Official Valverde thread.

[SeriousSam]

Valverde never *** up a test either. Just got implicated. He was probably able to resume doping after his comeback without changing anything.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

CQ points don't say anything about absolute athletic strength, but how well he is doing compared to everyone else. I'm interested in how strong he is compared to Kelme or 2005 Valverde in absolute terms.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Re: Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

CQ points don't say anything about absolute athletic strength, but how well he is doing compared to everyone else. I'm interested in how strong he is compared to Kelme or 2005 Valverde in absolute terms.

I am not sure how you'd determine that without objective data, but apologies for answering in error.

 

[Billie]

Courchevel that was something else. Never was he that strong again.

 

[jens_attacks]

Re: Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

CQ points don't say anything about absolute athletic strength, but how well he is doing compared to everyone else. I'm interested in how strong he is compared to Kelme or 2005 Valverde in absolute terms.

definitely much slower than before puerto
with his 2005 courchevel form, he would have won this tour easily
and kelme form was beyond awesome too.

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Thanks. So a full minute faster in "post epo" era than in cera era. From a 35 year old convicted doper. That should pretty much put the - cycling is now clean discussion to bed.

Valverde was part of the peanut gallery waiting for Evans to chase in 2008, but that's still a hefty improvement.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

CQ points don't say anything about absolute athletic strength, but how well he is doing compared to everyone else. I'm interested in how strong he is compared to Kelme or 2005 Valverde in absolute terms.

definitely much slower than before puerto
with his 2005 courchevel form, he would have won this tour easily
and kelme form was beyond awesome too.

Valverde's a better stage racer now, but nothing on the rider he was in the classics though.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Re: Re:

definitely much slower than before puerto
with his 2005 courchevel form, he would have won this tour easily
and kelme form was beyond awesome too.

That was something special, he did weigh 500 grams extra that day I think.

 

[simoni]

Re:

Thanks. So a full minute faster in "post epo" era than in cera era. From a 35 year old convicted doper. That should pretty much put the - cycling is now clean discussion to bed.

Not sure you can ignore the fact that the 2008 stage was 6+ hrs, including the Galibier before they even touched the Croix de Fer. As well as all that messing about once Sastre attacked. Context...

 

[Lyon]

Re: Re:

Thanks. So a full minute faster in "post epo" era than in cera era. From a 35 year old convicted doper. That should pretty much put the - cycling is now clean discussion to bed.

Not sure you can ignore the fact that the 2008 stage was 6+ hrs, including the Galibier before they even touched the Croix de Fer. As well as all that messing about once Sastre attacked. Context...

True. And, anyway, there is too much emphasis on numbers.

 

[wendybnt]

https://twitter.com/festinaboy/status/636221706797981696

Vayer impressed by Valverde's freshness after his win

 

[Fortyninefourteen]

Re:

https://twitter.com/festinaboy/status/636221706797981696

Vayer impressed by Valverde's freshness after his win

It's that 'magic stick' that keeps finding him.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

CQ points don't say anything about absolute athletic strength, but how well he is doing compared to everyone else. I'm interested in how strong he is compared to Kelme or 2005 Valverde in absolute terms.

definitely much slower than before puerto
with his 2005 courchevel form, he would have won this tour easily
and kelme form was beyond awesome too.

Hard to judge since that was the first mtf of that year's Tour. Many riders that year struggled on that first climb including the eventual 2nd step on the podium finisher, Basso. His Kelme form never netted him a grand tour win although he had some impressive Vuelta performances, especially his comeback victory from getting dropped on the La Pandera (I can't recall the year) but I do recall it was with the last iteration of Kelme (Communidad Valenciana). Loved that kit!

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Not just relatively (there can be no doubt about that), but in absolute terms, is this the best Valverde ever (throughout the season)?

My recollections are not exhaustive, but NIbali (strongest I've ever seen him) and CQ points seem to indicate it is the best version of Valverde we have ever seen.

CQ points don't say anything about absolute athletic strength, but how well he is doing compared to everyone else. I'm interested in how strong he is compared to Kelme or 2005 Valverde in absolute terms.

definitely much slower than before puerto
with his 2005 courchevel form, he would have won this tour easily
and kelme form was beyond awesome too.

Hard to judge since that was the first mtf of that year's Tour. Many riders that year struggled on that first climb including the eventual 2nd step on the podium finisher, Basso. His Kelme form never netted him a grand tour win although he had some impressive Vuelta performances, especially his comeback victory from getting dropped on the La Pandera (I can't recall the year) but I do recall it was with the last iteration of Kelme (Communidad Valenciana). Loved that kit!

Really hard to say. I always thought that the final week of the 2013 Vuelta featured one of the strongest versions of post-ban Velverde, top 6 all time on the Angliru, 20 seconds faster than in 2008 and 13 seconds faster than 2011 Froome on Peña Cabarga.

 

[jens_attacks]

It's nothing hard yo judge
2005: fastest tour de france ever, brutal speed in the mountains, strongest armstrong ever
Valverde was most likely thrown away from the race

That fuccin strong.

 

[Cycle Chic]

The 35-year-old, who finishes the season as the top ranked WorldTour rider for the second straight year,

Whens the smackdown on this uber-doper !!

 

[doperhopper]

What a PITI that he ended up without the usual bronze in this WC!

 

[Gung Ho Gun]

Being the top ranked rider isnt that spectacular for someone who's been one of the top ranked riders his entire career

 

[The Hitch]

Hahaha. How old is he now? Cycling's Gatlin.

 

[luckyboy]

Can't wait til this guy retires

 

[burning]

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/rider.asp?riderid=5

The graph does not include the classic he just won.

This guy was suspended for alleged doping. It's not even Giro time yet.

He's just defending his CQ points, nothing to see here.

 

[SeriousSam]

Just amazing

 

[steampie]

So tiresome and unsurprising.

 

[TMobile41]

I am a fan, but i do not understand how can he keep good/excellent form throughout the WHOLE season. Or maybe I do