La Vuelta 2019

[Dirt Tracker]

3 ways to manage withdrawal after a heavy dosage of Grand Tour racing:

 

✔ Watch replays of the Spring Classics (final 50 kms)

✔ Admission to psychiatric clinic

✔ Read Vaughter’s latest book

 

 

 

Good call. Surely he's done and Audible book that can keep me company for the day. 

['Dale]

And Roglic wins his first Grand Tour at age 29

 

After entering the sport relatively late having been an elite athlete in another sport - doing the Superman thing with skis

 

Remarkable reincarnation ????????

Chapeau Roggas

Chapeau Jumbo’ ????

[SwissVan]

That's kinda how I feel about him too. Like a smelly fart of cycling's doping history that just won't go away.

 

Maybes it because we don't get see everything he says , Valverde is your typical old school euro racer (ja i expect some will edit that as they see fit) who lets his legs do the talking... 26 grand tours are not to be scoffed at

 

Look at his last 3 tweets (half expected that he would not be on twitter) very quite and humble...

Google translated:

 

15.9.2019

All my support to those affected these days by the storm that has hit the Levant of the country, especially the areas of Alicante or Murcia. Thank you to everyone who is working to mitigate the impact, such as the thousands of anonymous volunteers #DANA #DANARMurcia

 

14.9.2019

He had to fight until the end. Only 106 kilometers for another podium in # LaVuelta19 that we did not expect to leave Thanks to all @Movistar_Team for your effort these three weeks.

 

8.9.2019

You had to try and the result was not bad; 40 seconds more against important rivals. Huge @ solermarc93 working on the final kilometers

 

 

 

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-would-never-have-dreamed-of-taking-second-at-vuelta-a-espana-aged-39/

 

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde confessed that he never expected to take second place in the Vuelta a España at the age of 39....

Valverde recognised that his second place on GC had been in danger during Pogacar's late attack on stage 20 to Plataforma de Gredos, with the UAE Team Emirates rider finally ousting Quintana from third place overall but failing to dislodge the Spaniard.

 

"I didn't have any time references when he attacked, I changed the setting on my radio by mistake and ended up asking Ion Izagirre (Astana Pro Team) what the gaps were," Valverde said.

"Fortunately some roadside fans started shouting at me that he [Pogacar] had a two-minute gap and I'd need to put my foot down, so I did that all the way to the top on the final climb."

Second on the stage, Valverde saved his second place on GC by 22 seconds on Pogacar, having crossed the line 1:32 back.

Although disappointed for Quintana's loss of the third place overall, Valverde said the overall balance of the race had been positive for Movistar, with a second place overall, the team classification prize, and two stage wins. He also thanked his team for their hard work, singling out Quintana and Marc Soler for praise.

[Eldron]

Maybes it because we don't get see everything he says ,

Valverde is your typical old school euro racer (ja i expect some will edit that as they see fit) who lets his legs do the talking... 26 grand tours are not to be scoffed at

 

Look at his last 3 tweets (half expected that he would not be on twitter) very quite and humble...

Google translated:

 

15.9.2019

All my support to those affected these days by the storm that has hit the Levant of the country, especially the areas of Alicante or Murcia.

Thank you to everyone who is working to mitigate the impact, such as the thousands of anonymous volunteers #DANA #DANARMurcia

 

14.9.2019

He had to fight until the end.

Only 106 kilometers for another podium in # LaVuelta19 that we did not expect to leave

Thanks to all @Movistar_Team for your effort these three weeks.

 

8.9.2019

You had to try and the result was not bad;

40 seconds more against important rivals.

Huge @ solermarc93 working on the final kilometers

 

 

 

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-would-never-have-dreamed-of-taking-second-at-vuelta-a-espana-aged-39/

 

Spaniard

Alejandro Valverde

confessed that he never expected to take second place in the

Vuelta a España

at the age of 39....

Valverde recognised that his second place on GC had been in danger during Pogacar's late attack on stage 20 to Plataforma de Gredos, with the UAE Team Emirates rider finally ousting Quintana from third place overall but failing to dislodge the Spaniard.

 

"I didn't have any time references when he attacked, I changed the setting on my radio by mistake and ended up asking Ion Izagirre (Astana Pro Team) what the gaps were," Valverde said.

"Fortunately some roadside fans started shouting at me that he [Pogacar] had a two-minute gap and I'd need to put my foot down, so I did that all the way to the top on the final climb."

Second on the stage, Valverde saved his second place on GC by 22 seconds on Pogacar, having crossed the line 1:32 back.

Although disappointed for Quintana's loss of the third place overall, Valverde said the overall balance of the race had been positive for Movistar, with a second place overall, the team classification prize, and two stage wins. He also thanked his team for their hard work, singling out Quintana and Marc Soler for praise.

I have never questioned his race craft or ability and have no idea if he is a great guy but he took drugs and rode through an era where if you didn't take drugs you didn't make it.

 

That era is long gone. He should be too. Great guy or not.

[T-Bob]

Still such a relevant piece as the Vuelta ends, the Autumn classics come into focus and world champs come around again with Valverde's reign in the hoops (potentially) closing.

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/10/the-weekly-spin-the-alejandro-valverde-conundrum/

[Long Wheel Base]

I have never questioned his race craft or ability and have no idea if he is a great guy but he took drugs and rode through an era where if you didn't take drugs you didn't make it.

 

That era is long gone. He should be too. Great guy or not.

I compare him to Zuma. He did wrong(in a bad era when "everyone was doing wrong"), served his time and now is back and in the rainbow bands.

Zuma did wrong(in apartheid when "everyone was doing wrong"), served his time and then came back to be president. Look how dirty Zuma was during his return......................................

[dsw]

I compare him to Zuma. He did wrong(in a bad era when "everyone was doing wrong"), served his time and now is back and in the rainbow bands.

Zuma did wrong(in apartheid when "everyone was doing wrong"), served his time and then came back to be president. Look how dirty Zuma was during his return......................................

 

What exactly did Valverde do since his return to cycling to make you think he is "dirty"? 

[ScottCM]

What exactly did Valverde do since his return to cycling to make you think he is "dirty"? 

Peak 365 days a year? 

[Eldron]

Peak 365 days a year?

Beat a man almost exactly half his age :-]

[SwissVan]

I compare him to Zuma. He did wrong(in a bad era when "everyone was doing wrong"), served his time and now is back and in the rainbow bands.

Zuma did wrong(in apartheid when "everyone was doing wrong"), served his time and then came back to be president. Look how dirty Zuma was during his return......................................

Zuma!?

Seriously

Have u been working in a small confined space with MEK or Toulene?

[Long Wheel Base]

Zuma!?

Seriously

Have u been working in a small confined space with MEK or Toulene?

Fortunately MEK has been banned here after a painter passed away a few years ago.

So just the JET A1 fumes .

[dsw]

Peak 365 days a year? 

 

If peaking qualifies him to be seen as dirty then Alaphilipe must be covered in mud. 

[Dirt Tracker]

What exactly did Valverde do since his return to cycling to make you think he is "dirty"?
 

---------------------------------

 

 

Nothing really, he's passed all his doping tests since coming back. Just like he passed all his doping tests before he was found out by the police investigation and banned. 

 

It's a grey subject with him but one thing is for sure there will always be questions because he hasn't answered any, there is no repentance and there is no admission in the face of pretty damning evidence and a solid conviction. There is no hint that his attitudes that guided his actions then are any different now. One of the last hang ons of the grubbiest eras that nearly destroyed the sport (again) and once him and Louis Leon Sanchez (and Vino) go it won't be a sad day. 

 

And to paraphrase that one quote from the world champs: 

"No doubt that vuelta was super exciting.

Congrats to the megatalented and classy 39-year-old unrepentant participant in Operation Puerto for defeating everyone else bar one'.

['Dale]

Meanwhile, a powerful article about Willem.

 

Remember, elite athletes are human first. Suprizingly, even WorldTour cyclists too.

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2019/09/16-stitches-and-a-life-of-pain-willie-smit-is-cyclings-toughest-rider/

['Dale]

Medical evidence that Roglic's do have facial musculature that can create a smile.

 

What a gentle man. And one helluva bike rider.

 

Pic Cor Vos

['Dale]

Great quote

 

“I didn’t expect to make it to Madrid, to be honest. It’s my first Grand Tour and it was very hard, I suffered a lot,” Jakobsen said. “My first win was a relief, but this one is overwhelming. To make it to Madrid and win here, it takes me over the Moon. It’s like a dream come true. I wasn’t part of the elite before but now I think we can say I’m part of the top 10 sprinters in the world.”

 

Jakobsen