Alejandro Valverde, a unique cyclist getting off the bike

It was 16:40. historical moment for cycling Spanish. “El Bala”, “a unique cyclist”, was saying goodbye to his brilliant career of 133 victories.

A thrilling retreat from a runner associated with the word “victory” from a kid to the present. An example of early class, genetics and a love of bikes validated until retirement. These are traits that are remembered by all the mechanics who have gone through the biker’s cycling life, from the age of 9, his first success, to the age of 42, when he broke his record at O ​​Gran Camiño last February.

“Your little one will be the best”

A chubby boy with whitish skin, 9 years old, a certain Alex thenwas the hope that his father, Juan Valverde, would have a cyclist son. The other of his three sons, Juan Francisco, had no inclination to cycle. Juan Sr. spoke with Antonio, president of the Puente Tocinos Cycling Club, who gave the boy his first cyclist license. “Your little boy will be the best,” she guessed.

Since he was his father’s first idol and inherited his genetics, he made his debut in a race held in Jumilla with a second place that made his day bitter. He wanted to win, but “El lagarto”, a boy from Cieza, stopped him. Instead of sinking, Alex cried out for revenge and promised Antonio that he would win the next race at Yecla. He said and did, he won.

The champion project was already underway. Valvarde, still Alex, went through Santomera cycling school between the ages of 10 and 14, winning all the races. “El Unbatido” was born, condemning all his opponents to races with the only incentive to be second.

By order of General López

Valverde was making giant strides. Joaquín Ramos signed up for the tiles cadet team. The first sports director was “general” Manuel López., a carpenter in his profession and famous for his strict discipline. The best wood fell into his hands, champion wood. Losing weight became the goal of the coach, who endured the teasing of his colleagues from other teams, which he had masterfully cleared. “Why do you want him to lose weight if he beats you when you’re fat?

Valverde took part in the first races outside of Murcia in the Basque Country, where he went alone with the ‘general’, without teammates, as there were no funds to recruit more runners. He won two races in the north and an opponent asked him: To Álex’s surprise, a signing as he sees “future champion” in Murcian.

“I saw his quality from the very first moment and told him to take it seriously because he was already a professional,” he said. The unforgettable and unfortunate Mariano Rojas also saw this coming from afar: “Manolo, take care of this kid because there are no runners of this breed left.”

López knew what he had in his hand, but as the book “A por más” (Ed. Cover) gathers, he returns to his memory, revealing some “obsessions”.

“If I had If Eddy Merckx’s head can see and read the races, his record will be doubled.”, indicates. At the time, the coach explained, “Alejandro preferred to reach the end with more runners to take the ax and win, but the opponents were waiting for him to attack.” López sold lottery tickets to cover team expenses.

Cadet Valverde had 19 wins in 25 races in his first year, and in his second, the Bala team won 34 of 36 races, 19 of which were Alex. The first cash prizes have arrived. His teacher faced another disappointment: The beginner cyclist left his studies at the age of 15 when he finished his EGB at the Juan XXIII School in Las Lumbreras. No one persuaded him not to quit the books.

While he was already more stylized and young, success continued, both on the road and on the track. He became the national champion on the road and the Spanish speed, pursuit and individual champion on wooden surfaces at the track.

“That was his way, as a youth he was already an unattainable leader. If you let him sniff the goal, you lose. Opponents feared him because they stopped fighting for second place,” López recalls.

Amateur with Echavarri in Banesto

Valverde went from youth to amateur in José Miguel Echavarri’s Banesto, but only lasted a year with the Navarrese team. Juan Valverde did not like this move made to compete from Murcia to Navarra.

Another key man emerged in the process of creating a champion, amateur Kelme’s director Paco Moya had to persuade Pepe Quiles, the company’s boss: “Hey, Pepe, this cyclist has a ball, he has a tremendous projection. to bring it now.”

Donning the green and white Kelme jersey, the captain introduced him as: “Alejandro Valverde, future world figure to all of you.” Balaverde was born in the “El Bala”, Alicante formation.

La Vuelta debuted in 2002

Valverde’s first big race and his first shot into the air because he abandoned the race on the Angliru road on the fifteenth stage of La Vuelta a España.

Just one year later, in 2003, Valverde was third in the season. return Victories at Envalira and La Pandera and a silver medal at the World Championships in Hamilton (Canada). 9 wins in total. Murcian was already out of control. In 2004 he won 13 races and received a phone call from Echavarri and Unzue’s Illes Balears, as well as a check for nearly 150,000 euros that brought him back to the Navarrese team in 2005.

“For me he became the most complete Spanish runner in history, no doubt. You have to take into account that he has been unemployed for two years, or his track record would have been wider. We are talking about the most complete runner. runner because he won by doing good cronos, up, down, down. For example, Contador won big, but the classics not,” Alicante’s former coach told EFE.

Tour dream come true in 2005

Every cyclist dreams of riding the Tour one day. That dream came true for Valverde in 2005, when he was 25 years old. He went there by another name as the leader of the Illes Balears, who raised his forever idols Perico Delgado and Miguel Indurain.

That year one had lime and the other sand. He won one-on-one with Lance Armstrong at Courchevel and performed. A whip and goodbye. There is no more. Three days later the cross was presented. He is retired.

Eusebio Unzue, who ruled Valverde from the Balearic Islands until his retirement in Lombardy, refers to the Murcian in the following terms.

“Valverde is a special rider touched by a magic wand, different, unique, capable of winning in any event. He is an unprecedented rider in Spanish cycling,” says the Navarran coach.

This winning ability is reflected in 133 victories of all colours.: 1 Vuelta a España, third in the Tour and Giro, 8 podiums in the majors, 1 World Cup, 4 Lièges, 5 Flechas Walloons, 12 stages in the Vuelta, 4.4 times national champion in the Tour… A recording that speaks for itself.

Technicians agree that “it’s very difficult to find a cyclist who hasn’t had many ups and downs since becoming a pro and can perform from February to October.” This feature sets Valverde apart, it is also profitable for the team and unbeatable for the sponsor.

A star meeting the dark

A Chinese proverb says, “The stars cannot shine without darkness.” Before Valverde finished third in the 2015 Tour de France, an achievement he treasured in pure gold, and peaking at the 2018 World Cup in Innsbruck, He also knew about his dark period and even resented some directors for overlooking his career.

It rained in 2008 while Vuelta was climbing Puerto del Caracol in Cantabria. Instead of sending a housemate to bring a raincoat to the team car, Murcian got out himself. When you want to realize that the opponents are already flying.

“I used to eat it there,” Unzue recalls. Instead of using a partner. He chose to make the effort himself.

Operation Puerto, two years unopposed

The anti-doping Puerto operation put Valverde on its tracks for 18 months. Italian CONI put the traffic light in amber and the UCI in red. Search from January 1, 2010 to the same day of 2012. A tough test for a competitive beast, a fallow land hard to beat.

At the Olympics, his brother Juan Francisco said, “Alejandro overcame the challenges, was able to do as many kilometers as in a regular competitive season and also had more time to enjoy with his kids, he explored the practice sessions on the beach with the group.” “Go for more” book.

He competed at the Tour Down Under in January 2012 and won again. At the other end of the world, on the Willunga hill, she made it to the queen stage in the first race since her exclusion. “Invincible” is back. “I have shown my quality from the children’s category until today,” he said.

Tour and World Cup, confirmed topics

There was something waiting in Valverde’s recordings, those thorns that pierced the body and mind had to be dislodged. On June 26, 2015, Valverde wiped his tears at the Champs-Élysées in Paris, finishing third and was interpreted as a title.

A year later, he achieved the same position in the Giro d’Italia in his debut year and in 2018 with insanity. The rainbow jersey arrived at perhaps the most unexpected moment. After 6 World Cup medals, 2 silver and 4 bronze, came gold at Innsbruck. He touched the sky with his hands. Definitely.

Then came other moments of depression, depression, lack of hope for anything, but He overcame the difficulty of facing the last years of his professional life. “Valverde can race at age 40 if he wants to,” Unzue said before the Rio 2016 Games. At the age of 42, he said goodbye to Il Lombardía in good shape and with good results. The bullet stops. A unique cyclist.