National coach Valverde reveals his favorite for upcoming Tour: "He's not a robot, so he can be beaten"

After Pascual Momparler served as national coach for several years, Valverde succeeded his compatriot at the beginning of this year. The former rider has not been in the job for that long, but his ambitions are clear. “It's clear that if you win a medal anywhere, you'll be incredibly happy. But above all, I want to build a great national team, a group that works as hard as possible,” Valverde told Marca.

The national coach does not seem to be too concerned about the pressure. “There is always pressure, but we will try to put together the best possible group. We have excellent riders. This year, the World Championships are very tough, as are the European Championships. Everything is very close together, so we may have to form almost two teams,” Valverde revealed.

Ayuso seems certain to be part of the team. The UAE-Spanish rider is not participating in the Tour, and his team won't let him ride his beloved Vuelta. Suddenly, the World Championships in Rwanda have become a main goal. “I've spoken to him, and he is determined to win both the World Championships and the European Championships. He already won the European Championships this year,” Valverde said, referring to the Faun Drome Classic. “He is very enthusiastic and motivated. He won't be riding many races, but he is training hard, and we know he can do very well.”

With Ayuso as lead rider, it remains to be seen what roles will be reserved for Carlos Rodriguez and Enric Mas. “We will, of course, see them more often than in the Tour, especially in the Vuelta, which is also on the calendar. Both Carlos and Enric are riders who are certainties to me. Now, I've already mentioned three names,” Valverde seems to have his selection pretty much finalized.

The national coach will, in any case, inform the riders in a timely manner about their selection or non-selection. Valverde considers this to be of great importance. “The sooner I know, the better, because ultimately, it changes your mindset when you know you have to compete in the World Championships. You always perform better than when you find out at the last minute. I think both Carlos and Enric will be good. And it's better to have several riders in good shape and several leaders than just one.”

As Valverde said, we will see Rodriguez and Mas in action in the Tour. There, the Spaniards will compete against Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, among others, the great stars of contemporary cycling. While many think it will be a relatively easy victory for Pogacar, Valverde is not so sure. “At the moment, it's difficult to beat him, but ultimately, it's a three-week race. You can have bad days. Pogacar is not a robot; he's human.”

“And so he can be beaten,” Valverde continues. Nevertheless, the Spanish national coach sees the Slovenian world champion as the absolute favorite. “For now, Pogacar is unstoppable, that's clear. Currently, I see him ahead of Vingegaard, which is also clear. I think it's going to be a tough Tour for the Dane.”