Contador: I will never Admire Armstrong (Page 3)

mrbbrad - 2009-07-28 1:47 PM

Since this is a public forum, and I never was good at minding my own business...I know what to tell you; arguing a point is one thing, calling someone naive is something else.

mrbbrad - 2009-07-28 12:47 PM

Since this is a public forum, and I never was good at minding my own business...I know what to tell you; arguing a point is one thing, calling someone naive is something else.

JorgeM - 2009-07-28 12:16 PM I can argue that; he did, only after AC proved he was the stronger man and probably AC's only way to prove it was to do his race. I was hoping for LA take 2nd and pulling for him; still all his comments don't match with his actions on and off the road. To believe LA was the ultmiate team player and supported AC all along is naive. AC rode for himself cuz he didn't even have the support of his DS. LA would have done the exact same if he would have had the legs to challenge Alberto. 

The cool thing is that next year both of them will have the chance to battle it off; LA will use his $$ and connections to bring a strong team; AC will have the chance to once again be the only rider willing to stand up against LA and beat him on the road. I can only imagine and hope Garmin brings AC onto their team...

Spokes - 2009-07-28 1:40 PM



x2 said it better than I did

Z-dog - 2009-07-28 11:10 AM

Contador is the bigger tool.....he proved it with his race strategy!! If he worked with the team Kloden could have rounded out the podium...

JorgeM - 2009-07-28 11:08 AM alrighty, then help me out here; in his opinion "no one can argue LA played the role of supportive teammate brilliantly"; I replied I could and said why. Now how would you suggest I can state that "IMO it would be (or insert word here) that LA indeed was the ultimate team player". In particular when he was the one who created a leadership struggle on Astana, he was the one stating that the leader would be define on the road, he was the one making comments onr interviews or posting in twitter. Please tell me what word would be acceptable and I am really concerned I am hurting ChrisM feelings; he believes I am attacking him when I am just merely debating the statement made. Maybe I should have used the word optimistic, would that work?

JorgeM - 2009-07-28 9:35 AM I replied to you is because you are criticizing Contador for running his mouth after the tour seemingly because of his frustration he experienced through the tour yet you make no critiques for LA who did took public jabs at Contador via twitter and on the TV interviews.

As I said I am a fan of both cyclists due to their sport achievements, and LA has done other great stuff in his fight against cancer. However I must say I am bit turn off about what went on this year with team Astana and LA attitude. He stated he was coming back (without pay) to be a team player and grow awarness for the livestrong foundation.

Some where along the way he went for "I'll just be part of the team and support the team leader" to "we'll see who the strong man is and let the roads decide the leader". He has publicly said in previous years when someone on his teams was not riding for the leader the athlete would have been kicked out of the team, yet this year he created that situation.
IOW he did stuff he aknowldge unacceptable on his tour wins in previuos years. Yes Alberto could have just be the better person, keep his mouth shut and enjoy the win, after all he did the talking with his legs, aperently with horrible team dynamics and still kicked everyone's azzes.

There are some things emerging as to what went on and it doesn't sound like Alberto is all that off. LA ditched the team celebratory party, took public jabs, apperently while LA was treated as leader and even taking the best sleeping arrengments usually given to the team leader, Brunyeel rode behind LA on the final individual time trial when the team director always rides behind te team leader not to mention the yellow jersey, Alberto was placed to share a room with his supposedly only team friend; apperently before the final individual time trial when Alberto got to the lobby for his ride to the race everyone was gone, he has to call his brother to pick him up to get to the race.

All this reports are coming out on international media outlets and while the information might be bias (same as reading about LA in any USA media) I think there is some truth to it hence I don't blame Alberto to vent his frustrations. LA is a competitor and maybe he tought he had a chance to win the tour until Alberto prove him there wasn't any chance. until then it is when he reluctantly assumed the team player role. Still, LA and Brunyeel created a dynamic they had openly criticized about other teams in the past. Maybe Contador did ride for himself but it was his only way to win as he was been alianated on his own team, he felt he couldnt; trust Brunyeel and LA and in the process made some poor choices but in the end the objetive for Astana was to win per Brunyeel words hence all this drama is just extra. 

In the end, LA will now have what he really wanted again (his own team) and instead of using the livestrong awarness angle he can just openly say: "I want to win an 8th tour". Contador hopefully will have the freedom to be in a team who fully sopports him and then let their legs do the talking at the TdF next year and let the best win.

For all we know Conta is correct, LA is correct or both are at fault but most will pick the side of who they think is right...

Tripolar - 2009-07-28 2:26 PM


It's best to avoid sentences where you assign some trait to the holder of an opinion (i.e., naivete, ignorance, etc.).  So instead of saying "it's naive/foolish to think x..." you could state "i simply don't believe x, for the following reasons...". 

(Note: I'm guilty of this too at times, as I think we all are.)

JorgeM - 2009-07-28 12:22 PM

By the way, here is the complete and correct translation for the interview: "My relationship with Armstrong is none, but apart from his personality, he's a great champion, has won 7 tours and done a great job in this one, but on a personal levelin terms of our relationship I don't have a great admiration towards his, and never will, but again as a rider, he's a great champion"

spanish version: http://www.rtve.es/...ng-nula/286686.shtml[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the translation.  This makes the quote and story very different than what's being reported on the U.S. sports pages.

I'm not a Contador fan.  Never really have been.  He's currently the top GC guy in the world.  I probably will never be a Contador fan.  During the tour he said all the right things.  I was shocked and disappointed by this story.  But really this translation isn't that big of a story to me.

Edited by Brock Samson 2009-07-28 1:36 PM

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.

Trin2bfast - 2009-07-28 12:14 PM

Seriously?  He can keep his skinny, mountain climbing & (TT'ing) a$$ on one of those other non-American teams.  Sorry, Jorge... but I think that would be a serious injustice to CV & now BW on Garmin.  I would like to see Columbia make some improvements in a GC contendor, but that list does not need to include AC. 

When AC is 37 yrs old, and still hanging with essentially all of the top dawgs in pro cycling, we'll chat.  LA couldn't match the accelerations of AC or AS ~ mano y mano... but put a well balanced team together, coached by Bruyhneel, and lead by LA, it is very possible that those two boys will have the hands full battling the relentless assault that will fall upon them.  And if they happen to come out victorious, then they will rightly be crowned king.

gerald12 - 2009-07-29 11:25 PM

Looks  like this may be a possibility.
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_12919159