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

[May0maniac]

Re:

Like i said before, it would be a stupid decision by the team to let him ride Ardennes classics + Giro + Tour. That's too much if you want to be 100% in Rio. If he rides the Giro (with the ambition of riding a good GC):

- You can't be 100% in the Classics. And that's not good for your chances in those races.

- Because you ride the classics, you can't be in super shape in the 3rd week of the Giro. His two biggest competitors, Nibali and Landa (for sure), will not ride the classics with the same intention as Bala, or will not riding it at all, which means they will be fresher then Valverde at the end of the Giro.

- If you're riding a GC at the Giro, you can't fight for the win/podium in the Tour. Just look at Contador, who's even a better GC rider then Valverde. Likely he will work for Quintana in France, but i really don't get that tbh. What's the point of it? Perhaps it will help Quintana, but you sacrifice a possible victory/podium with Bala at the Vuelta.

- Because you ride Ardennes + Giro + Tour, you will not be in super shape for Rio. And with Contador and especially Purito (who will ride a more relax programm to Rio) as co-leaders, it will be difficult to shine in that race.

So if i would be Bala: just skip the Giro and ride the Tour with the intention of winning a stage. Then you can try to win Rio + Vuelta.

This, I could see him doing Giro-Vuelta in 2017, but the Giro isn't exactly a great race for him.

 

[Mr.White]

I don't know, doesn't seem very wise to me. If he's going all-out in the Giro, then, in order to be good in Rio, he must ride the Tour in training mode, as a pure domestique, maybe try to win a stage, but certainly not for the GC.

 

[yaco]

Posted at the time of the tour presentation that the profile perfectly suits Valverde - I am a team director and I want valverde to ride the Giro and Quintana the TDF - Then you give yourself a decent chance of winning a GT in 2016.

 

[hfer07]

well- Bala's first Giro is truly exciting news without a doubt- but as many folks previously mentioned- his schedule seems unclear yet even if the Giro-Tour combo is a certainty, but then, what races are in-between? Is he going to Rio for a medal?
He, for the first time in his career is set to race a GT in May, which requires a different training program and specific racing schedule, IF he's serious about the Italian race chances to podium, and then a month's rest for Tour-Rio combo.

Although, I believe he can compete well in the Ardennes at high level, he may need to compensate those efforts by not participating on early multi-day races - perhaps he should only ride T-A or Trentino to get accustomed to the Italian racing , prior to Il Giro, and that's all.

we'll see

 

[Mr.White]

It may be:
Mallorca races
Vuelta a Andalucia
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
MSR (maybe)
GP Indurain, Klasika Primavera
Ardennes
Giro
Tour
Olympics

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

It may be:
Mallorca races
Vuelta a Andalucia
Strade Bianche
Tirreno-Adriatico
MSR (maybe)
GP Indurain, Klasika Primavera
Ardennes
Giro
Tour
Olympics

If he does the Giro, that would be a decent schedule. I would skip at least one of those smaller races before the Giro tho.

No matter what, it will be a difficult task so work around that Giro. Lets see what happens.

 

[Velolover2]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-to-make-tour-of-flanders-debut-in-2016/

HE IS RIDING TOUR OF FLANDERS! First Giro d'Italia and now this. It's getting better and better.

 

[SeriousSam]

Still won't believe it until he confirms it himself.

It just doesn't make sense to deviate from a schedule that has brought him much success that late in his career. Especially not when there is a unique opportunity to win the Gold at the ORR. That sure beats 5th or whatever in Flanders and a podium at the Giro.

 

[Ruudz0r]

I think its a fine schedule for him, he can do the Ardennes + Giro in top shape, it has been done before, he can then drop some form and prepare for Rio in the Tour he will not ride for GC there I think it can work for a very experienced rider like Valverde.

 

[Carols]

IMO they are trying to separate him from Nairo and easing him away from the leader/co-leader role. He won't win Flanders or the Giro but he sure can win the Olympic RR with the right schedule and prep beforehand. Hopefully he is given the opportunity!

 

[PremierAndrew]

Will be interesting to see him at Flanders. Would love to see him and Nibbles during a wet Flanders too

 

[Gloin22]

Re:

I don't know, doesn't seem very wise to me. If he's going all-out in the Giro, then, in order to be good in Rio, he must ride the Tour in training mode, as a pure domestique, maybe try to win a stage, but certainly not for the GC.

That's the whole point of their plan..finally Quintana is THE leader, if that happened this year Quintana likely could have won the Tour.

To me it looks like a great plan, I don't know if he can peak both classics and keep it until the last week of Giro, but him using Tour as a prep for Olympics and be ready to help Quintana in 3rd week as he gets in form is as good as anything they could come up with.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Still won't believe it until he confirms it himself.

"This year is the time to try the Giro, which has been something I've wanted to do for years, and I'm also keen to contest the cobbled Classics like Flanders."

 

[Velolover2]

Maybe he will also do E3 Harelbeke as a warm-up? Suits him well too.

GW and Roubaix are probably too flat for him.

 

[Fernandez]

Imagine Valverde winning Flanders...

 

[SeriousSam]

Re: Re:

Still won't believe it until he confirms it himself.

"This year is the time to try the Giro, which has been something I've wanted to do for years, and I'm also keen to contest the cobbled Classics like Flanders."

shoulda clicked the link

well, hopefully he'll take it very easy at the Tour.

 

[jaylew]

Looks good to me, provided he doesn't shoot for another Tour podium and isn't always near the pointy end there, which might be hard for him given how he likes to race. I like the fact that he's trying something different. All one day races only before Giro w/ the exception of Tirreno, another race he's basically never ridden (neo). It may or may not pan out, but I respect him for giving it a go.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Imagine Valverde winning Flanders...

Will not happen.

I agree with SeriousSam. Strange choice to do Flanders. With this approach, there's a risk he's good, but not really good, in every race.

 

[bala v]

Bala is filling some gaps it seems, riding races that he never rode, Giro, Ronde, Tirreno... It will be exciting for sure

 

[Moviestar]

Valverde even doesn't rule out Vuelta-participation: "No está descartado hacer las tres grandes. Después de Río y San Sebastián valoraré si corro la Vuelta. Dependerá del cansancio".

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

Valverde even doesn't rule out Vuelta-participation: "No está descartado hacer las tres grandes. Después de Río y San Sebastián valoraré si corro la Vuelta. Dependerá del cansancio".

O_O He is becoming Nuclear Desert Snowstorm of the Tornadocaust.

His 2015 season was one of the most race-heavy I've seen, the 2016 calendar could get even bigger!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Holy ***, this dude cant get enough. Flanders, Ardennes, Giro, Tour, Rio, Sebastian.. Vuelta, WC? Hahaha, I LOVE IT.

 

[jsem94]

This is going to get interesting...

 

[contador_attacks]

It's an unthinkable schedule - even for a hell of a rider like him....

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

It's an unthinkable schedule - even for a hell of a rider like him....

This, unthinkable schedule. Might as well ad cyclocross, track races or speed skating races before and after.

He's probably considering all these races options right now, with some reasons being more likely than others and the Olympics and Tour being 100% certain