Speaking in a press conference at the Movistar team’s first get together for the 2019 season, Alejandro Valverde said that racing beyond the 2020 Olympics is not unfeasible.
“My life had already changed with a lot of success in the past, but this is something special,” Valverde said about his victory at the World Championships.
“It’s something very, very different, it’s the maximum possible. People are always talking to me about the Worlds and it’s finally here.”
“It’s unique. I’ve won a lot of races, but this beats any feelings I’ve had about victories by at least half. There’s more pleasure, more… everything. It’s not like any other race I’ve won.”
Valverde agrees with Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme that the notion of banning power meters during the Tour de France isn’t such a bad idea.
“I’d like to see teams race without power meters and race a bit more on sensations,” Valverde said. “Maybe the results would be the same, but it’s not a bad initiative to see what would happen.”
“Team Sky is expert when comes to racing with power and speed. It’s a big factor for them. You’d notice it more in the moment of controlling the race. They’re there [at the front] because they have the fitness, but if you take them away [power meters], maybe the outcome would be different. It’s worth trying out.”
“Younger riders are more accustomed to race and train with power meters,” he said. “The riders who win might not change, but I think it would be an interesting experiment to see what would happen.”
