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

[Red Rick]

Beard getting grey, or is it the lighting. Shave head, grow out beard, go in break and talk about 'kids these days'

 

[Koronin]

Beard getting grey, or is it the lighting. Shave head, grow out beard, go in break and talk about 'kids these days'

His beard is definitely getting grey.

 

[HelloDolly]

The king is not dead
He just needs longer to get going

 

[Koronin]

Not surprisingly la Vuelta gave Alejandro the most combative rider of the stage. They do like giving that to him if they can find a reason and this time definitely deserved.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Thought that was still stuck to his shirt from last years Vielta.

 

[Blanco]

Buena etapa from Bala. It's a pity he didn't won, but if he shows this strength couple of more times, the win will come.

 

[Seb]

Buena etapa from Bala. It's a pity he didn't won, but if he shows this strength couple of more times, the win will come.

pity or piti? :--) (but sorry, that's not for this thread)
I hope for him he'll get this stage win. ¡Buena etapa verdaderamente! Great performance, especially considering his age.

 

[Koronin]

He appears to really enjoy having young teammates.

 

[Blanco]

Really strange that Valverde wasn't even in the fight for the win today. He will hardly find better opportunities, at least from the GC group...
Couple of days ago he looked both strong and fast, well positioned Valverde would end up on the podium today, I'm pretty sure.

 

[Koronin]

Really strange that Valverde wasn't even in the fight for the win today. He will hardly find better opportunities, at least from the GC group...
Couple of days ago he looked both strong and fast, well positioned Valverde would end up on the podium today, I'm pretty sure.

I think (could be wrong) he was protecting Mas today and doing his best to ensure Mas didn't lose time that he seems to have issues with at the end of stages. Otherwise I agree that well positions he'd have been top 3 on the stage.

 

[Blanco]

They have the whole team for that...

 

[Koronin]

They have the whole team for that...

Except only Mas and Valverde were in that group at 3 seconds back. Soler apparently wasn't paying attention and who knows where the rest of the team was.

 

[skippo12]

Honestly. This feels like the Nibali situation. We expected him to show something on the high altitude stages because he used to dominate them but he did not deliver. Same for Valverde. We expect him to show something in uphill sprints because he used to be nearly unbeatable in them but he just lacks the punch he used to have.
TImes moves and some guys are simply younger and quicker. Currently Dan + Guillaume Martin and Roglic are probably the quickest.

We are back to the point where Valverde showed that he could easily win a stage from the break. He already was close a few days ago. Will be interesting to see what Movistar will do.
Right now it sounds and looks like they are going for the "Tour special". 3 guys in the top 10-12 of the GC without any chance to finish on the podium. Easily winnning the team classification and maybe adding another stage win.

 

[Red Rick]

Very big difference is that Nibali is pushing 2019 numbers while Valverde very clearly isn't

 

[Fernandez]

Maybe afraid of being beaten in something that he shouldnt being beaten?

 

[Anybody_but..]

Honestly. This feels like the Nibali situation. We expected him to show something on the high altitude stages because he used to dominate them but he did not deliver. Same for Valverde. We expect him to show something in uphill sprints because he used to be nearly unbeatable in them but he just lacks the punch he used to have.
TImes moves and some guys are simply younger and quicker. Currently Dan + Guillaume Martin and Roglic are probably the quickest.

We are back to the point where Valverde showed that he could easily win a stage from the break. He already was close a few days ago. Will be interesting to see what Movistar will do.
Right now it sounds and looks like they are going for the "Tour special". 3 guys in the top 10-12 of the GC without any chance to finish on the podium. Easily winnning the team classification and maybe adding another stage win.

I really don't like Valverde but must admit he has already tried to do sth and was quite close to win one stage.

During last Giro Nibali did exactly nothing except silly mind games.

 

[Koronin]

 

[Amazinmets87]

We'll know after the stage whether he'll top 10 this Vuelta. Not a good climb for him so I'm expecting him to drop significant time.

 

[Blanco]

We'll know after the stage whether he'll top 10 this Vuelta. Not a good climb for him so I'm expecting him to drop significant time.

Ha has two all-time top 10 results on Angliru, and the only other rider who has that is Roberto Heras, so wouldn't say it's not a good climb for him.

 

[tobydawq]

Didn't Contador win twice there?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Didn't Contador win twice there?

He indeed did. 2008 and 2017.

2008 is one of the Vuelta I remember the most throughout the years, and the stage that I figured Purito was the real deal. Valverde did really well as well on that particular day, but both got cracked by Contador in the end. It was kind of a preview to what would happen in the early 10's, just watching these three riders duke it out in La Vuelta.

 

[Scarponi]

Woet Poels has three top tens

 

[Red Rick]

Woet Poels has three top tens

Quite the achievement considering he's only done the Angliru twice.

He did get top 10 on the Zoncolan in 2018 tho

 

[Scarponi]

Quite the achievement considering he's only done the Angliru twice.

He did get top 10 on the Zoncolan in 2018 tho

Yes I am dreaming, the 2011 put me off

 

[Koronin]

We'll know after the stage whether he'll top 10 this Vuelta. Not a good climb for him so I'm expecting him to drop significant time.

Was 3 minutes significant?