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

[Billie]

 

[Marco Pantani]

Alejandro in tears after achieving his TDF podium goal

https://video-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xpa1/v/t42.1790-2/11743988_1049587468392568_883354000_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjk4MiwicmxhIjo1MTJ9&rl=982&vabr=546&oh=f11a0f2035319ea21b9ecbb3a58cf4b0&oe=55B3EC0D

Sufre Bala.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

I don't know that you can say that definitively. Who knows how he felt about it in the resulting days? Besides, it's a diferent scenario as Uran could have conceivably won gold and there was never a scenario where 1st was in the cards for Bala.

Anyway, you thinking it's pathetic for people to cry after winning silver and bronze medals in the Olympics just means that you and I will never understand each other when it comes to this issue. You obviously don't think there's great value in a performance unless you're the absolute best and I wholeheartedly disagree.

Strawman much. Of course there is. I just don't think one should celebrate a loss.

How is it a strawman? So, you're saying there is great value in winning a bronze or silver but you shouldn't celebrate it? So all those athletes draping their flags around themselves and celebrating or crying after winning a medal are pathetic for doing so?

Certainly you won't see Usain Bolt celebrating a bunch if he gets a bronze next year, but that's because he's been the best. It's perfectly understandable for someone to celebrate getting any medal in an event when they never have or if they weren't expecting it.

How can you continue to misrepresent what I am writing?! No I don't think a 2nd or 3rd place has great value in itself. I do think that there are performances other than those that win you races that have great value. I think Cancellara's performance in Ronde '11 was great, but it wasn't because he got 3rd. Purito's ride in Florence had great value as well, but to me it wouldn't matter if he got caught by Piti and Nibali as well and finished 4th. Losing, if done while doing your best to win, can have great value, but a secondary position in itself is worthless in my opinion.

I'm certainly not trying to misrepresent you as I'm simply trying to go on your statements above, but basically the above boils it down and shows where we differ, which I guess we've both known for quite sometime. I certainly do think that places in sport other than 1st have worth in and of themselves.

 

[DBotero]

Well,what can i say the dream come true.Amazing day for Valverde,podium sealed with a great ride

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Clearly meant lots to Valverde, but the defensive racing for several stages impacted the event multo negatively.

 

[Rollthedice]

Grande Alejandro Valverde! In what appeared to be the hardest tour to get that precious spot on the podium on Champs Elysees, he did it. Happy for him after so much bad luck in TdF.

 

[mariposa]

Re:

Grande Alejandro Valverde! In what appeared to be the hardest tour to get that precious spot on the podium on Champs Elysees, he did it. Happy for him after so much bad luck in TdF.

Couldn't agree more. I don't know if the Richmond course will suit him but I would love him to get the World's gold as well. Looking forward to watching La Vuelta.

 

[DBotero]

 

[Red Rick]

At one point I think Wuyts suggested that Valverde was so motivated for the podium because he'd get bonusses he could use to pay for his huge alimony

 

[Angliru]

Re:

Pathetic how happy he is for a 3rd place. He clearly lacks a winner's mentality.

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

 

[Billie]

Re:

At one point I think Wuyts suggested that Valverde was so motivated for the podium because he'd get bonusses he could use to pay for his huge alimony

Quite sure he's richer than any other current cyclist.

 

[Billie]

One thing Wuyts definatly said is that a couple years back the team was a bit short financially so he gave up more than 1 million in wages.

 

[Mr.White]

It was a matter of pride for this Murciano, to finish on the podium of the Tour de France. He knew that he was capable of it, but it eluded him for so many years that he somehow nearly lost belief. He said that this was bigger than his Vuelta or Liege wins, no it is not, of course. But for him, in this moment, this is the top of the world. He proved to himself, firstly, and then to the whole world, that he's capable of achieving something that many thought he can't. He had his internal fights, that's why is this so big to him. Liege is not, he knows he can win it, he proved that many times, Vuelta too, he's always in contention, even Worlds is not so big for him, like this Tour. He lost his confidence, but now he had found it

 

[BigMac]

Vamos Bala, to win the Vuelta campeón!

 

[ILovecycling]

Congrats Alejandro, you did it you ol' bastard

 

[Axis]

Fantastic Valverde. Incredible Valverde. Congratulations.

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

Valverde wins a whole lot, but that doesn't change the fact that he's often unreasonably happy with good placings that don't really add anything of value to his palmares at this point.

 

[joe_papp]

Very happy for Valverde. Happy that he's happy, too.

His best win of this season was stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya, scampering away from the break on a downhill w/ 3km to go, but then absolutely turning himself inside out on the way into town, all the way to the line...

Check out the highlights video from the stage:

http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/cyclingtv/?title=Stage+5+-+Recap&dashboard=volta-a-catalunya&id=3475&yr=2015

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

Pathetic how happy he is for a 3rd place. He clearly lacks a winner's mentality.

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

In all fairness to Netserk, Piti has made a living finishing 2nd or 3rd by riding defensive. With all he's got going for him , he is an underachiever. But I agree with you that in this particular case, hats off. And it goes to show what 3rd at the TdF means for a Vuelta winner . Bottom line: La Vie Pas Claire is 1 and 3 at this years TdF .

 

[BigMac]

Re: Re:

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

Valverde wins a whole lot, but that doesn't change the fact that he's often unreasonably happy with good placings that don't really add anything of value to his palmares at this point.

Clearly this has a sentimental value for him. Let's face it, he was never going to win Le Tour so a podium was always a reasonable goal when you can't aim higher.

 

[Kwibus]

Very happy for Alejandro. Nice to see his emotions.

He's still so incredibly strong. I don't think it's ridiculous he cries for 3rd spo specially if you consider hiw many years he's attemting to reach it. Valverde indeed lacks winner mentality, but that doesn't mean he shouldnt be happy with posium spots. He's a humble guy and that has value too.
If he was more a killer he could've won more, but not every person is the same. Simple as that.

 

[dacooley]

Re: Re:

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

Valverde wins a whole lot, but that doesn't change the fact that he's often unreasonably happy with good placings that don't really add anything of value to his palmares at this point.

if someone handles valverde's winning spirit so critically, i wonder how many riders in the peloton have no problem with winning mentality?

bravissimo imbatido! grandissimo campeone!!! his reaction on the podium is more eloquent than any words.

 

[Ramira]

I think some people here are failing to put Valverde's reactions in context here.

Of course a rider should always go for a victory, however unlike the fans they also know when their legs are simply not good enough to win. And if you realize that the riders ahead of you are simply too good for you to beat them, I don't see how you can't be happy with, and yes celebrate, performing as well as you possibly could have, and getting a podium place as a result.

And that's what happened here, I don't believe for a second anyone here is delusional enough to believe Valverde could have won this Tour under any circumstances (other than Froome and Quintana crashing). So in that context he raced the best race he possibly could, keeping both Contador and Nibali (two former Tour winners) behind him to achieve a podium spot, the only thing that eluded him in his career other than a WC (taking into account a Tour win is beyond his abilities).

So yeah I don't think there was anything wrong with him being so pleased with his podium, or is please finishing well in other races where he simply couldn't win. Now in those races he never really tried to win, and still seems pleased with a good placing, that's a different issue, but not one that is relevant to this Tour.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

Valverde wins a whole lot, but that doesn't change the fact that he's often unreasonably happy with good placings that don't really add anything of value to his palmares at this point.

Clearly this has a sentimental value for him. Let's face it, he was never going to win Le Tour so a podium was always a reasonable goal when you can't aim higher.

I don't get this mentality. If you can podium a race, you can win it as well, as long as you have enough courage and luck.

 

[Moviestar]

Re: Re:

You clearly are out of your mind which doesn't surprise me. Compare his number of wins versus any of his contemporaries who compete for grand tour gc, hilly classics and major week long stage races and he has a sizable advantage. Your attitude is what is pathetic.

Valverde wins a whole lot, but that doesn't change the fact that he's often unreasonably happy with good placings that don't really add anything of value to his palmares at this point.

Clearly this has a sentimental value for him. Let's face it, he was never going to win Le Tour so a podium was always a reasonable goal when you can't aim higher.

I don't get this mentality. If you can podium a race, you can win it as well, as long as you have enough courage and luck.

Depends on the situation. If you have no teammates left to do the chasing and in the end you win the sprint for the third spot then you have to cherish that third place. Also in the Worlds in Salzburg where Valverde finished third in the sprint after a more experienced Bettini and Zabel. That isn't for example a shame.