Always among the best

Another stage of the Tour de France and Alejandro Valverde continues rising ports with the best. The Movistar Team rider has tried to break the hegemony of Team Sky with an attack with Fabio Aru (Astana) during the final climb to the Lacets of Colombier. However, Wouter Poels (Team Sky) has caught the escapees, who have returned to the bunch before the top.

Valverde, who recently finished third in the Giro of Italy, will face the last week of the Tour de France as the fifth-ranked in the overall, but he is still repeating that its main target in this race is helping his teammate Nairo Quintana in his fight for the yellow jersey.

Quotes: “It was a tremendously hard stage; so hot, with melting tarmac which sticked to our tubulars… I’m glad we got through the day safe. Sky blocked the stage: I attacked with Aru, trying to climb up the road in case Nairo could try it, but the pace of Froome’s team-mates is probably the hardest you can climb on your own even when leading your squad. You’ve got to keep trying, but at the moment it’s very difficult; let’s see what we can achieve next week. My legs are feeling pretty similar to the Giro’s, I keep doing well – yet everything is focused on Nairo. I got all pressure off my shoulders with my Tour podium finish last season and I don’t keep it on my plans for that next week, even more so when I snatched another one in this year’s Giro. It’s just enjoying the biggest race in the world and helping Nairo out; my season is already complete with what I did so far. Nairo? He has to try it when he considers he can hurt the competitors”.

Photo: Movistar Team