On the eve of the 2022 road worlds in Wollongong, Australia, in his last year as a professional, Valverde had 133 victories to his name.Īlthough he played soccer for the junior national team on multiple occasions, Evenepoel in 2017 decided to concentrate on his cycling career.

Alejandro Valverde is hoisted into the air by teammates after his final Grand Tour. If that didn’t say enough, he narrowly missed out on victory at the road world championships in Hamilton, Canada, but nevertheless delivered a Spain 1-2 with compatriot Igor Astarloa. In July, he would nab his first one-day race, the GP Villafranca de Ordizia and 12 months after that DNF at his home ‘Grandie’, he would take two stages en route to third overall behind Heras and Isidro Nozal. He would also claim a maiden victory at the now WorldTour-rated Vuelta al Pais Vasco. In February of 2003, he would finish third overall at the Vuelta a Andalucia. His best result came on a stage of the Volta Catalunya where he won the bunch sprint for second – but what happened next was quite extraordinary.

Valverde rode 62 race days in his neo-professional year with Kelme-Costa Blanca. His father Patrick was a former professional cyclist, but regardless, Remco was at first more interested in a round ball than a spoked wheel, joining Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, the most successful club in European competitions, aged five.

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