"Enric Mas and Juan Ayuso know they have a fixed place" - Spanish national coach Valverde has high hopes for Rwanda World Championships

In an interview with Marca, Alejandro Valverde has spoken about his new role as coach, making it very clear that it is his main priority and that it is ahead of any goal he might have this year, such as the Gravel World Championships. Instead he talks about the road Worlds in Rwanda and the two set leaders.

"The first thing is the selection and then if it gives me time to do something for myself we will do it." He makes it very clear, however, that his new position is not the most complicated in the world: "Being a coach is quite easy, in the end it's two races a year and when there are [Olympic] Games, three.

Regarding his strong men in a very tough World Championships like the one in Rwanda, he is clear that they will be Enric Mas and Juan Ayuso, with whom he is counting on after the brilliant performances both have been putting out in the opening months of the season.

"Yes, I have already sent them a message and they already know that I am counting on both of them and their predisposition is total. Now we have to go little by little, to see how they are feeling when the time for the World Championships approaches," he continues. "They know that both Enric and Juan have a fixed place. In the end they are among the best Spanish riders and there is no doubt about that".

His planning between now and the World Championships will be as follows: "Now I'll be watching them on television, then I'll be at the Spanish Championships in Granada, and then I'll be there for two or three days for the Tour and the Vuelta a España. And well, when it gets closer, I'll keep an eye on them. The idea is, with some young riders, those who are coming now, who will be the future, to try to do some training camp during the Tour, which is when it will bother them the least".

"The Tour riders are in the Tour and then with the young riders, to have a camp there, a first contact. We want them to be encouraged and motivated, because it is clear that if the World Championships is held in Rwanda, we will have to make practically two teams, the one for the World Championships and the one for the European Championship, because it means coming directly and going to the European Championship in France. Maybe we have to make two teams".