Valverde attacks

Great attitude of Alejandro Valverde in the eleventh stage of the Tour de France, the second in the Alps, with the beginning in Albertville and arrival in La Rosière after overcoming Montée de Bisanne, Col du Pré and Cormet de Roseland. The Movistar Team cyclist jumped from the group of favorites on the ascent to the second port of the day, 60 kilometers away from the end of the stage. Valverde catched riders from the breakaway to reach his teammate Marc Soler, who was ahead.

The Catalan made an excellent job in favor of Alejandro, guiding the final part of the climb to the Col du Pré and directing all the ascent to Roseland’s Cormet. In the descent of this climb, Soren Kragh Andersen and Tom Dumoulin hunted down the Movistar Team duo. Valverde still had legs to take advantage in the climb to La Rosière, but he ended up paying the effort against the push of the winner of the 2017 Giro d’Italia.

As a reward for his bravery in the race, the Tour organization awarded Valverde with the most combative cyclist award of the day and climbed to the podium after finishing 23rd in a stage that was won by Welshman Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), who he also becomes the new leader of the race.