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

[Koronin]

Alejendro has added a third Spanish title to his palmares.

Here's a picture from the podium. Alejandro's 3 boys are with him and Luisle has his son with him.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re:

Alejendro has added a third Spanish title to his palmares.

Here's a picture from the podium. Alejandro's 3 boys are with him and Luisle has his son with him.

Nice. No standard kit until next June at minimum

 

[Red Rick]

Clearly continuing to put those 3 through college

 

[Valv.Piti]

Mundial, Espana and then France. Gogogo!

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Mundial, Espana and then France. Gogogo!

Then Lombardia. Vamos!

Although another Vuelta would be nice as well.

 

[mariposa]

Re:

Alejendro has added a third Spanish title to his palmares.

Here's a picture from the podium. Alejandro's 3 boys are with him and Luisle has his son with him.

I managed to watch the race on Eurosport player. Quite a nice little circuit.
Alejandros little girl Natalia is also in the photo but you can only see her hands on the shoulders of the twins as she is smaller. Amazing how different the twins are to each other.

 

[ice&fire]

The state of Spanish cycling is such that both the champion and the runner-up are in the masters 2 category

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Alejendro has added a third Spanish title to his palmares.

Here's a picture from the podium. Alejandro's 3 boys are with him and Luisle has his son with him.

I managed to watch the race on Eurosport player. Quite a nice little circuit.
Alejandros little girl Natalia is also in the photo but you can only see her hands on the shoulders of the twins as she is smaller. Amazing how different the twins are to each other.

TY. Natalia his a good bit smaller and younger than the boys are. I've never thought much about how different the twins are from each other, although that's likely because my sisters are also fraternal twins and look nothing like each other.

 

[Koronin]

In an interview today he said he not only is not going for GC at the Tour, but he has no intention on being there to help at end of the high mountain stages. Something about that's not his job. As for weight, he said he did lose weight and at Route d'Occitanie he was down to 58.6kg as an experiment to see how his body responded. One thing he specifically did was ensure he didn't lose any muscle mass. He also said he's gained a kilo back since then and likely will gain another 1-2 before la Vuelta. He was asked about any more goals for himself this year and he said la Vuelta is the only one has for himself for the rest of the year. He also said he will likely retire after 2021, but won't say he will definitely retire after 2021. Interview is with Marca.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re:

In an interview today he said he not only is not going for GC at the Tour, but he has no intention on being there to help at end of the high mountain stages. Something about that's not his job. As for weight, he said he did lose weight and at Route d'Occitanie he was down to 58.6kg as an experiment to see how his body responded. One thing he specifically did was ensure he didn't lose any muscle mass. He also said he's gained a kilo back since then and likely will gain another 1-2 before la Vuelta. He was asked about any more goals for himself this year and he said la Vuelta is the only one has for himself for the rest of the year. He also said he will likely retire after 2021, but won't say he will definitely retire after 2021. Interview is with Marca.

So... What's his plan for the Tour? Enjoy the French countryside while coasting in the grupetto?

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

In an interview today he said he not only is not going for GC at the Tour, but he has no intention on being there to help at end of the high mountain stages. Something about that's not his job. As for weight, he said he did lose weight and at Route d'Occitanie he was down to 58.6kg as an experiment to see how his body responded. One thing he specifically did was ensure he didn't lose any muscle mass. He also said he's gained a kilo back since then and likely will gain another 1-2 before la Vuelta. He was asked about any more goals for himself this year and he said la Vuelta is the only one has for himself for the rest of the year. He also said he will likely retire after 2021, but won't say he will definitely retire after 2021. Interview is with Marca.

So... What's his plan for the Tour? Enjoy the French countryside while coasting in the grupetto?

It sounds like stage hunting although he didn't say. He only really said he wants to enjoy himself and have fun.

One other interesting comment he made when asked about Landa and Quintana getting along. He said they should understand how to get along well enough with each other as they are professionals and adults. Then said, However, I'll be there so if need be I can step in mediate. Sounds like he'll be playing referee again. So maybe he's going simply as referee between Landa and Quintana?

 

[hammerthaim]

Re: Re:

In an interview today he said he not only is not going for GC at the Tour, but he has no intention on being there to help at end of the high mountain stages. Something about that's not his job. As for weight, he said he did lose weight and at Route d'Occitanie he was down to 58.6kg as an experiment to see how his body responded. One thing he specifically did was ensure he didn't lose any muscle mass. He also said he's gained a kilo back since then and likely will gain another 1-2 before la Vuelta. He was asked about any more goals for himself this year and he said la Vuelta is the only one has for himself for the rest of the year. He also said he will likely retire after 2021, but won't say he will definitely retire after 2021. Interview is with Marca.

So... What's his plan for the Tour? Enjoy the French countryside while coasting in the grupetto?

Sponsor dollars for the jersey. Help leaders (a bit) on mtn stages and go for stage wins.

 

[Koronin]

From the team presentation

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Makes you wonder who the employer is and who the employee is.

 

[Koronin]

Makes you wonder who the employer is and who the employee is.

Thought it was common knowledge at this point that Valverde has a lot of say in what goes on at that team. It's well known that if you want to know what is going on there you ask either Mr Unzue or Valverde and listen to both what they say and what they do not say. It's also fairly well known at this point that as far as calendar goes Valverde gets his calendar done first and everyone else has theirs done after his.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I have heard two predictions now that Valverde will win the Tour. The first one from the legendary Greg LeMond, the second one from the legendary Claus Elming, a Danish NFL-fan who makes a podcast about... cycling. Thats enough for me. All this working for Landa and Quintana is a smokescreen.

I belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

I have heard two predictions now that Valverde will win the Tour. The first one from the legendary Greg LeMond, the second one from the legendary Claus Elming, a Danish NFL-fan who makes a podcast about... cycling. Thats enough for me. All this working for Landa and Quintana is a smokescreen.

I belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve

I wonder if he is allowed to join the early break tomorrow under the disguise of being a non-threatening stage hunter.

Could be the best thing ever if he got 6 minutes on the other GC riders. :lol:

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I have heard two predictions now that Valverde will win the Tour. The first one from the legendary Greg LeMond, the second one from the legendary Claus Elming, a Danish NFL-fan who makes a podcast about... cycling. Thats enough for me. All this working for Landa and Quintana is a smokescreen.

I belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve

I wonder if he is allowed to join the early break tomorrow under the disguise of being a non-threatening stage hunter.

Could be the best thing ever if he got 6 minutes on the other GC riders. :lol:

Haha yeah, but thats very unlikely. Would be a dream scenario, but I dont think Ineos is stupid enoiugh to do that even though chances are Valverde wouldnt be able to hold on to that anyways.
Dont really know what his role is even gonna be this Tour. No clue about how he is approaching this race.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

I have heard two predictions now that Valverde will win the Tour. The first one from the legendary Greg LeMond, the second one from the legendary Claus Elming, a Danish NFL-fan who makes a podcast about... cycling. Thats enough for me. All this working for Landa and Quintana is a smokescreen.

I belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve

Elming's companions don't give much for that prediction, though xD

By the way, a better podcast than Souplesse, if you ask me. At least more entertaining, although their knowledge is limited as highlighted by the quiz where they never know the answers which I always do...

And not as much Valverde-bashing.

 

[Koronin]

Sky wouldn't allow him in a break a couple years ago. Something about if he goes in the break and stays away he could win the whole thing.

Valv.Piti, they are forgetting to take into account all the high altitude of this year's Tour and we know how much he struggles in the high altitude. I'm hoping this is just training for la Vuelta again and he's putting together another shot at a Vuelta title.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

I have heard two predictions now that Valverde will win the Tour. The first one from the legendary Greg LeMond, the second one from the legendary Claus Elming, a Danish NFL-fan who makes a podcast about... cycling. Thats enough for me. All this working for Landa and Quintana is a smokescreen.

I belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve

I wonder if he is allowed to join the early break tomorrow under the disguise of being a non-threatening stage hunter.

Could be the best thing ever if he got 6 minutes on the other GC riders. :lol:

No, I don't think big favorites would allow that. He's still way too dangerous for something like that.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I have heard two predictions now that Valverde will win the Tour. The first one from the legendary Greg LeMond, the second one from the legendary Claus Elming, a Danish NFL-fan who makes a podcast about... cycling. Thats enough for me. All this working for Landa and Quintana is a smokescreen.

I belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve

Elming's companions don't give much for that prediction, though xD

By the way, a better podcast than Souplesse, if you ask me. At least more entertaining, although their knowledge is limited as highlighted by the quiz where they never know the answers which I always do...

And not as much Valverde-bashing.

You dont get it, its totally fine to bash Valverde because you-know-what, but at the same time absolutely love Contador for everything he does, all the panache he had.
I dont really like Kim Plesner much, I think Elming and Djurhus is good fun, so yeah, agree.

 

[markene2]

I predict that Valverde is the dark horse this year, he will finish ahead of Quintana

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

I predict that Valverde is the dark horse this year, he will finish ahead of Quintana

He's not feeling great over 2000m. There are quite a few climbs that go past. On the other hand why on earth is he so thin if he's just "helping" the two leaders? Alejandro's mysterious ways.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

I predict that Valverde is the dark horse this year, he will finish ahead of Quintana

He's not feeling great over 2000m. There are quite a few climbs that go past. On the other hand why on earth is he so thin if he's just "helping" the two leaders? Alejandro's mysterious ways.

His comment was he was experimenting. However he's only maybe 1.5kg off his normal race weight when the Tour started. My guess is all this has more to do with his prep for La Vuelta than anything else. Weight loss is not going to help with issues with altitude.