At the finish line, Valverde pulled more than 2 minutes ahead of his teammate Iván García Cortina, which has generated a lot of commentary. The fact that Valverde had such a large lead over Cortina raises the question of whether the veteran rider is still the strongest rider on the team, despite having retired.
Valverde, true to his training-focused lifestyle, remains in top physical shape. He continues to train as usual in his native Murcia, which has undoubtedly contributed to his impressive performance in gravel racing. His tenacity and dedication remain admirable, even after having said goodbye to road racing.
Valverde's dominance in gravel events is not only a sign of his innate talent, but also of his ability to adapt to different cycling disciplines. Although
Alejandro Valverde has ended his road cycling career, his tireless competitive spirit and unmatched cycling prowess continue to amaze. Fans of the sport can't help but wonder if Valverde, despite being retired, is still Movistar Team's strongest rider.
Only time and future competitions will be able to answer this intrigue, but one thing is certain:
Alejandro Valverde has left an indelible mark on the cycling world and remains a name to be reckoned with, even beyond his retirement.