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

[DFA123]

Re:

If Valverde rode his guts out for Quintana, how did he manage to conjure up the energy to finish in the top 10 himself?

Because that was the best way to ride for Quintana. As long as he was still a threat in the GC, his attacks had to be taken seriously and had the potential (in theory at least) to burn off Sky domestiques and isolate Froome. If he was half an hour down, Sky would have just ignored him and he wouldn't have been able to really affect the race. He did some kind of an attack on nearly every mountain stages - including one 15km from the start.

Anyone who has seen Valverde race a GT in the last 12 years would know he would never do anything like that if he was riding primarily for his own GC result.

 

[joe_papp]

So Valverde is only sitting 3rd overall in the UCI World Tour rankings, behind Froome (2nd) and Sagan who's leading the standings.

Not that it matters that much, but I wonder if he'll somehow manage to overhaul those two...

Actually, I wonder when the UCI last updated the points totals...

 

[Mr.White]

So Valverde is only sitting 3rd overall in the UCI World Tour rankings, behind Froome (2nd) and Sagan who's leading the standings.

Not that it matters that much, but I wonder if he'll somehow manage to overhaul those two...

Actually, I wonder when the UCI last updated the points totals...

It was on 24th, as of tomorrow he could surpass Froome

 

[roundabout]

it's 260 points for 3rd and he was 300 behind, so Froome should be still second in the World Rankings

 

[filipepc]

Valverde is a impressive rider. He´s the unique rider in the world that can make podium in every races is in. Impressive.

Chapeau.

 

[KyoGrey]

Con tu permiso @Berthoni:

I'm wondering what the 2 finger sign of the first photo might be.

 

[Fernandez]

Con tu permiso @Berthoni:

I'm wondering what the 2 finger sign of the first photo might be.

There is a new "pistolero" coming to the city Or..."Im gonna fight for the silver" :lol:

 

[Valv.Piti]

Hola Pisto, donde estas?

 

[Alexandre B.]

He completely messed up the two biggest one-day races of the year for him.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

He completely messed up the two biggest one-day races of the year for him.

Giro d' Italia

 

[burning]

Re: Re:

He completely messed up the two biggest one-day races of the year for him.

Giro d' Italia

On another note, people were saying that it was not going to work out while riding for GC in Tour and they were right.

 

[Arredondo]

It's the first time i can recall Valverde really was a non-factor during a race.

He needs rest. He's tired.

But great attitude today by working for Purito!

 

[Moviestar]

Can enjoy a (long) deserved break now. Totally cuit at the moment.

 

[Moviestar]

Re:

It's the first time i can recall Valverde really was a non-factor during a race.

He needs rest. He's tired.

But great attitude today by working for Purito!

All of his previous Olympic races

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

It's the first time i can recall Valverde really was a non-factor during a race.

He needs rest. He's tired.

But great attitude today by working for Purito!

All of his previous Olympic races

That's why i missed it

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

It's the first time i can recall Valverde really was a non-factor during a race.

He needs rest. He's tired.

But great attitude today by working for Purito!

LBL this year?

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

It's the first time i can recall Valverde really was a non-factor during a race.

He needs rest. He's tired.

But great attitude today by working for Purito!

LBL this year?

Nevermind

 

[Mr.White]

So ultimately, him or Unzue made a mistake, or both. They believed he's some kind of a super human. It's nice though that he tried to help Purito in his last race, to make amends for his Florence mistake a little. Time to rest and for a slow build up for Lombardia

 

[DBotero]

I never liked the idea of him riding Il Giro.He was great there but he payed the price yesterday in the race which was his main objective of the season

 

[Valv.Piti]

Being great for Ardennes, Giro, Tour and Olympics is hard. He somewhat messed it up in L-B-L after being the huge favourite and obviously didn't have anything left at this point..

An Nibali approach had obviously been better, but I must say I enjoyed him in the Tour (one of the few bright spots..)

 

[robin440]

Last olympics for him? In Tokyo he would be 40, don't see him riding then.

 

[hrotha]

It was simply a terrible idea to finally give the Giro a try (which in itself was a good idea) exactly the same year the Olympic RR suited him so well.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

It was simply a terrible idea to finally give the Giro a try (which in itself was a good idea) exactly the same year the Olympic RR suited him so well.

You can argue that, but he FINALLY got himself his much coveted podium last year. I somewhat agree, but it also makes sense he tries now after his podium and when he has dropped the ambition of podium/win in TdF due to age

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

It was simply a terrible idea to finally give the Giro a try (which in itself was a good idea) exactly the same year the Olympic RR suited him so well.

No, it was a terrible idea to go for a meaningless top ten spot in the Tour. If he raced like Nibali he could have won numerous stages in the Tour from the breakaway and be fresh for the Olympics.

His racing attitude really baffles me sometimes. It's like he doesn't want to win.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

It was simply a terrible idea to finally give the Giro a try (which in itself was a good idea) exactly the same year the Olympic RR suited him so well.

No, it was a terrible idea to go for a meaningless top ten spot in the Tour. If he raced like Nibali he could have won numerous stages in the Tour from the breakaway and be fresh for the Olympics.

His racing attitude really baffles me sometimes. It's like he doesn't want to win.

The best would be if he focused on the Ardennes, skipped the Giro and then rode the Tour as a prep for the OG.