Valverde training with Movistar

frenchfighter

Alejandro Valverde arrived in Mallorca on February 2, and since then he shared various Team Movistar riders’ training sessions.
The Spanish rider wanted to take advantage of the nice weather in Mallorca to train with his former team-mates who are present in Mallorca too.

When did you decide to come to Mallorca and take part in Team Movistar training camp?
“I planned to do that some time ago actually. I called Eusebio Unzúe and he gave me the opportunity to come here and train with my former team-mates. I am very happy for that possibility I received to ride with the riders of the team. It is also very nice to live again things from inside a team.”

How was it to meet again with some of your former Caisse d’Epargne team-mates?
“To see them again was really something great, a moment of happiness for them and for me. To spend those days with them was very important to me because I experienced again how it feels to make part of a team.
After such a long time without seeing them it was a fantastic feeling.”

You took part in training sessions with riders who are just starting their season while others already had the opportunity to race this year, in Australia and in Argentina. How did you feel during this week, training with them?
“It is a fact that the training camps at the beginning of the season are particular. Riders start the training sessions together but at their own rhythm. After such a long time without competing I must say my level is a very good one right now, in fact almost the same as last year at the same period when I came here to prepare the season 2010. I will go home really motivated to keep on training very well before I can compete again.”

What kind of training sessions did you achieve in Mallorca?
“Different kind of training sessions in fact: some very long ones, more than 5 hours and a half and also shorter ones, about 3 hours or 3 hours and a half. I also made some tests to check my physical condition. I am satisfied with everything I have been doing here and I even feel stronger now.”

What did you do during winter time to remain in good shape?
“I try to keep the same rhythm as the last years. I trained very hard till October. After that I took some rest during 25 days. After that I started working in the fitness center, running and using my mountain bike; I fact a little of everything no to lose the dynamics of the previous years. Now I trained again only with my road bike to accumulate kilometers.”

What will you do once you leave the Baleares Islands?
“On Thursday I will fly home and the next two days I won’t train too much, to recover a little bit after the hard and long training sessions we achieved here. The team will go from one race to another one while I will go on training in Murcia. Nevertheless I will organized some training camps for myself and as soon as the weather will become warmer I will go and train in altitude, just the same way I did it the previous years. What is important is not to lose the rhythm to have the best possible preparation and be ready when I start competing again. I want to thank all the people who support me every day. The fact to be here in Mallorca with other teams and note how everybody is treating me, so friendly and wanting me to be back in the bunch also means a lot to me. It for sure will help me to work even more and better.”

iainf72

They make me cringe, really they do.

andyp

Come, come, Iain. He's a victim of Italian injustice!

frenchfighter

I think the guy was and will be an ace rider but I am not sure how I feel about the deliberate training together. If he was there and they were there and they trained together, fine.

afx237vi

Where did you cut and paste that from FF? There's something the interviewer forgets to mention, but I can't quite put my finger on it...

takethehighroad

+1 monkey man, exactly what I was thinking when I read that

frenchfighter

What might that be.

Afx, PM'd you the link. Heavyweight site that one for small clips of interest.

disgruntledgoat

frenchfighter wrote:

What might that be.

Afx, PM'd you the link. Heavyweight site that one for small clips of interest.

I think the pixellated monkey refers to his 2 year ban, his defence worthy of a contortionist, the contention that the Italians mishandled a blood bag laced with epo in such a way that it morphed into a dna match of his own blood and the obvious complicity of the Spanish federation...[/code]

takethehighroad

disgruntledgoat wrote:

I think the pixellated monkey refers to his 2 year ban, his defence worthy of a contortionist, the contention that the Italians mishandled a blood bag laced with epo in such a way that it morphed into a dna match of his own blood and the obvious complicity of the Spanish federation...[/code]

If I had, I'd say that'd be the 'gist'. Not even a question like "So what's the point in doing this when you're banned?" or "What races will you target when you come come back (after being banned)?"

moray_gub

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

disgruntledgoat wrote:

I think the pixellated monkey refers to his 2 year ban, his defence worthy of a contortionist, the contention that the Italians mishandled a blood bag laced with epo in such a way that it morphed into a dna match of his own blood and the obvious complicity of the Spanish federation...[/code]

If I had, I'd say that'd be the 'gist'. Not even a question like "So what's the point in doing this when you're banned?" or "What races will you target when you come come back (after being banned)?"

When is he allowed to race again anyway ?

andyp

I think his ban ends on the 31st of December this year.

I thought there was a UCI rule that prevented banned riders from training with teams, or did I make that up?

dave_1

movistar I think have strong links to helping blood dopers going back many years. They invited Zulle to train with them when he was banned and Valverde is probably getting race simulation on a monthly basis with the team. Valv should be banned from taking part in any organised training activity with pro tour teams when they are doing training camps and pre race recons..he's getting round his ban

moray_gub

andyp wrote:

I think his ban ends on the 31st of December this year.

I thought there was a UCI rule that prevented banned riders from training with teams, or did I make that up?

Almost unenforceable that one if true, i mean how do you stop a rider going with a spin with 4 or 5 of his pals ?

hommelbier

Perhaps his presence training there is comparable to that of Johan Bruyneel also being there as a spectator during the Mallorca Challenge while Radio Shack are competing

andyp

You can't, but you can prevent them attending team training camps, like this one.

BarryBonds

good hes looking to the future, shuld it be that having lost his job he should not prepare for the time hes allowed to earn a living again?

moray_gub

andyp wrote:

You can't, but you can prevent them attending team training camps, like this one.

So how do you legally do that then ? i mean if AV wanted to turn up and stay in the team hotel and ride with the team i cant see what powers the UCI would have to stop that. I can think of a few riders who have trained with teams prior to their bans finishing David Millar at SD springs to mind.