Fleche-Wallonne 19th April---**Contains Spoilers**

pelevin

dermabrasion wrote: »

Valverde encore ......pas normal.

Au contraire. C'est tres normal.

Decuc500

Please just retire Valverde and give the younger, untainted generation a chance.

Boscoirl

I hope Movistar give valverde a chance in one of the GTs, better than the snorefest that Quintana brings

dastardly00

Boscoirl wrote: »

I hope Movistar give valverde a chance in one of the GTs, better than the snorefest that Quintana brings

A three-week long Grand Tour is *just* out of reach for Valverde. He's good enough to make the podium but he always ends up having a bad day that stops him from winning.

Somedude9

All those doped up years paying off nicely.

Funny how the Spanish don't feature at all in the other classics but have won the last six of these.

Kaisr Sose

Lots of speculation here directed at the origin of Valverde's form, and less so Spainish riders. Apart from the fact that he is flying at the moment (not unusual in itself) what is the basis for the comments?

Macy0161

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Lots of speculation here directed at the origin of Valverde's form, and less so Spainish riders. Apart from the fact that he is flying at the moment (not unusual in itself) what is the basis for the comments?

We're not allowed to speculate. However i would guess people's skeptism is based on his age, him having served a doping ban, and him being unrepentant about that. Nothing more at this stage.

Personally, my eyebrow is only slightly raised at this stage - if he holds this form all year though....

irishrover99

I really don't see anything different in Valverde's form at the beginning of this season compared to the last few. He's beaten Contador a couple of times but has yet to come up against a fit Froome and Quintana or Nibali. Joaquim Rodriguez has retired and Dan Martin messed up the finish yesterday. He was soundly beaten in Amstel at the weekend when up against his hardest competition of the season yet.

Macy0161

irishrover99 wrote: »

He was soundly beaten in Amstel at the weekend when up against his hardest competition of the season yet.

Well he's never done great in Amstel. Like yourself, not seeing anything extraordinary from him compared to other years. Bar the added years!

Somedude9

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Lots of speculation here directed at the origin of Valverde's form, and less so Spainish riders. Apart from the fact that he is flying at the moment (not unusual in itself) what is the basis for the comments?

Valverde has been flying for years & I'd have made the same glib remark in reference to him before. It's based on an argument that present day cycling performance still benefits from former use of bloody doping ( of which he was implicated in )/ PED's.

I'm not implying that Spanish riders were/are doping for Flèche, just highlighting a curious stat.

dastardly00

Macy0161 wrote: »

Well they positioned him just as well as slipstream always did!

I think Quick-Step set things up for Dan as well as they possibly could.

Bob Jungels being out in front on his own until the he was caught on the Mur was perfect, it meant QS didn't have to lead the chasing peloton.

Then with 1.7km to go, just before the final climb, Dan's one remaining team mate delivers him right up near to the front of the peloton. Pretty perfect.



But when they got down to business on the Mur, Dan has slipped a good bit back. He's in 16th place in the screen grab below.



As I said, I'm not sure if QS could have done a better job for Dan.

MPFGLB

Poor positioning on the climb for Dan Martin...could maybe have won it

As for Valverde and his continued performance at his age.....just look at Dan Martins face after the race ...I know he is disappointed but there is more than disappointment in that face

gordongekko

Macy0161 wrote: »

Personally, my eyebrow is only slightly raised at this stage

Botox??