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

[Koronin]

But in 2016 riding all the Tour was a good preparation because they had an extra week and also fly to Brasil with a positive time difference is a lot different compared to fly to Japan with a negative time difference, if you take a flight on Monday morning you'll be in Tokyo when it's already the following morning there (and should be a direct flight otherwise could be even 15/18 hours of travel only) and that shorten also the recovery time, in addition to the jet lag and the weather, so I don't think the fact that Valverde is one of the few that is always good in San Sebastián after the Tour can be used as reference. Maybe he won't be a dead man walking like the ones that in normal years aren't even able to perform in San Sebastián coming out of the Tour but he'll be hampered compared to the ones that will leave the Tour early or will come from a different approach that enable them to fly to Japan earlier.

I'm not entirely sure it's the smartest of ideas, however, if he's the one that wants to do it, they aren't going to say no to him. In 2016 he also raced San Sebastian before going to the Olympics. If I'm reading correctly what is being said, is that he wants hard racing right before the Olympics which if he doesn't race the Tour he's not getting or doesn't think he's getting. IMO, racing 2 weeks to maybe into the 3rd week of the Tour is likely the best prep for the Olympics. However, I'm not sure you're going to find many who would be allowed to do that.

 

[yaco]

Many of the riders will come from the TDF to the Olympics so there is no drama - A rider will not give up a good result in the TDF because the Olympics are one week later.

 

[Nirvana]

Many of the riders will come from the TDF to the Olympics so there is no drama - A rider will not give up a good result in the TDF because the Olympics are one week later.

The problem are not the riders coming out of the Tour that will be on the same boat but the ones that will decide to opt out of the Tour early or that will come from a different schedule and so will be rested and acclimatized for the race.

 

[Blanco]

The best thing to do would be abandoning the Tour after Villard de Lans stage, or maybe even after Col de la Loze. But every day after that will decrease Valverde's chances at Tokyo. The main problem, however, will be that the first two weeks of the Tour suits Valverde like a glove and he may end up very high in the overall just at the time when he needs to abandon the race.

 

[Koronin]

I agree the problem is going to be when he needs to abandon the race to leave for Tokyo he's not going to want to because he's going to be too high up in the overall standings.

 

[Koronin]

Alejandro said today that his goals for next year are the classics (referring to the Ardennes), the Tour, the Olympics, the Worlds and that la Vuelta is sacred on the calendar. So you can include la Vuelta as a goal as well.

As for retiring here is what he said and I'm posting in both Spanish and English in case there is a better translation:
El "Bala" asegura seguir con la ilusión de siempre, pero recalcó que si las sensaciones son las contrarias, no tendría problema en colgar la bicicleta. "Si veo que no voy bien termino y dejo la plaza a otro, pero eso aún no entra en mi cabeza. He vuelto a entrenar y las sensaciones son como en años anteriores".
(The "Bala" claims to continue with the illusion of always, but stressed that if the feelings are the opposite, he would have no problem hanging the bike. "If I see that I am not doing well, I finish and leave the square to another, but that still does not enter my head. I have returned to training and the sensations are as in previous years. )

The other interesting part of his comments are that he's looking forward to working with Enric Mas and hopes to teach him things as well as learn from him. He said he's really looking forward to teaching the new generation. (I do think when he does retire he'll become a coach on Movistar's staff, because coaching is something he seems to really enjoy doing.)

Here's the link for anyone who wants to read Spanish: https://www.ciclismoafondo.es/competicion/noticias-resultados-ciclismo/articulo/alejandro-valverde-si-pudiera-elegir-un-triunfo-sin-duda-seria-en-tokio?fbclid=IwAR0noybrR9NEFIhGEdYIXDNP8PKGoUrJJVf7zcb-0O5bJhEHnwlse_1Se0g

 

[perico]

I love those comments. Mas having Bala and Bertie as his mentors. That’s some Spanish cycling royalty right there.

 

[Koronin]

Alejandro is enjoying his vacation in the US and taking in an NBA game while here.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1202759567307878405

View: https://twitter.com/alejanvalverde/status/1202759567307878405?fbclid=IwAR1D1dpOBJksjgLgVt07FaoBt2lBblkaNAMJVeFc0In9UEfV5F8QS2L5U0A