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

[BigMac]

I understand sometimes it's very hard to stay away from clinic discussion, but please take it there if you wish to continue. Following posts will be moved, cheers.

 

[bala v]

Valverde has to be one of the greatest riders of our generation, surely if he'd have been around before the days of the specialists he'd be up there with the greatest, whatever the race he podiums!!

Argued this many times over on another forum. Strictly looking at his palmares, there is no doubt that he is the best rider of this generation. Its just that sublime. Not just his wins, but his outstanding amounts of secondary placings (its just insane...) as well and his ability (and will) to race from early february-WC/Lombardia every god damn year. If you look at his last 10 seasons or something like that on CQ and divided the placings with 10, you'll find something ridicolous like 3,5 or something like that. That's way, way, way beyond everybody else. Thats just unheard of in this era.The only one close to Valverde is Contador who you could make a case for due to his amount of GT wins, but also numerous wins in shorter stage races. Then it goes like Boonen, Cancellara, Gilbert, Evans etc.

Valv may not be the most talented, but will most likely go down (for hardcore cycling fans since Contador is quite the more known rider among casuals) as this generations best, most complete rider. He has simply been a joy to follow after his comeback. I cant believe he finally got that podium - now he only lacks that eluded WC, and he is good to go. At this point, if nothing unexpected happens, he will for sure win the World Tour and the Velo d'Or

Surely he deserves to be WC before he retires, does the Richmond course favour his talents?

No he does not. Just go and play yourself in one day all of his medal WC races and you will understand.
(and Im not even talking about those wheelsucka LBL wins etc)

easy man...
I think there is nothing to explain, he lost couple of them because he wasnt active enough and rode for 2nd or 3rd place, thats why I dont think he really 'deserves it'.As for LBL's these are best examples of his style, for example his 2008 win or even this years (altought he was probably the strongest), he just wheelscuked his way to win - ok somebody calls this 'playing to his strengts'.Well, fair enough, but I just dont like this style, nothing else.

The last par of your post is hillarious.I would never say something like this about Quintana or Contador, if you would have followed this forum more you would know my opinion about Contador and classics.

He was forced to chase Moreno, because whole group worked against him, so he did that, he pulled the whole group to Moreno and than outsprinted them, and in your opinion he wheelsucked his way to win!!! Well that's really beyond me! Every one of his Liege wins was well deserved, just like every of his WC medals is also deserved and I don't think he could won gold or do any different in any of them, except 2013. In that particular one I blame him only because he didn't even try to follow Rui Costa, perhaps he didn't had the legs, but he should of tried

 

[Arredondo]

[quote="

Argued this many times over on another forum. Strictly looking at his palmares, there is no doubt that he is the best rider of this generation. Its just that sublime. Not just his wins, but his outstanding amounts of secondary placings (its just insane...) as well and his ability (and will) to race from early february-WC/Lombardia every god damn year. If you look at his last 10 seasons or something like that on CQ and divided the placings with 10, you'll find something ridicolous like 3,5 or something like that. That's way, way, way beyond everybody else. Thats just unheard of in this era.The only one close to Valverde is Contador who you could make a case for due to his amount of GT wins, but also numerous wins in shorter stage races. Then it goes like Boonen, Cancellara, Gilbert, Evans etc.

Moreno Argentin, Paolo Bettini, Michele Bartoli. Just some names who are in the mix to be called greatest Ardennes classics rider of the last 30 years. Argentin even won more FW and LBL then Valverde.

He's up there, but he isn't greater then someone like Argentin.

He's better than Bettini and Bartoli in the Ardennes races, that's for sure, you can check their records. Moreno Argentin, well in my book, he's not better than Valverde either, I would call them equal. Argentin have 1 Liege win more, but Valverde have more podium placings, and if we include AGR in the mix he might be even better than Argentin. Only rider who I would rank above Valverde in these races is the Cannibal himself!

Bartoli won all the Ardennes classic races (i put AGR into that list), 2x LBL, AGR and FW.

Podium places are nice, but for me winning is the most important thing. He's definitely the most consisent Ardennes rider in the history of cycling (with Merckx), but the best? You can't say that. Different generations, different rivals, different circumstances.

The only thing you can claim, is that Bala is the best Ardennes rider of his generation.

 

[ILovecycling]

He was forced to chase Moreno, because whole group worked against him, so he did that, he pulled the whole group to Moreno and than outsprinted them, and in your opinion he wheelsucked his way to win!!! Well that's really beyond me! Every one of his Liege wins was well deserved, just like every of his WC medals is also deserved and I don't think he could won gold or do any different in any of them, except 2013. In that particular one I blame him only because he didn't even try to follow Rui Costa, perhaps he didn't had the legs, but he should of tried

and what about those 20km before that Moreno attack? did he also ride on his own there? That chase after Moreno 1 km( ) before the finish was the first moment when he put his nose in the wind

 

[Mr.White]

He was forced to chase Moreno, because whole group worked against him, so he did that, he pulled the whole group to Moreno and than outsprinted them, and in your opinion he wheelsucked his way to win!!! Well that's really beyond me! Every one of his Liege wins was well deserved, just like every of his WC medals is also deserved and I don't think he could won gold or do any different in any of them, except 2013. In that particular one I blame him only because he didn't even try to follow Rui Costa, perhaps he didn't had the legs, but he should of tried

and what about those 20km before that Moreno attack? did he also ride on his own there? That chase after Moreno 1 km( ) before the finish was the first moment when he put his nose in the wind

What about those 20km?!!! Yes he rode on his own, he didn't had any teammates left, what was he supposed to do, to attack everywhere just to please you?!!! His nose was in the wind on St.Nicolas although that's not important at all! And whose nose was in the wind out of the favorites? In which place had finished those who attacked earlier? Did this tells you something?

 

[ILovecycling]

He was forced to chase Moreno, because whole group worked against him, so he did that, he pulled the whole group to Moreno and than outsprinted them, and in your opinion he wheelsucked his way to win!!! Well that's really beyond me! Every one of his Liege wins was well deserved, just like every of his WC medals is also deserved and I don't think he could won gold or do any different in any of them, except 2013. In that particular one I blame him only because he didn't even try to follow Rui Costa, perhaps he didn't had the legs, but he should of tried

and what about those 20km before that Moreno attack? did he also ride on his own there? That chase after Moreno 1 km( ) before the finish was the first moment when he put his nose in the wind

What about those 20km?!!! Yes he rode on his own, he didn't had any teammates left, what was he supposed to do, to attack everywhere just to please you?!!! His nose was in the wind on St.Nicolas although that's not important at all! And whose nose was in the wind out of the favorites? In which place had finished those who attacked earlier? Did this tells you something?

its not important if he had any teammates, he did less wrok than almost all of the favourites.when somebody attacked he always bridged himself on the backwheel of other rider, that was my point.caruso, rodriguez,kreuziger did more work than him being the Biggest favourite (and with a good sprint)


god Valverde fans are tough

 

[Flamin]

Unfortunately waiting til Ans has proven to be a very succesful formula in the last 2 years. It would be plain dumb to attack from further out with these huge pelotons deep in the finale nowadays, if you can rely on a strong uphill finish like Valverde.

 

[Aguirre]

Valverde's win in LBL was a masterclass, the way he chased moreno and still win...
It's clear he doesnt have the sympathies of the anglosaxon WORLD, sure CN player a role, reminding in every mention his past with OP and using words as controversial, polemical, etc.

Valverde that? Did YOU ever heard him speaking, he doesnt say a word OUT the standard.

And, to not speak a single word of english is a crime?

Valverde is marking an era, still 2 o 3 Years at this level, mark my words

 

[Moviestar]

Terrible!

 

[KyoGrey]

Other changes in kit and bike:

 

[Mr.White]

Great Carlos Sastre is tipping Don Alejandro for the win...

 

[KyoGrey]

Honestly, his palmares will only be rounded and fair with his inmense all-around talent if he finally wins the World Championships and Lombardia.

But another Vuelta win is not a bad acomplishment either.

 

[Arredondo]

Honestly, his palmares will only be rounded and fair with his inmense all-around talent if he finally wins the World Championships and Lombardia.

But another Vuelta win is not a bad acomplishment either.

The chance he wins Lombardia or WC is bigger then La Vuelta.

 

[bala v]

Honestly, his palmares will only be rounded and fair with his inmense all-around talent if he finally wins the World Championships and Lombardia.

But another Vuelta win is not a bad acomplishment either.

I think he will win Lombardia till the end of his career, he was really close last year. As for the Worlds, it'll be hard, this year he could maybe be in the mix but the course doesn't suit him very much, next year it will be nearly impossible, don't know for 2017... He has much better chances in Rio next year

 

[Asero831]

2017 Worlds is tailor made for Kristoff..
Olympic gold would be more than adequate substitute for Worlds

 

[KyoGrey]

Honestly, his palmares will only be rounded and fair with his inmense all-around talent if he finally wins the World Championships and Lombardia.

But another Vuelta win is not a bad acomplishment either.

The chance he wins Lombardia or WC is bigger then La Vuelta.

Lombardia yes of course, World Champs...I don't know. Florencia was the year

 

[Red Rick]

Giro podium, incl stages, Lombardia and WC are the thigns missing now.

 

[Moviestar]

Re:

Giro podium, incl stages, Lombardia and WC are the thigns missing now.

For the supporters yes, but for Valverde himself i don't think he sees that as a true objective. Besides this Valverde wouldn't be that well in the Giro as he would suffer badly of the (heavy) weather changements.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Giro podium, incl stages, Lombardia and WC are the thigns missing now.

For the supporters yes, but for Valverde himself i don't think he sees that as a true objective. Besides this Valverde wouldn't be that well in the Giro as he would suffer badly of the (heavy) weather changements.

He did mention he'd like ride the Giro at least once in his career, but I think it might not happen until he's in his last season or two.

 

[KyoGrey]

Re: Re:

Giro podium, incl stages, Lombardia and WC are the thigns missing now.

For the supporters yes, but for Valverde himself i don't think he sees that as a true objective. Besides this Valverde wouldn't be that well in the Giro as he would suffer badly of the (heavy) weather changements.

He did mention he'd like ride the Giro at least once in his career, but I think it might not happen until he's in his last season or two.

With 2 years left in his contract, and riding in 2016 the Tour in preparation for the Olimpic Games...I guess his debut in the Giro will come in 2017 at 37 years of age.

 

[Mr.White]

Didn't looked good, didn't looked bad...

 

[Marco Pantani]

Who would've thought, he'd finish third at the Tour after his ride at the Mur. We haven't seen the cards of any favourite yet.

 

[Fernandez]

I dont think he cared too much after he saw the victory was over. So he followed the important wheels to the end. Five seconds with Purito and Nairo doesnt mean nothing.

 

[joe_papp]

Oh yeah! #vuelta2015

 

[Carols]

Bala . Going to wrap up the WT title at this Vuelta!