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

[ontheroad]

He has turned himself into the prototype all round perfect cyclist.......at the age of 37!

Practically unbeatable in the big one day spring races and no-one can live with him in an uphill sprint finish. Unbelievable consistency in grand tours, and vast reservoirs of stamina and durability. Even when riding for hsi team leader he still manages to stay close to the podium, and now he has turned himself into a top TT'er, just 12 seconds off Tony Martin. If Valverde wins the tour or gets close, it will defy all logic of the ageing process.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

He has turned himself into the prototype all round perfect cyclist.......at the age of 37!

Practically unbeatable in the big one day spring races and no-one can live with him in an uphill sprint finish. Unbelievable consistency in grand tours, and vast reservoirs of stamina and durability. Even when riding for hsi team leader he still manages to stay close to the podium, and now he has turned himself into a top TT'er, just 12 seconds off Tony Martin. If Valverde wins the tour or gets close, it will defy all logic of the ageing process.

To be fair, he's been the best all-round cyclist in the peloton throughout his career. I don't think anyone else comes close to being top 1% in aerobic w/kg output, top 1% anaerobic w/kg and top 5% sprinting w/kg. It almost defies biology in this era of specialization.

As you say though, incredibly he seems to have stepped it up a level this season. Both aerobically and anaerobically. It's going to be fun to see where this all ends.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Quintana will still have a lot to say, I think, but I hope they realize this is the perfect storm. Just have Quintana go up the road like he did in 2013 in a more free role, that would be brilliant, super-domestique in the final week if Valverde has a good shot (which he should have if he hasn't crashed etc.)

Im so excited. Im a big Quintana fan, I like Landa a lot, but no one comes close to Valverde for me. Amazing rider!!

 

[Valv.Piti]

At this point I also have to go to the Grand Départ in Germany to support Bala.

 

[kingjr]

Re:

At this point I also have to go to the Grand Départ in Germany to support Bala.

see you there

 

[Angliru]

Re:

It's surely a certainty now that Valverde should go into the Tour as no.1 protected rider, with Quintana just given a free role in the first couple of weeks to see where he's at. This is easily the best sustained run of form he's had in stage races now, and with the ridiculous possibility of Quintana as a mountain domestique for him in the final week - it's surely now or never for a real crack at the Tour.

I think it would've been foolish of Movistar to not take advantage of Valverde's fine form. Having Valverde fetching bottles would be just be unacceptable. Having the 1-2 of Valverde and Quintana as threats is much more lethal and potent than the team fully supporting a Giro-raced Quintana.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

He has turned himself into the prototype all round perfect cyclist.......at the age of 37!

Practically unbeatable in the big one day spring races and no-one can live with him in an uphill sprint finish. Unbelievable consistency in grand tours, and vast reservoirs of stamina and durability. Even when riding for hsi team leader he still manages to stay close to the podium, and now he has turned himself into a top TT'er, just 12 seconds off Tony Martin. If Valverde wins the tour or gets close, it will defy all logic of the ageing process.

He has been pretty much that for the entirety of his career. Climbs with the grand tour gc elite, sprints them all (gc guys) off of his wheel, can put in the occasional stellar time trial effort, hilly one-day racer extraordinaire. He is a rider that simply loves the bike and loves to ride. That is one of the reasons that I enjoy watching him race because he is always there abouts in the mix, competing. His younger teammates hold him up as an example for his professionalism and dedication to his training/craft.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

At this point I also have to go to the Grand Départ in Germany to support Bala.

We want lots of pictures!

 

[Blanco]

Quintana will still have a lot to say, I think, but I hope they realize this is the perfect storm. Just have Quintana go up the road like he did in 2013 in a more free role, that would be brilliant, super-domestique in the final week if Valverde has a good shot (which he should have if he hasn't crashed etc.)

Im so excited. Im a big Quintana fan, I like Landa a lot, but no one comes close to Valverde for me. Amazing rider!!

Yep, there might be a problem. Unzue is not a fool, he would want to take advantage of this situation, to have a two major threats. But Quintana might be a "weak link". We don't know how will he handle this situation, with Valverde being equally strong, or even stronger than him. Valverde was classy and stepped aside when he noticed that Nairo is stronger. Will Nairo do the same?

 

[Galic Ho]

Old interview. A lot happened in the meantime.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chr...-de-france-threats-are-porte-contador-bardet/
Chris ignoring the obvious.

I wouldn't read a thing into it at all.

Is Bardet a major threat? He finished second last year.

Is Contador a threat? He's beaten Froome in other races, so he could be a threat.

Is Porte a threat? He has been at a level slightly above other GC riders so far. The Dauphine will show us what is going on.

Now, is Valverde a threat?

Who has the best form this year and has looked nearly unbeatable?

Yes he is a major consideration.

It will be good to see how Movistar handle the Tour this year. Valverde has won the Dauphine twice. It was quite funny to watch Cadel Evans repeatedly chase Valverde down, use up all his matches before the Tour and then...well, not go so well. Contador use to just stick right on Cadel's wheel the entire Dauphine and help Valverde. Valverde walked away with a Dauphine win, Cadel got a second and showed his cards before the Tour.

Froome is just stating...well, stuff. The Aussie cycling tv station had claimed this morning Quintana has failed at this Giro-Tour double. If finishing second, at the Giro is failing...sheesh. People are way too hard.

Doing well at the Dauphine is no indicator to Tour form BTW. Nibali 2014 is proof of this.

Quoting myself a few days later.

That ITT is interesting.

Beating Tony Martin, albeit a less than awesome Tony Martin, is still major news for Porte.

Having Valverde be within seconds of him as well is scary.

Scary for Froome.

Let's see how the climbing goes the next few days. If those 2 remain better than the rest, this Tour will be on FIRE!!

 

[dacooley]

another beast-mode tt from Alejandro. what amazes me the most he does time trials on pure physics. I very much doubt he bothered to do some special work with aerodynamics or something. 38 is the age when you handle you time trial limitations quietly.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Quintana will still have a lot to say, I think, but I hope they realize this is the perfect storm. Just have Quintana go up the road like he did in 2013 in a more free role, that would be brilliant, super-domestique in the final week if Valverde has a good shot (which he should have if he hasn't crashed etc.)

Im so excited. Im a big Quintana fan, I like Landa a lot, but no one comes close to Valverde for me. Amazing rider!!

Valverde said that he "owed" Quintana - and that Quintana was still the GC leader for the Tour, and Valverde for the Vuelta. I believe that interview was right towards the end of this year's Giro.

I suspect both will show up in very good form, though. That could certainly complicate things. Especially if Quintana bests Valverde on PdBF (and then fades later on because the flat and transitional stages take more energy out of him)

It's far from an ideal situation.

 

[jaylew]

For whatever reason, I don't think the age thing is that big a deal or all that surprising.

Even if I'd love to see it, I'm not yet convinced he can fight for the win at the Tour. I need to see more of him in some long, hard mountain stages first.

I'd also like to hear something from Unzué or Movistar saying he at least has freedom to do his own race, or better yet, that he'll get at least equal support. Everything I read still seems to mention him supporting Nairo. I guess this week could very well determine how they decide to play it.

 

[HelloDolly]

So on the ITV4 interview tonight he said " Nairo is the leader at the Tour in theory" ....em in theory ?? whatever could he mean ??

 

[Cookster15]

Re:

For whatever reason, I don't think the age thing is that big a deal or all that surprising.

Even if I'd love to see it, I'm not yet convinced he can fight for the win at the Tour. I need to see more of him in some long, hard mountain stages first.

I'd also like to hear something from Unzué or Movistar saying he at least has freedom to do his own race, or better yet, that he'll get at least equal support. Everything I read still seems to mention him supporting Nairo. I guess this week could very well determine how they decide to play it.

Well in 2016 Valverde didn't show weakness until very late in the 3rd week and finished strongly on Mont Blanc stage and ahead of Quintana, Froome and Porte. This year he didn't do the Giro.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

another beast-mode tt from Alejandro. what amazes me the most he does time trials on pure physics. I very much doubt he bothered to do some special work with aerodynamics or something. 38 is the age when you handle you time trial limitations quietly.

Indeed. But it needs to be said Movistar-riders generally are pretty good in time trials, dno if it has something to do with Canyon or whatever. But he has always been very good at time trials like these, altho this still was more than I expected.

 

[MovistarRider]

Re:

So on the ITV4 interview tonight he said " Nairo is the leader at the Tour in theory" ....em in theory ?? whatever could he mean ??

They will start the TDF as co-leaders. Alejandro is out of this world this year and the parcours suits him and Nairo is way to good to act as a help. I expect both to start as co-leaders and from there on the form will decide who will be in the hunting for the yellow in the third week.

Alejandro really deserves to be as much of a leader and protect as Nairo. With Nairo already done the Giro and the parcours in favour of Alejandro it wouldn't make sense to not start both of them as leaders. If early in the race is becomes clear that Nairo isn't good enough then he can be used as a big joker, attacking early which will give Movistar and Alejandro some adventage.

If there is a chance that both of them have the form and are in the hunt to win the TDF it would really be a dilemma for me. I would love both of them to win..both for different reasons. Alejandro maybe has his last real shot at claiming the yellow and it would be the icing on the cake for his career and few human beings would be as happy for him as i would be. If Nairo wins it, it would maybe (finally?) make some people shut up about him and his thread would become a better place

 

[Arredondo]

One thing is clear after today: na matter how good he rides during the spring, he isn's able to follow Froome (Porte) on a proper climb in France

 

[portugal11]

The hype train is over

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

One thing is clear after today: na matter how good he rides during the spring, he isn's able to follow Froome (Porte) on a proper climb in France

Valverde made it hard for himself, he obviously felt really strong, but I still don't know what he was thinking..

Anyways, this is the hardest climb/stage in TdF. No worries for me!

 

[DFA123]

Re:

One thing is clear after today: na matter how good he rides during the spring, he isn's able to follow Froome (Porte) on a proper climb in France

Looks like it was a tactical error as much as anything today. Perhaps he incorrectly sensed weakness in Porte and tried to attack, but just blew himself up and left him vulnerable on the steep gradients.

Now, if only he had a team-mate who can climb a bit, who he could send up the road and do the testing for him, if a similar position arose in the Tour.

 

[Sartorius]

When was the last time Valverde had any form in Dauphine? I think he will be fine...

 

[Breh]

Re: Re:

One thing is clear after today: na matter how good he rides during the spring, he isn's able to follow Froome (Porte) on a proper climb in France

Valverde made it hard for himself, he obviously felt really strong, but I still don't know what he was thinking..

Anyways, this is the hardest climb/stage in TdF. No worries for me!

Indeed, he just has to limit his losses on stages like this.

His attacks were weird though but I can't complain when riders attack

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

One thing is clear after today: na matter how good he rides during the spring, he isn's able to follow Froome (Porte) on a proper climb in France

Valverde made it hard for himself, he obviously felt really strong, but I still don't know what he was thinking..

Anyways, this is the hardest climb/stage in TdF. No worries for me!

Indeed, he just has to limit his losses on stages like this.

His attacks were weird though but I can't complain when riders attack

I guess if he wants to win the overall he had to at least test Porte, to see where he's at. But it certainly backfired today. In the Tour he can ride it a lot more conservatively I guess.

 

[Blanco]

Re:

One thing is clear after today: na matter how good he rides during the spring, he isn's able to follow Froome (Porte) on a proper climb in France

It's debatable. He spent a lot of energy on that attack, I think he's close to Froome climbing-wise, and a little behind Porte. We will know better tomorrow...