- Place: Las Lumbreras, Murcia
- Birth: 25/04/1980
- Country: ESP
- Height: 177 Cm
- Weight: 61 Kg
- Pro debut: 2002
- Years in team: 14
- Career path:
2005-2019: Illes / Caisse / Movistar Team
2002-2004: Kelme
Alejandro Valverde
FROM AN INJURY, TO A RAINBOW DREAM. Seven months after his brutal crash in the 2017 Tour de France, and following many long weeks of recovery, Valverde was able to win again -2018 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana- when many had called his career over. Ironically, that was his best season ever, with pure class and commitment leading him to 14 victories, a palmarès crowned with the success he had always dreamt of and aimed for: becoming world champion.
UNBEATABLE CONSISTENCY. Despite the first half of his ‘year in rainbow’ – which saw him finally debuting at the Ronde van Vlaanderen (8th) – wasn’t easy for him because of illness and injuries, ‘Bala’ got back to winning ways right after his mid-season break in June, with five victories followed by a sensational Vuelta a España: 2nd overall, at age 39, in his ninth Grand Tour GC podium. Yet another proof of the Spaniard’s regularity, Alejandro finishing the year on a high note with great performances in the Italian autumn classics and another podium at Il Lombardia (2nd).
THE LAST BIG CHALLENGE: TOKYO. He will seek in 2020 to compete in what will be his fifth and final Olympic Games, the biggest goal of a season where he aims to round off his legendary palmarès with another medal for Spain. The World Championships in Switzerland, again mountainous, and La Vuelta will be the main reference points for Valverde into his penultimate pro season, the Murcia native having already set his retirement for 2021 – before becoming an Abarca Sports ambassador at least through the end of 2024.
His biggest passion remains his family, who joins him at the finish of many races. His wife is Natalia; his four kids are called Iván, Alex (twins), Pablo and the youngest one, Natalia. A man loyal to his roots, he’s been born, raised and lives in Murcia, and admits that, even if people around the world tries to make him comfortable wherever he goes, he wouldn’t feel as good in any other place rather than home.
His rivals’ parents when he was a young child called him ‘El Imbatido’ (‘The Unbeaten One’) because of his voracious character on the bike. He started racing at age 9, and from 11 to 14 years old he snatched 50 consecutive victories. The nickname he likes the most is a word game with his last name: ‘Balaverde’.
His endless palmarès doesn’t include the day he enjoyed the most on a bike. He always recalls his first Worlds appearance, in Hamilton (Canada), where he took silver behind compatriot Igor Astarloa. “It was really the achievement I hold dearest because of everything around that race”, he remembers.
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- Finally World Champion (Innsbruck, 2018).
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- Winning in rainbow colours at the 2019 La Vuelta.
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- On the Madrid podium, alongside Roglic and Pogacar.
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- With now-teammate Enric Mas.
Palmares
127 Victories as professional
1st (7th stage) Vuelta a España 2019
1st Spanish Road Race Championship 2019
1st Route d'Occitanie 2019
1st (1st stage) Route d'Occitanie 2019
1st (3rd stage) UAE Tour 2019
1st World Road Race Championships 2018
1st (8th stage) Vuelta a España 2018
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a España 2018
1st Route d'Occitanie 2018
1st (3rd stage) Route d'Occitanie 2018
1st GP Miguel Indurain 2018
1st Volta a Catalunya 2018
1st (4th stage) Volta a Catalunya 2018
1st (2nd stage) Volta a Catalunya 2018
1st Abu Dhabi Tour 2018
1st (5th stage) Abu Dhabi Tour 2018
1st Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2018
1st (4th stage) Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2018
1st (2nd stage) Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2018
1st Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2017
1st Flèche Wallonne 2017
1st Vuelta al País Vasco 2017
1st (5th stage) Vuelta al País Vasco 2017
1st Volta a Catalunya 2017
1st (7th stage) Volta a Catalunya 2017
1st (5th stage) Volta a Catalunya 2017
1st (3rd stage) Volta a Catalunya 2017
1st Vuelta a Andalucía 2017
1st (1st stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2017
1st Vuelta a Murcia 2017
1st (16th stage) Giro d'Italia 2016
1st Flèche Wallonne 2016
1st Vuelta a Castilla y León 2016
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2016
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2016
1st Vuelta a Andalucía 2016
1st (5th stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2016
1st (4th stage) Vuelta a España 2015
1st Spanish RR Championships 2015
1st Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2015
1st Flèche Wallonne 2015
1st (7th stage) Volta a Catalunya 2015
1st (5th stage) Volta a Catalunya 2015
1st (2nd stage) Volta a Catalunya 2015
1st Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana 2015
1st (6th stage) Vuelta a España 2014
1st Clásica San Sebastián 2014
1st Spanish RR Championships 2014
1st Flèche Wallonne 2014
1st GP Miguel Indurain 2014
1st Roma Maxima 2014
1st Vuelta a Murcia 2014
1st Vuelta a Andalucía 2014
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2014
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2014
1st (1st stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2014
1st Vuelta a Andalucía 2013
1st (4th stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2013
1st (1st stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2013
1st Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana 2013
1st (8th stage) Vuelta a España 2012
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a España 2012
1st (17th stage) Tour de France 2012
1st (3rd stage) Paris-Nice 2012
1st Vuelta a Andalucía 2012
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a Andalucía 2012
1st (5th stage) Tour Down Under 2012
1st Vuelta a España 2009
1st Vuelta a Burgos 2009
1st Critérium du Dauphiné 2009
1st Volta a Catalunya 2009
1st (3rd stage) Volta a Catalunya 2009
1st Klasika Primavera 2009
1st (5th stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2009
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2009
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a España 2008
1st Clásica San Sebastián 2008
1st (6th stage) Tour de France 2008
1st (1st stage) Tour de France 2008
1st Spanish RR Championships 2008
1st Critérium du Dauphiné 2008
1st (3rd stage) Critérium du Dauphiné 2008
1st (1st stage) Critérium du Dauphiné 2008
1st Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2008
1st Paris-Camembert 2008
1st Vuelta a Murcia 2008
1st (4th stage) Vuelta a Murcia 2008
1st (4th stage) Vuelta a Burgos 2007
1st (3rd stage) Clásica de Alcobendas 2007
1st Vuelta a Murcia 2007
1st (4th stage) Vuelta a Murcia 2007
1st Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2007
1st (7th stage) Vuelta a España 2006
1st (4th stage) Tour de Romandie 2006
1st Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2006
1st Flèche Wallonne 2006
1st (1st stage) Vuelta al País Vasco 2006
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a Murcia 2006
1st (10th stage) Tour de France 2005
1st (4th stage) Vuelta al País Vasco 2005
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta al País Vasco 2005
1st (7th stage) Paris-Nice 2005
1st Trofeo Sóller 2005
1st Trofeo Manacor 2005
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a España 2004
1st Vuelta a Burgos 2004
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a Burgos 2004
1st (2nd stage) Vuelta a Burgos 2004
1st (1st stage) Vuelta a Burgos 2004
1st (5th stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2004
1st (4th stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2004
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a Castilla y León 2004
1st Klasika Primavera 2004
1st (1st stage) Vuelta al País Vasco 2004
1st Vuelta a Murcia 2004
1st Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2004
1st (3rd stage) Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2004
1st (2nd stage) Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2004
1st Trofeo Cala Millor 2004
1st (15th stage) Vuelta a España 2003
1st (9th stage) Vuelta a España 2003
1st Prueba Villafranca - Ordiziako Klasika 2003
1st (5th stage) Trofeu Joaquim Agostinho 2003
1st (4th stage) Trofeu Joaquim Agostinho 2003
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta a Aragón 2003
1st Klasika Primavera 2003
1st (3rd stage) Vuelta al País Vasco 2003
Other results
2nd WORLD RR CHAMP. 2005
2nd IL LOMBARDIA 2013
2nd VUELTA A ESPAÑA 2012
3rd GIRO D’ITALIA 2016
3rd TOUR DE FRANCE 2015
1st REGULARIDAD VUELTA A ESPAÑA 2015