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

[Jspear]

What tosh. Did not win enough big races? What is your conception of enough? You may have a case the day Contador performs other than in stage races. I honestely have no idea of what you mean when you claim he could have been as great as Contador - you mean in stage races? Valverde is not (just) a stage racer. Other than that, and because cycling goes well past stage racing, he is a much more successful rider than Contador, and one who can perform on a larger variety of terrains and races. You're confused, for if anything, it was Contador who failed to match A.V. Perhaps the superficial cycling fan will regard Contador as a better rider, because of their limited knowledge, and because he seems to have gotten himself surrounded by a horde of blindly faithful propagandist minions who hijacked the sport, by creating this false legend who for them symbolizes epicenter of cycling. Only in a GT-centered perspective, which I admit is the norm of today, is Contador greater than Valverde. But I stand that any monument win is bigger and of much more beauty than a victory in any Grand Tour.

But he only has won two monuments...is that and 1 GT as good as 6 GT's? How many monument wins are worth 1 GT win?

 

[del1962]

I admire Alberto [Contador], Purito [Rodriguez], [Oscar] Freire, Samuel [Sanchez] a lot…but I’d put myself down [as the best] and that’s all there is to it

You can't say the guy lacks beleif in his own ability

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-i-want-to-go-for-the-tour-de-france-podium-until-i-retire

 

[Arredondo]

You can't say the guy lacks beleif in his own ability

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-i-want-to-go-for-the-tour-de-france-podium-until-i-retire

Bar Contador, he's right of course. Definitely based on his palmares, and that's all that counts.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Bar Contador, he's right of course. Definitely based on his palmares, and that's all that counts.

Freire's palmares are on a similar level. 1 Monument, 3 WCRR v 1Vuelta, 2 Monuments. Valverde probably has the edge because of the lesser wins, but their palmares are the same sort of tier. Contador is way ahead, obviously. Purito and Samu are behind, but both are also underachievers.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Can't help think Freire got the most out of his "big race" capability, whereas Valverde simply didn't capitalize in this department.

Anyway agree palmares are close.

 

[Netserk]

Freire's palmares are on a similar level. 1 Monument, 3 WCRR v 1Vuelta, 2 Monuments. Valverde probably has the edge because of the lesser wins, but their palmares are the same sort of tier. Contador is way ahead, obviously. Purito and Samu are behind, but both are also underachievers.

Does each MSR only count for a 3rd of a monument?

I'd say Freire is ahead.

 

[Arredondo]

Freire's palmares are on a similar level. 1 Monument, 3 WCRR v 1Vuelta, 2 Monuments. Valverde probably has the edge because of the lesser wins, but their palmares are the same sort of tier. Contador is way ahead, obviously. Purito and Samu are behind, but both are also underachievers.

Freire is great, but Valverde won monuments and other classics, but most importantly, many big stage races and a GT. I have more respect for that kind of palmares (winning classics and stage races).

But i agree it's really close. Three times WC is quite good too

So i say:

1. Contador

2. Valverde
3. Freire (really close)

4. Purito

5. Sanchez (no monuments)

 

[Netserk]

You are aware that Freire won Tirreno, right?

 

[Arredondo]

You are aware that Freire won Tirreno, right?

Lol true. And holding of Petacchi, something i have to keep in mind

 

[Netserk]

Lol true. And holding of Petacchi, something i have to keep in mind

Hold on, not so much context please! Tirreno is now a very mountainous stage race, so I think it adds great depth to Freire's palmares!

 

[Arredondo]

Hold on, not so much context please! Tirreno is now a very mountainous stage race, so I think it adds great depth to Freire's palmares!

It makes it even more funnier that you are right. In 30 years, everybody thinks Freire won 'a very hard mountanious' TA

 

[Panda Claws]

He is the record holder in total CQpoints at least, and it is not even close (although he is partially helped by the fact that CQranking awards more points now then it did in earlier years):

1. Alejandro Valverde 21.862
2. Davide Rebellin 18.321
3. Erik Zabel 16.558
4. Cadel Evans 16.177
5. Tom Boonen 15.747
6. Joaquim Rodriguez 15.293
7. Philippe Gilbert 15.036
8. Fabian Cancellara 14.905
9. Paolo Bettini 14.704
10. Alberto Contador 14.317

As well as the record holder when it comes to the combined score of a cyclist's 3 best seasons (again not close):

1. Alejandro Valverde 8.308
2. Joaquim Rodriguez 7.520
3. Alberto Contador 7.335
4. Vincenzo Nibali 6.978
5. Tom Boonen 6.834
6. Philippe Gilbert 6.743
7. Erik Zabel 6.481
8. Peter Sagan 6.232
9. Paolo Bettini 5.957
10. Cadel Evans 5.848

Additionally, he was the youngest cyclist to reach 10.000 points total:

Alejandro Valverde: 28 years, 1 month and 17 days
Tom Boonen: 28 years, 3 months and 20 days
Vincenzo Nibali: 28 years, 6 months and 12 days
Damiano Cunego: 28 years, 8 months and 11 days
Philippe Gilbert: 28 years, 11 months and 14 days

 

[del1962]

He tops procycling stats all time spanish rankings

http://www.procyclingstats.com/rankings.php?id=11120&nation=es

 

[Arredondo]

He tops procycling stats all time spanish rankings

http://www.procyclingstats.com/rankings.php?id=11120&nation=es

Samuel Sanchez is ahead of Luis Ocana, Jose-Manuel Fuente, Abraham Olano and Pedro Delgado

It's a very good ranking.......

 

[Coat-O]

He was absolutely brutal today. How many wins do you think he will get this year. 5? 7? 15?

 

[Netserk]

About half as much as 2nd places...

 

[Wallenquist]

Say whatever you want about him, about number of his 2nd or 3rd places but he's unique. No one and I really mean no one is able to be competitive in every race he enters except him. Amazing rider, I wish him the rainbow jersey.

 

[Jspear]

Say whatever you want about him, about number of his 2nd or 3rd places but he's unique. No one and I really mean no one is able to be competitive in every race he enters except him. Amazing rider, I wish him the rainbow jersey.

He has lost his chances for that imo. This years course won't be selective enough...at best he'll end up with another bronze. Aren't the 2016 worlds in Dubai?

 

[Netserk]

Say whatever you want about him, about number of his 2nd or 3rd places but he's unique. No one and I really mean no one is able to be competitive in every race he enters except him. Amazing rider, I wish him the rainbow jersey.

Huh? How was he more competitive in every race he entered last year than Contador was?

 

[jaylew]

Say whatever you want about him, about number of his 2nd or 3rd places but he's unique. No one and I really mean no one is able to be competitive in every race he enters except him. Amazing rider, I wish him the rainbow jersey.

Agreed all around.

He has lost his chances for that imo. This years course won't be selective enough...at best he'll end up with another bronze. Aren't the 2016 worlds in Dubai?

Have to agree with this as well, sadly. He might have missed his chance.

 

[Jspear]

Huh? How was he more competitive in every race he entered last year than Contador was?

Perhaps what he meant to say was that AV enters more races with diversity in terrains and does well in all?...

 

[Wallenquist]

Perhaps what he meant to say was that AV enters more races with diversity in terrains and does well in all?...

Exactly. And this year's route in WC are hard enough in last kilometers to split the field. He won't be as big favorite as he was in last two editions but still has a chance.

 

[Netserk]

Perhaps what he meant to say was that AV enters more races with diversity in terrains and does well in all?...

He does well in a lot of hilly classics and stage races. Didn't do much in Dubai nor the Flemish classics he raced last year.

Competitive in every single race he does (as the only rider) my as.s

 

[Coat-O]

He does well in a lot of hilly classics and stage races. Didn't do much in Dubai nor the Flemish classics he raced last year.

Competitive in every single race he does (as the only rider) my as.s

He did fine in Dwars door Vlaanderen and that was his first cobble race ever.

 

[Jspear]

He does well in a lot of hilly classics and stage races. Didn't do much in Dubai nor the Flemish classics he raced last year.

Competitive in every single race he does (as the only rider) my as.s

I was simply pointing out what Wallenquist meant. I don't necessarily agree. There are some races AV participates in that he doesn't really excel in, but he is still one of the most diverse riders in this era.