From the podium of the Pollença-Port d’Andratx Trophy in Mallorca, the ‘Bala’ wished “courage” to the Colombian, who is recovering from a serious mishap while training.
Alexander Valverde (Movistar Team) dedicated his victory in the Pollença-Port d’Andratx Trophy of the Challenge Mallorca to the Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal (Ineos-Grenadier), who is recovering from a serious accident while training in his country, and former footballer and former coach Juan Carlos Unzuewho suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“I want to dedicate this victory, very especially, to two people. The first, to Egan Bernal. All my encouragement in his recovery, and hopefully we can see him restored very soon. And second, to Juan Carlos Unzue. In recent months he has been giving an example of strength and optimism to everyone, and in the team we are all committed to what he is doing. From here, a huge hug, hoping that we will see each other again very soon”, Valverde said in statements to the press.
The Murcian Corridor won this Saturday in Mallorca the 131st victory of his career, and has placed the Movistar Team just four wins out of a thousand with its professional teams since 1980.
“The whole team has been 10. We have always tried to control the race to the maximum, and the team He has behaved wonderfully. We had to climb quickly here in Andratx to try to eliminate the fast people that were left in the group”, explained Valverde.
And he added: “We managed to cut off Matthews (Holmes), he was the most powerful left, but I have seen him come back with 250 or 300 meters to go. That’s when I started before he arrived and I was able to get the victory”.
The 41-year-old Spanish cyclist, who is retiring from the international peloton this season, has ensured that for him “Any race is already a tribute”.
“I thank the organization for the detail they have had with me this morning (he paid tribute to him); I have been able to return the favor and thank you with this success. It is the best way to say goodbye to this race, with two podiums, a victory… and already thinking about the next one, which is Valencia”, he remarked.
“More than age, they are the I have been a professional for 20 years at the highest level,” he asserted.
“It is something very, very difficult to achieve, not only physically, but also mentally, and even i’m surprised i’m still here. When I was younger I made statements that at 34 years old I believed that I would no longer be running. I’m going to be 42 in April and I’m still running and winningValverde said.
The Challenge Ciclista Mallorca, first round of the European calendar of the season and in which 25 teams participate, will end this Sunday with the Playa de Palma-Palma Trophy dispute, with 169.1 kilometres, the fifth day of a series of competitions that have been held since January 26. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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