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

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

And actually i think it's more exciting if he rides Pais Vasco instead of Catalunya. In the latter race, he's only got a really small chance against someone like Froome with that 40 km flat individual TT.

He's never won Pais Vasco in his career, which is incredible given the fact the race suits him really well, and he rode it a lot of times in the past. If he's in shape, he can fill a hole on his palmares.

Pais vasco doesn't suit valverde that well. There aren't bonus seconds and valverde isn't stellar in muritos with gradients above 15%. But the main reason is that valverde is in the same generation of contador, who is clearly made for this race.

No, it doesn't suit him if you compare him to guys like Contador and Purito. Those two are/were a class above him on really steep, long muro's like Ezaro, San Lorenzo and Aia.

But Bala himself remains among the very best on those kind of climbs. Good enough to be in contention for the overall.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

And actually i think it's more exciting if he rides Pais Vasco instead of Catalunya. In the latter race, he's only got a really small chance against someone like Froome with that 40 km flat individual TT.

He's never won Pais Vasco in his career, which is incredible given the fact the race suits him really well, and he rode it a lot of times in the past. If he's in shape, he can fill a hole on his palmares.

Pais vasco doesn't suit valverde that well. There aren't bonus seconds and valverde isn't stellar in muritos with gradients above 15%. But the main reason is that valverde is in the same generation of contador, who is clearly made for this race.

There aren't many climbs over 15%. And Valverde is one of the best on those, if not the best along with Henao, Contador, Chaves and Froome.

Purito always was the benchmark of muritos. Henao and contador are better than valverde in these muritos of gradients above 15%

You can't compare him to Purito. He is still a top 5 or top 3 rider on muritos.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Considering he was a bit sick, probably a good decision not to race Paris-Nice! Would have been great to see how he would do in the crosswinds tho.

 

[Mr.White]

Illness is past him, he's on a high level again. We'll see on Friday how his climbing legs responds. Speed is there, endurance will come with riding, I'll say he's shaping his form pretty well for the Ardennes. He would have this race locked if not for that TTT incident, this way it's going to be much harder, although there's a good possibility. It all depends on Friday stage, i think...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Its impossible to describe just how good this rider is.

Imposible! Rarely been this stoked. Dropped Contador and Froome easily. And TJ got fcked like we all knew he would. Worldclass performance, out of this world!

 

[portugal11]

Hats off for bala. He shut my mouth today

 

[Arredondo]

Lol. He gets better with the age.

Seriously, i really think he can be up there with the best at the age of 42!

 

[echelon]

Great ride today, I can't remember a time he could drop Contador on a proper mtf. It's a shame he couldn't ride Paris Nice.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Making a case for himself day by day as the best rider of his generation, beating the leading stage racer of his generation two times in a row this year, going on a 70+ solo break etc.

If the best climbers can't beat him on their own playing ground, there is no way he is losing these races. Master of the hills and descents, the sprints, the short time trials. Once in a lifetime talent!

 

[Fernandez]

Valverde has been looking huge so far this race. He probably would have won Paris-Nice

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Valverde has been looking huge so far this race. He probably would have won Paris-Nice

If he had made the splits, he would have won the race rather convincingly with that team.

 

[KyoGrey]

Best cycling legs of the XXI century are strong enough to produce another treasure pearl for the collection. Every year that passes by at the same extraordinary level differentiates his legacy more and more from the rest.

It's surprising that we no longer find surprising that he will probably be the favourite for the Ardennes 11 years after winning his first Liege against Bettini, or that he can podium the Vuelta 14 years after an edition won by Roberto Heras, or that in 2018 he will be a favourite for the WC 15 years after being in a podium with Peter Van Petegem.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Best cycling legs of the XXI century are strong enough to produce another treasure pearl for the collection. Every year that passes by at the same extraordinary level differentiates his legacy more and more from the rest.

It's surprising that we no longer find surprising that he will probably be the favourite for the Ardennes 11 years after winning his first Liege against Bettini, or that he can podium the Vuelta 14 years after an edition won by Roberto Heras, or that in 2018 he will be a favourite for the WC 15 years after being in a podium with Peter Van Petegem.

Well now you're pushing it very far.

Consistency and longevity, unparalelled this day and age.

Winning WC? Wu4t?

 

[Valv.Piti]

He didn't say that. He said he would be the favourite for 2018. At this point, he would be the odds-on-favourite for the race altho chances are he won't win as he always find one or two riders better or smarter than him.

 

[silvergrenade]

As Michael Rasmussen puts it, Valverde is the worlds no. 1 cyclist. Incredible bike rider. Great performance today.
I think he can win the Tour, finally.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

As Michael Rasmussen puts it, Valverde is the worlds no. 1 cyclist. Incredible bike rider. Great performance today.
I think he can win the Tour, finally.

It'll be interesting to see how Movistar play it, with Valverde possibly moving up to a new level of climbing. Quintana as a domestique is perhaps the one rider in the world who could actually de-rail the Sky train early, because there's no way Froome would let him up the road. If he went early then Froome would have to chase him down personally and get isolated. Still difficult to see Valverde being able to finish off a peak Froome mano a mano - especially with the longish TT.

If Froome gets ill or crashes though, then Valverde certainly looks a real contender for the overall based on today.

 

[portugal11]

What??? Valverde won't win le tour and he will not be even close (no one will be close...)

 

[silvergrenade]

Re: Re:

As Michael Rasmussen puts it, Valverde is the worlds no. 1 cyclist. Incredible bike rider. Great performance today.
I think he can win the Tour, finally.

It'll be interesting to see how Movistar play it, with Valverde possibly moving up to a new level of climbing. Quintana as a domestique is perhaps the one rider in the world who could actually de-rail the Sky train early, because there's no way Froome would let him up the road. If he went early then Froome would have to chase him down personally and get isolated. Still difficult to see Valverde being able to finish off a peak Froome mano a mano - especially with the longish TT.

If Froome gets ill or crashes though, then Valverde certainly looks a real contender for the overall based on today.

Great analysis this. I dont think Quintana will ever be the domestique at the Tour unless he loses 10 minutes in the crosswinds or something.(I wish not though)

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

As Michael Rasmussen puts it, Valverde is the worlds no. 1 cyclist. Incredible bike rider. Great performance today.
I think he can win the Tour, finally.

It'll be interesting to see how Movistar play it, with Valverde possibly moving up to a new level of climbing. Quintana as a domestique is perhaps the one rider in the world who could actually de-rail the Sky train early, because there's no way Froome would let him up the road. If he went early then Froome would have to chase him down personally and get isolated. Still difficult to see Valverde being able to finish off a peak Froome mano a mano - especially with the longish TT.

If Froome gets ill or crashes though, then Valverde certainly looks a real contender for the overall based on today.

Great analysis this. I dont think Quintana will ever be the domestique at the Tour unless he loses 10 minutes in the crosswinds or something.(I wish not though)

Yeah, that's true - he's too good to be just a domestique in any race. I guess they might start as co-leaders at least, and could play similar tactics. Especially if Quintana has won the Giro, he might be more relaxed and willing to take more risks earlier in the race than at previous years at the Tour - while Valverde just marks Froome and hope that they can isolate him two v one.

 

[Cookster15]

Re:

Lol. He gets better with the age.

Seriously, i really think he can be up there with the best at the age of 42!

Bala might rewrite the book that Horner wrote. Yes amazing today although I will temper that by pointing out this is only March and the Volta. Froome in particular will be two levels below what we will see in July.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Lol. He gets better with the age.

Seriously, i really think he can be up there with the best at the age of 42!

Bala might rewrite the book that Horner wrote. Yes amazing today although I will temper that by pointing out this is only March and the Volta. Froome in particular will be two levels below what we will see in July.

Jens attacks doesn't seem to think so.

Mihai Cazacu‏ @faustocoppi60
Unlikely that Froome will be stronger in TdF's mountains than today. That would mean Pantani level. #VoltaCatalunya

 

[silvergrenade]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRVoklnBGtM/?taken-by=sprint_final&hl=en

Thought I'd share this. This is how much the Tour means to him. I hope he wins come July.

 

[silvergrenade]

Re: Re:

Lol. He gets better with the age.

Seriously, i really think he can be up there with the best at the age of 42!

Bala might rewrite the book that Horner wrote. Yes amazing today although I will temper that by pointing out this is only March and the Volta. Froome in particular will be two levels below what we will see in July.

Jens attacks doesn't seem to think so.

Mihai Cazacu‏ @faustocoppi60
Unlikely that Froome will be stronger in TdF's mountains than today. That would mean Pantani level. #VoltaCatalunya

I'm 200% sure he'll be better than today in the Dauphine and the Tour. No way he lets Contador stay with him, or let Valverde win for that matter. He's building form. He will get another gear.

 

[Red Rick]

That was the reaction upon podiuming right?

Needless to say I hope he doesn't

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I'm 200% sure he'll be better than today in the Dauphine and the Tour. No way he lets Contador stay with him, or let Valverde win for that matter. He's building form. He will get another gear.

There's a limit to what's humanly possible, you know.