El Pistolero said:
Take a look at Fleche Wallone 2006 and compare it to Fleche Wallonne 2011.
Take a look at Amstel Gold Race 2008 and compare it to 2010/2011.
Valverde actually looked weak in the Ardennes classics 2009/2010. Didn't impress me at all and he ain't going to do anything in 2012 either.
Roubaix might be for hard man, but the toughest race is and always will be La Doyenne.
On the hills, Valverde will get dropped by Gilbert. If he can have someone like the Schlecks following him he's good to go.
I really can't see how you would be more impressed by Contador than by Gilbert by the way. He had a good season, but nothing stellar. His time to shine has yet to come.
Valverde doesn't win all the classics he enters. Let's keep in mind he has only won 3 of them.
each race is a chapter in history, so they cannot be compared because the circumstances are always different. still you can compare their protagonists.
unlike gilbert (until now), valverde has much more to think about than classics, he has another goals. gilbert may drop him in some accelerations, but when he did that, he was caught and lost the sprint. right?
valv has two doyennes. that combined with some minor stage races is more than what gilbert has.
for example.. fignon had two tours. heras 4 vueltas. who was the best GT racer?
like i said, gilbert is taking advantage from the lack of other pure specialists and i can't explain why he is the only one left.
about contador, the way he won them after what happened, without the right preparation and because those weren't his goals (just training), he really was dominant. taking 30 secs in small climbs winning the TTs, well.. i guess that if he isn't banned, we have the winner of the CQ ranking.
gilbert victories weren't that good because his opponents weren't worth it.
look to who valverde won those LBL.
why the toughest race is la doyeene? that's based in what? the toughest race is made by the cyclists. even lombardia can be the toughest. however, in history, roubaix was the one. like you said, the solo win.. the only man left to be destroyed.