👔🤳 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
"To win a stage would be incredible" - Alejandro Valverde anticipates final Vuelta a Espana
CyclingSaturday, 20 August 2022 at 08:30
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.”
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