He's coming home!!!! Alejandro Valverde comeback thread.

[RattaKuningas]

After today's stage I think that it isn't over for Valverde yet.

 

[Mr.White]

I hope for an aggressive race. He should target stage wins on Tuesday and Thursday, and mobilize his whole team for that. In the process he could maybe gain some time in the overall, and then all-out war on stages 19 and 20. Podium and a stage win would settle things nicely.

 

[pink_jersey]

Re:

I hope for an aggressive race. He should target stage wins on Tuesday and Thursday, and mobilize his whole team for that. In the process he could maybe gain some time in the overall, and then all-out war on stages 19 and 20. Podium and a stage win would settle things nicely.

You can't go at war if you aren't strong enough. Maybe he can podium and win a stage but that's the best he can do. Also, Tuesday and Thursday he should just follow and outsprint the others. That's no need to attack in those stages. You can't win much. The best case scenario for him is to win those stages and then to limit looses on Risoul(I don't think you can attack on Agnello and then hold on. The descent it's not tehnical) and then try a suicide move on saturday.

 

[movingtarget]

Great comeback in the TT but hard to see him making the podium.

 

[jens_attacks]

Nice comeback but the high altitude will kill him again if the last 2 stages won't get cancelled

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Nice comeback but the high altitude will kill him again if the last 2 stages won't get cancelled

Its different tho. While Agnello and the last hard stage especially is in high altitude, the last what, 130 kilometres in that stages was at least in +1500 - 1800 or something like that. Valverde/Unzue at least said that he would be much better since they wouldn't stay in that altitude.

I still believe he has an opportunity to win. Kruijswijk has to have a bad day or screw up otherwise, Chaves necessarily isn't that much better, neither is Nibali.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Nice comeback but the high altitude will kill him again if the last 2 stages won't get cancelled

Its different tho. While Agnello and the last hard stage especially is in high altitude, the last what, 130 kilometres in that stages was at least in +1500 - 1800 or something like that. Valverde/Unzue at least said that he would be much better since they wouldn't stay in that altitude.

I still believe he has an opportunity to win. Kruijswijk has to have a bad day or screw up otherwise, Chaves necessarily isn't that much better, neither is Nibali.

Win no. You know that too.

In the typical Valverde stages, Chaves was just as good. And Chavito is better at high altitude. And Nibali will not crack the way Bala did this Giro.

I don't think he will podium. Only if Nibali will go all out for the win.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Why do you have to bring me down the earth all the time? Let me dream.

 

[Fernandez]

Re: Re:

Nice comeback but the high altitude will kill him again if the last 2 stages won't get cancelled

Its different tho. While Agnello and the last hard stage especially is in high altitude, the last what, 130 kilometres in that stages was at least in +1500 - 1800 or something like that. Valverde/Unzue at least said that he would be much better since they wouldn't stay in that altitude.

I still believe he has an opportunity to win. Kruijswijk has to have a bad day or screw up otherwise, Chaves necessarily isn't that much better, neither is Nibali.

Win no. You know that too.

In the typical Valverde stages, Chaves was just as good. And Chavito is better at high altitude. And Nibali will not crack the way Bala did this Giro.

I don't think he will podium. Only if Nibali will go all out for the win.

He already cracked badly yesterday. He lost 01:45 with Valverde in a 10 kms ITT.

 

[Mr.White]

He'll podium alright. Don't know which step though...

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Why do you have to bring me down the earth all the time? Let me dream.

You can dream. I do that already for many years. I actually had a dream the last days that the other Spanish guy will be Olympic champion in Río!

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Nice comeback but the high altitude will kill him again if the last 2 stages won't get cancelled

Its different tho. While Agnello and the last hard stage especially is in high altitude, the last what, 130 kilometres in that stages was at least in +1500 - 1800 or something like that. Valverde/Unzue at least said that he would be much better since they wouldn't stay in that altitude.

I still believe he has an opportunity to win. Kruijswijk has to have a bad day or screw up otherwise, Chaves necessarily isn't that much better, neither is Nibali.

Win no. You know that too.

In the typical Valverde stages, Chaves was just as good. And Chavito is better at high altitude. And Nibali will not crack the way Bala did this Giro.

I don't think he will podium. Only if Nibali will go all out for the win.

He already cracked badly yesterday. He lost 01:45 with Valverde in a 10 kms ITT.

But a mountain TT is still different then a mountain stage. And yesterday's stage was perfect for Alejandro: quite a short, more explosive mountain TT below 2000 meters. He did great in similar TT's in the past.

However, Bala struggled in the past too with climbs like Bonette and Agnello. The fact they have to tackle 4 of those monster climbs in the next days, doesn't bode well for Valverde.

If there were only medium mountain stages left, i would say he had a chance for a podium spot. But now? Will be difficult.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Why do you have to bring me down the earth all the time? Let me dream.

You can dream. I do that already for many years. I actually had a dream the last days that the other Spanish guy will be Olympic champion in Río!

Well. I honestly think he has an outside shot as the 4th wheel in the Giro. I think the time trial reflected his real climbing level and his setback in Corvara was due to the altitude and just a poor day or since he described he suddenly just didn't have anything left after feeling well. I know that you don't share that opinion and thats cool, the stars would have to align in order for him to win.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-questions-classification-of-upcoming-giro-ditalia-climbs/?utm_content=buffer117dc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
A really encouraging article. I like his rant over the classifications, he speaks like a mad man and wants to attack on Agnello he says.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Why do you have to bring me down the earth all the time? Let me dream.

You can dream. I do that already for many years. I actually had a dream the last days that the other Spanish guy will be Olympic champion in Río!

Well. I honestly think he has an outside shot as the 4th wheel in the Giro. I think the time trial reflected his real climbing level and his setback in Corvara was due to the altitude and just a poor day or since he described he suddenly just didn't have anything left after feeling well. I know that you don't share that opinion and thats cool, the stars would have to align in order for him to win.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-questions-classification-of-upcoming-giro-ditalia-climbs/?utm_content=buffer117dc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
A really encouraging article. I like his rant over the classifications, he speaks like a mad man and wants to attack on Agnello he says.

Yes, interesting to hear him complaining about the categorization.
Maybe he's given himself away a bit with that. Not in the sense of his form, but tactically. Higher number of available points on the climbs would wheedle more riders in the breakaway, so Movi could put more their men in front etc., etc....
I think the points are assigned with the Blue jersey battle on mind and this week's overall standard.

 

[ice&fire]

His complaints on the climb categorization must be understood in the sense that you can't get an accurate idea of the stage difficulty from that and you need to look carefully at the detailed profiles with climb lenghts and gradients per km if you haven't had the chance to ride the climb before.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

His complaints on the climb categorization must be understood in the sense that you can't get an accurate idea of the stage difficulty from that and you need to look carefully at the detailed profiles with climb lenghts and gradients per km if you haven't had the chance to ride the climb before.

May be, I won't oppose. But I doubt there's anyone riding the final week of a GT without a closer look at the profiles, relying only on categorization.

 

[IndianCyclist]

For all his talk of alliance with Nibali, he would not hesitate to stab him in the back if it gets him the podium. Allowing Nibali to tire himself on useless attacks without helping.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Perfect stage for Valverde today. Really hopes Movistar will make an effort to keep the race close..

 

[Carols]

Re:

For all his talk of alliance with Nibali, he would not hesitate to stab him in the back if it gets him the podium. Allowing Nibali to tire himself on useless attacks without helping.

That's cycling! Alliances of convenience. It's been happening like that for 100+ years .

 

[Red Rick]

Well, nice for him to finally get a stage in every GT. Good day for him

 

[DFA123]

What a legend. He's recovered from his bad day like a true champion. Looks like its between him and Kruijswijk for the overall now.

 

[Arredondo]

Kruijswijk will take more time once the big mountains arrive. But great win by Alejandro. Super strong ride.

He only needs to take care of Zakarin, who's getting stronger each day. Maybe he can get 2nd place from Chaves, but he was strong too on Paganella.

Great win!

 

[Forever The Best]

Great win by Valverde today.Like a boss!

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

What a legend. He's recovered from his bad day like a true champion. Looks like its between him and Kruijswijk for the overall now.

Don't you think he will ride more cautious now because he's got the podium place and a stage win? He knows beating Kruijswijk is impossible, especially because his terrain is coming again.

 

[Carols]

Grande ride Bala! Aggressive from the outset and gets his stage while a podium is also looking good!