Teams & Riders He's coming home!!!! Alejandro Valverde comeback thread.

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

I'm confident he will. He won't just blindly stage hunt like Visconti did - I lost a bit respect for him this Giro.

I think Visconti rode according to the instructions of the team car. If there was a mistake, then it's Chente and Jaimerena to blame.
As for Bala as a team player, there's no one better if he's fully dedicated. He brought and gifted many victories to his teammates and friends, only Contador comes close in the current peloton. I think his primary mission is going to be to help Nairo, no matter what. And then, if circumstances permit, he could target some stage wins.

How about his years with Balears and Caisse? I know he did it the last couple of years.

I think Purito did a lot too for Moreno in their Katusha time.

Well he was lot younger back then... Agree on Purito though

I was just thinking how his relationship with Purito was back then, and how many wins he 'gifted' to him: i know Burgos 2009 was a example of great 'sharing the spoils'.

God, i miss that time

I think they were a pretty good duo back then, maybe even the best. If Bala and Unzue gave him more freedom back then, maybe they will still be riding together. What a force they would have been in the last 3-4 years (since Bala's comeback)

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

The best thing I remember about Purito and Valverde was when they both were holding on for dear life on Angliru in 2008. I think it was the first I really acknowledged him as a superb rider.

Maybe that was the first time Purito thought he could be a team leader himself. I remember Bala wasn't too happy with Purito after the finish, when the latter tried to follow Contador when Valverde was dropped.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

I think they were a pretty good duo back then, maybe even the best. If Bala and Unzue gave him more freedom back then, maybe they will still be riding together. What a force they would have been in the last 3-4 years (since Bala's comeback)

Purito got quite some freedom in those years. I remember the moment Bala didn't had super legs in FW 2008, and gave green light to Purito to chase his first FW-win (with no avail )

But the most exciting Purito was in the Giro of that same year. Attacking like mad men in the hilly stages and mountains, only got beaten by a mutant Sella. I hope he will ride this years Tour with the same intensity and aggressiveness.

But let's change the subject to Bala again

 

[liamito]

¿La Vuelta a España está descartada o se animará al final?
No, no, este año vacaciones en la Vuelta a España.

So in the end no Hansen-year for Alejandro. I wonder if he will go to the Canadian races.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

¿La Vuelta a España está descartada o se animará al final?
No, no, este año vacaciones en la Vuelta a España.

So in the end no Hansen-year for Alejandro. I wonder if he will go to the Canadian races.

Thanks for the interview, much appreciated!!

 

[Asero831]

what are the stages in the tour that he could target?
I can really see stage 2 as a possibility to take yellow

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

what are the stages in the tour that he could target?
I can really see stage 2 as a possibility to take yellow

Yeah, but he probably won't be too good at that point. But he will try to hunt a stage later Im pretty sure, stage 15 or 19 could be an option if Quintana doesn't need him to drop back.

 

[DBotero]

No need to bother with chasing stage wins this TDF as he's got a much bigger prize on his sights.A stage win might come anyway.

 

[echelon]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-vows-to-help-nairo-quintana-win-the-tour-de-france/

Valverde insists he's at the tour to help Nairo win the overall , hopefully this is the case as Quintana looks good for it this year.

However considering the form he usually shows at La Vuelta after racing the tour and then resting up, I hope to see him go for the win on stage 2 which ends with a 2km CAT 3 climb. Could we see the don win a stage and end up in yellow again ??

 

[Carols]

Re:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-vows-to-help-nairo-quintana-win-the-tour-de-france/

Valverde insists he's at the tour to help Nairo win the overall , hopefully this is the case as Quintana looks good for it this year.

However considering the form he usually shows at La Vuelta after racing the tour and then resting up, I hope to see him go for the win on stage 2 which ends with a 2km CAT 3 climb. Could we see the don win a stage and end up in yellow again ??

Yes it would be good to see him get a stage win, then roll along as prep for Rio until the mountains when he can help Nairo. It's a big ask to ride all 3 GTS plus Rio though so I hope skips the Vuelta!

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-vows-to-help-nairo-quintana-win-the-tour-de-france/

Valverde insists he's at the tour to help Nairo win the overall , hopefully this is the case as Quintana looks good for it this year.

However considering the form he usually shows at La Vuelta after racing the tour and then resting up, I hope to see him go for the win on stage 2 which ends with a 2km CAT 3 climb. Could we see the don win a stage and end up in yellow again ??

Yes it would be good to see him get a stage win, then roll along as prep for Rio until the mountains when he can help Nairo. It's a big ask to ride all 3 GTS plus Rio though so I hope skips the Vuelta!

We're talking about Valverde....it's no big deal.

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-vows-to-help-nairo-quintana-win-the-tour-de-france/

Valverde insists he's at the tour to help Nairo win the overall , hopefully this is the case as Quintana looks good for it this year.

However considering the form he usually shows at La Vuelta after racing the tour and then resting up, I hope to see him go for the win on stage 2 which ends with a 2km CAT 3 climb. Could we see the don win a stage and end up in yellow again ??

Yes it would be good to see him get a stage win, then roll along as prep for Rio until the mountains when he can help Nairo. It's a big ask to ride all 3 GTS plus Rio though so I hope skips the Vuelta!

We're talking about Valverde....it's no big deal.

But he won't be there.

 

[Arredondo]

Last year showed even Valverde is human.

And back then he rode 'just' 2 GT's. Not 3.

 

[echelon]

I would rather see him skip the Vuelta and target the end of season classics. He can win the Giro di Lombardia if he's in top shape.

 

[Mr.White]

Re:

I would rather see him skip the Vuelta and target the end of season classics. He can win the Giro di Lombardia if he's in top shape.

Agree. He could also try to win Plouay and Canadian classics. Not so big races for him, but why not try

 

[Ricco']

And don't forget the European Championships. It's the first edition for Elites (at least in a long time) and the parcours is very hilly, around Nice. It would be a nice adition to Valverde's career.

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

And don't forget the European Championships. It's the first edition for Elites (at least in a long time) and the parcours is very hilly, around Nice. It would be a nice adition to Valverde's career.

As far as I now the EC RR features 4 Col d'Èze laps at the end, it should be really hard.
I Think that he's pretty honest when it comes to riding for Nario, he got his Giro podium + stage win and badly wants to win the olympic RR and Valverde is usually pretty honest when it comes to his goals.

 

[echelon]

I hope he rides like this in the mountains

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lTEVbVH_XGc

Full gas for Quintana to shred the group and then win the stage !!

 

[Mr.White]

CyclingTips: Is Sagan the most naturally talented rider you have ever seen?
Tom Boonen: No, he's good, but not that good. I think Valverde or Contador. Valverde is a guy that nobody ever... I mean everybody knows him, but if you look at what Valverde has accomplished in his career, it's unbelievable. He's won one-day classics over and over again, he has podium finishes in Grand Tours, and winning 25 races a year. He wins races in sprints, breakaways, and on climbs, and that's true talent in my eyes.

What a words of praise from a true legend, Tom Boonen!

 

[peloton]

Very interesting interview http://cyclingtips.com/2016/06/alejandro-valverde-qa-i-think-nobody-doubts-my-performances-anymore/
(Headline a bit misleading, more about Giro, Tour and Rio)

 

[CheckMyPecs]

How many victories did Bala have at Sagan's age?

 

[DFA123]

Re:

CyclingTips: Is Sagan the most naturally talented rider you have ever seen?
Tom Boonen: No, he's good, but not that good. I think Valverde or Contador. Valverde is a guy that nobody ever... I mean everybody knows him, but if you look at what Valverde has accomplished in his career, it's unbelievable. He's won one-day classics over and over again, he has podium finishes in Grand Tours, and winning 25 races a year. He wins races in sprints, breakaways, and on climbs, and that's true talent in my eyes.

What a words of praise from a true legend, Tom Boonen!

High praise indeed. I think it's legitimate as well. In this day and age where there is so much suspicion around riders and you can never be entirely sure about how naturally talented someone is, I think looking at the power profile is the best way to decide. A rider like Valverde that is so rounded that he has aerobic power among the best, anaerobic power among the best and a great sprint - has to have incredible natural talent. Just the combination of slow and fast twitch muscle fibres makes him a genetic freak. Sagan fits that category as well to be fair, although don't think he is quite so rounded.

Still, I hope he and every other Movistar rider fail to win at the national championships this weekend. Nothing against Bala of course, but that disgrace of a national jersey that he's had to wear this year...

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Can't the Spanish federation ban Movistar from competing in the nationals unless they show the champion's jersey due respect?

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

CyclingTips: Is Sagan the most naturally talented rider you have ever seen?
Tom Boonen: No, he's good, but not that good. I think Valverde or Contador. Valverde is a guy that nobody ever... I mean everybody knows him, but if you look at what Valverde has accomplished in his career, it's unbelievable. He's won one-day classics over and over again, he has podium finishes in Grand Tours, and winning 25 races a year. He wins races in sprints, breakaways, and on climbs, and that's true talent in my eyes.

What a words of praise from a true legend, Tom Boonen!

Since 2005, he's won 10-13 races a year. Still damn good, but his Kelme days are gone for a long time

 

[peloton]

@Arredondo wasn't his nickname 'El Imbatido' (The Unbeaten) given to him in his early years? I remember he was literally winning everything early on, could be wrong though