The Murcian cyclist retires at the age of 42 on the same day as another of the greats, Vincenzo Nibali
Alejandro Valverde finished the last round of his professional career in sixth position in the Giro de Lombardía, which was won by the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar. The Murcian cyclist entered the finish line, located in Como, 1 minute and 24 seconds behind the winner. With these last kilometers the professional career of the athlete from Las Lumbreras ends, who gets off the bicycle at 42 years of age. Interestingly, the Giro de Lombardia is also the last race for another great on two wheels, Vincenzo Nibali, who leaves at the age of 37.
“Seeing the state of form that I have right now, which is the same as it was ten years ago, and seeing that I am with the best, I have come to consider whether to continue for another year,” Valverde had slipped this Tuesday, which he demonstrated in Italy that he still had strength in his legs.
Pogacar, double winner of the Tour de France (2020 and 2021), won the sprint ahead of the Spaniard Enric Mas, the only one who put his victory in jeopardy, after 253 kilometers and more than six hours of racing, under a strong sun, between Bergamo and Como.
Another Spaniard, Mikel Landa, finished third. The winner of the last Tour de France, the Dane Jonas Vingegaard, did not shine in the test, which was decided with an attack by Pogacar at Civiglio, about 20 kilometers from the finish line, after a great job by his team, UAE.
Mas was the only one capable of following him, but the Spaniard from Movistar, who is far from shining in the sprint, had no chance in this exercise against the power of Pogacar, who became the first rider in history to win twice the Giro de Lombardía in his first two participations.
«Repeating the victory is fantastic, everything has happened as we had imagined. He wanted to attack at the Civiglio. Mas has been at the same level in the ascents, so we have collaborated until the finish line. He knew he had good legs », pointed out the Slovenian, who wins his third ‘Monument’ – the five most prestigious one-day races – at just 24 years old.
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