Contador: I will never Admire Armstrong

trixie - 2009-07-28 7:58 AM

I realize that no one will agree with me but the man has the right to feel whatever he feels. Were his words harsh?  maybe, but it's what the kid feels. No one can question anyone's feelings.

And if I was the leader of a team and all of a sudden an icon like LA decided to come back and be on my team, would be cool, yes, but if I then had to take a back seat to him, uh, no. Not gonna cut it.

triOK - 2009-07-28 10:04 AM I have to agree with trix... LA has been known to be a jerk. Who knows what's happened between them? Its unfair to judge Contador without knowing the whole story.

Spokes - 2009-07-28 10:03 AM


Anyway, Contador is showing himself as a tool, IMHO. I hope Team Radioshack blows him so far off the peloton next year that he finds himself back in Spain, wondering WTF happened. I think he'll find life w/o Bruyneel - who is the best coach of cycling talent in the world by far right now (I think that's pretty unquestionable!) - sucks.

merlin2375 - 2009-07-28 8:55 AM http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/07/27/cycling.contador.armstrong/index.html

"My relationship with Lance Armstrong is non-existent. Even if he is a great champion, I have never had admiration for him and I never will," the 26-year-old Spaniard admitted.

Spokes - 2009-07-28 9:03 AM Well, that's kind of a great way to not only p-o Lance - but a lot of the rest of the peloton as well. His behavior has been pretty unclassy during and obviously post-Tour, which means that more teams than just Radioshack are going to try and shut him down next year - including the teams that don't have a realistic chance of putting anyone on the podium, but they can certainly work together to grind up Contador and spit him out.

When Contador wins 7 in a row (or hell, 7 period) then he can shoot off his mouth. I note that none of the other five time winners were lining up to say nasty stuff about Lance - at least recently.

I'm not a big fan of Lance as a person, but... he has displayed respect for the race and the guy very well understands that he has a HUGE role in cycling... the crowds at the Tour this year were much bigger with his presence, and even if he's not riding after next year or so, having him running a team that develops talent - particularly American talent - is good for the world of cycling, as well as focusing attention on cancer research.

Finally, let's face it - as a mediocre recreational athlete, I'd love to have the ability to manage to keep up with the peloton for one day even if I finished DFL... hell - for one fricking HOUR - and I can't imagine how hard it is for someone young with talent to ride in the Tour and make the time cutoffs, even if they finish at the back, and what Lance pulled off - at almost age 38 - is *amazing*. In the would've could've should've category, you have to wonder how that broken collarbone affected his Tour preparation...

Anyway, Contador is showing himself as a tool, IMHO. I hope Team Radioshack blows him so far off the peloton next year that he finds himself back in Spain, wondering WTF happened. I think he'll find life w/o Bruyneel - who is the best coach of cycling talent in the world by far right now (I think that's pretty unquestionable!) - sucks.

Spokes - 2009-07-28 8:17 AM



With all due respects to your opinion and trixies...

I think there are very few athletes at the level that elite cyclists operate at (as well as in other sports) where egos and the competition AREN'T very ruthless. As far as two egos on the same team, well, its not exactly the first time this has happened in cycling, or in the Tour, or in a lot of other sports.

I agree 100% that Alberto is entitled to his opinion, but expressing it in this way - no matter how much talent he has or THINKS he has - in a sport where you don't ride lone wolf (like golf or singles tennis, for example) but depend on team mates, is not wise in terms of ensuring that another team - especially one with a great director sportif like Bruyneel - will pick him up next year that has the horses to not only put Alberto out front but protect him once he's out there. The days of men riding the Tour alone and welding their own broken bikes, as well as changing their tires, like the 1960s - ITS OVER MAN.

Ego isn't confined to sports, either, try operating in the world of music that I do as an amateur musician. There are rules of respect as well... and musicians - even the great ones - who are discourteous to the less talented often will find themselves eventually shut out of that world because no one wants to work with someone whos a giant PITA. I don't see anything wrong with having a healthy ego about what you do, but if can't say something nice - or at least DIPLOMATICALLY - unless you're a stand-up comedian, its probably better to say nothing at all.

JorgeM - 2009-07-28 10:25 AM

You have no idea what happened between those two and by reading reports in the international media (not only versus) it seems Contador it is not too far off on his statements that he was alone in team Astana. quick question; who was wearing number 21? yet who said the leader would be decided on the roads? who clearly dominated the tour? when was the last time you saw the team DS riding behind NOT the yellow jersey but the 5th place at the individual time trial?

In the end Contador will have PLEANTY of offers; in fact there is already a talk about joining an all Spanish team... I am a LA fan but to think Alberto "the pistolero" Contador (ha!) is the tool here is rather amusing; LA did several comments during the tour as a jab to Conta; he kept his mouth shut and did the talking with his legs. After all is set and done I don't blame him to vent his frustrations, I mean when you are the team leader and you give 2nd place treatment in YOUR team I would be pissed too...

tjfry - 2009-07-28 10:26 AM I thought Lemond won? haha.

trixie - 2009-07-28 9:29 AM

 

LMAO!! 

Spokes - 2009-07-28 9:17 AM
With all due respects to your opinion and trixies...

I agree 100% that Alberto is entitled to his opinion, but expressing it in this way - no matter how much talent he has or THINKS.

Spokes - 2009-07-28 9:17 AM
in a sport where you don't ride lone wolf (like golf or singles tennis, for example) but depend on team mates, is not wise in terms of ensuring that another team - especially one with a great director sportif like Bruyneel - will pick him up next year that has the horses to not only put Alberto out front but protect him once he's out there. The days of men riding the Tour alone and welding their own broken bikes, as well as changing their tires, like the 1960s - ITS OVER MAN.

Spokes - 2009-07-28 9:17 AM Ego isn't confined to sports, either, try operating in the world of music that I do as an amateur musician. There are rules of respect as well... and musicians - even the great ones - who are discourteous to the less talented often will find themselves eventually shut out of that world because no one wants to work with someone whos a giant PITA. I don't see anything wrong with having a healthy ego about what you do, but if can't say something nice - or at least DIPLOMATICALLY - unless you're a stand-up comedian, its probably better to say nothing at all.

merlin2375 - 2009-07-28 9:55 AM http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/07/27/cycling.contador.armstrong/index.html

"My relationship with Lance Armstrong is non-existent. Even if he is a great champion, I have never had admiration for him and I never will," the 26-year-old Spaniard admitted.