Contador and this years TdF.

[Parrott]

I'll never have all the facts, so there is no point me commenting.

Make that a rule we have to stick to and you'll end most of the discussions.
Hasn't stopped anyone in this thread yet.

[The Womble]

He has confirmed he is riding the TdF.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contado ... -de-france

"Yes, I'll go to the Tour de France. But it's a difficult challenge because nobody has been able to win the Giro and the Tour for 15 years,” Biciciclismo.com reported Contador as saying.

"The Tour is the biggest race there is and all the best riders ride it. That gives me extra motivation.”

Uhoh. He got the "hunger" back again

[brentono]

Will be good to clear the air, Contador Appeal Hearing set, early August.

1, 2 and 3 August 2011
CAS 2011/A/2384 UCI v/ Alberto Contador Velasco & RFEC
CAS 2011/A/2386 WADA v/ Alberto Contador Velasco & RFEC

[Vipul]

Contador will ride
Evans will win the yellow and keep it for a day or two
Evans will crash/mechanical, lose time, lose yellow, cry at end of stage, hugs teammates
Contador wins
Schleck brothers second and third

Nothing to see, move along people

[familyguy]

Crowd gets up Bertie:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/alb ... 1gtkk.html

[brentono]

Suppose the French fans are a pit peeved, with no-one on the TDF podium in Paris,
this Century (the last being Richard VIRENQUE 1997-2nd) and not looking like it,
this year either.

[r2160]

I dont blame the crowd, but I think he was getting jeers because of what he did to Schleck rather than the other.

Then again after this statement "Saxo Bank team owner and manager Bjarne Riis said earlier on Thursday that until CAS deliberates on the case next month, Contador should be treated as innocent until proven guilty" that just blows me away. They found him guilty didnt they, and then the Spaniards decided to let him ride.

Glenn

[MichaelB]

Boo Hoo, I feel sooooo sorry for him

[familyguy]

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum...





http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/spor ... 1gumr.html

Jim

[Mulger bill]

Isn't team owner Riis the same Riis bloke that admitted to being a doper?
How in the name of Fred can a self confessed doper be permitted anywhere near a team?
Credibility score of -0/10 in my books.

[herzog]

How in the name of Fred can a self confessed doper be permitted anywhere near a team?
Credibility score of -0/10 in my books.

Yep it's astonishing.

These guys should be banned from all aspects of the sport.

Sponsors should walk away from any team with these characters involved.

[brentono]

No problems getting sponsors
More sponsors for Saxo Bank SunGard

[herzog]

Yep. No honour.

[MichaelB]

Oh, and he loses more time in the TTT ....

Oh dear.

[brentono]

Oh, and he loses more time in the TTT ....

Oh dear.

Put Down That Hater-aid! gumby.

[dirty_harry]

judgin by the pain on his face going up the mur the other night i would say hes no longer on whatever he was on. IMO he was still on it in the giro he never even winced as he danced away going up some of the italian mountains however on the mur he was genuinely hurting. he looked like a good cyclist but not a drugged up one. and he also didnt look in as though he was better than everyone else. he was on par with cadel and everyone else in that group. i dont like contador but i would say hes not on the drugs for the tour. only time will tell i guess.
harry

[sogood]

judgin by the pain on his face going up the mur the other night i would say hes no longer on whatever he was on. IMO he was still on it in the giro he never even winced as he danced away going up some of the italian mountains however on the mur he was genuinely hurting. he looked like a good cyclist but not a drugged up one. and he also didnt look in as though he was better than everyone else. he was on par with cadel and everyone else in that group. i dont like contador but i would say hes not on the drugs for the tour. only time will tell i guess.

That was a relatively short power climb, different to those big mountain climbs. Contador was clearly under pressure to make up time here, albeit unsuccessfully. Similarly Andy Schleck wasn't right up there as it was not his sort of climb.

[boyracer]

judgin by the pain on his face going up the mur the other night i would say hes no longer on whatever he was on. IMO he was still on it in the giro he never even winced as he danced away going up some of the italian mountains however on the mur he was genuinely hurting. he looked like a good cyclist but not a drugged up one. and he also didnt look in as though he was better than everyone else. he was on par with cadel and everyone else in that group. i dont like contador but i would say hes not on the drugs for the tour. only time will tell i guess.
harry

Acting lessons from Lance?

[brentono]

Contador's reply: ''Personally, I think you are not well informed. My tolerance against doping has always been zero.
I also believe that everyone has the right to believe what they want.''

''Since the beginning of the season … I've managed to win almost every race I've gone into.
I am sure I'll be one of the most controlled riders in the Tour …
I have full confidence the solution will come in my favour.''

+1 ... armchair critics here= not well informed

[RICHARDH]

The climb did suit Cadel ( remindered me of the Fleche Wallone win were Contador attacked and got brought back) but it does show that Contador didnt have that final kick at the line to overtake Cadel which you would usually pencil him in for. Contador also seems to being feeling the pressure, the bike change last night certainly showed signs of a person that was getting frustrated with the constant issues his having at the back of the peloton.

[igstar]

And another change of bike for Contador in stage 6. As P&L said it - "Lady luck has deserted him".

[Christine Tham]

Still have no idea who Contador is. I thought he was a Spanish chef who got into trouble for smuggling bad beef into France ... what is he doing at the TDF?

[Chuck]

Contador's reply:

''I also believe that everyone has the right to believe what they want.''

+1

[foo on patrol]

And another change of bike for Contador in stage 6. As P&L said it - "Lady luck has deserted him".

Karma is a bitch!!

[roller]

And another change of bike for Contador in stage 6. As P&L said it - "Lady luck has deserted him".

Karma is a bitch!!

Brajkovic crashes and is out of tour. . . . .karma