Dubai: Movistar’s Spanish star Alejandro Valverde is looking to seize a second chance to achieve his long-standing goal of being crowned the world champion within the next three years.
Though Valverde’s biggest wins have been the Vuelta a Espana in 2009, the Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2006 and 2008 and the 2006 UCI ProTour, the 34-year-old Spaniard also had the silver medal at the UCI Road World Championships on two occasions in 2003 and 2005.
Valverde went on to establish himself over the last decade as one of the more versatile riders due to his ability to combine elements of being a strong climber, a sprinter and a time-trialist all at the same time.
However, the rider was named part of the Operacion Puerto blood doping investigation and was suspended for two years. ‘Operacion Puerto’ is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes that resulted in a scandal involving several of the world’s most famous cyclists at that time.
The Spaniard returned to racing after serving a two-year ban in 2012 and since then, has been wiser and more focused on continuing with the pursuit of his goals. “Even though I am 34 I feel like a teenager now,” Valverde told Gulf News on the eve of Dubai Tour 2015.
“I have another three years left on my contract with the Movistar Team and hopefully during this period I can achieve my dream of being a world champion,” he added.
Two years in the wilderness was enough of a time to reflect, re-focus and grow as a person and professional. “I am a much stronger person now. It can be quite lonely out there after what I have been through in the past but that simply gave me a stronger resolve to be better as a person and as a professional. I believe the best of Alejandro is yet to come,” he smiled.
“I am probably enjoying now more than before. This is like a second opportunity for me and I am enjoying each and every aspect of the sport now, starting from the training to being with my teammates who are like my family now. This is like a new lease of life for me,” he added.
At the Dubai Tour, Valverde hopes to back his Movistar teammate and fellow Spaniard Juan Jose Lobato to win the season opening race. “Personally, I will be happy with getting the kilometres under my belt to get prepared for the season ahead, but here we will all be behind Lobato,” Valverde said.
