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

[Lequack]

He's back out riding with his posse

 

[Blanco]

The Don is still in the house! Not the best way to win though...
The form is good, it seems. I'm hoping for a good Italian campaign, crowned with the big one at the end.

 

[Koronin]

Win #130. Impressive number. Hopefully the crash after the finish line doesn't have any lasting effects.

 

[perico]

What a legend. Great to see him pick himself back up (again).

 

[joe_papp]

5th at Il Lombardia...idk, seems like a decent result for a 41 year-old.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

And he must be having fun because he's on the Start List for Coppa Agostoni.

 

[tobydawq]

He says that next season will be his last and that he will not do the Tour.

Something that has been said before but I think it's true this time. There were no "let's see"s accompanying the statements at least.

 

[RedheadDane]

So, he'll actually do that "Spain-only Farewell Tour" he was supposed to have been doing this year? Or... maybe - before that - it was last year, but of course last year went a little... weird.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I wonder if he will be allowed a stage win like Contador on his farewell race. Be funny as hell watchin him in a break with Remco, "C'mon Grandad, get on my arse and ill pull you to the line"

 

[tobydawq]

So, he'll actually do that "Spain-only Farewell Tour" he was supposed to have been doing this year? Or... maybe - before that - it was last year, but of course last year went a little... weird.

I doubt it. And I don't think he was ever supposed to do that.

 

[KZD]

He says that next season will be his last and that he will not do the Tour.

Something that has been said before but I think it's true this time. There were no "let's see"s accompanying the statements at least.

Let's hope that he finally rides the Giro instead of the Tour this time but I am not sure this will be his last season

 

[RedheadDane]

I doubt it. And I don't think he was ever supposed to do that.

Maybe just Koronin who insisted it was the case. Or was it more "Spain only, except for some races that are not in Spain!"?

 

[Salvarani]

Let's hope that he finally rides the Giro instead of the Tour this time but I am not sure this will be his last season

Hard to do Giro, if not just stage-hunting, if he has peaked for Ardennes.

And if he wants to be in good shape for Vuelta, then riding the Tour is probably the best prep for him.

 

[Fantastico]

Hard to do Giro, if not just stage-hunting, if he has peaked for Ardennes.

And if he wants to be in good shape for Vuelta, then riding the Tour is probably the best prep for him.

I hope he's not going to the Tour (or only for stage-hunting and Vuelta preparation). He should focus on the Ardennes and WT stage races in spring and then the Vuelta and the autumn classics at the end of the year.

I would also love to see him in the Giro for a second time, but I doubt that will happen.

 

[Salvarani]

I hope he's not going to the Tour (or only for stage-hunting and Vuelta preparation). He should focus on the Ardennes and WT stage races in spring and then the Vuelta and the autumn classics at the end of the year.

I would also love to see him in the Giro for a second time, but I doubt that will happen.

To be "regular" Valverde then his season should be racing through the spring, peak for Ardennes, race Tour as prep only (help Mas perhaps and go for stages) and be in shape for Vuelta. Keep the form through WC and Italian races, if he does not want to end with Vuelta as his last race.

Thats been his schedule for years and worked for him. See no reason why it would be a good idea to change it only for him to race the Giro. He will only race it if he wants to do it.

 

[Red Rick]

Valverde wanting to do the Giro in his last season would be a not so low key statement riders love the Giro

 

[Fantastico]

Okay, so he has ruled out to ride the Tour, but not yet the Giro:

“I want to enjoy my last season as a pro. I don’t have my season sketched out yet, but a start at the Tour de France is already excluded,” he said.
“I hope to race the Vuelta next year, and we will study the Giro route too. And then there’s the classics and all the races on the Spanish calendar.”
"When I retire I have a contract for two more years in the Movistar team. I will try to help the team as much as I can, especially by coaching young riders, which is something I like a lot."

Alejandro Valverde confirms he will retire after 2022 season

'My time has come' says 41-year-old Movistar rider

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[RedheadDane]

"When I retire I have a contract for two more years in the Movistar team. I will try to help the team as much as I can, especially by coaching young riders, which is something I like a lot."

I suppose as far as he's concerned, G. Izagirre is a young rider.

 

[tobydawq]

I suppose as far as he's concerned, G. Izagirre is a young rider.

He'd be wrong.

 

[RedheadDane]

He'd be wrong.

For once, I agree with you.

 

[tobydawq]

For once, I agree with you.

So, is he one day older than you or something like that?

 

[RedheadDane]

So, is he one day older than you or something like that?

Much older.

 

[perico]

Any word on Rojas and Irviti’s plans for 2022?

 

[Fantastico]

Any word on Rojas and Irviti’s plans for 2022?

I'm pretty sure that they will stay for another year. Otherwise, this statement by Patxi Vila regarding the transfer of Gorka Izagirre does not make sense:
"As for Gorka, he can play a team captain role’s which we’ve been lacking a little bit in certain races. When you’ve got an overlapping race program, then even two riders who are hugely experienced in that role like Jose Joaquin Rojas and Imanol Erviti sometimes need more support to maintain communication between the guys on the road and the management behind.”

 

[Koronin]

Maybe just Koronin who insisted it was the case. Or was it more "Spain only, except for some races that are not in Spain!"?

Never said Spanish only, Spanish eccentric which is different. He's not skipping the Ardennes, which as far as I know aren't in Spain.


When he signed his current contract, my first thought was when he does retire that he'll move into a coaching role with the team. He enjoys coaching the riders on his own team, esp the Junior and U-23 riders. So it only makes sense that he'd want to coach the younger riders on Movistar's team as well.