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

[Arredondo]

Surprising result by Bala. Especially because the team worked hard all day.

 

[DBotero]

Re:

Surprising result by Bala. Especially because the team worked hard all day.

Maybe he was way too confident after that crazy win.Bad result considering he was interested in winning this race.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Nah, he wasn't too strong today. I don't see it as a problem as he will need to be on his absolutely A-game in April and May tho.. Lets see what he has in store for T-A.

 

[MortiroloForever]

Re: Re:

Surprising result by Bala. Especially because the team worked hard all day.

Maybe he was way too confident after that crazy win.Bad result considering he was interested in winning this race.

I don't think it is a bad result for him considering who were the guys involved in the victory. Sagan, Cancellara, Stybar or even Van Avermaet are more specialist for this race, which is more or less like Northen Classics.

To be honest I don´t believe he is one of the contenders for De Ronde. I think it's too late to try a win in De Ronde, but it's always interesting to try new new goals and to ride different races.

 

[cantpedal]

Re: Re:

Cant wait to see De Ronde this year.

Seeing him side by side with Cancellara, Boonen, Sagan, etc. would be pretty epic.

Better watch the first 150k to see that..I can't imagine him being there at the end.

 

[Arredondo]

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

Catalunya and Pais Vasco is Quintana's territory. They try to keep them apart, so I dont expect him to do either. Last year he also only rode 1 of the 3 WT one weekers.

 

[Arredondo]

And no Amstel Gold Race!!

Bala is gambling this season.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

But do you really think his goal was to win Flanders? Just look at MSR today: no chance at all in the race. And Flanders is even more specialised.

He will not top-10 Flanders. It's almost impossible. Imagine winning. That's Purito winning a flat ITT

 

[jaylew]

Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

How disappointing. Who cares if he's got less chance to win? I wanted to see him try some different races this year.

 

[Arredondo]

So Bala's new racing schedule

Training at attitude
Vuelta Castilla y Leon (15-17 April)
Fleche
Liege

Giro

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

How disappointing. Who cares if he's got less chance to win? I wanted to see him try some different races this year.

That's the same Messi would try to be a goalkeeper next year. Useluss for himself and the team. Bala his task is to win races. Not riding other races just for fun.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

But do you really think his goal was to win Flanders? Just look at MSR today: no chance at all in the race. And Flanders is even more specialised.

He will not top-10 Flanders. It's almost impossible. Imagine winning. That's Purito winning a flat ITT

With the MSR route being what it is, I would definitely say his chancers are higher in Flanders. And yes, I think he aimed at winning that race or at least do what Bala always does which is to finish as high as possible.

Purito winning a flat ITT is like Backstedt winning at Col Granon after 200 km of intense racing over Glandon, Madeleine and Galibier. Unless its a junior race obviously, at which I am still certain that Backstedt would place behind the fat readout man from the local team.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

So Bala's new racing schedule

Training at attitude
Vuelta Castilla y Leon (15-17 April)
Fleche
Liege

Giro

Super schedule.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

But do you really think his goal was to win Flanders? Just look at MSR today: no chance at all in the race. And Flanders is even more specialised.

He will not top-10 Flanders. It's almost impossible. Imagine winning. That's Purito winning a flat ITT

With the MSR route being what it is, I would definitely say his chancers are higher in Flanders. And yes, I think he aimed at winning that race or at least do what Bala always does which is to finish as high as possible.

Purito winning a flat ITT is like Backstedt winning at Col Granon after 200 km of intense racing over Glandon, Madeleine and Galibier. Unless its a junior race obviously, at which I am still certain that Backstedt would place behind the fat readout man from the local team.

But then he's just underestimating the strenght of guys like Cancellara, Sagan, Terpstra, Pippo and Vanmarcke. Flanders is for guys with more kilo's and power. Not for guys of 60 kilo's.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

But do you really think his goal was to win Flanders? Just look at MSR today: no chance at all in the race. And Flanders is even more specialised.

He will not top-10 Flanders. It's almost impossible. Imagine winning. That's Purito winning a flat ITT

In your opinion. I absolutely think he could do a top 10. Impossible? Now, that's hilarious.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

But do you really think his goal was to win Flanders? Just look at MSR today: no chance at all in the race. And Flanders is even more specialised.

He will not top-10 Flanders. It's almost impossible. Imagine winning. That's Purito winning a flat ITT

With the MSR route being what it is, I would definitely say his chancers are higher in Flanders. And yes, I think he aimed at winning that race or at least do what Bala always does which is to finish as high as possible.

Purito winning a flat ITT is like Backstedt winning at Col Granon after 200 km of intense racing over Glandon, Madeleine and Galibier. Unless its a junior race obviously, at which I am still certain that Backstedt would place behind the fat readout man from the local team.

But then he's just underestimating the strenght of guys like Cancellara, Sagan, Terpstra, Pippo and Vanmarcke. Flanders is for guys with more kilo's and power. Not for guys of 60 kilo's.

I agree, he won't win that race, but top-10 is not far fetched. At least in my opinion its not. But that coupled with the fact he is doing the Giro he has probably realised it will be way too hard. If he did it any other year, it woulda been better which is what perplexed me in the first place about his original schedule

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

How disappointing. Who cares if he's got less chance to win? I wanted to see him try some different races this year.

That's the same Messi would try to be a goalkeeper next year. Useluss for himself and the team. Bala his task is to win races. Not riding other races just for fun.

Horrible analogy. It's not the same and you know it. He wasn't racing Flanders for fun. Both he and the team thought he had a shot at a good result. Sounds like he wants to go full out for the Giro. Oh well. And where does it say Amstel is out?

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

Kinda smart move. I would rather see him beasting it as usual in the Ardennes and the Giro, he might run out of gas in May if he chose to try to win Flanders..

So yeah, I think its the right decision, but I think most of us wanted to see him in Flanders.

But do you really think his goal was to win Flanders? Just look at MSR today: no chance at all in the race. And Flanders is even more specialised.

He will not top-10 Flanders. It's almost impossible. Imagine winning. That's Purito winning a flat ITT

In your opinion. I absolutely think he could do a top 10. Impossible? Now, that's hilarious.

But which evidence there is he can? I don't see it.

It's not all about riding well on cobbles, it's also about positioning. Flanders is a race of experience. All things Bala isn't used too.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

How disappointing. Who cares if he's got less chance to win? I wanted to see him try some different races this year.

That's the same Messi would try to be a goalkeeper next year. Useluss for himself and the team. Bala his task is to win races. Not riding other races just for fun.

Horrible analogy. It's not the same and you know it. He wasn't racing Flanders for fun. Both he and the team thought he had a shot at a good result. Sounds like he wants to go full out for the Giro. Oh well. And where does it say Amstel is out?

They can have the opinion a good result in Flanders is possible. But i don't see any evidence to suggest he really can. But hey, he can't prove it anymore this year

http://movistarteam.com/noticias/2016-3-19/cambio-de-calendario-para-valverde

Castilla y Leon ends on 17 april, the day Amstel is raced.

 

[cellardoor]

I remembered Bettini having a couple of decent performances when he was riding in support of Boonen. Looking back at results I can see he finished 7th in 2006. I can't remember the exact circumstances of that finish, but if Bettini can finish in the top 10, while riding in the service of another rider, then I think Valverde can.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

How disappointing. Who cares if he's got less chance to win? I wanted to see him try some different races this year.

That's the same Messi would try to be a goalkeeper next year. Useluss for himself and the team. Bala his task is to win races. Not riding other races just for fun.

Horrible analogy. It's not the same and you know it. He wasn't racing Flanders for fun. Both he and the team thought he had a shot at a good result. Sounds like he wants to go full out for the Giro. Oh well. And where does it say Amstel is out?

They can have the opinion a good result in Flanders is possible. But i don't see any evidence to suggest he really can. But hey, he can't prove it anymore this year

http://movistarteam.com/noticias/2016-3-19/cambio-de-calendario-para-valverde

Castilla y Leon ends on 17 april, the day Amstel is raced.

That sucks. I'd rather see him at Amstel.

And of course, the opposite can't be proven now, either.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

So no E3 and Flanders for Bala.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2605828

He finally understands i'm right: he doesn't have a chance in those races. Common sense after all.

But i understand he will not do Pais Vasco? So only Amstel, Fleche and Liege for now.

How disappointing. Who cares if he's got less chance to win? I wanted to see him try some different races this year.

That's the same Messi would try to be a goalkeeper next year. Useluss for himself and the team. Bala his task is to win races. Not riding other races just for fun.

At this point in his career he has earned the right to ride the races that he wants.
Movistar don't and haven't had anyone to seriously contend in MSR and Flanders so what is the problem with Valverde riding these events in his final years of competition?

 

[trevim]

I really hope he's not being pushed by Movistar to let go of the cobbles.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I really hope he's not being pushed by Movistar to let go of the cobbles.

Im pretty sure Valverde has the finally say. We can only speculate, but I think Unzue and Valverde came to that conclusion together.