# Contador Thinking of Quitting Cycling



## merckxman (Jan 23, 2002)

The "El Mundo" newspaper in Spain reports that Contador is thinking of quitting cycling. It reports that Contador told the President of the Spanish cycling federation, "I am totally demoralized by what is occurring, I am thinking of abandoning cycling no matter what the decision of the UCI."


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## wiz525 (Dec 31, 2007)

i'm confused. didn't he make this statement last week too? but maybe it didn't get enough press, so he's saying it again? Sounds like typical woe is me mentality.


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## MaddSkillz (Mar 13, 2007)

I'm thinking he's trying to snuff out the flame before it turns into a fire. 

I just don't think it's gonna happen though.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

He wants the same protection no matter how guilty from the spanish federation as they did with Valverde...


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Dan Gerous said:


> He wants the same protection no matter how guilty from the spanish federation as they did with Valverde...


he already burned that match once. 
so maybe it will be the same as with Valverde?


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Guess he is trying to raise the stakes (in his mind at least) to gather more support. But the plasticizers in his blood plus the leak from Astana, in addition to the treatment Li received despite having a much better argument make me think that he probably isn't going to get much traction.


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

Adios, Alberto.


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## LouD-Reno (Mar 28, 2006)

Maybe he'll go into raising cattle.... organically of course...... 

Hasta luego !!!!


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

I think Vino said the same thing.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

burgrat said:


> I think Vino said the same thing.


If the sensitive test for plastics becomes official, at least half of the peloton should seriously consider retiring...

OR, they could consider stopping microdosing/microtransfusing, and lose weight the old-fashioned way the rest of us do - diet and training.


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## clipz (Aug 28, 2008)

i wont loose any sleep if he leaves.


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## jjmstang (May 8, 2009)

Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya on the way out Bert


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## thighmaster (Feb 2, 2006)

Just leave now if not earlier.


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

buh-bye!


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

Coolhand said:


> Guess he is trying to raise the stakes (in his mind at least) to gather more support...


I agree- I think he believes his threat to leave will panic those in power enough to relent.
Which, being the UCI... it may.
But I hope not!


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## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

If he quits, it won't be soon enough.


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## DMFT (Feb 3, 2005)

I say he "quits" for a year minimum. 
- Should be 2 though.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I'm not what you'd call a Contador fan, but I'm going to wait for the UCI/WADA findings.

_*If*_ he is innocent, I would be a little disheartened too. He's already been excluded from the Tour once for Vino's sins, and what are the chances that if he's cleared that ASO will allow him to race in the Tour? Previous champion or not, ASO will not want to take the chance on another Floyd.

Say he gets a one (or even two) year ban. He'll get picked up again by another team, because he is an incredibly talented rider. But that puts him even further behind in his grand tour quest, and the possibilities for even 5 TDF titles is fading fast. It takes time to get back up to speed, unless you have the right team and the right "condition". As much as I don't like him as a personality or a rider, I think he deserves to be up there with the greats of cycling based on his results.

It all looks suspicious, but I'm not ready to burn him as a witch just yet. Let the process work, as flawed as it may be. If he is cleared, then the Fuyu Li case should also be re-examined. I'm not sure the UCI wants to open that Pandoras Box.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

Alaska Mike said:


> I'm not what you'd call a Contador fan, but I'm going to wait for the UCI/WADA findings.
> 
> _*If*_ he is innocent, I would be a little disheartened too. He's already been excluded from the Tour once for Vino's sins, and what are the chances that if he's cleared that ASO will allow him to race in the Tour? Previous champion or not, ASO will not want to take the chance on another Floyd.
> 
> ...


You are way too easy on Contador. Combination of clenbuterol, plasticizers and AC's hushed up involvement in Operacion Puerto does not make him nearly the victim you are trying to make him out to be. This makes "Vino's sins" pale in comparison. Same goes for Rasmussen - forget banned substances in blood and plasticizers, he got kicked out of the Tour for lying about his whereabouts.

What about Basso's chances to win 5 tours? He was supposed to be the next big star when Armstrong retired. What about the Tour Rasmussen was almost sure to win, ahead of Contador? Any sympathy for him? Landis? Hamilton? Ullrich? I really don't understand why we fans treat riders so differently when they eventually get caught. 

Contador got caught, plain and simple.


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## pianopiano (Jun 4, 2005)

55x11 said:


> You are way too easy on Contador. Combination of clenbuterol, plasticizers and AC's hushed up involvement in Operacion Puerto does not make him nearly the victim you are trying to make him out to be. This makes "Vino's sins" pale in comparison. Same goes for Rasmussen - forget banned substances in blood and plasticizers, he got kicked out of the Tour for lying about his whereabouts.
> 
> What about Basso's chances to win 5 tours? He was supposed to be the next big star when Armstrong retired. What about the Tour Rasmussen was almost sure to win, ahead of Contador? Any sympathy for him? Landis? Hamilton? Ullrich? I really don't understand why we fans treat riders so differently when they eventually get caught.
> 
> Contador got caught, plain and simple.


+1 :thumbsup:


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I tend to agree. It does look bad, and I seriously doubt that Contador is clean. I'm just suspending disbelief, because that's the only way that pro cycling is interesting at all too me anymore post Festina/Puerto/Floyd...

Floyd did make a point that I found interesting and compelling (as much as I don't like Floyd) about how the riders rationalize their activities and how much it's just accepted as part of the sport at that level. I can see how they could get all twisted up about getting popped, when so many get away with it. "But I'm innocent!!! I'm as innocent as the next rider!!!"

I have sympathy for the riders, because the sport has gradually evolved into what it is today. Unlike some people, I won't point the finger and say that this person or that person is responsible, because I see it as the natural progression of a sport that has never been clean.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Alaska Mike said:


> I tend to agree. It does look bad, and I seriously doubt that Contador is clean. I'm just suspending disbelief, because that's the only way that pro cycling is interesting at all too me anymore post Festina/Puerto/Floyd...
> 
> Floyd did make a point that I found interesting and compelling (as much as I don't like Floyd) about how the riders rationalize their activities and how much it's just accepted as part of the sport at that level. I can see how they could get all twisted up about getting popped, when so many get away with it. "But I'm innocent!!! I'm as innocent as the next rider!!!"
> 
> I have sympathy for the riders, because the sport has gradually evolved into what it is today. Unlike some people, I won't point the finger and say that this person or that person is responsible, because I see it as the natural progression of a sport that has never been clean.


so what's the point? should he be let off because others are doing it as well or should he get him time? 
How does the "everyone else is doing it" work with the traffic police?


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## bnoojin (Mar 24, 2002)

*everyone else is doing it?*

what about the (minority) of riders who aren't? if rules and penalties are ignored by those caught cheating how about the riders busting their bodies to compete clean? 

can we at least find a few good riders to believe in? Thor Hushovd? Cadel Evans? Cavendish? Brad McGee? what about perennial fan favorite Jens Voigt? and (I never thought I'd say this) the French riders who seem to have been pretty clean as a whole for the past 12 years? (I'll leave tricky Dick Virenque out)

what about some sympathy (outrage) for these riders are being cheated out of contracts, and titles and honors on a regular basis by these jerks who don't have the stones to compete clean or leave the sport.

weed the cheats, no exceptions. lifetime bans with enough legit evidence.
screw the UCI. if it burns to the ground let a new cleaner Phoenix rise from the ashes.

sorry, that is all.


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## MaddSkillz (Mar 13, 2007)

bnoojin said:


> what about the (minority) of riders who aren't? if rules and penalties are ignored by those caught cheating how about the riders busting their bodies to compete clean?
> 
> can we at least find a few good riders to believe in? Thor Hushovd? Cadel Evans? Cavendish? Brad McGee? what about perennial fan favorite Jens Voigt? and (I never thought I'd say this) the French riders who seem to have been pretty clean as a whole for the past 12 years? (I'll leave tricky Dick Virenque out)
> 
> ...


Don't be sorry, you're right on point.

Cheats are cheats, period. Even if the majority of the peloton is doped up, it's still an injustice to those racing clean... And yes, even when I feel cycling is struggling to keep its head above water amidst the crashing waves of doping scandals, I do believe there are still riders with integrity that simply will not dope, no matter what. I'd love to know who they are for sure, but all I can do is believe in them until proven otherwise.

Contador is likely a cheater. The circumstantial evidence is mounting and there's plenty of people who have done time (both in and out of cycling) on circumstantial evidence alone.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

On hearing the orginal news, I thought it was no big deal. If anything it gave credence to Li's suspension challenge and possibly opened it up to be reversed. But the UCI has given no hint of that despite his stronger evidence. They took immediate action against him but are showing clear favoratism towards Contador. Perhaps this kind of situation does warrant further investigation. But for me, I changed my mind when reading about the testing on beef in Europe and Spain. First you have to believe the imported beef from Spain story (plausible). Then you'd have to believe that in this one instance, the beef was tainted, despite that fact beef from Spain did not test positive for contamination in the 18,000+ tests in 2009.


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## Cableguy (Jun 6, 2010)

Good night, sweet prince


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## ti-triodes (Aug 14, 2006)

Good riddance to the little creep.


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## cmdrpiffle (Mar 28, 2006)

bnoojin said:


> what about the (minority) of riders who aren't? if rules and penalties are ignored by those caught cheating how about the riders busting their bodies to compete clean?
> 
> can we at least find a few good riders to believe in? Thor Hushovd? Cadel Evans? Cavendish? Brad McGee? what about perennial fan favorite Jens Voigt? and (I never thought I'd say this) the French riders who seem to have been pretty clean as a whole for the past 12 years? (I'll leave tricky Dick Virenque out)
> 
> ...



The above probably best sums up my own feelings. Very well said Sir!


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## Banissque (Aug 21, 2010)

The only thing I hope to see Alberto quitting any time soon is his delivering interviews in English.

I was never really a fan of his in the first place but after hearing him being interviewed in this year's Tour he just about made my if-i-had-three-bullets list. Responses start with a 6 - 7 second, dead-on impersonation of a badly maintained 50cc motorbike engine from the eighties being pushed way beyond its limits of performance and then just deteriorates from there.

At least when he was being interpreted I could understand what he was saying.


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## orange_julius (Jan 24, 2003)

Contador just announced that he is not attending the Tour de France presentation.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-petacchi-to-skip-2011-tour-de-france-presentation

Neither is Petacchi.


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

merckxman said:


> I am thinking of abandoning cycling no matter what the decision of the UCI.


The phrase, "Don't let the door hit you on your way out" comes to mind.


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## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

Banissque said:


> The only thing I hope to see Alberto quitting any time soon is his delivering interviews in English.
> 
> I was never really a fan of his in the first place but after hearing him being interviewed in this year's Tour he just about made my if-i-had-three-bullets list. Responses start with a 6 - 7 second, dead-on impersonation of a badly maintained 50cc motorbike engine from the eighties being pushed way beyond its limits of performance and then just deteriorates from there.
> 
> At least when he was being interpreted I could understand what he was saying.


No kidding. I press the mute button anytime fingerbang interviews in Spanish or English. He does the motorbike engine in both languages.


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## tricycletalent (Apr 2, 2005)

55x11 said:


> Same goes for Rasmussen - forget banned substances in blood and plasticizers, he got kicked out of the Tour for lying about his whereabouts.


Damn right.

Connections and other politics issues decide your fate in cycling, not a justice principle. This is obvious to all but the worst ostriches. 



> What about Basso's chances to win 5 tours? He was supposed to be the next big star when Armstrong retired.


Sux 4 him.



> What about the Tour Rasmussen was almost sure to win, ahead of Contador? Any sympathy for him?


Yep. Mos def.



> Landis?


Nope.



> Hamilton?


I do.



> Ullrich?


Hell, yeah!



> I really don't understand why we fans treat riders so differently when they eventually get caught.


Because of their personalities, because of differences in media exposure, because cycling spectators have an IQ close to religious humans?



> Contador got caught, plain and simple.


No, it wasn't simple, the plasticizer stuff was genius.


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