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

[Arredondo]

Can some of you guys explain to me why he didn't go full gas with Nibbles and Chavito, once they had a gap on the other GC guys?

He is by far the better sprinter compare to Nibali and Chaves, and he could have get more time on guys like Kruijswijk (who will be one his mayor rivals), Makja and Zakarin.

But he didn't corporate at all. Why? Because the end showed the chance he would have won the sprint from Nibbles and Chaves is bigger then Amador beating Ulissi.

Missed opportunity imo.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Can some of you guys explain to me why he didn't go full gas with Nibbles and Chavito, once they had a gap on the other GC guys?

He is by far the better sprinter compare to Nibali and Chaves, and he could have get more time on guys like Kruijswijk (who will be one his mayor rivals), Makja and Zakarin.

But he didn't corporate at all. Why? Because the end showed the chance he would have won the sprint from Nibbles and Chaves is bigger then Amador beating Ulissi.

Missed opportunity imo.

I think its pretty obvious.

So far, Valverde has raced super passively and looks to rest himself as much as possible while stile marking Nibali's moves which is the only he seems to really care about. In last year's Tour, he wasn't good on those kind of stages either, but was lights out in the final week. Chances are he looked at that Tour and thought to himself - 10 seconds here, 6 there, but it doesn't matter if I am as strong as last year, thus saving himself for when it really matters.

They have missed many opportunities. He could have won stage 8, 10 and 11, but really didn't intend to hunt any of these stages. The eye is on one thing and one thing only, the overall and probably even more so the win after Landa abandoned. In my opinion, I think its a smart move.

Say if it had been Zakarin instead of Nibali with Chaves, he woulda pulled, for sure, but seems its Nibali and not everyone else now that Landa is gone until he is proven otherwise. Just using Amador up on these intermediate stages, they know he will be in big troubles regardless later on.

 

[Rollthedice]

Valverde is marking Nibali and the other way around. They will sort it out above 2000m in altitude.

 

[Mr.White]

He would have wasted a ton of energy, and I doubt those three would survive, it was 15km from the finish and the chase would be immediate and not like in case of Amador/Jungels. It seems like he's only focused on GC. If not, he would maybe tried to attack on that last uphill part where Ulissi went. I think they're trying for stage wins with secondary riders (Visconti, Betancur, Amador), and he's exclusively here for the GC, if the stage comes-good, if not-nevermind.

 

[Fernandez]

Wow, Valverde and Movistar are a complete machine of wasting stage wins. I wish they really know what are they doing, because I dont.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Can some of you guys explain to me why he didn't go full gas with Nibbles and Chavito, once they had a gap on the other GC guys?

He is by far the better sprinter compare to Nibali and Chaves, and he could have get more time on guys like Kruijswijk (who will be one his mayor rivals), Makja and Zakarin.

But he didn't corporate at all. Why? Because the end showed the chance he would have won the sprint from Nibbles and Chaves is bigger then Amador beating Ulissi.

Missed opportunity imo.

I think its pretty obvious.

So far, Valverde has raced super passively and looks to rest himself as much as possible while stile marking Nibali's moves which is the only he seems to really care about. In last year's Tour, he wasn't good on those kind of stages either, but was lights out in the final week. Chances are he looked at that Tour and thought to himself - 10 seconds here, 6 there, but it doesn't matter if I am as strong as last year, thus saving himself for when it really matters.

They have missed many opportunities. He could have won stage 8, 10 and 11, but really didn't intend to hunt any of these stages. The eye is on one thing and one thing only, the overall and probably even more so the win after Landa abandoned. In my opinion, I think its a smart move.

Say if it had been Zakarin instead of Nibali with Chaves, he woulda pulled, for sure, but seems its Nibali and not everyone else now that Landa is gone until he is proven otherwise. Just using Amador up on these intermediate stages, they know he will be in big troubles regardless later on.

But if Valverde can reach the same shape he had in the Alps last year, he can beat Nibali in the mountains. In that order, it's good to take time on the other real danger in the GC: Kruijswijk. I really think he's just as dangerous as Nibali in the third week for Valverde. And Bala should know that too.

I think Nibali, Chaves and Nibali could have stay away if they worked well together. And in that situation you get time on the other big rival + a stage win + boni's on Nibali.

A GT is not only about conserving your energies and wait for the most important stages, it's also about getting the unexpected opportunities that arise during a GT. It's a combination imo.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

He would have wasted a ton of energy, and I doubt those three would survive, it was 15km from the finish and the chase would be immediate and not like in case of Amador/Jungels. It seems like he's only focused on GC. If not, he would maybe tried to attack on that last uphill part where Ulissi went. I think they're trying for stage wins with secondary riders (Visconti, Betancur, Amador), and he's exclusively here for the GC, if the stage comes-good, if not-nevermind.

You forget that if they went full gas, the other 6/7 GC guys who where in the 2nd group had to work really hard as well to get them back. In that case, the group with Colbrelli/Nizzolo would never had the chance to return and work at the front.

Less control means bigger chance to stay away and get time.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Arredondo, I just think he is confident at this point with Landa gone to seal the deal in the mountains and not 'waste' any energy, even if that means putting 20 seconds into Kruijswijk, get bonus on Nibali or even win the stage. Thats the only reason why I can see him riding like this today and altho I would have liked him to go, I think its the right thing to do in the end of the day.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Arredondo, I just think he is confident at this point with Landa gone to seal the deal in the mountains and not 'waste' any energy, even if that means putting 20 seconds into Kruijswijk, get bonus on Nibali or even win the stage. Thats the only reason why I can see him riding like this today and altho I would have liked him to go, I think its the right thing to do in the end of the day.

Let's hope for Bala.

But if he drops in the mountains, we agree he didn't play it perfectly the first week

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Arredondo, I just think he is confident at this point with Landa gone to seal the deal in the mountains and not 'waste' any energy, even if that means putting 20 seconds into Kruijswijk, get bonus on Nibali or even win the stage. Thats the only reason why I can see him riding like this today and altho I would have liked him to go, I think its the right thing to do in the end of the day.

Let's hope for Bala.

But if he drops in the mountains, we agree he didn't play it perfectly the first week

Indeed, only time will tell.

 

[Rollthedice]

So, Nibali says that with a little bit if collaboration they could've gained 30 secs. Valverde when asked says something like "you saw another race, how can you say I didn't colaborate?". Funny stuff.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

So, Nibali says that with a little bit if collaboration they could've gained 30 secs. Valverde when asked says something like "you saw another race, how can you say I didn't colaborate?". Funny stuff.

Not often that I defend Valverde, but today we saw that Valverde is in Italy, not for the podium, but for the win. If he wanted to secure a podium, he could have worked to distance his podium rivals. Instead, he decided not to work when it wasn't going to give him any advantage over the current favourite, Nibs

 

[Climbing]

Re: Re:

So, Nibali says that with a little bit if collaboration they could've gained 30 secs. Valverde when asked says something like "you saw another race, how can you say I didn't colaborate?". Funny stuff.

Not often that I defend Valverde, but today we saw that Valverde is in Italy, not for the podium, but for the win. If he wanted to secure a podium, he could have worked to distance his podium rivals. Instead, he decided not to work when it wasn't going to give him any advantage over the current favourite, Nibs

They could have worked together and he would have probably got the stage win and bonus seconds.
It's a win-win situation, in fact when he understood that he started to work, but was too late then.
Probably won't matter with many hard stages coming.

 

[Mr.White]

Re:

So, Nibali says that with a little bit if collaboration they could've gained 30 secs. Valverde when asked says something like "you saw another race, how can you say I didn't colaborate?". Funny stuff.

Seems like "mind games" started

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Ok, thanks.

I really hope Movistar would have taken control of at least one stage so far, but they really haven't and since Moreno DNF'ed, they are down on numbers and may be waiting for the last week!

Valverde give up to Visconti Amorevieta, and Visconti clearly could have wait for Amador before, I dont know if it is his blame to his options to win, but there was a point he hadnt, or blame of the tema or comunication, etc...But the fact is the Visconti was up there and Amador was alone just till last Km...


About today, Valverde took his pulls, but he was more thinking to have Amador with him, so he wanst giving everything... As Valverde said, everyone do his own race.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

So, Nibali says that with a little bit if collaboration they could've gained 30 secs. Valverde when asked says something like "you saw another race, how can you say I didn't colaborate?". Funny stuff.

Seems like "mind games" started

On twitter Nibs says he's words were misinterpreted and he is not critical against Valverde.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

Can some of you guys explain to me why he didn't go full gas with Nibbles and Chavito, once they had a gap on the other GC guys?

He is by far the better sprinter compare to Nibali and Chaves, and he could have get more time on guys like Kruijswijk (who will be one his mayor rivals), Makja and Zakarin.

But he didn't corporate at all. Why? Because the end showed the chance he would have won the sprint from Nibbles and Chaves is bigger then Amador beating Ulissi.

Missed opportunity imo.

Valverde and Amador talked the rest day in a video. They consider his main strength they have 2 leaders.

Valverde want Nibali to worry about Amador. The option to win the stage and to take seconds was there, not sure becoue the rest of the people were close and you never knows at the end what happens. it will means to waste more energy than other for just a little...to play with amador means always Nibali must be worried...


Of course Vakverde is playing to win... if play to be opiduum when he face people stronger than him on 3 weeks, other way no. Without rain Nibali is not better than him.. with rain yes, as we saw on le Tour.

 

[Arredondo]

He will not win a stage, wearing maglia rosa or podium it looks like.

Giro to forget for Bala.

 

[SeriousSam]

He could still make it onto the podium. Tomorrow will be telling.

But yeah, very disappointing.

 

[roundabout]

In theory Andalo and/or Pinerolo are winnable if the team can control the break.

 

[hrotha]

Letting all those medium mountain stages that were perfect for him go to waste doesn't look like such a bright idea now does it.

I mean, it was to be expected that he wouldn't be the absolutely best climber in the high mountains, so what was he racing for? "Cosas bonitas"?

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Letting all those medium mountain stages that were perfect for him go to waste doesn't look like such a bright idea now does it.

I mean, it was to be expected that he wouldn't be the absolutely best climber in the high mountains, so what was he racing for? "Cosas bonitas"?

I agree with you. Valv.Piti doesn't

 

[Mr.White]

Tomorrow will tell more, is this a bad day or a bad Giro. Doesn't look bright at the moment

 

[Breh]

Expected him to drop on Giau today so he did better than I expected.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Letting all those medium mountain stages that were perfect for him go to waste doesn't look like such a bright idea now does it.

I mean, it was to be expected that he wouldn't be the absolutely best climber in the high mountains, so what was he racing for? "Cosas bonitas"?

I agree with you. Valv.Piti doesn't

I think we discussed that a few days ago and If Im not mistaken, I argued that he used the same strategy as in the Tour the previous year and I agreed that if he didnt prove to be that strong (or too strong to win, at least) it was a mistake that he let at least 2 stage wins go.

Either you use Amador or you tell Visconti to get the *** back and start to ride as a team. They played on to many cards, they have done that many times and I have criticised them for it in the past.

So all in all, very disappointing indeed.