We reach Alejandro Valverde after his son's soccer match. The Murcia champion, who continues to win gravel with the jersey Movistar (the opening victory by a wide margin at the Castellon Gravel Race, a UCI World Series event) and who, to satisfy a sponsor, will be present at the Nove Colli, has become the coach of the Spanish national teamThe transition was not exactly linear, but now that everything has settled on the bottom, we are in its presence for understand how he will manage the team and the final stages of his career.
Why was the transition not straightforward? The arrival of José Vicioso at the helm of the Spanish RFEC (Real Federacion Española de Ciclismo) saw the termination of the relationship with Pascual Momparler and the offer of his position to Oscar FreireThe reconstruction made by the two-time world champion from Cantabria speaks of a handshake and the decision to make the announcement upon his return from vacation in Dubai. However, after returning to Spain after about ten days, Freire learned from the media that the new federal coach would be Valverde and he didn't appreciate the surprise and the explanations he received.
Valverde stays away from all this. And once the agreement between the Movistar Team and the RFEC was reached, the signature of the latest Spanish world champion also arrived.It was 2018, Alejandro became world champion in Innsbruck.
Runner, national team coach: what's your life like at this stage?
I continue to I train practically every dayIn two days I will be at the MTB Tour of Ibiza and then I also do road and gravel. A bit of everything. In the meantime I follow all the races on televisionThe Volta a Cataluña, the Vuelta País Vasco, the Classics. And when we get closer to the Spanish championship, I'll go and follow him. I won't be on the road all year.
Have you already started talking to the Spanish riders?
I've talked to someone, but not much yet. The Spanish national team does not compete in the scheduled races, it only takes part in the World Championships and the European Championships. It's not like yours, which sometimes takes part in races. So I can follow them on television, but I will be at the Tour and the Vuelta to see the riders more closely.
Are you still training like before?
No, less so. I still do it, but I no longer have the demands of a professional. I still like to win, but every time it's more difficultEvery time it costs more work, because for example gravel has become very professional. This is also why I prefer races like The Traka. Only I don't choose extreme distances, 200 kilometers are fine, even 150360-kilometer routes aren't for me. I don't like them; they're too slow. I prefer to do 5 hours at full speed.
And you still eat like a rider?
No, a little less, even though as a rider I ate things I liked. I indulge in a few more whims than before. In short, I like living too.
What do you think of these classics and the champions we're seeing?
I like it, it's a spectacle to follow them. There are very beautiful rivalries and they motivate each otherI think it's very good for the viewers. I enjoyed watching it. Pogacar at RoubaixI only did Flanders once and I remember that I liked it a lot. For this reason I thought it would be nice to do a Roubaix, just for the experience, but those weren't years when they let us take risks. Tadej was strong, but even if he had arrived in a sprint with Van der Poel, I think he would have lost anyway.
Tadej is a phenomenon, but perhaps it was easier for him because today's bikes have wheels that make the cobbles less painful?
I don't want to say that they are like gravel bikes, but it is certain that the tires make a big difference. Previously, we used 28mm tubulars, while now with tubeless we use 32mm ones and with less pressure.A few years ago they would have thought you were crazy, but now they've discovered that performance doesn't decrease, on the contrary. Furthermore The larger tubular has a better grip on the ground and there is less risk of fallsThe risk remains, but the bicycle is more comfortable and safer.
Returning to the national team, the World Cup in Rwanda is a very tough one: what do you think?
I watched it and I can confirm that it is a tremendously tough course. They are 5.400 meters in altitude and then you run the whole time between 1.300 and 1.500 meters above sea levelWe're not at 1.800 meters, but at 1.500 meters the body still suffers. Furthermore, the most challenging climb is on cobblestones.
Almost ideal for you?
With the riders we have, a demanding path is always better than a fast oneWe have athletes who do very well in the mountains and mid-mountain terrain, like Ayuso. The problem is that there are five or six very good rivals.
The European Championship is tough too, isn't it?
Exactly, we run to Drome-Ardeche, the place where Ayuso already won at the beginning of the year and knows it well. In worldwide practice and eclecticism they are very close, just a week. We return from Kigali and leave again for France, so we will have to make two teams, I don't think that many from the World Cup will make the European Championship.
Can Ayuso be captain?
Yes, he can be captain. He is a rider who has the mentality of a leader and a winner, at least in one-day races.. For the Giro d'Italia It's probably still early this year, we'll see. But it's clear that in the very near future it will be a rider capable of winning even the Grand Tours.
How is your season going?
After Ibiza, I will go to the Mallorca 312, then The Traka and following the Nove ColliIt will be a celebration of cycling and Gobik, which is our sponsor, is also the sponsor of the race. We'll see how I ride, but You know I'm competitive, so if I can win, all the better.
