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

[hayneplane]

Great ride today. Looking like he will yet again be a major contender for the upcoming classics.

 

[Salvarani]

Old man still the man!

 

[Gregor_Slovenia]

I can not express how glad I am seeing ALejandro winning again.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Nice win today at Gran Premio Miguel Indurain by this young gent.

 

[Amazinmets87]

I spoke too soon. He'll be a favourite for Fleche with that form.

 

[Koronin]

Impressive victory today.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

It doesn't say much for Movistar when they still have to rely on the old man. Is it the riders or could it be management?

 

[tobydawq]

Why is Valverde never allowed to win without it being bad for the team?

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I never said that. It just seems that they tend to rely on him to get the victories as none of the others seem to do much. When is Mas gonna start being the next Contador? It's great that he won today and he looked good but where is the future?

 

[tobydawq]

I never said that. It just seems that they tend to rely on him to get the victories as none of the others seem to do much. When is Mas gonna start being the next Contador? It's great that he won today and he looked good but where is the future?

Mas is never going to be the new Contador.

They have a poor team besides Valverde but they do suffer from López' injury/covid-induced season start delay. And Cortina looked decent on Wednesday but I'd say it's a bit too late he has found the form.

 

[tobydawq]

And it's not like this is a new thing for people to say. I think it has been going on for around 8 years (because it would at any point in that time span have been hard to imagine him still performing as well 2 years later).

For example, in 2014 it seemed outrageous that Quintana was directed to the Giro because Valverde got to have his last chance for the Tour podium. 7 years later, and Valverde drops him on an MTF.

 

[Koronin]

I never said that. It just seems that they tend to rely on him to get the victories as none of the others seem to do much. When is Mas gonna start being the next Contador? It's great that he won today and he looked good but where is the future?

They don't currently have a very good team and haven't really had many options for awhile. However, they do have a few young riders whom need time to develop. Mas isn't going to be Contador, but can do well in GTs. He has to have time to build racing form. Soler is one of the most inconsistent riders ever. Cortina needs to get better at getting form early in the season. Jorgenson just needs time to develop. Plus Lopez is still out with Covid/injury recovery. They are hoping to get him racing this month.

As tobydawq said, this line of thinking of why are they relying on Valverde has been going on for the better part of the past 6 to 8 years.

 

[johnymax]

Just beautiful. A monster ride by Don Alejandro

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

The interesting part is not that Valverde at any age can win a small hilly Spanish race, it’s that he did so against a quite strong field, the best of whom should be getting close to top form. Very impressive.

 

[joe_papp]

I can not express how glad I am seeing ALejandro winning again.

Likewise! Glorious! Be well, all!!

 

[will-10]

An outrageous ride. There is hope for us all against the timeless enemy called age.

 

[gunara]

As tobydawq said, this line of thinking of why are they relying on Valverde has been going on for the better part of the past 6 to 8 years.

8 years is a bit of a stretch, I think up to 5 years ago, pre trident, they still look formidable and considered one of the best teams in the mountain, winning races with four or five riders. Their 2014-2016 squads were still a nice one, tactical confusion aside. And of course they still won GTs not so long ago, surely within 8 years.
To be honest now it's hard to imagine they won races what the likes Ion Izagirre in biggish races or Lobato, Herrada, or even the old Dani Moreno in smallish races could. Soler getting lucky break feel like their only hope which wasn't Valverde lately. 3 to 5 years maybe

 

[Bonimenier]

It obviously isn't fantastic if a team's best option to win is a 40 year rider, but it's still better than not having that rider at all.

 

[Amazinmets87]

What a ride! Wasn't expecting a podium today.

Was it just legs that caused him to miss the final acceleration, or a tactical error?

 

[Fernandez]

What a ride! Wasn't expecting a podium today.

Was it just legs that caused him to miss the final acceleration, or a tactical error?

He was loosing ground at the start of the climb but then started to pace very good to recover the head. At the end the Roglic attack was too much.

 

[Blanco]

He's getting better and better, this time Yates couldn't beat him, only Rog and Pog. It's looking nice for the Ardennes...

 

[Amazinmets87]

He's getting better and better, this time Yates couldn't beat him, only Rog and Pog. It's looking nice for the Ardennes...

Which races is he riding? Fleche, Liege and Amstel?

 

[Koronin]

Which races is he riding? Fleche, Liege and Amstel?

Valencia, Fleche, LBL, Mallorca, Andalucia, Murcia

That's the rest of his spring calendar.

 

[Blanco]

Valencia, Fleche, LBL, Mallorca, Andalucia, Murcia

That's the rest of his spring calendar.

Are you sure about Valencia? I think after Catalunya and Itzulia he doesn't need another stage race before the Ardennes. Some rest and he should be in top form there...

 

[Koronin]

Are you sure about Valencia? I think after Catalunya and Itzulia he doesn't need another stage race before the Ardennes. Some rest and he should be in top form there...

He said he was going to Valencia.

Alejandro Valverde: “No soy ningún niño. Voy a cumplir 41 años, pero sigo siendo de los mejores”

El próximo 25 de abril Alejandro Valverde cumplirá 41 años y 24 de ellos los ha dedicado a su gran pasión: el ciclismo. Su veteranía no es un impedimento para que

www.mundodeportivo.com

¿Cómo se ha ido encontrando en estos primeros 17 días de competición que lleva?

Bastante mejor ya. Al principio de temporada empezamos con poca competición porque anularon las primeras carreras que se iban a hacer. La idea era llegar bien a la Volta y a la Itzulia, Valencia y clásicas y parece que estoy en el camino correcto. El equipo también ha dado un paso adelante.