As the final countdown to his season begins, reigning WorldTour winner Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) has said that he considers the Olympic Games in Rio to be his main target for 2016.
Valverde will also make his debut in the Tour of Flanders and the Giro d’Italia in the coming season, at the age of 34. But in an extensive and frank interview with Spanish daily El Mundo published two days before his season gets underway at the four-day Mallorca Challenge, the Spanish veteran did not hide his overriding interest in racing for an Olympic gold medal this summer.
Already named by national coach Javier Minguez as the leader for the Spanish selection for Rio – “and there’s no discussion about that” – Valverde’s best placing in the Olympics was twelfth in the Beijing road race in 2008, won by Spanish national teammate Samuel Sánchez.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I can do well on the circuit they’ve designed in Rio,” Valverde told El Mundo. “I will do more one-day racing [in 2016] and I’ll see what I can do in the Giro d’Italia and I’ll help Nairo Quintana in the Tour de France, but I’ll be doing those races with Rio in the back of my mind. I’ll be with him [Quintana in the Tour], but I will always be focused on how to be in best shape for the Games.
“I feel very motivated for Rio. It’s my fourth Olympics and it’s got a really good course for me. Of course I’m motivated.”
Valverde did admit, however, that he could not name three bike professional riders from Brazil, getting stuck after namechecking Murilo Fischer (FDJ).
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1ZPWgx3
No comments:
Post a Comment