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

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What will Valverde's impact be the cycling world in 2012

  • Nuclear Holocoust

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Mar 18, 2009
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nobilis said:
The racing calendar of Valverde for the first part of the season, if it wasn't posted before :

Cancer Council Classic (January 15)
Tour Down Under (January 17-22)
Challenge Mallorca (February 5-9)
Vuelta Andalucía (February 19-23)
Clásica Almería (February 26)
Paris-Nice (March 4-11) or Vuelta a Murcia (March 29 - April 4l)
Volta Catalunya (March 19-25)
GP Miguel Indurain (March 31)
Vuelta al País Vasco (April 2-7)
Amstel Gold Race (April 15)
Flèche Wallonne (April 18)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 22)

Then he should rest before starting to build up for the tour. So i guess he might do the Dauphiné and of course the National Championships in June.

And after that he wants to go for the Olympics....and then Vuelta.....and then Worlds....a ludicrously heavy schedule as always.

I'd love to see him try for something different and go all out for some of the italian races, plus Paris-Nice, not to mention the Tour de Suisse. I mean what's the point in trying to win the same races he's already won? Race the Giro and try to win Lombardia Piti. You know you want to.
 
issoisso said:
And after that he wants to go for the Olympics....and then Vuelta.....and then Worlds....a ludicrously heavy schedule as always.

I'd love to see him try for something different and go all out for some of the italian races, plus Paris-Nice, not to mention the Tour de Suisse. I mean what's the point in trying to win the same races he's already won? Race the Giro and try to win Lombardia Piti. You know you want to.

Agree with what most of what you write but he kind of has tried to win Paris Nice.

One can Well understand why he might not want to race the Giro or any Italian races.

San Remo could also be very good for him, its a race I think he should try, if he still has his sprinting prowess.
 
Jun 9, 2010
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issoisso said:
And after that he wants to go for the Olympics....and then Vuelta.....and then Worlds....a ludicrously heavy schedule as always.

I'd love to see him try for something different and go all out for some of the italian races, plus Paris-Nice, not to mention the Tour de Suisse. I mean what's the point in trying to win the same races he's already won? Race the Giro and try to win Lombardia Piti. You know you want to.

He and Cobo are going to Le Tour... is almost confirmed... and yeah... He is not going near Italy in the short time :p
 
issoisso said:
And after that he wants to go for the Olympics....and then Vuelta.....and then Worlds....a ludicrously heavy schedule as always.

I'd love to see him try for something different and go all out for some of the italian races, plus Paris-Nice, not to mention the Tour de Suisse. I mean what's the point in trying to win the same races he's already won? Race the Giro and try to win Lombardia Piti. You know you want to.


and milan freaking san remo!!!! he could have won 3 different monuments by now. . .
 
nobilis said:
Cancer Council Classic (January 15)
Tour Down Under (January 17-22)
Challenge Mallorca (February 5-9)
Vuelta Andalucía (February 19-23)
Clásica Almería (February 26)
Paris-Nice (March 4-11) or Vuelta a Murcia (March 29 - April 4l)
Volta Catalunya (March 19-25)
GP Miguel Indurain (March 31)
Vuelta al País Vasco (April 2-7)
Amstel Gold Race (April 15)
Flèche Wallonne (April 18)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 22)

I'll be more than happy is he excels on the bolted ones:)
very busy calender-but then again- it was 2 years without him racing:)
exciting moments are ahead:D
 
valverde is without any doubt in the top 5 talents of the last decade.i've always felt that you know, that special sprint kick at the end of the race was sent straight by the gods.you can't find something more natural than those ones in pro cycling,riccardo ricco had it too but he had no brains.
you can see it now,he can win races even after almost two years out.i wish he wins on willunga hill
 
Aug 2, 2010
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jens_attacks said:
valverde is without any doubt in the top 5 talents of the last decade.i've always felt that you know, that special sprint kick at the end of the race was sent straight by the gods.you can't find something more natural than those ones in pro cycling,riccardo ricco had it too but he had no brains.
you can see it now,he can win races even after almost two years out.i wish he wins on willunga hill

god... i just hope that fern ado alonso was serious...

alberto + alejandro????

oh gawd.
 
Jul 16, 2010
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The Hitch said:
Agree with what most of what you write but he kind of has tried to win Paris Nice.

One can Well understand why he might not want to race the Giro or any Italian races.

San Remo could also be very good for him, its a race I think he should try, if he still has his sprinting prowess.

He has tried to win Pais Vasco, Paris-Nice and Vuelta a Castila y Leon. He hasn't won those yet, so they'll remain a motivation for him.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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Kwibus said:
Valverde to win the TDU? Can you imagine a better comeback?

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/10916/Valverde-says-hes-amongst-the-best-riders-in-the-Santos-Tour-Down-Under.aspx

I'd certainly look forward to ACF's comments :D

I think Gerrans will beat Valverde though, but just thinking of Valverde winning again right from the start and watching the haters cry and curse will be priceless.

Put it this way, I am not sure I want to watch on Saturday. Valverde opened the sprint very early and looked quite strong.
 
Jun 7, 2011
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auscyclefan94 said:
Put it this way, I am not sure I want to watch on Saturday. Valverde opened the sprint very early and looked quite strong.

Yeah but he wasn't as quick as he used to be. It was a pretty good sprint but 2 years ago he would have easily beaten Gerrans. I think he will get back the top end of his sprint by late spring.

Are there any other riders like Valverde currently racing? That can climb, sprint, win the GC, and win classics? Ricco, but he's a ****** and doesnt race anymore. It's off topic but it is comparing these riders to Valverde.
 
Jul 18, 2010
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auscyclefan94 said:
Put it this way, I am not sure I want to watch on Saturday. Valverde opened the sprint very early and looked quite strong.

I think you should watch so that you can get accustomed to being tormented by his magnificence.;) It'll make you a stronger, more well rounded and better cycling fan.:D
 
Jun 22, 2009
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evans being trumped by valverde in GT sprints always gave me the utmost of joy. Then came the tears (from acf).

Valverde has come back to bring justice to this forum.
 
Jul 18, 2010
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Swede1 said:
Yeah but he wasn't as quick as he used to be. It was a pretty good sprint but 2 years ago he would have easily beaten Gerrans. I think he will get back the top end of his sprint by late spring.

Are there any other riders like Valverde currently racing? That can climb, sprint, win the GC, and win classics? Ricco, but he's a ****** and doesnt race anymore. It's off topic but it is comparing these riders to Valverde.

Sammie Sanchez can climb, has a decent sprint, evidenced by this Olympic RR win, contends in the classics and is capable of winning, and has finished second in a grand tour (2009 Vuelta). Cunego was on that list and seems to be finding his grand tour legs so maybe can return to Giro contending form.
 
jens_attacks said:
valverde is without any doubt in the top 5 talents of the last decade.i've always felt that you know, that special sprint kick at the end of the race was sent straight by the gods.you can't find something more natural than those ones in pro cycling,riccardo ricco had it too but he had no brains.
you can see it now,he can win races even after almost two years out.i wish he wins on willunga hill

Id say Valverde is the greatest talent of the last decade. Contador maybe based purely on the total domination of his climbing + very good tting, might challenge him in this department over the next few years, but to be able to sprint, climb, tt and descend at the highest level, or as in the case of PV 2010 (which El P will no doubt remind me he did not win, and then say we cant use the race as evidence for his quality because he was banned retrospectively therefore did not exist), all in the space of less than a week.
 
Jul 16, 2010
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The greatest talent of the last decade sure bonked a lot in the mountains. And has never done a great time trial in the Tour, isn't that telling. He's a great talent all-right, though not the greatest.

He's the best all-rounder of the decade perhaps, but doesn't make him the best talent automatically. I see Freire and I see World Champion in his first year as a pro. That's pure talent right there. Pure.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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El Pistolero said:
The greatest talent of the last decade sure bonked a lot in the mountains. And has never done a great time trial in the Tour, isn't that telling. He's a great talent all-right, though not the greatest.
+1 - I think Evans and Contador have the wood over him in that respect.
 
Jun 22, 2009
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Evans did his fair share of bonking, until last july valv. was 1 up in the GT department. While I think Evans is a great all round rider not prepared to commit to him being the better rider. Of course evans is the better ttr overall (sorry just being good on hilly course isn't enough).

Contador is without a doubt the greatest stage racer in the last decade, if not ever. Best climber, up there in regards to TT.
If he showed more in one day racing it would be hard to argue against him.