Alejandro Valverde to skip the National Championships to prepare for the Tour de France 2012
Alejandro Valverde is all set to appear in his fifth Tour de France after his fresh return from the Tour de Suisse 2012.
The cyclist is having a fine season with various victories in his bag including an overall victory at the Vuelta a Andalucia, a second overall position at the Santos Tour Down Under and a third place finish at the Paris-Nice 2012.
Valverde bagged stages at the Paris-Nice, Tour Down Under and the Vuelta a Andalucia and is all set to challenge the overall classifications at the French Grand Tour.
Team Movistar has clarified its goals for the coming event and the side is not willing to settle for anything less than an overall victory.
While commenting on his chances at the overall classifications, Spaniard briefed that it, will be difficult, especially because the course is not the best for my talents, but you have to go with high aspirations, because anything can happen”.
“I see Wiggins and Evans. This year the Englishman won't fail, but the Tour is unlike any other race and Evans has extensive experience”.
The 32-year-old was recently seen in action at the Tour de Suisse where he was surprised to see Andy Schleck’s astonishing form.
“To follow him was impossible. He rode very easily, the strongest by far, but I think he is too good too soon,” he said of Frank.
Valverde was expected to appear at the road and the time trial races at his national championships but he has opted to stay out of the race.
He noted that the Tour de Suisse, “was very hard and now it is essential to recover well before the Tour. The trouble is not the championships but the travelling”.
The final list of ten cyclists after the Tour de Suisse final general classifications is as below,
1
Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar Team
35:54:49
2
Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan
0:00:14
3
Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma - QuickStep
0:00:21
4
Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
0:00:25
5
Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
0:00:40
6
Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Pro Team Astana
0:00:47
7
Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Barracuda
0:00:48
8
Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
0:00:59
9
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
0:01:42
10
Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
0:01:52
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