Into the final Vuelta a Espana of his career, Alejandro Valverde has talked about his expectations as he comes in as a big piece for Movistar Team to chase high results.
“To win a stage would be incredible. I don’t believe I will be at the same level as the best during 21 days, but we do have a teammate who can be among the top three or perhaps even win. What I see for myself is that I will try to win a stage," Valverde said in his pre-race press conference. Riders are going through media duties in the days leading up to the start of the Vuelta, and racing the final Grand Tour of his career, understandibly 'Bala' has gotten a lot of attention.
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“I felt good at the start of the season, but later not so great. Now, I want to be at the Vuelta at a good level, but it will be my last grand tour, for sure," he added. Valverde won the Trofeo Pollença, aswell as a stage and the GC at Gran Camiño - a new race in the Galicia region. Runner-up spots at Strade Bianche and Flèche Wallone have proved the veteran is still capable of winning at the highest level.
An 11th place at the Giro d'Italia saw him ride a decent race, but at the Vuelta the priority will be stage wins. He showed decent form at the Vuelta a Burgos where he finished third on the third stage, but will hope for it to rise throughout the three weeks where he will have plenty days that suit his skillset, and a 13th stage win would be a perfect way to wrap a successful career.
“As the season has unfolded I am realizing more and more that this is going to be my last year. There are a lot of memories. For example, this Vuelta starts in Holland, and the last time it left from there, I won [in 2009]. But now Enric is there as a teammate, and I told him now it’s his time," Valverde said. Movistar's ambitions will highly rely on the Mallorca native to perform as he did last year with a second place in the overall classification, and they need the points to survive in the World Tour.
“It’s going to be difficult because there are 20 years on the bike as a professional, but I think I will get through it OK,” he said regarding his imminent retirement. “I’ll be at home more with the family. I have two years with the team, with another role, but I am going to enjoy it. My head is telling me that I should not suffer so much, to enjoy the bike in another way. Not everything is cycling. There’s more to life.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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👔🤳 Tras dos jornadas de entrenamientos por los alrededores de Utrecht, los actos pre-carrera de @lavuelta arrancaron ayer miércoles para Movistar Team con la sesión de fotos oficial de #LaVuelta22. 📸 @PhotoGomezSport
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