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

[portugal11]

Re:

THe 2015 Tour was close to Valverde's best GTs ever.

The field was pretty underwhelming bar quintana/froome, nibali was a shadow of 2014, contador did giro/tour. Valverde was good but he wasn't close to be at same level as froome or quintana. He didn't win a stage too and he had a perfect stage on mur de huy

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

THe 2015 Tour was close to Valverde's best GTs ever.

The field was pretty underwhelming bar quintana/froome, nibali was a shadow of 2014, contador did giro/tour. Valverde was good but he wasn't close to be at same level as froome or quintana. He didn't win a stage too and he had a perfect stage on mur de huy

It was the best field in a long, long time.

He attacked. Again. Started the race among the favorite.

Oh ok. I like the aggressiveness, but its very unlike Valv to attack when he can't finish it..

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

THe 2015 Tour was close to Valverde's best GTs ever.

The field was pretty underwhelming bar quintana/froome, nibali was a shadow of 2014, contador did giro/tour. Valverde was good but he wasn't close to be at same level as froome or quintana. He didn't win a stage too and he had a perfect stage on mur de huy

It was the best field in a long, long time.

He attacked. Again. Started the race among the favorite.

Oh ok. I like the aggressiveness, but its very unlike Valv to attack when he can't finish it..

He attacked a few hundred meters before the top of Sarenne. It was only Fuglsang and Porte who followed immediately, but the Sky train swallowed them up soon before the summit and then he eventually just followed Froome when Porte attacked later on. It seems like he is trying different strategies (although I could have told him that the strategy of yesterday would not do any good for him).

Even so, he hasn't looked overwhelmingly good bar his TT performance in the Dauphiné but that is what I expected before the race. If previous seasons is anything to go by, he will be flying come July and I am not worried at all.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

THe 2015 Tour was close to Valverde's best GTs ever.

The field was pretty underwhelming bar quintana/froome, nibali was a shadow of 2014, contador did giro/tour. Valverde was good but he wasn't close to be at same level as froome or quintana. He didn't win a stage too and he had a perfect stage on mur de huy

It was the best field in a long, long time.

He attacked. Again. Started the race among the favorite.

Oh ok. I like the aggressiveness, but its very unlike Valv to attack when he can't finish it..

Quite typical when he doesn't care that much about winning or knows he's not winning.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

THe 2015 Tour was close to Valverde's best GTs ever.

The field was pretty underwhelming bar quintana/froome, nibali was a shadow of 2014, contador did giro/tour. Valverde was good but he wasn't close to be at same level as froome or quintana. He didn't win a stage too and he had a perfect stage on mur de huy

It was the best field in a long, long time.

He attacked. Again. Started the race among the favorite.

Oh ok. I like the aggressiveness, but its very unlike Valv to attack when he can't finish it..

Quite typical when he doesn't care that much about winning or knows he's not winning.

You think?

 

[Blanco]

About his form.., I don't know really. He seems very strong at one moment, then he drops the other, I guess he's building form. Maybe he'll try something from a far tomorrow, I have a feeling he's not here for the GC 100%, so why not try then... Maybe Contador could join him

 

[portugal11]

He won't be a factor in le tour (for the win of course) but maybe he and quintana can create havoc in the mountain stages

 

[LaFlorecita]

He'll be top-5, he's just here to get stronger. I called him the favorite earlier but now I'm not sure anymore, I'd say joint 2nd favorite with Froome, behind Porte.

 

[DFA123]

Valverde seems to be riding this race the way that Contador said he was going to (but isn't). Coming in undercooked - which I guess is normal at this time if you have to peak for both the Ardennes and the Tour, and just looking to test himself and put in a few hard efforts occasionally, as much for training as anything.

The most encouraging this by far this week is obviously his TT. To put in that performance when not in his best form is very impressive.

 

[yaco]

Wanted to attack from far on every mountain day - Seemed to be a training ride.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Valverde seems to be riding this race the way that Contador said he was going to (but isn't). Coming in undercooked - which I guess is normal at this time if you have to peak for both the Ardennes and the Tour, and just looking to test himself and put in a few hard efforts occasionally, as much for training as anything.

The most encouraging this by far this week is obviously his TT. To put in that performance when not in his best form is very impressive.

So, no worries for Valverde, he will be up there in July, but Contador definitely lied and went all out, so this (11th behind Valls, Meintjes and Buchmann) is his true level?

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Valverde seems to be riding this race the way that Contador said he was going to (but isn't). Coming in undercooked - which I guess is normal at this time if you have to peak for both the Ardennes and the Tour, and just looking to test himself and put in a few hard efforts occasionally, as much for training as anything.

The most encouraging this by far this week is obviously his TT. To put in that performance when not in his best form is very impressive.

So, no worries for Valverde, he will be up there in July, but Contador definitely lied and went all out, so this (11th behind Valls, Meintjes and Buchmann) is his true level?

I don't see anything to be worried about on behalf of Valverde. His form curve is different from all the others because of his need to reach a super peak in the Spring as well. And judging by the attacks he put in every day, it looks like he's racing to train as much as anything.

Contador said he was going to do that as well. But then just stayed on the back of either Valverde or Froome before getting dropped. Which seems a bit strange to me. If you are using it to train, surely you ride to your own numbers and test yourself, not go at whatever pace the favourite goes at until you crack. Or follow all the way up the climb and get dropped on the descent.

In any case, I think Valverde's mindset is better. Not disrespecting the race by calling it a training ride in every interview, and keeping his opponents guessing about what his level may be at the Tour.

 

[Valv.Piti]

This was the more expected level going into Dauphine, we all got pretty excited about his TT-performance, but as it all turned out, the goal was here to test himself and have a bunch of fun while doing so, being super aggressive and making the race. Valverde-style, also a joy to cheer for him.

I still believe he can win the Tour, nothing has suggested anything different this week.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Contador said he was going to do that as well. But then just stayed on the back of either Valverde or Froome before getting dropped. Which seems a bit strange to me. If you are using it to train, surely you ride to your own numbers and test yourself, not go at whatever pace the favourite goes at until you crack. Or follow all the way up the climb and get dropped on the descent.

In any case, I think Valverde's mindset is better. Not disrespecting the race by calling it a training ride in every interview, and keeping his opponents guessing about what his level may be at the Tour.

And that's exactly what he did, he rode with the favorites' group until he reached a certain threshold and decided to drop. He did not "crack".
Once again you show your bias everything is fine for Valverde (because you like him), everything is amiss for Contador (because you dislike him).

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Contador said he was going to do that as well. But then just stayed on the back of either Valverde or Froome before getting dropped. Which seems a bit strange to me. If you are using it to train, surely you ride to your own numbers and test yourself, not go at whatever pace the favourite goes at until you crack. Or follow all the way up the climb and get dropped on the descent.

In any case, I think Valverde's mindset is better. Not disrespecting the race by calling it a training ride in every interview, and keeping his opponents guessing about what his level may be at the Tour.

And that's exactly what he did, he rode with the favorites' group until he reached a certain threshold and decided to drop. He did not "crack".
Once again you show your bias everything is fine for Valverde (because you like him), everything is amiss for Contador (because you dislike him).

Question: Were you disappointed by Contador's performance today?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Question: Were you disappointed by Contador's performance today?

I had no expectations, so no, I wasn't really disappointed. Of course, when he was with the group on the final ascent I hoped he would try to go for the stage (and succeed).

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Contador said he was going to do that as well. But then just stayed on the back of either Valverde or Froome before getting dropped. Which seems a bit strange to me. If you are using it to train, surely you ride to your own numbers and test yourself, not go at whatever pace the favourite goes at until you crack. Or follow all the way up the climb and get dropped on the descent.

In any case, I think Valverde's mindset is better. Not disrespecting the race by calling it a training ride in every interview, and keeping his opponents guessing about what his level may be at the Tour.

And that's exactly what he did, he rode with the favorites' group until he reached a certain threshold and decided to drop. He did not "crack".
Once again you show your bias everything is fine for Valverde (because you like him), everything is amiss for Contador (because you dislike him).

I like both Contador and Valverde. I probably hold Contador to slightly higher standards in these races I guess though, because he is the 7* times GT winner who focuses exclusively on stage races, so there is a much bigger expectation for him to perform there. Valverde obviously has other strings to his bow (he could end his season now and it would already be a phenomenal year for him).

It's just the excuses and constant commentary hie gives to the press (often misleading) that I don't like about Contador. Wish he'd just let his racing do the talking and just accept it when he's not the best. Valverde's definitely a lot better in this regard.

 

[Blanco]

It's simple with Contador. When he's good, he's cautious, he's taking it day by day, he's uncertain (allegedly) of his form. And when he's bad, he's full of confidence, everything is going according to plan, blah, blah...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Just watched the stage, I loved to see Valverde animate the race again. He also gets massive style points for unzipped jersey with a necklace, swinging from side to side. Extremely stylish in his own way!

 

[Moviestar]

Between now and the Tour: mini training camp at altitude, National road race (25 June)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Cool photo

 

[silvergrenade]

Re:

Just watched the stage, I loved to see Valverde animate the race again. He also gets massive style points for unzipped jersey with a necklace, swinging from side to side. Extremely stylish in his own way!

His style on the bike is so cool too. Especially when he's out of the saddle just riding.

 

[SeriousSam]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-favourites-form-ranking-2/

This was a strong, stable performance but perhaps not the result he would have expected.

:lol:

 

[portugal11]

Bala said in a interview that he will work for nairo in le tour

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Bala said in a interview that he will work for nairo in le tour

Perhaps the Dauphine gave him a reality check. The strongest climbers are gonna be in peak form in July. Even Nairo is gonna be better than him in the real mountain stages.