After a Challenge Mallorca campaign which saw him mix it up with in-form riders, Alejandro Valverde’s return after a serious crash in last year’s Tour de France continues.
The Spaniard will lead Movistar team at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, which begins Wednesday.
Valverde will have the company of Andrey Amador, Jorge Arcas, Nuno Bico, Hector Carretero, Jose Joaquin Rojas and Jaime Roson.
“Hats off to Wellens and Moscon, a well-deserved first and second, but for me, taking third is like a victory,” he said after the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana on Friday. “Keeping the pace of those guys uphill after everything that happened is something to be really happy about. I knew I was doing well, but not so much.”
It will be Valverde’s first appearance at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana since he won the event in 2007. After Valencia, he will ride the Vuelta a Murcia, the Ruta del Sol and the Abu Dhabi Tour in late-February.
