Gold in the RR is worth more than a Giro victory anyway. Second only to wining the Tour in my view. I hope Rio is the main goal of the season for him, he should not do the Giro and ride the Tour as a preparation for Rio, not GC.
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Arredondo said:Valv.Piti said:Arredondo said:Mr.White said:Nairo hints that Bala will ride Il Giro, and then Le Tour with him
That would be suicide for Rio. Bala needs to realize after this year that racing too many races isn't a wise thing to do.
I think he will only race one of them.
I agree, I dont think its wise either considering his Ardennes-campaign either.
I can't really decide how much of a **** Valv gives about the Giro. He loves the Tour above all, but if he really wants to try to win the Giro, next year will probably be his last shot, although I think its wiser to try in 2017 instead giving that Rio is a one in a lifetime for Valv. He is my favorite at this moment.
If he really wants to win it, he has to target it next year. At this age, you can't look 2 years ahead. Chance is quite big your body and legs aren't the same anymore.
But i don't think he wants to ride the Giro. Not this year, or next years.
Valv.Piti said:Arredondo said:Valv.Piti said:Arredondo said:Mr.White said:Nairo hints that Bala will ride Il Giro, and then Le Tour with him
That would be suicide for Rio. Bala needs to realize after this year that racing too many races isn't a wise thing to do.
I think he will only race one of them.
I agree, I dont think its wise either considering his Ardennes-campaign either.
I can't really decide how much of a **** Valv gives about the Giro. He loves the Tour above all, but if he really wants to try to win the Giro, next year will probably be his last shot, although I think its wiser to try in 2017 instead giving that Rio is a one in a lifetime for Valv. He is my favorite at this moment.
If he really wants to win it, he has to target it next year. At this age, you can't look 2 years ahead. Chance is quite big your body and legs aren't the same anymore.
But i don't think he wants to ride the Giro. Not this year, or next years.
Look what I just wrote: "but if he really wants to try to win the Giro, next year will probably be his last shot, although I think its wiser to try in 2017 instead giving that Rio is a one in a lifetime for Valv".
nobilis said:Valverde number 1 in Biciciclismo's top 10 for 2015.
http://www.biciciclismo.com/es/los-10-de-biciciclismo-en-2015-de-valverde-a-kristoff-ii-30-10-2015
SeriousSam said:Gold in the RR is worth more than a Giro victory anyway. Second only to wining the Tour in my view. I hope Rio is the main goal of the season for him, he should not do the Giro and ride the Tour as a preparation for Rio, not GC.
Zinoviev Letter said:SeriousSam said:Gold in the RR is worth more than a Giro victory anyway. Second only to wining the Tour in my view. I hope Rio is the main goal of the season for him, he should not do the Giro and ride the Tour as a preparation for Rio, not GC.
Good God no.
Olympic medals are a huge deal in sports which have no significant mass following of their own, like swimming, sailing, rowing, track cycling etc. It's the one event where they get a significant audience and it's therefore the one event where their participants gain any kind of profile amongst people who aren't aficionados of their discipline. So the Olympics are super prestigious.
In sports with their own audience, their own profile, their own famous traditions, the Olympics are a relatively minor event and the sports own showpiece events are more important. See under tennis, football, baseball, basketball, boxing etc.
The Olympic RR will be one of the ten most important races held next year. But no way number two.
Velolover2 said:If he is not riding Flanders in 2016, i'd strangle him and Unzue. He has a safe top 10 in the bag.
If he can top 5 on an easier course such as the Olympics in Richmond, he should be able to podium the Tour of Flanders which is way harder.
Angliru said:No one is saying it is the most important one day race.
There is more prestige in the monuments and the WCRR than the Olympics road race. There is no recognizable and coveted symbol that a rider can wear for those four years after his win. They can dress up their bikes and as Bettini and Samu did add some gold to their team kit but it just doesn't hold the same importance. The riders aspire to win it but I don't think it holds the same importance among the pro's as some of the monuments and the WCRR.
Red Rick said:The race has 5 man teams, is once every 4 years, and you have to be very lucky to even race it once in your prime on a course that suits you, not to mention that you race for your country in the biggest sporting event in the world.
Nah, Id rather win the annual 'uphill sprint in Ans after holding hands for 260km' event in april every year.
To me, it's by far the highest rated one day race there is.
Valv.Piti said:Velolover2 said:If he is not riding Flanders in 2016, i'd strangle him and Unzue. He has a safe top 10 in the bag.
If he can top 5 on an easier course such as the Olympics in Richmond, he should be able to podium the Tour of Flanders which is way harder.
Why? He still has all the 3 GT's up in the air atm, the ardennes, Rio, Worlds etc. His schedule is tough enough as it is. As fun as it would be to see him, I doubt it
Brullnux said:Valv.Piti said:Velolover2 said:If he is not riding Flanders in 2016, i'd strangle him and Unzue. He has a safe top 10 in the bag.
If he can top 5 on an easier course such as the Olympics in Richmond, he should be able to podium the Tour of Flanders which is way harder.
Why? He still has all the 3 GT's up in the air atm, the ardennes, Rio, Worlds etc. His schedule is tough enough as it is. As fun as it would be to see him, I doubt it
I see no reason why he can't race RVV, it may be a very hard race but he can forgo Catalunya and then both race days and fatigue will be lower. Obviously if he feels he can't win it, then there is no point going, but at 35 and with his skill set he could try it, and since Movistar have no cobbled classics specialist that can win he will be leader. Anyway, he's already won Catalunya overall and has won countless stages. I reckon he should give RVV a go.
Brullnux said:But will he do Catalunya?
Brullnux said:Valv.Piti said:Velolover2 said:If he is not riding Flanders in 2016, i'd strangle him and Unzue. He has a safe top 10 in the bag.
If he can top 5 on an easier course such as the Olympics in Richmond, he should be able to podium the Tour of Flanders which is way harder.
Why? He still has all the 3 GT's up in the air atm, the ardennes, Rio, Worlds etc. His schedule is tough enough as it is. As fun as it would be to see him, I doubt it
I see no reason why he can't race RVV, it may be a very hard race but he can forgo Catalunya and then both race days and fatigue will be lower. Obviously if he feels he can't win it, then there is no point going, but at 35 and with his skill set he could try it, and since Movistar have no cobbled classics specialist that can win he will be leader. Anyway, he's already won Catalunya overall and has won countless stages. I reckon he should give RVV a go.
Velolover2 said:If he is not riding Flanders in 2016, i'd strangle him and Unzue. He has a safe top 10 in the bag.
If he can top 5 on an easier course such as the Olympics in Richmond, he should be able to podium the Tour of Flanders which is way harder.
Arredondo said:Brullnux said:Valv.Piti said:Velolover2 said:If he is not riding Flanders in 2016, i'd strangle him and Unzue. He has a safe top 10 in the bag.
If he can top 5 on an easier course such as the Olympics in Richmond, he should be able to podium the Tour of Flanders which is way harder.
Why? He still has all the 3 GT's up in the air atm, the ardennes, Rio, Worlds etc. His schedule is tough enough as it is. As fun as it would be to see him, I doubt it
I see no reason why he can't race RVV, it may be a very hard race but he can forgo Catalunya and then both race days and fatigue will be lower. Obviously if he feels he can't win it, then there is no point going, but at 35 and with his skill set he could try it, and since Movistar have no cobbled classics specialist that can win he will be leader. Anyway, he's already won Catalunya overall and has won countless stages. I reckon he should give RVV a go.
But it's so strange to even let him start in Flanders. He will not beat true specialist like Cancellara, Vanmarcke, Terpstra and Kristoff. He will not even be close to that. Top 10? Maybe, but who cares.
Compare it with Boogerd. He could finish in the top 10 of Flanders, but nothing more. Why risking a possible victory at Amstel Fleche, Liege or Rio by building a first peak for Flanders? It doesn't make sense. and especially not at this age. If Valverde was 25, he could focus himself on Flanders, learn how to ride it, and really focus on it in 3 years time. He doesn't have that time left anymore.
I think Valverde is clever enough to understand he can't win Flanders. Or Podium it. How great and allround he is as a cyclist, even Bala can not win Flanders against true specialist in a specialist age of time.
Red Rick said:The race has 5 man teams, is once every 4 years, and you have to be very lucky to even race it once in your prime on a course that suits you, not to mention that you race for your country in the biggest sporting event in the world.
Nah, Id rather win the annual 'uphill sprint in Ans after holding hands for 260km' event in april every year.
To me, it's by far the highest rated one day race there is.
Carols said:Red Rick said:The race has 5 man teams, is once every 4 years, and you have to be very lucky to even race it once in your prime on a course that suits you, not to mention that you race for your country in the biggest sporting event in the world.
Nah, Id rather win the annual 'uphill sprint in Ans after holding hands for 260km' event in april every year.
To me, it's by far the highest rated one day race there is.
+100 this.
All the other races are held annually. Every 4 years there is one (1) shot at an Olympic Gold Medal.