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Here's one in Spanish that has even more reactions from other cobble specialists.
http://noticiclismo.com/2018/03/28/valverde-sorprende-al-mundo-del-ciclismo-con-su-actuacion-en-dwars-door-vlaanderen/
It seems yesterday he was saying no to racing Flanders, now he's saying he's undecided. We will see. I hope he does. I won't expect anything from him there. I want to try it.
http://noticiclismo.com/2018/03/28/valverde-sorprende-al-mundo-del-ciclismo-con-su-actuacion-en-dwars-door-vlaanderen/
It seems yesterday he was saying no to racing Flanders, now he's saying he's undecided. We will see. I hope he does. I won't expect anything from him there. I want to try it.
Re: Re:
I don't know why they keep insisting he's racing Pais Vasco when we all know he's not.
portugal11 said:
I don't know why they keep insisting he's racing Pais Vasco when we all know he's not.
Apparently it will depend entirely on Unzué's decision
Valverde was talking about meterological conditions in Flandes for the weekend, but if he is told not to race or to race GP Miguel Indurain he will be in Pamplona.
Valverde was talking about meterological conditions in Flandes for the weekend, but if he is told not to race or to race GP Miguel Indurain he will be in Pamplona.
Re:
If he really wants to race Flanders he'll talk himself into the lineup. That's what happened at Strade Bianche. Unzue and the rest of the management had no intention him racing there and he talked them into his racing. The team has also come out and stated no decision until Friday at the soonest.
KyoGrey said:
If he really wants to race Flanders he'll talk himself into the lineup. That's what happened at Strade Bianche. Unzue and the rest of the management had no intention him racing there and he talked them into his racing. The team has also come out and stated no decision until Friday at the soonest.
What a racer. I have gone from wincing at the sound of his name to applauding him. So many more arrows in his quiver than Alberto. Only Nibali is in the same league for completeness.
Re:
I'd add Kwiatkowski and Gilbert, although Gilbert is not able to win stage races, his versatility in all sort of one-day races is amazing.armchairclimber said:
Honestly I don't put too much value in an 11th place in DDV. Sure it looked impressive, but he clearly ran out of gas in the last 25 km. And I don't buy that he'd necessarily do better in a tougher race when all the deciding climbs are on cobbles.
Re:
His competitors today were clearly impressed judging by their comments. They know how hard it is to finish in one of the front groups in a race like that, even if you are a specialist.
Ridiculous. It looked impressive because it was impressive. He held his own against the best cobbled riders in the world, who are at their absolute peak form right now. And he did it by attacking and forcing selections in terrible weather conditions. It wasn't a case of finishing 11th from a bunch sprint of the also rans. He was an active protagonist in the race until missing the final move. Couldn't really ask for more in a very rare race on cobbles and from such an inexperienced cobbles rider.Red Rick said:
His competitors today were clearly impressed judging by their comments. They know how hard it is to finish in one of the front groups in a race like that, even if you are a specialist.
Re: Re:
It was an impressive ride. I'll go with what the fact the Quickstep DS and many of the cobbled specialists are saying about how impressed they are with his race as proof it was impressive. It's hard to get into the front group to begin with and he was there even though he's truly very inexperienced in these type of races. I'd venture the biggest reason he ran out of gas at the end was simply due to inexperience in these type of races.
DFA123 said:
It was an impressive ride. I'll go with what the fact the Quickstep DS and many of the cobbled specialists are saying about how impressed they are with his race as proof it was impressive. It's hard to get into the front group to begin with and he was there even though he's truly very inexperienced in these type of races. I'd venture the biggest reason he ran out of gas at the end was simply due to inexperience in these type of races.
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Agreed. If anyone would know, it would be them. Those guys are all at their absolute peak now so they know it was impressive. I don't think he could top 5 at Flanders but a top 15 would be doable if Movistar let him ride it.Koronin said:
Alejandro has confirmed in a radio interview that although he would like to race Flanders this is not the year to do it. https://twitter.com/ellarguero/status/979130399531167744
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Hilarious. Bless Contador, great rider, but a one trick pony compared with Valverde (and Nibali ... even Kwiat).
El Pistolero said:
Hilarious. Bless Contador, great rider, but a one trick pony compared with Valverde (and Nibali ... even Kwiat).
Re: Re:
doesn't Chang the fact that he has won a wider variety of races than valverde (95% of his wins are the Same boring stuff)armchairclimber said:El Pistolero said:
Hilarious. Bless Contador, great rider, but a one trick pony compared with Valverde (and Nibali ... even Kwiat).
Re: Re:
Yeah, Valverde won solo on a climb, solo after a climb, solo after escaping on the downhill, won from breakaway, won bunch sprints, won reduced sprints on the flat, uphill sprints, won ITT's, but it's nothing compared to Contador's wider variety :lol: It's a fact
El Pistolero said:doesn't Chang the fact that he has won a wider variety of races than valverde (95% of his wins are the Same boring stuff)armchairclimber said:El Pistolero said:
Hilarious. Bless Contador, great rider, but a one trick pony compared with Valverde (and Nibali ... even Kwiat).
Yeah, Valverde won solo on a climb, solo after a climb, solo after escaping on the downhill, won from breakaway, won bunch sprints, won reduced sprints on the flat, uphill sprints, won ITT's, but it's nothing compared to Contador's wider variety :lol: It's a fact
Re: Re:
contador isn't a one trick pony... a rider who wins 9 gt's (on the road) has to be a decent all rounder. Contador was good in descending, time trialing, mountains and windy stages. a one trick pony is quintana who only can climb well, at the rest he is just mediocre. But of course valverde is a better all rounderarmchairclimber said:El Pistolero said:
Hilarious. Bless Contador, great rider, but a one trick pony compared with Valverde (and Nibali ... even Kwiat).
Apparently Valverde said he wont race Flanders this year. I think he will decide to go 100% for cobbles starting in 2020
Re:
Why the constant comparisons to Berto and Nibs - what is the point - other than to bait El Pistiarmchairclimber said:
Re: Re:
+1portugal11 said:contador isn't a one trick pony... a rider who wins 9 gt's (on the road) has to be a decent all rounder. Contador was good in descending, time trialing, mountains and windy stages. a one trick pony is quintana who only can climb well, at the rest he is just mediocre. But of course valverde is a better all rounderarmchairclimber said:El Pistolero said:
Hilarious. Bless Contador, great rider, but a one trick pony compared with Valverde (and Nibali ... even Kwiat).
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