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

[Kaptain Kool]

It's already someone's birthday in my part of the world. Not sure why it's not an international holiday yet. Is it fair to say that LBL is the (distant) 2nd most important race of the year? Yes, it is.

 

[tobydawq]

He'll wear number 41 on his 41st birthday.

I hope he won't finish as number 41.

 

[Koronin]

He'll wear number 41 on his 41st birthday.

I hope he won't finish as number 41.

LBL organizers giving him that number to wish him Happy Birthday?

 

[Billie]

He already won 4 and tomorrow he will win another 1

 

[CyclistAbi]

If you read it backwards it reads 14. Just wanted to point out that it doesn't mean anything. Reading it like that. In case somebody else would like to try to read it backwards. To save him or here the trouble of doing so.

P.S. Go Alejandro! I will cheer for you in any race you participate.

 

[Sciatic]

If you read it backwards it reads 14. Just wanted to point out that it doesn't mean anything. Reading it like that. In case somebody else would like to try to read it backwards. To save him or here the trouble of doing so.

P.S. Go Alejandro! I will cheer for you in any race you participate.

But if he pins it upside down it will read “1h” which means his next goal will be to go for the hour record

 

[Fernandez]

Still hurting the positioning in FW. I expect the evergreen Valverde will step the podium today.

 

[Blanco]

On top of the podium..

 

[tobydawq]

What was he thinking, opening from the front so early?
It worked in Innsbruck because he was with a bunch of snails, of course it wouldn't work today.

 

[Amazinmets87]

What was he thinking, opening from the front so early?
It worked in Innsbruck because he was with a bunch of snails, of course it wouldn't work today.

Tactics aside, his sprint clearly isn't as strong as it used to be.

 

[Fernandez]

What was he thinking, opening from the front so early?
It worked in Innsbruck because he was with a bunch of snails, of course it wouldn't work today.

 

[tobydawq]

Tactics aside, his sprint clearly isn't as strong as it used to be.

But did you see his sprint in Amstel?

 

[Red Rick]

What was he thinking, opening from the front so early?
It worked in Innsbruck because he was with a bunch of snails, of course it wouldn't work today.

Little over 200m with a visible tailwind. Same distance he always goes.

He had 0 chance the moment he let all the others in his wheel.

 

[tobydawq]

Little over 200m with a visible tailwind. Same distance he always goes.

He had 0 chance the moment he let all the others in his wheel.

Over 250 metres.

 

[Amazinmets87]

But did you see his sprint in Amstel?

Yes. I also saw his sprints in the spring of 2017.

 

[Koronin]

He opened his sprint way too early AND was made an even bigger mistake in leading out the sprint. His form is not even close to what it was in 2017 and 2018. It's around 2019 levels at best.

 

[tobydawq]

He opened his sprint way too early AND was made an even bigger mistake in leading out the sprint. His form is not even close to what it was in 2017 and 2018. It's around 2019 levels at best.

The rivals are also better than back then, I think. But yeah, he was likely better in 2017.

 

[Koronin]

The rivals are also better than back then, I think. But yeah, he was likely better in 2017.

He was beating Alaphilippe and Roglic in 2017 and 2018. Pogacar is really the only one that wasn't there. It's also obvious he's lost some of his sprint, which I guess shouldn't be surprising.

 

[tobydawq]

He was beating Alaphilippe and Roglic in 2017 and 2018. Pogacar is really the only one that wasn't there. It's also obvious he's lost some of his sprint, which I guess shouldn't be surprising.

But Roglic and Alaphilippe are surely better than in 2017!

 

[Bonimenier]

He was beating Alaphilippe and Roglic in 2017 and 2018. Pogacar is really the only one that wasn't there. It's also obvious he's lost some of his sprint, which I guess shouldn't be surprising.

Both Alaphilippe and Roglic did improve quite some bit since then though.

 

[Koronin]

But Roglic and Alaphilippe are surely better than in 2017!

I would say Alaphilippe is not better than he was in 2017/2018 this year.

Both Alaphilippe and Roglic did improve quite some bit since then though.

Alaphilippe isn't better than he was in 2017/2018 this year.

 

[Salvarani]

Honestly... being at the front with Woods and Gaudu on the wheel wasnt that bad.

If he had gotten a couple of metres to Woods at the start of the sprint. Then it might have been difficult for Ala and Pog to beat him.

He just lacked the explosiveness in the sprint and energy left in the legs I think in the end. He might have spent most of it just to be a part of the finale.

He did a great race and it is very fun to watch him still being this good. A lot of riders race on for too long (hmm, who can we think of here) and their last years ending up being not so memorable. They should have retired earlier.

But Valverde still has more to give and still fighting in the big races. It is quite amazing.

 

[Amazinmets87]

He was beating Alaphilippe and Roglic in 2017 and 2018. Pogacar is really the only one that wasn't there. It's also obvious he's lost some of his sprint, which I guess shouldn't be surprising.

Yes, the decline in athletic performance between ages 37 and 41 is far from insignificant.

 

[Fantastico]

He opened his sprint way too early AND was made an even bigger mistake in leading out the sprint. His form is not even close to what it was in 2017 and 2018. It's around 2019 levels at best.

Except for Valverde staying in front of Woods, the final result was the reverse order of the initial positions in the sprint, so of course, it was a mistake to be the one leading out. On the other hand, I do not think that he did start his sprint way too early. Being in the front position basically there was no other option. If you are in front position and wait too long, then the others will start their sprint before you, overtake you and there will be no chance to get past them again.

In general, I think he did a really great race. We should not take it for granted that he was in the front group, again fighting for the win, especially in his age. Even riders like Roglic or Yates showed how hard it was to achieve that. In the end, his positioning could have been better, but he also simply lacked a bit of punch and freshness compared to the younger guys. A bit sad that he could not win or even get a podium place, but it was still a great race.

Regarding your argument of "2019 levels at best". Sorry, that's pure nonsense. Nowadays he lacks a bit of explosiveness compared to some years ago, but result-wise he rode his most consistent Ardennes Classics since 2015. And you think he wasn't even on his 2019 level where he finished 11th in Flèche Wallone and 66th in Amstel Gold Race. And even in 2017 when he was probably the strongest rider in Liège, it's not that he soloed to victory. He just was more explosive back then, but he also did not face opponents of the same caliber as Alaphilippe or Pogacar. So it makes absolutely no sense to compare those races or to use these races as a benchmark for his performance today.

 

[Koronin]

Except for Valverde staying in front of Woods, the final result was the reverse order of the initial positions in the sprint, so of course, it was a mistake to be the one leading out. On the other hand, I do not think that he did start his sprint way too early. Being in the front position basically there was no other option. If you are in front position and wait too long, then the others will start their sprint before you, overtake you and there will be no chance to get past them again.

In general, I think he did a really great race. We should not take it for granted that he was in the front group, again fighting for the win, especially in his age. Even riders like Roglic or Yates showed how hard it was to achieve that. In the end, his positioning could have been better, but he also simply lacked a bit of punch and freshness compared to the younger guys. A bit sad that he could not win or even get a podium place, but it was still a great race.

Regarding your argument of "2019 levels at best". Sorry, that's pure nonsense. Nowadays he lacks a bit of explosiveness compared to some years ago, but result-wise he rode his most consistent Ardennes Classics since 2015. And you think he wasn't even on his 2019 level where he finished 11th in Flèche Wallone and 66th in Amstel Gold Race. And even in 2017 when he was probably the strongest rider in Liège, it's not that he soloed to victory. He just was more explosive back then, but he also did not face opponents of the same caliber as Alaphilippe or Pogacar. So it makes absolutely no sense to compare those races or to use these races as a benchmark for his performance today.

Did you MISS the fact that he had a huge drop off after 2018? Yes he at best is at his 2019 levels. He is not going to EVER get back to his 2018 level. He had lost some of his explosiveness in 2019 and does NOT have it this year. That is obvious. In 2017 and 2018 he WAS racing against Alaphilippe. Right now Alaphilippe is NOT as good as he was in 2017 and 2018. In 2017 he BEAT Alaphilippe at Fleche Wallone. Yes it is EASY to make those comparisons and to use those years as a benchmark to his current form because it's obvious. If he has the form of 2017 he wins both races, if he has his 2018 form he likely wins at least 1 of the 2 and is on the podium at both. His current form is not anywhere close to the form he had those two years where he was virtually unbeatable. By the way, if he has competent form YES we should expect him to be in that front group, because that is him and that is to be expected. If he wasn't in the front group then his form is NOT even his 2019 form. Most consistent rider in the peloton for virtually 2 full decades, you EXPECT him in the front group if he has good form and you EXPECT him to have that form.