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

[Jspear]

Froome too has the speed to mix it up in a sprint with the big boys.

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

He used to do it far far more when he was younger. His first pro race he got in on the bunch sprint and got a placing. As far as I can recall his first noteworthy result - as a neo pro as well - was outsprinting Zabel for 4th behind a break of 3 at the 2002 Vuelta

And was able to beat great sprinters like O'Grady, Freire and Zabel occasionally in his early 20's but I doubt he was Viviani or Gaviria-level back then. Possibly more like Degenkolb or Colbrelli.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

He used to do it far far more when he was younger. His first pro race he got in on the bunch sprint and got a placing. As far as I can recall his first noteworthy result - as a neo pro as well - was outsprinting Zabel for 4th behind a break of 3 at the 2002 Vuelta

This is part of why it seems part of the peloton actually thought he was a sprinter when he turned pro. In the biography written about him (came out last year), his manager was asked "Isn't it a bit ambitious for a sprinter to think he can win la Vuelta." This was in 2002 after he was pulled out of the Vuelta (preset) he said he was going to come back and win it the next year. 2003 got his first podium. His manager at the time responded with a we'll see.

Yes, you're right when he was younger did get involved in full field sprints more than he does now. He still has the sprint speed to be up there and get involved when he chooses to.

You don't win 50 races in a ro on the Spanish junior calendar while being a pure sprinter right?

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

He used to do it far far more when he was younger. His first pro race he got in on the bunch sprint and got a placing. As far as I can recall his first noteworthy result - as a neo pro as well - was outsprinting Zabel for 4th behind a break of 3 at the 2002 Vuelta

This is part of why it seems part of the peloton actually thought he was a sprinter when he turned pro. In the biography written about him (came out last year), his manager was asked "Isn't it a bit ambitious for a sprinter to think he can win la Vuelta." This was in 2002 after he was pulled out of the Vuelta (preset) he said he was going to come back and win it the next year. 2003 got his first podium. His manager at the time responded with a we'll see.

Yes, you're right when he was younger did get involved in full field sprints more than he does now. He still has the sprint speed to be up there and get involved when he chooses to.

You don't win 50 races in a ro on the Spanish junior calendar while being a pure sprinter right?

He was never a pure sprinter. He just has a very good sprint. Good enough that he has always been able to mix it up with the sprinters and occasionally beat some of them depending on the finish. However, he's also always been able to climb. Pure sprinters, even at the cadet level (which is where he won the 50 plus consecutive races) aren't exactly climbers.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Although he won several track nationals, he won climbing races like the Subida del Gallo (or whatever it was called back then). And his manager was Belda who backed him for years and knew exactly what he was like. I don't buy that Belda thought of him as a sprinter.

 

[WheelofGear]

I wonder if he could have won Milano-Sanremo if he had targeted it back in his mid 20's.

I'm sure 2006-Valverde could have been up there. He had a quite start that year but a groundbreaking peak for the Ardennes.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Although he won several track nationals, he won climbing races like the Subida del Gallo (or whatever it was called back then). And his manager was Belda who backed him for years and knew exactly what he was like. I don't buy that Belda thought of him as a sprinter.

I think his manager's response back then was more of a just not bothering to attempt to explain what he was to the rest of the peloton and let them be surprised. I agree that Belda knew what he had with Valverde.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

I wonder if he could have won Milano-Sanremo if he had targeted it back in his mid 20's.

I'm sure 2006-Valverde could have been up there. He had a quite start that year but a groundbreaking peak for the Ardennes.

That's an interesting question. However, remember 2006 is also the year Operation Puerto broke and he intentionally avoided racing in Italy between 2006 and 2008 when the Tour went into Italy for a day or two.
That year was his first of now a recorder breaking 3 Ardennes doubles.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

I wonder if he could have won Milano-Sanremo if he had targeted it back in his mid 20's.

I'm sure 2006-Valverde could have been up there. He had a quite start that year but a groundbreaking peak for the Ardennes.

Yes of course he could have won MSR. He probably wouldn’t have as it’s too much of a lottery, but he could have. He still could, although it would be harder. In any year where someone slower than him, like in recent times a Nibali or a Cancellara tried to win by attacking, he’d have a very good chance by following. If Gerrans can do something, Valverde can do it too.

 

[joe_papp]

Re: Re:

He used to do it far far more when he was younger. His first pro race he got in on the bunch sprint and got a placing. As far as I can recall his first noteworthy result - as a neo pro as well - was outsprinting Zabel for 4th behind a break of 3 at the 2002 Vuelta

This is part of why it seems part of the peloton actually thought he was a sprinter when he turned pro. In the biography written about him (came out last year), his manager was asked "Isn't it a bit ambitious for a sprinter to think he can win la Vuelta." This was in 2002 after he was pulled out of the Vuelta (preset) he said he was going to come back and win it the next year. 2003 got his first podium. His manager at the time responded with a we'll see.

Yes, you're right when he was younger did get involved in full field sprints more than he does now. He still has the sprint speed to be up there and get involved when he chooses to.

You don't win 50 races in a ro on the Spanish junior calendar while being a pure sprinter right?

He was never a pure sprinter. He just has a very good sprint. Good enough that he has always been able to mix it up with the sprinters and occasionally beat some of them depending on the finish. However, he's also always been able to climb. Pure sprinters, even at the cadet level (which is where he won the 50 plus consecutive races) aren't exactly climbers.

Didn't we talk about this before (somewhere in this thread? idk, maybe not)?

He can outclimb all the sprinters, and outsprint all the climbers :lol:

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

He used to do it far far more when he was younger. His first pro race he got in on the bunch sprint and got a placing. As far as I can recall his first noteworthy result - as a neo pro as well - was outsprinting Zabel for 4th behind a break of 3 at the 2002 Vuelta

This is part of why it seems part of the peloton actually thought he was a sprinter when he turned pro. In the biography written about him (came out last year), his manager was asked "Isn't it a bit ambitious for a sprinter to think he can win la Vuelta." This was in 2002 after he was pulled out of the Vuelta (preset) he said he was going to come back and win it the next year. 2003 got his first podium. His manager at the time responded with a we'll see.

Yes, you're right when he was younger did get involved in full field sprints more than he does now. He still has the sprint speed to be up there and get involved when he chooses to.

You don't win 50 races in a ro on the Spanish junior calendar while being a pure sprinter right?

He was never a pure sprinter. He just has a very good sprint. Good enough that he has always been able to mix it up with the sprinters and occasionally beat some of them depending on the finish. However, he's also always been able to climb. Pure sprinters, even at the cadet level (which is where he won the 50 plus consecutive races) aren't exactly climbers.

Didn't we talk about this before (somewhere in this thread? idk, maybe not)?

He can outclimb all the sprinters, and outsprint all the climbers :lol:

Most likely.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

I wonder if he could have won Milano-Sanremo if he had targeted it back in his mid 20's.

I'm sure 2006-Valverde could have been up there. He had a quite start that year but a groundbreaking peak for the Ardennes.

"This race is pointless. The climbs are too shallow for climbers and nobody's going to outsprint Petacchi" - Valverde, 2005

 

[Blanco]

Last year he would be at the very end with those three, I think. The problem is, he knows something exceptional must happen if the group is going to split on Poggio, and it happens once in 4-5 years. Only then he has a chance.

 

[Velolover2]

Better than Dowsett in a power-TT.

 

[Blanco]

Great TT. Very promising for tomorrow...

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Last year he would be at the very end with those three, I think. The problem is, he knows something exceptional must happen if the group is going to split on Poggio, and it happens once in 4-5 years. Only then he has a chance.

Last year he was dropped on Keutenberg by Kwiatkowski when he was in his absolute top shape. At the end of a long, flat race and on a shallow gradient, I don't see how he would be able to follow the best, in subpar shape. I very much doubt he would even be positioned to do that.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Last year he would be at the very end with those three, I think. The problem is, he knows something exceptional must happen if the group is going to split on Poggio, and it happens once in 4-5 years. Only then he has a chance.

Last year he was dropped on Keutenberg by Kwiatkowski when he was in his absolute top shape. At the end of a long, flat race and on a shallow gradient, I don't see how he would be able to follow the best, in subpar shape. I very much doubt he would even be positioned to do that.

Subpar shape? You mean like he was at Catalunya couple of days later?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Subpar godmode, Froome and Contador-dropping level of shape. I'll take that.

I like his quote on MSR and Petacchi. But Valverde isn't the right person to talk on MSR, after all he would rather win win Vuelta a Murcia, lmao (Im 100% sure he would rather win MSR, at least now).

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Great TT. Very promising for tomorrow...

I think he also just proved to everyone that there are no ill effects of the crash on how he's riding an ITT (at least not in the dry). He's in great shape for tomorrow. I truthfully don't see anyone in front of him on GC that can climb with him. Those guys are a couple places behind him and thus he has time on them. Then Dumoulin and Alaphilippe can't outclimb him either and Dumoulin has a 0% chance of out sprinting him. Alaphilippe at least has proven he does have some sprint speed, but has too much time to make up.


His quote on MSR is a good one, and he's probably right although not sure he's the guy we need to be asking about that race. He seems to prefer other races to that one.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I would have been very afraid of Dumoulin had he not punctured or whatever happened, but right now I agree: Im pretty confident he will win this race overall and maybe even relatively easy. It kinda sucks for Dumoulin and the race, but oh well.

I hope for a Lo Port-esque display tomorrow.

 

[Koronin]

Agreed. If he didn't puncture or have a mechanical or whatever it was he'd have been up there with Denis and he's a good enough climber to have not shed all that time.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

I would have been very afraid of Dumoulin had he not punctured or whatever happened, but right now I agree: Im pretty confident he will win this race overall and maybe even relatively easy. It kinda sucks for Dumoulin and the race, but oh well.

I hope for a Lo Port-esque display tomorrow.

lol, afraid of what?? valverde not winning a stupud race like abu dhabi?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Turns out we can now predict how well he is going to do based on Strava.

 

[Arredondo]

Incredible. He's just the Cav/Kittel of stage races nowadays. You know he's going to win.

Volta next!

 

[WheelofGear]

This performance was more crazy than Lo Port. He attacked with 8km to go. That's rare in modern cycling.