for nothing....this is a forum dedicated to the discussion of Pro Cycling events. IMO, how the athletes who participate in these events act and carry themvelves in thos events is fair game for talk and opinions.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

qatarbhoy said:


> Watched the clips many times. It's far from cut-and-dried - like Berty's steak.


If you've seen the clip many times, why no hatred for Menchov and Sammy? They didn't wait, either.


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## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

Alberto attacks!


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## yurl (Mar 31, 2010)

PoorCyclist said:


> Alberto attacks!


AC needs to work on his punching technique. straight fist wrist locked. if he made solid contact with that guy's head he could have broken his wrist.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

yurl said:


> AC needs to work on his punching technique. straight fist wrist locked. if he made solid contact with that guy's head he could have broken his wrist.


Actually, that was a good backhand given the circumstances  .


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## poppy (May 29, 2006)

I am a fan, always been AC fan.
I like his talent and his aggresive style, he make GT's exciting and because of him the other contenders must elevate themselves.
I think he showed a lot of class in this year tour, had plenty of bad luck and bad legs but kept fighting all the way.
Hopefully he come next year and get it back.


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

yurl said:


> AC needs to work on his punching technique. straight fist wrist locked. if he made solid contact with that guy's head he could have broken his wrist.


Do you know how hard it is to ride an HC climb, punch a spectator, and ensure the Specialized logo on the palm of your glove makes the photo all at the same time? The guy clearly has a future in MMA.


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## mangotreat0808 (Sep 4, 2006)

cda 455 said:


> Actually, that was a good backhand given the circumstances  .


A move made popular by a Mr. Carlos Ray Norris, a.k.a. "Chuck Norris".


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

awesome shirt!


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## peter584 (Aug 17, 2008)

Maybe because he got caught doping and wasn't held accountable


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## yurl (Mar 31, 2010)

godot said:


> Do you know how hard it is to ride an HC climb, punch a spectator, and ensure the Specialized logo on the palm of your glove makes the photo all at the same time? The guy clearly has a future in MMA.


good point. i forgot about the sponsor's logo.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*agreed*



albragi said:


> He still has a lot to learn


but like him or hate him, he rides to win and attacks when he feels like it


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

spade2you said:


> If you've seen the clip many times, why no hatred for Menchov and Sammy? They didn't wait, either.


This is a thread about Contador.


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## Zeekster64 (Dec 23, 2010)

Dear lord, Contador is more of a douche bag than that dolphin I mean err...Michael Phelps.

He also seems really full of himself with the station wagon that has his face on it in black and white print.


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## Taos Biker (May 27, 2008)

Zeekster64 said:


> Dear lord, Contador is more of a douche bag than that dolphin I mean err...Michael Phelps.
> 
> He also seems really full of himself with the station wagon that has his face on it in black and white print.


Now we are going to tear apart Phelps? Does he wear his hat wrong for you? Or is it the loose pants? 
My guess it is all those gold medals. 
Jealous much?

Happen to know the guy and he is the most down to earth hard working dude I have ever met. Not to mention the greatest swimmer of all time.


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## Jeff G (Jul 22, 2005)

I'm not an all out AC fan, just like to see good racing. When he lost time in the beginning of the race, he had to have known his chances for victory would decrease each day when the time gaps between Cadel and Andy didn't change much. I think this race humbled him some, and maybe he doesn't have the physiology to ride two grand tours in one season. He fought all the way to the end, which i liked to see. I wonder if he had won, how that would affect the upcoming CAS case, which has now been postponed again.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

qatarbhoy said:


> This is a thread about Contador.


This thread is about bashing Contador and forgetting that he's not that unique among other riders.


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## Zeekster64 (Dec 23, 2010)

Taos Biker said:


> Now we are going to tear apart Phelps? Does he wear his hat wrong for you? Or is it the loose pants?
> My guess it is all those gold medals.
> Jealous much?
> 
> Happen to know the guy and he is the most down to earth hard working dude I have ever met. Not to mention the greatest swimmer of all time.


Sorry, didn't know his publicist was on this forum :lol:


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

Taos Biker said:


> Now we are going to tear apart Phelps? Does he wear his hat wrong for you? Or is it the loose pants?
> My guess it is all those gold medals.
> Jealous much?
> 
> Happen to know the guy and he is the most down to earth hard working dude I have ever met. Not to mention the greatest swimmer of all time.


I'm sure he's hard working but it's pretty apparent he's an jerk with the drunk driving arrest. Not to mention...


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

Chainstay said:


> I think these boards have too many haters in general. There are haters for Contador, Cav, Cadel, Schlecks, Farrar, Cancellera, Vino, Boonen and even Voeckler.
> 
> These guys are athletes not world leaders. The press crowd around them immediately following an emotional race. Then many of the posters on this forum, commence their psycho-analysis and character judgement based on their comments and "attitude".


Dude, relax; it's just sports! No one really 'hates' anyone. We watch solely for entertainment, and adopt favorites and dislike others for whatever reason, whether its arbitrary, misguided, irrational, stupid, petty, or whatever. That's what makes it fun -- they aren't world leaders, and their performance (and our opinion of their performance) is completely irrelevant to anything in the real world. It's just entertainment!


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## allison (Apr 19, 2006)

tystevens said:


> Dude, relax; it's just sports! No one really 'hates' anyone. We watch solely for entertainment, and adopt favorites and dislike others for whatever reason, whether its arbitrary, misguided, irrational, stupid, petty, or whatever. That's what makes it fun -- they aren't world leaders, and their performance (and our opinion of their performance) is completely irrelevant to anything in the real world. It's just entertainment!


Exactly. It gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning (erm, aside from that "work" thing for most of us :thumbsup. Like, dislike, root for, boo, etc. it's entertainment and what keeps us coming back for more!


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

godot said:


> Do you know how hard it is to ride an HC climb, punch a spectator, and ensure the Specialized logo on the palm of your glove makes the photo all at the same time? The guy clearly has a future in MMA.


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