The manner of Alejandro Valverde’s victory at La Fleche Wallonne was a reminder this is a man in stunning form.
The Movistar rider has been back to his best this season and a third Liege-Bastogne-Liege title – and a repeat of his Belgian Ardennes Classics double from 2006 – seems within his grasp if he is able to repeat his scintillating form of recent weeks.
In the Tour of the Basque Country, Valverde attacked and counter-attacked with regularity, and looked at ease both when climbing and contesting the sprints, too.
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And he has followed it with fourth at the Amstel Gold Race and victory at La Fleche Wallonne – his seventh win of the season, and fourth in one-day races.
The Spaniard, who is likely to lead Movistar at the Tour de France, now has the chance to get an early-season strike over the likes of Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).