Thu 24 May 2012 | 
High expectations for Contador
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Enlarge textSo Alberto Contador is human after all - that's my take from the wash-up of the Paris-Nice.
Contador's high standards lead to high expectations (Getty)
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So Alberto Contador is human after all - that's my take from the wash-up of the Paris-Nice.
The world's best cyclist has been questioned at the way he lost the first stage race of the European season.
Contador doesn't have to be told the year is long, with his real test yet to come on the roads of France.
His entire year will revolve around standing on the podium at the Champs Elysees in Paris - nothing else matters.
He played the ultimate diplomat on completing the Paris-Nice and settling for fourth place.
He
offered no favours to race organisers when being quoted, "This is only
the Paris-Nice - it's nice to win and wear the yellow jersey, but it's
the yellow of the Tour de France that I want."
Sure Contador
blew up and miscalculated on the climbs that mattered most but can a
man who's captured the Tour, Giro and Vuelta in the last two years be
discredited for one bad day?
I should think not.
Have
we forgotten how Contador was, reportedly, laying on a beach on the
Spanish Mediterranean coast last May when he received a call from
Astana boss Johann Bruyneel.
The orders were to pack his bags and head for the start of the Giro in Sicily?
With
very little preparation time and planning, he smacked all-comers
(including the drug-tainted cheats Emanuele Sella and Riccardo Ricco),
and carried the Maglia Rosa onto the streets of Milan for a famous
victory.
He's a rider who knows how to rise to the occasion in the really big events.
Does Tiger Woods get a roasting if he fails to win a golf tournament prior to a Grand Slam event on the US tour?
What
about Rafael Nadal - if he fails to reach the final of an ATP Masters
Series before the French Open or Wimbledon titles, do we put a line
through his name as an unlikely contender of the big tennis
tournaments?
Contador has outlined his plans for the year and they do not include defending his Giro crown.
Instead,
he'll allow teammate Lance Armstrong to make his debut in Italy's Grand
Tour and capture the headlines in its centenary year.
It's
only natural that expectations are high whenever and wherever Contador
hits the bitumen, but to discredit the world's best cyclist after a
poor (by his standards) showing, is to be naive.
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Comments (17)
Previous 10 |
28 Mar 2010 12:43 AEST
From: croydon
3 tours of the condor
yeah, why dont they both retire and give cadel a final last chance ... if you worry about the competition youll end up like a dog with a tom bonor on your leg ... lances last throw on the bike may be to become an immortal and leave cootabore as a well anted tonio, caus life is like that, and the tour favors the knave, and the yellow jersey will retire to the diaryand bellow no more. Yes Astana and a top banana, A LAST TANGO IN PARIS for LANCER DANCER.
09 Jul 2009 18:14 AEST
From: Avalon
Music in the Lance legacy story on SBS
Does anyone know what the music is called at the beginning of the Lance Legacy story on SBS at the moment? If you haven't seen it, go to videos on the SBS TDF site and then click on "extras" at the top of the page.
20 Mar 2009 14:47 AEST
From: Perth
--
I sure hope you are right Tim. Your race sounds much better than the one I'm expecting.
19 Mar 2009 16:57 AEST
From: Sydney
--
I disagree Lycra Minded, there are teams capable of challenging, Saxo bank are still strong with the Schleck brothers/Jens Voight/O"grady etc, Columbia with The dodger are also strong and have experience, Cadels Silence team can hopefully rally behind him(fingers crossed), so I don't think it is a lay down Mesere? for Astana to win, admittedly they would be favourites but to just give it to them before it starts is a big call.
19 Mar 2009 16:35 AEST
From: Perth
Contador to win
I don’t think we will see the exciting competitive TdF that wee have seen over the last couple of years. Astana have assembled the best team that Khazak (nee Russian) mafia money can buy. Barring accident they will take the jersey on the team time trial and will never be seriously challenged. The team will be behind Contador, with Armstrong playing the maverick. At least in lieu of a competitive race, we will get a clean one. Columbia will win the green Jersey and Cavendish wont be cheating. Astana will take the rest and have no need to cheat (they’re paying for the riders, not the doctors this year). The other teams aren’t relevant this year.
19 Mar 2009 16:31 AEST
From: Lithgow
--
Some interesting posts. Everyone should note that it doesn't matter what is being said or speculated. What matters is physical form. On that matter why are some of you talking up Lance? I know he is Lance Armstrong but he is not the best cyclist on his team and has stated this. Has anyone seen him attack on his own yet? Does it make sense for Leipheimer or Contador to fall back and pace 37 year old Armstrong come July? No it doesn't. Contador is younger than Kloden, Armstrong, Leipheimer, Zubeldia, Horner and Popovych by several years. Do the math and enjoy the racing.
19 Mar 2009 10:12 AEST
From: Sydney
-
Lance has many of the qualities of Michael Schumacher. Schumacher’s ability was not just being fast in a car, which often was not the quickest, but from the ability to build a team around him, both willing and capable of sacrificing their own chances for the sake of the team leader. With Lance, several of his team mate are serious general classifcation contenders and may have been the team leader in another team, but were willing to work for the benefit of the team and its leader.
18 Mar 2009 15:27 AEST
From: Adelaide
--
Gina , I think what Lance meant was that even though he thinks Contador is the best stage racer in the world (which he is in my opinion) he feels that he could still learn to utilise his superior abilities to even more devastating effect by having a bit more tactical knowledge. Knowing when to remain calm and calculate his attacks to make them even more effective than they already are. (scary for eveyone else if he does) True he has been utterly fantastic in recent years but he is doing that purely on physical abilities rather than combining tactical and physical. Either way he is still a great champion. I think also that Contador would be crazy to not listen to the gretest TDF rider when he gives advice. Who wouldn't? It's only an honest, constructive criticism. I dont think Lance knows the word insecure when it comes to racing either. Contador will still win TDF I reckon. He wont forget to eat again like Paris-Nice.
18 Mar 2009 12:01 AEST
From: Tasmania
--
I read that Armstrong says Contador has a lot to learn when it comes to racing. Excuse me Sir Lance, but didn't Alberto win the Tour/Giro/Vuelta triple in the space of 14 months? I think he has learned plenty already. Seems to me Lance is feeling a little insecure as the big races fast approach.
18 Mar 2009 11:42 AEST
From: Sydney
--
Astana may be split right down the middle come TdF time. Who will support Armstrong and who will support Contador? Even more reason why I don't believe both will ride the Tour together come July.
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