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

[tobydawq]

Last time he lost a minute on Alto Mas de la Costa. Today he wins. It has to be said that last time was in the tough 2016 edition where he rode the Vuelta as the third GT of the year.

The GC picture looks really thin in this race and not much has to go his way for him to win overall. Which would obviously be completely insane.

 

[joe_papp]

Fcking Bala. What a baller. Swoon! ❤❤

 

[Koronin]

One more record Alejandro set today. He now has 16 years between his first and most recent stage win in la Vuelta. That is a record for most number of years between Grand Tour stage wins in any Grand Tour.

 

[barmaher]

Movistar looked like a tactically astute team today. Great win for Valverde. He really is remarkable. I don't think he will win the Vuelta (I wouldn't be surprised if he did), but the next 14 days' racing will add to the legend of Don Alejandro.

 

[tobydawq]

It seems like all GC contenders are crashing all the time in this Vuelta except for the Movistars.

Which has gotten me thinking that I don't think Valverde has had a single crash since Düsseldorf. Could that really be true?

 

[Blanco]

It seems like all GC contenders are crashing all the time in this Vuelta except for the Movistars.

Which has gotten me thinking that I don't think Valverde has had a single crash since Düsseldorf. Could that really be true?

I think so...
Encouraging ride today, and if he rides a good TT, the podium looks really close.

 

[Koronin]

It seems like all GC contenders are crashing all the time in this Vuelta except for the Movistars.

Which has gotten me thinking that I don't think Valverde has had a single crash since Düsseldorf. Could that really be true?

Well he did have a crash in training while in the Ardennes.

Today, with how he was climbing is very encouraging. I was worried about this stage. Now he just need a good/solid TT and he'll have a great chance at a podium and just maybe the overall win. Granted everything has to go 100% perfectly for him to actually win it.

 

[tobydawq]

Well he did have a crash in training while in the Ardennes.

Today, with how he was climbing is very encouraging. I was worried about this stage. Now he just need a good/solid TT and he'll have a great chance at a podium and just maybe the overall win. Granted everything has to go 100% perfectly for him to actually win it.

Ah, yeah, I had forgotten about that.

 

[Valv.Piti]

He looked limited today, but that was kinda expected.. still, a lot better than last year on a similar stage. Now he just needs to ride a great time trial and smoke them on Los Machucos before the two Asturian stages. Will be hella difficult to win this one (he really needed that time on stage 2....), but I still believe. I think its good that Nairo is going this well for his chances actually.

 

[Noddy97]

He can't gain 30 seconds in one stage to all his favourites because he isn't the best climber in the race. He just can rely on his sprint to win some seconds. So if wants to win the vuelta, he needs to lose less than a minute to roglic.

 

[No_Balls]

Simply a force of nature.

 

[Koronin]

Also let's hope that this cold and rain doesn't have any negative affect on him. We all know he doesn't like rain or cold and likes them together even less. Apparently he was freezing after both yesterday and today's stages.

 

[Koronin]

This is from the media area after today's stage. Alejandro was there briefly before basically saying he was too cold and going back to the team bus to try and warm up.

Vuelta a España 2019: Valverde abandona la zona mixta tiritando: "Tengo mucho frío"

Alejandro Valverde sorprendió al aparecer ante los medios completamente tapado, con abrigo, braga y gorra. Tras responder a varias preguntas con respuestas breves, abandonó la zona mixta: "No puedo seguir que tengo mucho frío".

www.sports-addict.net

 

[Nirvana]

Yesterday was very good considering the stage but Quintana again in front of him is bad. Probably Quintana even cost a stage win to Soler, he looked like he was a team mate of Pogacar rather than a Movistar rider when he paced him to the front (with Soler forced to wait) just to let him go on and win the stage.

 

[Blanco]

Yesterday was very good considering the stage but Quintana again in front of him is bad. Probably Quintana even cost a stage win to Soler, he looked like he was a team mate of Pogacar rather than a Movistar rider when he paced him to the front (with Soler forced to wait) just to let him go on and win the stage.

Quintana was good, team car was bad..

 

[Velolover2]

So.. Breakaway or Bala tomorrow?

Movistar have a great chance of missing the podium if Pogacar continues to progress. They shouldn't be missing this golden opportunity of a third stage win.

 

[Carols]

So.. Breakaway or Bala tomorrow?

Movistar have a great chance of missing the podium if Pogacar continues to progress. They shouldn't be missing this golden opportunity of a third stage win.

I'd think they go for Bala, but there are some Hard stages coming soon. Most likely it will depend on how he feels.

 

[Koronin]

I'd think they go for Bala, but there are some Hard stages coming soon. Most likely it will depend on how he feels.

I agree that it likely comes down to how Bala feels.

Unforutnately no idea when I'll get to see tomorrow's stage or any of the stages this weekend. Hurricane is coming through tomorrow night and should be gone by mid day Friday. Power will almost certainly go out and who knows how long before we'll get it back on. I'm evacuating inland but won't have any internet for a few days other than the data on my cell phone.

 

[Blanco]

So.. Breakaway or Bala tomorrow?

Movistar have a great chance of missing the podium if Pogacar continues to progress. They shouldn't be missing this golden opportunity of a third stage win.

Movistar have a very slim chance of missing a podium...

 

[Velolover2]

You know what happened last year, Blanco.

Pog is the new Mas.

 

[joe_papp]

Do you guys think Valverde can actually manage a podium? I mean, I'd be all for it, but my general feeling is, "ehhhh...."

 

[Koronin]

Do you guys think Valverde can actually manage a podium? I mean, I'd be all for it, but my general feeling is, "ehhhh...."

We're huge fans of his. The answer is yes we believe he is still capable of getting a podium. Besides the years between first and most recent (or last) if he gets it this year will be a very difficult one to ever tie let alone break.

 

[Carols]

I agree that it likely comes down to how Bala feels.

Unforutnately no idea when I'll get to see tomorrow's stage or any of the stages this weekend. Hurricane is coming through tomorrow night and should be gone by mid day Friday. Power will almost certainly go out and who knows how long before we'll get it back on. I'm evacuating inland but won't have any internet for a few days other than the data on my cell phone.

Be Safe!!! You can always catch up with stages on Tiz after the fact.

 

[Koronin]

Be Safe!!! You can always catch up with stages on Tiz after the fact.

Thanks.

 

[Blanco]

In the photo, best cyclist in the world and some guy in the white jersey