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

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

He came into this race at best in race shape. If he's not on decent form this type of thing happens to him. Also the way he's ridden this Tour shows he's not anywhere near any kind of decent form. If this happens when he's in or near peak, then we'll talk. However he's also said this was not a goal and he started this race in at best race shape. The good stages for him in the first week he's unlikely to win against those actually are in peak form while he's in race shape.
I totally agree with Valv.Piti. Today was classic Valverde when he's racing and not in any kind of shape and probably shouldn't be racing. This isn't the first time he's done something like this. Disappointing, yes, but not exactly surprising.

I can't remember last time he was in such ****** form, so I wouldn't exactly say that this things happens to him. I guess we'll need to wait for La Vuelta to get a clearer picture about his Tour ride.

He showed up to the Tour in bad form. You could see it in the French race he did in June and the Spanish championships. He wasn't in any sort of decent form at all. He's also stated he took a longer break off the bike after LBL and didn't even start doing any real training for the 2nd part of the season until mid June, and ended up with a cold. He also didn't want to go to the Tour. Certain comments he's made you can tell there are some major problems within that team. Not sure he really had any interest in doing anymore that he absolutely had to do either, thus showing up in what he said was race shape. I'm actually questioning if he was even in race shape at the start of the Tour.

Oh I saw that
And that thing bothers me. He's practically never in shape like that, or very, very rarely. That's why I said we must wait for La Vuelta to get things clearer.

Agreed. It is very rare and it is very troubling. What is more troubling is comments he made after yesterday's stage where he more or less said he doesn't intent on being in much better shape to start the Vuelta. While he had been saying he was targeting it. He's been making a lot of contradictory statements over the past few weeks.

Ehm... I dont know. Not sure he isn't targeting the Vuelta GC. He was targeting the Tour GC some some extent, and then now not the Vuelta? I don't really buy it, I will wait and see.

Truthfully at this point I don't know what to make of of what he's saying. Other than he's been making contradictory statements which is not like him.


(side note: After this morning, won't be around for a few days. I'm going to Mid Ohio in about an hour or two for the Indy Car race, been here for the weekend and found out one of the drivers, Sebastian Bourdais is a cycling fan). Then won't have internet access again until we get home late Tuesday night.)

 

[Koronin]

Sounds like Valverde is not racing San Sebastian this year. Add this to all the other odd things lately. Although for less race days before the Worlds probably not a bad idea, but still odd.

 

[tobydawq]

His name is on the startlist?

 

[dastott]

An on form Valverde would enliven the GC battle in the Vuelta. Would be surprised he isn't targeting it. Maybe he knows he doesn't have the legs at present and wants to take the pressure off himself.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

His name is on the startlist?

His name is on the pre start list, but it's not official yet. He made some comment right after the Tour he was going home and taking a vacation. That doesn't sound like he's going to San Sebastian AND doesn't sound like he's planning on doing much training before the Vuelta either.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

His name is on the startlist?

His name is on the pre start list, but it's not official yet. He made some comment right after the Tour he was going home and taking a vacation. That doesn't sound like he's going to San Sebastian AND doesn't sound like he's planning on doing much training before the Vuelta either.

That's maybe a good news. We're finally going to see Bala in full shape at the WC and Lombardia.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

His name is on the startlist?

His name is on the pre start list, but it's not official yet. He made some comment right after the Tour he was going home and taking a vacation. That doesn't sound like he's going to San Sebastian AND doesn't sound like he's planning on doing much training before the Vuelta either.

That's maybe a good news. We're finally going to see Bala in full shape at the WC and Lombardia.

Let's hope so.

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I was hoping so as well, just due to the history he's chasing there. I guess this is where we need to trust him.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

He’s old. He may have taken a longer break than usual, followed it with a minor illness, and then found that what he expects to be his base shape wasn’t just there waiting for him as it has always previously been. The guy has basically never previously had to worry about managing form in the same way as most others so he may not be particularly good at it if he suddenly needs to.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

He’s old. He may have taken a longer break than usual, followed it with a minor illness, and then found that what he expects to be his base shape wasn’t just there waiting for him as it has always previously been. The guy has basically never previously had to worry about managing form in the same way as most others so he may not be particularly good at it if he suddenly needs to.

Actually he did take a longer than normal break after LBL. He also didn't have an off season. So in truth his entire season this year has been screwed up from the start in that sense. However, his comment about his shape for whatever Rute de Sud is now was exactly what he was expecting it to be.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

Probably. But this is his last chance and on this route he's just another name on the pile. His sprint won't count for much here.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

Probably. But this is his last chance and on this route he's just another name on the pile. His sprint won't count for much here.

If not here, Tokyo Olympics.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

Probably. But this is his last chance and on this route he's just another name on the pile. His sprint won't count for much here.

If not here, Tokyo Olympics.

No... Time is against him.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

Probably. But this is his last chance and on this route he's just another name on the pile. His sprint won't count for much here.

Sprint ability keeps one wait wait wait and wait. Hesitate hesitate and hesitate.
When it comes to biggest race, wait and hesitate = loss.

Remember bardet's "Take a risk or loss a chance". Please don't "take no risk and loss agian."

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

Probably. But this is his last chance and on this route he's just another name on the pile. His sprint won't count for much here.

You never know, sprint is a deadly weapon, and if Valverde shows up in top form, he's very hard to drop.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

Im sad, I would rather personally see a 100% Valverde in La Vuelta, but thats also selfish. If thats what he feels is best, so be it!

I'd rather see him 100% for Worlds and Lombardia as I'd rather see him win either of those than another Vuelta.

Valverde deserves a wc as a career ending.

Probably. But this is his last chance and on this route he's just another name on the pile. His sprint won't count for much here.

You never know, sprint is a deadly weapon, and if Valverde shows up in top form, he's very hard to drop.

Agree. Finish first inside elite group but someone won the race.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Well, you have to race the race first and he won't do that.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

Well, you have to race the race first and he won't do that.

He won't do what? Race the WC

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Well, you have to race the race first and he won't do that.

He won't do what? Race the WC

Thought it was Classica

 

[Moviestar]

Great win today! And he continues he crazy stat in the Vuelta: Since 2003 he has ridden 211 stages. The number of days he was outside the top 20? 4!!

 

[Inquitus]

Re:

Great win today! And he continues he crazy stat in the Vuelta: Since 2003 he has ridden 211 stages. The number of days he was outside the top 20? 4!!

Aye highly impressive from Bala again today, well deserved win and sets him up nicely for the coming GC squabbles!

 

[Koronin]

Excellent win today. He extends the record he already holds of most years between first and most recent win at la Vuelta. (That is going to be a very difficult record to break).
That crazy stat of 211 stages with only 4 finishes outside the top 20 is not just crazy, but is more proof of his crazy consistency. Surprisingly that is a stat I actually didn't know before yesterday.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Excellent win today. He extends the record he already holds of most years between first and most recent win at la Vuelta. (That is going to be a very difficult record to break).
That crazy stat of 211 stages with only 4 finishes outside the top 20 is not just crazy, but is more proof of his crazy consistency. Surprisingly that is a stat I actually didn't know before yesterday.

Not finishes, GC positions.