ahsposo 

Cycling News reports the latest whine:

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cont...-stronger-team

Alberto Contador believes it is possible to win both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same season, but has suggested he would need “a more powerful team” than he had around him this year.

gear

Way to spin a quote.

I believe what he said was that to win a double GT he would need to assemble a stronger team.

CHAS

Noticed less team support for most of the leaders than usual this year. Made for a more interesting race.

Dubbayoo

I think he said he wouldn't be able to ask the same eight guys to support him through two grand tours.

colombo357

Reading comprehension problems?

This sums it up:

tagaproject6

Uhm, wasn't there a dude ranting on about cycling not being a team sport?

Caretaker

When Stephen Roche did the Giro TdF double (+Worlds) in '87 he had a strong team but most weren't working for him. Carrera being Italian wanted Roberto Visentini to win the Giro and in the TdF Roche got less than full support from his team mates.

As Roche says in his book 'My Road to Victory' "Without Bob Millar (Panasonic-Campagnolo) and Eddy Schepers (Carrera)I would not have got through the Giro".

And refering to the TdF.
"The team rode strongly to defend Maechier when he had the yellow jersey in the first week but when it came to the mountains Eddy was the only one to do anything for me."

Contadors comments seem to be directed towards his sponsors to strenghten the team for 2012.

gear

He felt that he didn't win this year because the race wasn't designed towards his particular skill set. Ironically there was suspicion in some parts (not AC) that the organizers had designed the routes with Andy's skill set in mind.

He also said he had a bad start due to the crashes.

Laggard

Where did our confused friend Howitz go?

ahsposo 

You don't really care, do you?

luxroadie

Jean-François Pescheux said in an article (UK mag called Procycling) that the courses are planned out years in advance and there is no truth to the concept that they "design" a course with a rider in mind.

This years tour was probably being worked on about 3 years ago - I don't think the AS/AC rivalry had even been born then.

Malloric

I don't see how this year was designed with Schleck in mind... If there had been no TTT and the ITT was a mountain stage and there were no downhill finishes, maybe then I could see it as being "designed with Schleck in mind". If anything, this year's tour favored Cadel. Lots of technical descents and the time trial stage which are both things Cadel excels at where Schleck does not. Surprise, surprise, being well rounded has its advantages in a grand tour.

And yes, I'd agree with Contador that having a strong team would help. Not losing huge amounts of time in the TTT would have helped. Having a team to set the pace hard enough that Andy didn't just ride off the front and get four minutes time would help. No one really had that. Honestly, the best domestique was by far Rolland, unless you consider Frank Schleck. But Saxobank was pretty unimpressive this year. They certainly didn't lose the Tour for Contador but they didn't do a whole lot for him either. That was pretty much the story across the board, however.

Keith99

How many Tours have you watched? No Prologue, Only one TT in hte 40 KM range. That puts it in the running for the LEAST total ITT distance since WW II in the TDF. The decents were not overly technical, except in the eyes of the Schlecks and the Vrs. announcers. Because this was the 100th anniversary the mountains were both emphasised and the apls had the lions share of that. The terrain of the Alps favors Andy. As many mountian top finnishes as there has been in a long time and of the mountian stages that did not finish on a climb no long flat runnouts which would favor a time trialist.

This years Tour was all but designed for AS. He will not see a course as friendly to him ever again.

ahsposo 

While I agree I do think it was generally designed two or three years ago.

I think the designers are in love with the tactics that the general use of radio has introduced. I would like to see what would happen if they were banned. Having said that I do find it good TV to see the DS dictating to the team from the comfort of his auto. I guess I want the purity of the "old" days with the "armchair quarterbacking" available today. My cake and eat too, so to type.

kabex

As always absolutely stupid anti-contador hate by the OP. Mind-bogglingly idiotic.

Anyway, the Tour had nothing to do with Contador losing. It was 100% the giro.

One of the hardest GTs of all time, and the one where he went for the double.

Don't even have to mention the crashes.

Nick Bain

The course being suited to specific riders? what nonsense.
finally watched the dropped chain video on versus and they mention how good a descender AS (was).

walt_

+1 OP learn to read...

jbman100

I think the combo of the Giro, the crashes early and not a lot of team behind him is what lead to AC's downfall this year. And I'm sorry Andy but if you want to win the biggest stage race in bicycling you HAVE to improve you're time trialing. If you don't you're always going to be on the second step.

Bacciagalupe

Riders rarely make a lot of time on the prologues. They also did a TTT this year, which isn't that common in recent eras.

There were also numerous technical descents (as per usual), and AS is not a great descender compared to many other riders.

And, as we so thoroughly saw, you don't need a long TT to get blown out of the water by a TT alone.

Nor is Andy the only pure climber in the peloton. Contador could've destroyed the peloton if he hadn't exhausted himself in the Giro, had fewer crashes, and yeah let's face it, had a better team.

I don't think the idea that the organizers want a specific rider to win, and game the route with a specific rider in mind, really holds water. The reality is that for decades the Tour has favored climbers, and AS is a climber. That's about it.

tagaproject6

I believe he only shows up when the TdF is running. Just to keep the 99ers in line

Hambonio

I think Contador was a little shy with the drugs this year. If he's not punished for doping last year, he'll win the tour next year by double digits. Call me stupid if you want to. I hate a doper.

Caretaker

I don't particularly want to but somehow I have the feeling you want me to.

ahsposo 

Oh, that hurt! I'm gonna go pout.

Hambonio

Did you read the text I quoted?

Caretaker

Yes.