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

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Anyone left who thinks that Purito is a better climber than Piti?

If you mean this year: no, apparently no.

The last years: yes.

and here's where you said he was better the last years, which includes 2014 of course

Bar 2014

 

[Poursuivant]

He can finally get his podium this year I think

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Valverde getting the podium would salvage the Tour for me.

Me too. Greipel winning green would also be great.

 

[nobilis]

It's very realistic that this year we see the 2 Movistar leaders on the podium in Paris as Valverde is yet to reach his peak during the tour.

 

[Taxus4a]

With this hot weather Alejandro is going to perform very well, that is for sure, but I think there are other riders stronger in the race, even in his team, but he must be the rider that make the difference between the powerfull Sky and Movistar. Porte is a rider for some days, and Valverde will be more constant.

 

[Hayabusa]

I think if Valverde wants to get a podium, he's going to need to stop working for Quintana asap. I can't see him holding onto 3rd while also doing work for Nairo, I reckon he'd get pipped by TJ/Contador or someone else if he continues to work.

 

[SeriousSam]

Froome will win, Quintana will get second.

But for the third place on the podium, there are 4 serious contenders: TJ, Valverde, Thomas and Contador.

Can Valverde do it this year? Thomas working for Froome all the time will surely catch up with him at some point. No way he makes the podium. Just no way.

Contador isn't as strong as he has been in the past, indeed, Valverde has been stronger thus far. I guess there's the danger he improves in the Alpes, but I don't believe it.

TJ does have a sizable and annoying gap though, and if he holds on, he will be hard to displace.

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Froome will win, Quintana will get second.

But for the third place on the podium, there are 4 serious contenders: TJ, Valverde, Thomas and Contador.

Can Valverde do it this year? Thomas working for Froome all the time will surely catch up with him at some point. No way he makes the podium. Just no way.

Contador isn't as strong as he has been in the past, indeed, Valverde has been stronger thus far. I guess there's the danger he improves in the Alpes, but I don't believe it.

TJ does have a sizable and annoying gap though, and if he holds on, he will be hard to displace.

Nibali is more likely to podium than Thomas and arguably more likely than TJ.

edit: My rank of likelihood of getting in the top-3 of the final GC:
Froome
Quintana
Contador
Valverde
Nibali
TJ
Thomas
Gesink

edit2: Maybe Quintana should be ahead of Froome, as I really can't see a scenario where he doesn't podium, while I think that Froome has (however little) a bigger chance to be struck by luck bad enough to remove him from the top-3.

 

[DBotero]

Valverde played it wrong this Tour.He missed the chance to get those seconds in the first week.We'll see how good he'll be in the 3rd week,but i expect him and G.to crack at some point.TVG in pole position to get the 3rd place.

 

[SeriousSam]

Netserk, I probably agree with that list, but..Nibali? The guy is down so many minutes. Do you think he'll regain his 2014 form in the Alps?

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Netserk, I probably agree with that list, but..Nibali? The guy is down so many minutes. Do you think he'll regain his 2014 form in the Alps?

He's more likely not to, but likely enough to improve enough (whilst racing better) for him to be more likely than TJ to podium.

If it was for a top-4 or top-5, TJ would be more likely than Nibali. I just don't see TJ holding both Valverde and Contador behind him with just 1 minute as cushion.

 

[SeriousSam]

The podium is looking better and better.

 

[Arredondo]

Strong today, but this is a climb which suits him to the ground.

We still have to wait how he survives multiple Alp stages.

 

[SergeDeM]

Re: Re:

Netserk, I probably agree with that list, but..Nibali? The guy is down so many minutes. Do you think he'll regain his 2014 form in the Alps?

He's more likely not to, but likely enough to improve enough (whilst racing better) for him to be more likely than TJ to podium.

If it was for a top-4 or top-5, TJ would be more likely than Nibali. I just don't see TJ holding both Valverde and Contador behind him with just 1 minute as cushion.

I agree. Nibali won't podium, but it's more likely for him to podium than for TJ to do so. Like you just said, TJ's cushion on AV and AC has now been halved and it definitely won't hold. Keep in mind this wasn't even an alpine stage.

 

[SeriousSam]

How he left Contador for dead today was a sight to behold.

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

Strong today, but this is a climb which suits him to the ground.

We still have to wait how he survives multiple Alp stages.

Exactly. It's not enough a good ride on a hill that suited him to say he will be on the podium.
The problem will be survive the Alpes , with multi mountains in the stage

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Netserk, I probably agree with that list, but..Nibali? The guy is down so many minutes. Do you think he'll regain his 2014 form in the Alps?

He's more likely not to, but likely enough to improve enough (whilst racing better) for him to be more likely than TJ to podium.

If it was for a top-4 or top-5, TJ would be more likely than Nibali. I just don't see TJ holding both Valverde and Contador behind him with just 1 minute as cushion.

I agree. Nibali won't podium, but it's more likely for him to podium than for TJ to do so. Like you just said, TJ's cushion on AV and AC has now been halved and it definitely won't hold. Keep in mind this wasn't even an alpine stage.

This isn't the ideal stage for Tejay of course. He likes a steady tempo on a longer climb. This is way too explosive for him.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

How he left Contador for dead today was a sight to behold.

It was incredible to see. Contador moaning and trying to get him to work. Valverde drawing parallel - exhanging a few words and then racing off into the sunset.

 

[DBotero]

Impressive today,but normally he should have dropped everybody on this type of climb.He will still crack in the 3rd week,but TVG might crack too.It will be interesting which of them,has the best bad day.

 

[Mr.White]

Bala and Nairo looking good for good old 1-2 in the Alps

 

[DFA123]

Impressive today,but normally he should have dropped everybody on this type of climb.He will still crack in the 3rd week,but TVG might crack too.It will be interesting which of them,has the best bad day.

Why do you think he'll crack? He's riding into form now not losing it - ready to reach his second super-long peak of the season all the way from San Sebastian to Lombardia.

 

[SergeDeM]

Re: Re:

Netserk, I probably agree with that list, but..Nibali? The guy is down so many minutes. Do you think he'll regain his 2014 form in the Alps?

He's more likely not to, but likely enough to improve enough (whilst racing better) for him to be more likely than TJ to podium.

If it was for a top-4 or top-5, TJ would be more likely than Nibali. I just don't see TJ holding both Valverde and Contador behind him with just 1 minute as cushion.

I agree. Nibali won't podium, but it's more likely for him to podium than for TJ to do so. Like you just said, TJ's cushion on AV and AC has now been halved and it definitely won't hold. Keep in mind this wasn't even an alpine stage.

This isn't the ideal stage for Tejay of course. He likes a steady tempo on a longer climb. This is way too explosive for him.

Alps will suit AC and AV better than TJ as well. I think Valverde has a great chance for taking the podium in Paris. Froome, Quintana, Valverde is looking quite likely so far.

 

[SeriousSam]

Exactly. 3rd at the Tour, winning the Vuelta and winning Lombardia would cap off a great year.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Exactly. 3rd at the Tour, winning the Vuelta and winning Lombardia would cap off a great year.

Against Landa?

 

[Pentacycle]

Impressive today,but normally he should have dropped everybody on this type of climb.He will still crack in the 3rd week,but TVG might crack too.It will be interesting which of them,has the best bad day.

Mende is too steep for Valverde, he's never been good at dictating pace on this type of climbs. The Alpine climbs next week will decide on his podium, and he likes them a lot better than the Pyrenees. Tejay will have a hard time to keep up with him.