Valverde not doing the Vuelta

Salsiccia
Salsiccia Posts: 405
edited August 2007 in Pro race
Alejandro Valverde has pulled out of the Vuelta, according to Eurosport. Apparently, he wants to focus on the Worlds.

Does that strike anyone else as odd?
I was only joking when I said
by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed

Comments

  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Not really.

    THe Vuelta could take a lot out of him before the worlds and he's already got one grand tour in his legs this year.

    He could start it and stop after 2 weeks but that would annoy people.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    He narrowly lost out to Vino and Kasheckin last time, you'd think that now that these two cheats have been removed he'd be even keener to ride. Especially as becoming World Champ is a lottery and no one really cares who wears the jersey.

    Who knows, maybe he just wants to prepare in private for the Worlds?
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    I am firmly in the "Valverde is crap this season because he has stopped taking drugs" camp I am afraid...

    :roll:

    So he is no loss as far as I can see.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    The worlds are a lot more prestigious than the Vuelta.

    FACT
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    With Heras and Vino plus a load of others getting rousted and plenty of other "Spanish practices", the Vuelta does have the sporting interest of a sack race.

    But I think the Worlds is a lesser event ever since it was moved away from its end of August slot. For a Spaniard on a semi-Spanish squad, you'd think the Vuelta was essential.
  • Salsiccia
    Salsiccia Posts: 405
    Kléber wrote:
    For a Spaniard on a semi-Spanish squad, you'd think the Vuelta was essential.

    That's what I mean, especially when he would be in with a good shout again. He rode it last year, did well and then only just missed out on the Rainbow virtually straight after.

    I'm worried that he has something to hide, and he's disappearing off the scene for a month to 'get some things out of his system', so to speak. I mean, if you were likely to get caught doing something, now wouldn't be the best time, given the current climate, would it?
    I was only joking when I said
    by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    I am firmly in the "Valverde is crap this season because he has stopped taking drugs" camp I am afraid...

    :roll:

    So he is no loss as far as I can see.


    You have a funny view on crap. In 2007 Valverde has finished:

    2nd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
    2nd, La Flèche Wallonne
    7th, Amstel Gold Race
    5th Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco
    3rd, Stage 4
    1st, Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
    1st Overall, Vuelta a Murcia
    1st Stage 4
    3rd Overall,Critérium International
    1st, Points classification
    6th, Tour de France
    3rd, Classica San Sebastian
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Kléber wrote:
    no one really cares who wears the jersey.


    Bollocks. The rainbow stripes is the second most prestigous jersey in cycling. Its on a level way above the Vuelta's golden fleece
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Salsiccia wrote:
    Kléber wrote:
    For a Spaniard on a semi-Spanish squad, you'd think the Vuelta was essential.

    That's what I mean, especially when he would be in with a good shout again. He rode it last year, did well and then only just missed out on the Rainbow virtually straight after.

    Ok, so last year he did less than a week of the Tour. This time he finished it. Big stress on his body and he'll be more tired. Perhaps 2 grand tours in one year is beyond him?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Salsiccia
    Salsiccia Posts: 405
    iainf72 wrote:
    Salsiccia wrote:
    Kléber wrote:
    For a Spaniard on a semi-Spanish squad, you'd think the Vuelta was essential.

    That's what I mean, especially when he would be in with a good shout again. He rode it last year, did well and then only just missed out on the Rainbow virtually straight after.

    Ok, so last year he did less than a week of the Tour. This time he finished it. Big stress on his body and he'll be more tired. Perhaps 2 grand tours in one year is beyond him?

    I think you might very well be right. And I'm hoping that is his only reason for this decision, but given recent events I can't help fearing the worst. Sorry for my cynicism, but that is how everything looks to me at the moment.
    I was only joking when I said
    by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed
  • flattythehurdler
    flattythehurdler Posts: 2,314
    Good. Valv.piti is a f@cking cheat.
    Dan
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    I wouldn't have put it so bluntly, but my thoughts exactly.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Valverde has shown throughout his career that he can only sustain his effort in a grand tour for two weeks max. He faded badly to lose the Vuelta last year and he faded again in the Pyrenees after having a good time in the Alps during the Tour. Two tours in a year is probably unrealistic for him.

    Furthermore he's come tantalisingly close to the rainbow jersey 3 times already, and with this year's hilly course virtually tailor made for him, he'd be a fool not to focus on it 100%. So no, I don't think it's strange.

    If had rode and won the Vuelta people would be decrying him for being an extra-terrestrial. Riders can't win, whatever they do.
  • Stark.
    Stark. Posts: 108
    According to team reports his programme for the season never included the Vuelta. Of course that might just be a load of old balderdash, hogwash, piffle and smokescreen.
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    Timoid. wrote:
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    I am firmly in the "Valverde is crap this season because he has stopped taking drugs" camp I am afraid...

    :roll:

    So he is no loss as far as I can see.


    You have a funny view on crap. In 2007 Valverde has finished:

    2nd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
    2nd, La Flèche Wallonne
    7th, Amstel Gold Race
    5th Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco
    3rd, Stage 4
    1st, Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
    1st Overall, Vuelta a Murcia
    1st Stage 4
    3rd Overall,Critérium International
    1st, Points classification
    6th, Tour de France
    3rd, Classica San Sebastian

    You are right! I am judging him on his tour de france performance, which was pretty poor compared to the hype.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    I remember him saying long before the Tour that he wouldn't go to the Vuelta. It actually made quite a stir with Unipublic, who seemed to think it was a given. So he didn't change his plans at the last minute for shady reasons.

    Still, Valverde does not have to cancel his participation in a major race enacting strict antidoping measures to smell fishy. Having half his name and his moniker when he was at Kelme (with Dr Fuentes) on papers from the doctor's flat with related doping schedules and bills is quite enough for me.

    What a cynical bunch we've become. Wait... is it still cynical when you end up being right?

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