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

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

You need one of these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSy5mEcmgwU

I probably do

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Like i said, he can't handle bad weather.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOd95jpnaEA

 

[Moviestar]

Re:

Like i said, he can't handle bad weather.

It's more the coldness to be precisely. He has proven multiple times that he can perform well in (heavy) rain conditions, like in Liege last year, the WC race in Florence and Romandie 2010 for example.

 

[Moviestar]

"It was sad today because I thought that the cobblestones wouldn't be decisive, and afterwards, it was too late to get back into the winning sprint. And, well, conditions were probably harder than in Castilla y León, but I didn't struggle as much as I did last week. Confidence on my legs before the Giro remains there after Wednesday; now we'll take some days' rest and start thinking about the big challenge now ahead."

Tactical mistake ? At that point only a fatigued Betancur was at the front, Ion and Valverde were further behind when the attacks began.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

"It was sad today because I thought that the cobblestones wouldn't be decisive, and afterwards, it was too late to get back into the winning sprint. And, well, conditions were probably harder than in Castilla y León, but I didn't struggle as much as I did last week. Confidence on my legs before the Giro remains there after Wednesday; now we'll take some days' rest and start thinking about the big challenge now ahead."

Tactical mistake ? At that point only a fatigued Betancur was at the front, Ion and Valverde were further behind when the attacks began.

Bad excuse, didnt have the legs. Valverde doesnt mess up like that if he has something, he was struggling. But encouraging words from him regardless IMO.

 

[jsem94]

If he truly had the legs he would go and catch the escapees in the last km, but he didn't. He was knackered like everyone else.

 

[Fernandez]

Some good pictures of El Bala:
http://ciclismo.as.com/ciclismo/2016/04/24/album/1461525051_984847.html#1461525051_984847_1461525187

 

[Mr.White]

Good ride by Bala, only Nibali ahead but that was more or less expected. Not bad from Bananito also. And particulary good thing is that Amador rode so well and finish so high in the standings. That gives much more opportunities for the team, tactics wise. Amador could take maglia rosa in one of the first Italian stages, depends on his and Dumoulin climbing form

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

Good ride by Bala, only Nibali ahead but that was more or less expected. Not bad from Bananito also. And particulary good thing is that Amador rode so well and finish so high in the standings. That gives much more opportunities for the team, tactics wise. Amador could take maglia rosa in one of the first Italian stages, depends on his and Dumoulin climbing form

I'm struggling to see how a great performance in a flat 10km prologue is an indication that Amador will be as good as last year in the mountains. Movistar has a good team here, but to suggest that Amador could be used as a "long range attack"-threat against Landa and, more worringly, an even stronger Astana-squad is stretching it, in my opinion.

 

[Brullnux]

He was ok yesterday. I stand by my belief that he's better in longer hilly TTs.

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Good ride by Bala, only Nibali ahead but that was more or less expected. Not bad from Bananito also. And particulary good thing is that Amador rode so well and finish so high in the standings. That gives much more opportunities for the team, tactics wise. Amador could take maglia rosa in one of the first Italian stages, depends on his and Dumoulin climbing form

I'm struggling to see how a great performance in a flat 10km prologue is an indication that Amador will be as good as last year in the mountains. Movistar has a good team here, but to suggest that Amador could be used as a "long range attack"-threat against Landa and, more worringly, an even stronger Astana-squad is stretching it, in my opinion.

I'm just saying it's good tactical weapon to have a teammate high in the standings. Didn't say a word about his climbing form. He might be as good as last year, or maybe not... Let's see

 

[Valv.Piti]

It is indeed a good tactical weapon to have, but I doubt Amador at any point can challenge for a top-3 if numerous contender doesn't drop out/get ill etc., but no matter what, they should keep him in contention. Il Maglia Rosa seems a huge goal, hopefully he can find a way to pick it up.

On Valverde, the Giro has so far played in his favour. Hot, sunny, no crashes, lets hope it keeps dry and +20 until the last 2 stages. Then he might sneakily be the best bet for the overall considering he is at 7 at the moment.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Hard enough today for Valverde to win?! One can always hope.

 

[Mr.White]

Looked sharp again, too bad Ewan or somebody else from Orica closed him and ruined his chances. He would be pretty close to bonus I think...

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

Looked sharp again, too bad Ewan or somebody else from Orica closed him and ruined his chances. He would be pretty close to bonus I think...

Agree he could of pinched bonus seconds if he wasn't cut out, oh and i'm pretty sure it was Mezgec and not Ewan

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Looked sharp again, too bad Ewan or somebody else from Orica closed him and ruined his chances. He would be pretty close to bonus I think...

Funny, I tried to watch him closely and it seemed to me that he didn't have the kick on those slopes, when did he get closed?

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Looked sharp again, too bad Ewan or somebody else from Orica closed him and ruined his chances. He would be pretty close to bonus I think...

Funny, I tried to watch him closely and it seemed to me that he didn't have the kick on those slopes, when did he get closed?

3-5 seconds before Greipel went...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Looked sharp again, too bad Ewan or somebody else from Orica closed him and ruined his chances. He would be pretty close to bonus I think...

Funny, I tried to watch him closely and it seemed to me that he didn't have the kick on those slopes, when did he get closed?

3-5 seconds before Greipel went...

Thanks.

If the break isn't allowed tomorrow, I can't see no other than Valverde and maybe Ulissi winning this one. He needs this early stage win to get some confidence and relax a bit!!

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Looked sharp again, too bad Ewan or somebody else from Orica closed him and ruined his chances. He would be pretty close to bonus I think...

Funny, I tried to watch him closely and it seemed to me that he didn't have the kick on those slopes, when did he get closed?

3-5 seconds before Greipel went...

Thanks.

If the break isn't allowed tomorrow, I can't see no other than Valverde and maybe Ulissi winning this one. He needs this early stage win to get some confidence and relax a bit!!

He's one of the biggest favorites, that's certain. But his team must step up this time. They need to keep things under control on that last climb and that will not be an easy task, especially because they will need to work earlier in the stage and they didn't showed much strength in 4th stage. Not going to be easy, that's for sure

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yes, but so far, it have seemed a bit lacklustre, but thats way premature to say that!

Apart from Movistar, Giant will probably try to keep it close IF there are someone close to the jersey allowed to get away. That should be the hope, but anyways, they don't really have the team to chase at all and they want to keep the best mountain domestiques for Dumoulin I'm sure. Astana maybe, Lampre is another bet to throw a couple of riders in.

 

[SeriousSam]

Valverde should really go for the stage win to get that Giro stage win he's still missing out of the way.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Valverde should really go for the stage win to get that Giro stage win he's still missing out of the way.

Yes, I think he would value such a stage win higher than the WC-stripes and on par with a TdF-podium. Only his treble at L-B-L and his Vuelta victory is of bigger significance, but once he finally gets this out his way, he can happily retire on stage 7.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Surprised that Movistar didn't gave it a go, but now we know why. Reminds me of the 2015 Tour in which he was rather underwhelming on the first hilltops but was beasting it in the last week. Looks very familiar.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

I think he was stronger than this result suggested. He only seemed interested in Nibali and Landa at the end and followed them for too long.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I think he was stronger than this result suggested. He only seemed interested in Nibali and Landa at the end and followed them for too long.

I don't really think he was. He would've eaten the likes of Majka, Chaves and Urán on such a finish and he seemed to go deep there. The rain, the cold weather might have had an impact, but as I said earlier, its a fine result.. the Giro won't be decided here.