Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) says he has no intention of slowing down now that he has finally won the rainbow jersey, with racing beyond the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo now a distinct possibility.
Speaking in a lengthy press conference during the Movistar team's first get together for the 2019 season, Valverde did not rule out an early start to his season in Australia, presumably at the Tour Down Under. His early race programme could also include one or more days of the Mallorca Challenge - where he has often started his season, the UAE Tour and Strade Bianche. The Tour of Flanders, a long discussed possible target for Valverde, remains an option.
Looking back to 2018, Valverde underlined once again that whatever he achieves in the final years of his career, winning the World Championships in Innsbruck constituted the biggest triumph of his career. "El maximo", as he called it in Spanish. As a consequence, racing with the rainbow jersey on his back in 2019 will make the season an unforgettable one, regardless of the results.
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As for 2020 and the Olympic Games, which has long been Valverde’s expected swansong, he appears now to be looking into continuing to pedal into a third decade of racing. His contract with Movistar ends in 2019, but he is not anticipating any problems in renewing and has no plans to move elsewhere.
"Having as good a season as 2018 would be very hard again but if I have a 2020 season where I'm fighting for the wins, why not go for another one?" Valverde, now 38, said in Pamplona.
"If I did continue, it wouldn’t be for much longer after that. But if I have to retire in 2020, then so be it. Just to race for its own sake doesn't make much sense after being so long at a high level."
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You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/valverde-i-may-race-beyond-2020
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