Yesterday, as soon as I left the podium, I traveled to Switzerland together with some team-mates. No time to rest as the Tour of Romandy starts already tomorrow. I will try to take advantage of my good shape to try and got a good result here.

I left Belgium rather satisfied. For sure, I would have been delighted to win one of the three classics but I believe I have to be satisfied for being two times on the podium during the week.

Like always, I leave Belgium with very nice memories and the best is for sure the support of the public. I will for sure come back next year to try and be another time on the podium and why not on the first step.  

See you soon,

Alejandro

Hello!

I promised to give you some news while I was in Belgium for the classics and I am keeping my word!

After the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Wallonne, we are preparing the last of the three Ardennes Classics, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which is also the one I prefer.

I was happy with my results in the Amstel and also the Flèche Wallonne and I hope to be even better next Sunday. 

Thursday, the day after the Flèche Wallonne, uses to be a quieter day and it is traditionally the day we make some interviews.  And it was also the case yesterday as three Belgian journalists came to our hotel to interview me. They were three nice guys and we stayed for a while talking about many different things.

Today we left the hotel rather early to go and reconnoitre the last 95 kilometers of Sunday race. For sure after so many years racing here we know almost all the route by heart  but it is anyway important to do it again every year as they are always small changes from a year to the other one.  And this time in particular it is very important to do it as the hill of La Roche aux Faucons is out of the race. We shall the one of Colonster instead.  A new one and it is of course particularly important to know it before the race day.

We had lunch already and now just after I wrote these words to you, I will take advantage of a nice siesta to have a good rest!

Have a nice afternoon everybody and thanks a lot for all the messages you are sending me every day on Twitter.

Alejandro

It’s time to prepare mu luggage one more time as tomorrow we will fly to Belgium.

A very important week is waiting for us there in the North as we will take part in three big classic: Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

After the Vuelta a la Rioja, I took some rest but I caught a cold and had a Little bit of fever. As a consequence I decided not to compete in Amorebieta. The last days I felt really better and trained very well, including some 6 hours training sessions. So I believe I will be in good shape for those races.

For sure I feel really motivated.

I will try to tell you a few things during the week and in the meanwhile I share with you you some pictures with my family here in Murcia on the occasion of the traditional Bando de la Huerta.

I write you soon,

Alejandro

Between two races I each time spend only a few days at home but I always try to take advantage of that time. 

Last Tuesday I was invited at the Montepinar College, where my sons study, to meet the children of the 3rd degree. They all know plenty of things about many different sports but they were happy to learn something more about cycling: the bike, the helmet, the clothes, and so on.  After the class finish most of them told me they would like to practice cycling. I told them about the Valverde Team and its cycling school for young children. They can indeed start as soon as they are 5 years old.  They in fact already took part in a race this year and three of them finished in the top ten.  That’s a good start! Learning and improving every day is very nice. I am pretty sure this is a nice project.

I send you many Greetings from Catalonia where I arrived in order to start tomorrow in the Volta. Ready for another full week competition!
Alejandro

Hello everybody!

The beginning of the season 2013 was even better than expected.  I won a stage in Mallorca, two in the Ruta del Sol as well as the overall ranking. Such victories are very important because they give me self-confidence, most of all my win in the prologue considering the fact ITT have always been my weakest point.

Tomorrow I will fly to Italy to take part in really attracting races. Strade bianche is a totally different event and there for sure it won’t be easy as Cancellara who won the race last years and several other specialists will be at the start.  For me that kind of race is completely new and I am curious in fact. I am sure it will be a nice day even if a tough one. The next day I will start in Roma Maxima, there in the heart of the Italian capital. Huge! For sure
I will tell you when I am back!

Alejandro