# Has Contador now convinced us he is clean?



## PJay (May 28, 2004)

Has Contador now convinced us he is clean?

He got busted by those ol' Buterol boys, Junior, Beau, and Clem.

Since then, he seems to have less pep in his step. Is this what the superstars would all look like if they were all clean?


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

I'd say it's probably more due to crashes than being clean or doping. Despite 'ol Lance being THE evil one, a lot of his GT reign was from not crashing which was pure luck.


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## JohnStonebarger (Jan 22, 2004)

That and he's getting up there in years. PEDs can't do everything.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

Nah, Spade is right. He's limping along after that crash, hoping to get better before the climbing starts. Lance was incredibly lucky never getting in a serious crash in the TDF. There's no drug that can assure you of that.


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

Contador could use some pain killers. Just what kind and how much does the UCI allow?


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## Handbrake (May 29, 2012)

He has won 2 Vueltas and a Giro since coming back from his 'suspension', so if he is trying to convince people he is clean by sucking at bike racing, he isn't doing a very good job.

As above he has had rotten luck in TdF lately, and his is on weaker teams than he has been in the past.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Tinkoff is folding so every man for himself!
Contador crashed and his team mates looked then just rode past without helping.
Kreuzinger and Sagan are riding for themselves. A few are riding for Sagan. Contador's "team" is only two or three riders.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

fast ferd said:


> Contador could use some pain killers. Just what kind and how much does the UCI allow?


Anything beyond Tylenol or Motrin is forbidden.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Tinkoff is folding so every man for himself!
> Contador crashed and his team mates looked then just rode past without helping.
> Kreuzinger and Sagan are riding for themselves. A few are riding for Sagan. Contador's "team" is only two or three riders.


This ^^ along with his crash. I think he's going to preserve himself until the Pyrenees. Hopefully he will be feeling better and give us a good show between the GC.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Tinkoff is folding so every man for himself!
> Contador crashed and his team mates looked then just rode past without helping.
> Kreuzinger and Sagan are riding for themselves. A few are riding for Sagan. Contador's "team" is only two or three riders.


Yes, it was crazy to me to see his teammates riding up the road without him on the finish the other day when they were only seconds ahead of Contador. He clearly is not getting much help from the team.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

He's in Spain tonight, maybe having a good Spanish steak for dinner and will be good to go for tomorrow.

But seriously, Armtrong was the same age (33) when he won his last TdF, so I would suspect AC is having a tough time from the crashes as well as a mediocre team.


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## bootsie_cat (Jan 7, 2005)

I'm not gonna say that Contador is clean, but he is certainly cleaner than is his salad days.
I think a few things happen when one ratchets down the PED program.
1.) It is not as easy to stay up front and make your own luck. This can bring about mishaps that never occur when you can ride wherever you want, whenever you want.
2.) Getting over a crash takes longer- With a good PED program you can bounce back like Robocop.
3.) I think PED's benefit everyone differently- For Contador I think PED's gave him a bit more robustness and ability to be durable for 3 weeks- he has less of that now.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

This morning's (Jul-12) report indicates AC's injuries were more severe than they originally would admit. 
Contador ruled out of Olympic Games after Tour de France crash | Cyclingnews.com 
I cringed when I saw the video clip of AC's 1st crash, sliding into a curb at some 45-50 kph.
Olympics RR is out, and he is probably resetting for Vuelta.
Has to be a bitter pill for AC.
That AC lasted as many stages as he did, indicates he is probably the toughest (mental & physical) GT rider today.


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## sram (Jul 11, 2016)

Surprised he didn't take more damage than he did from that wipeout, looked very brutal to me. Not expecting him to get back to his A game anytime soon but he is a strong and resilient type


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

tom_h said:


> This morning's (Jul-12) report indicates AC's injuries were more severe than they originally would admit.
> Contador ruled out of Olympic Games after Tour de France crash | Cyclingnews.com
> I cringed when I saw the video clip of AC's 1st crash, sliding into a curb at some 45-50 kph.
> Olympics RR is out, and he is probably resetting for Vuelta.
> ...


You nailed it!

Even with PED's mental toughness is key and Alberto has it. Breaking his leg in tour last year and crashes this year have a cumulative effect and Contador was dealing with all that. If TJ had the mental toughness of Contador he would hit that next level.


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