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

[Nirvana]

In an interview for Marca he said that he thinks that the recovery from the intercontinental trip to Tokyo will affect also the shape at the Vuelta so probably he'll use the race more as a training for the Worlds, if other GC riders think like him a really odd Vuelta winner is coming this year.

 

[Koronin]

We could and it certainly wouldn't be the first time. Also of any GC rider going to the Olympics and coming back for la Vuelta, Alejandro is likely the one to be in the best shape to do compete and with how he is and it being la Vuelta he'll do what he can in GC.

 

[Koronin]

Movistar is in Mallorca doing training before Mallorca challenge. Here's a few pictures of Alejandro in his new Spanish Champion's kit.

 

[yaco]

Is this the first year that Movistar is completing a training camp ? Mitchelton Scott do the best training camps where they backpack around a country and move from hotel to hotel.

 

[Koronin]

Is this the first year that Movistar is completing a training camp ? Mitchelton Scott do the best training camps where they backpack around a country and move from hotel to hotel.

They typically do a "training camp" for a few days before Mallorca, however like this year it's usually just the guys who are racing Mallorca who are there. This, just past years, is just get those racing Mallorca to Mallorca about 4 days before the races to make sure all the equipment is correct, everything fits properly and get the guys riding just a little together.

 

[tobydawq]

I just watched the Jumbo-Visma documentary of the Vuelta.

They and Roglic had absolutely no control of what happened that day in the cross-winds to Guadalajara. If Valverde had gone with QuickStep and Quintana at the start of the stage, he would have won the Vuelta.

Damn.

 

[Koronin]

I just watched the Jumbo-Visma documentary of the Vuelta.

They and Roglic had absolutely no control of what happened that day in the cross-winds to Guadalajara. If Valverde had gone with QuickStep and Quintana at the start of the stage, he would have won the Vuelta.

Damn.

Damn. Guess we need to add this to the list of his many mistakes that have cost him wins over the years.

 

[Koronin]

A podium and a 10th to start of the season in Mallorca. Not a bad start for the season. From his racing here he looks to be in typical form for this time of year.

 

[Red Rick]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-ill-retire-at-the-end-of-2021/

 

[Koronin]

Here's the actual interview in Spanish:

Valverde: "En mi currículum falta una medalla olímpica"

Alejandro Valverde cumplirá 40 años el 25 de abril. Abrió en la Challenge y desde este miércoles disputa la Volta a Valencia. Su objetivo en 2020: Tokio.

as.com

 

[joe_papp]

Hey guys, what's up? I haven't followed cycling at all this winter, and I admit that I'm being lazy by refusing to start searching for info via Google, but...plz lemme ask...how is Valverde? Has he raced already this year? How was his off-season? Any issues? Or (hopefully) tranquilo?

I saw the upthread pics of Valverde in his Spanish champion's kit - he looks good!! Though at first I was flummoxed! ...thinking to myself, "why is Valverde in Spanish national time trial champ kit?!?!" lol... [b/c he's in national champion's kit while on a TT bike, for anyone who doesn't understand why I'm making fun of myself]

Do the Olympics remain Valverde's primary target for the year? Will he contest the Classics at all? .... He's gonna race this year and next, right? Do you think there will be many victories (that is, alotta victories across a variety of race-prestige levels)?...or will his wins be extremely focused and noteworthy? Or, god forbid, will he win only token events?

I'm not sure who I'll follow in cycling once Valverde retires. While I immediately understood the logic, I was sad when Vinokourov retired after San Sebastian in '12. But getting out while the gettin's good is a very professional thing to do (imo). And Vino was a consummate professional. That Valverde seemed to enjoy himself on the bike w/o being totally maniacal in search of wins as reigning World Champ, and yet continues on as a pro, is fine w/ me, since we get to cheer him on more. I just hope he is able to retire at a high point (i.e, go out on top).

Cheers!!

 

[Koronin]

He raced Mallorca and Valencia. His off season was fine, typically of him. He started off fine in Mallorca with a podium. Valencia started off ok with a 2nd on the end stage and then it fell apart on Saturday where he finished over a minute back. He and the team have literally not said anything other strictly race reports. The riders have not said anything at all and basically have closed ranks around him. From comments before Valencia the Olympics are his main goal. Before Valencia is when that interview took place. He said that he is retiring at the end of 2021. He has a contract through 2024 with Movistar, but the final 3 years were written as to be determined and it appears from things he's saying that he's going coach for the final 3 years of the contract and may very well stay with the team as a coach for longer. He does love riding and has said that once he retires he'll keep riding and doing his normal group training rides. He also rides with his amateur team when he's coaching them. He'll likely do a lot more of that. His calendar for this year is: Mallorca, Valencia, Murcia, UAE, Strade Bianche, Catalonia, the Ardennes, (maybe a race in June), Tour (leave early for the Olympics), Olympics, Vuelta, Words. After his struggling at Valencia I suspect next year he may only race the Spanish calendar and not race outside Spain at all. I also highly suspect la Vuelta 2021 will be his final farewell to his fans. Based on his results last year and what we saw at Valencia he won't have many wins this year or next year. Hopefully he can pull of something. Last year he got the one thing he wanted which was a stage win in the rainbow jersey at la Vuelta and the one thing he was afraid to dream of which was the final podium at la Vuelta in the rainbow jersey. His consistency is gone.

I can't give you any names to consider for following when he retires, because for me once he retires I won't spend the time and energy to find feeds of races because no one else in the peloton is worth that time and energy to me. I'll basically just look for the "box score" because none of the younger cyclists have given me a good reason to spend that time and energy to find races to watch them. I just don't care enough about anyone else in the peloton for that. Being in the US very, very few races are on TV.

 

[yaco]

I wonder if people in the USA are behind the times - There are so many ways ( non TV ) to watch races - Strange indeed !

 

[Koronin]

I wonder if people in the USA are behind the times - There are so many ways ( non TV ) to watch races - Strange indeed !

There are 2 legal ways to stream it which you need both and that's a good amount of money that most just simply won't pay. Otherwise it takes a good bit of time and effort to find streams or other ways to watch and it's usually not worth it. Remember it's a niche sport over here that the vast majority of Americans have never heard of let alone watched. There are also many locations in the US where the internet isn't reliable enough or fast enough for streaming. Plus many times streaming is live only and for cycling it requires time shifting abilities which is not always offered. As I said for the most part over here it's not worth the time and effort needed to find cycling on line.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

You're making the U.S sound like a third world country, have a word with Trump, he's supposed to be making America great again. Follow Mas, he'll turn out ok for you.

 

[RedheadDane]

Plus many times streaming is live only and for cycling it requires time shifting abilities which is not always offered.

Or... the ability to just not really care about sleeping.

 

[yaco]

There are 2 legal ways to stream it which you need both and that's a good amount of money that most just simply won't pay. Otherwise it takes a good bit of time and effort to find streams or other ways to watch and it's usually not worth it. Remember it's a niche sport over here that the vast majority of Americans have never heard of let alone watched. There are also many locations in the US where the internet isn't reliable enough or fast enough for streaming. Plus many times streaming is live only and for cycling it requires time shifting abilities which is not always offered. As I said for the most part over here it's not worth the time and effort needed to find cycling on line.

Well then your cohort should stop whinging - There are options if its important enough.

 

[Lequack]

Even in Europe we also pay for Eurosport so it's hard to watch anything for free.

 

[christopherrowe]

Between annual subscriptions to FloBikes (US $150) and NBC Gold Cycling (around US $60) and the free races on GCN Racing's YouTube and Facebook channels, this is actually kind of a golden age for "televised" cycling races. It's a rare WorldTour or ProTour race that isn't available live, and all three of those services offer their races recorded "as aired," so you can watch races that go off locally in the middle of the night.

Sure, I'd like more, especially of the races in the national cups of France, Italy, and Belgium, but it's hard to complain when one can legally watch something like 200 days of racing per year.

 

[yaco]

Even in Europe we also pay for Eurosport so it's hard to watch anything for free.

I bought an U Box four years ago after my cable TV stopped providing Eurosport - As CRowe posted there are many options paid/unpaid to access cycling - It's the Golden Age.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

People in the US must have it difficult. I live in Thailand, don't have Eurosport Asia and never watch live streams because it isn't convenient. Yet, I have had no problem watching every single race Valverde was in over the last decade. This weekend, I saw archived live coverage of Valencia, Herald Sun Tour, Langkawi and DVV Trofee. I didn't see Saudi Tour but a 15 second Google search yields a YouTube page with (non-HD) videos of the race (with Italian commentary). If I cared enough to use a VPN I could have seen Etoile de Besseges, too.

Many races in Spain are easily viewed because RTVE, EITB and some of the other regional stations archive everything without geo-restriction. The Challange Mallorca races are on the RTVE archived page. Itzulia Basque Country and all of the 1 day races in the region will be on EITB.
Vuelta a Murcia is usually aired on the regional 7TV and archived on their YouTube page. However, the quality is not the greatest.

 

[Koronin]

You're making the U.S sound like a third world country, have a word with Trump, he's supposed to be making America great again. Follow Mas, he'll turn out ok for you.

A portion of the US IS a 3rd world country and more of the country IS headed that way.

 

[Koronin]

Between annual subscriptions to FloBikes (US $150) and NBC Gold Cycling (around US $60) and the free races on GCN Racing's YouTube and Facebook channels, this is actually kind of a golden age for "televised" cycling races. It's a rare WorldTour or ProTour race that isn't available live, and all three of those services offer their races recorded "as aired," so you can watch races that go off locally in the middle of the night.

Sure, I'd like more, especially of the races in the national cups of France, Italy, and Belgium, but it's hard to complain when one can legally watch something like 200 days of racing per year.

Should NOT have to pay for NBC when we already ARE paying for it through cable/Sat subscription. Will NOT pay MORE for it. All of it is too expensive ON TOP OF cable/Sat subscription. The rest requires time and effort that isn't worth it once Alejandro retires. Oh they also need to be NOT geo restricted as I don't have a VPN on my laptop and am not getting one anytime soon.

 

[Koronin]

People in the US must have it difficult. I live in Thailand, don't have Eurosport Asia and never watch live streams because it isn't convenient. Yet, I have had no problem watching every single race Valverde was in over the last decade. This weekend, I saw archived live coverage of Valencia, Herald Sun Tour, Langkawi and DVV Trofee. I didn't see Saudi Tour but a 15 second Google search yields a YouTube page with (non-HD) videos of the race (with Italian commentary). If I cared enough to use a VPN I could have seen Etoile de Besseges, too.

Many races in Spain are easily viewed because RTVE, EITB and some of the other regional stations archive everything without geo-restriction. The Challange Mallorca races are on the RTVE archived page. Itzulia Basque Country and all of the 1 day races in the region will be on EITB.
Vuelta a Murcia is usually aired on the regional 7TV and archived on their YouTube page. However, the quality is not the greatest.

RTVE and EITB are geo restricted. Anything else takes time and effort. To watch Valverde the time and effort is worth it. For anyone else the answer is it's NOT worth it.

 

[Koronin]

Or... the ability to just not really care about sleeping.

20ish years ago when I was in college, not a problem. In my mid 40's now and I very much value my sleep.