Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) has limbered up for the Giro d'Italia - aged 42 years - by checking out the final climb of tomorrow's stage 1 and beating the previous best time on it but over one minute.
The Visegrád climb is classified as a cat 4 and the categorised incline is 5.5km to the finish, averaging 4.2 per cent gradient. Coming at the end of a 195km flat stage, the climb is one that can suit a range of riders; from the general classification contenders to some of the sprinters.
Depending on how hard its raced from the start, it could really play into the hands of climbers who can also sprint, such as Valverde. The 42-year-old - who previous served a doping ban - already has three wins under his belt this year and most recently he took 2nd in La Flèche Wallonne and 7th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
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The Spanish veteran limbered up on the Visegrád climb today by breaking the Strava KOM with a time of 10:16, some 1:03 faster than the previous best. That previous record was set by former Italian pro rider Alessandro Mazzi when he was racing in Visegrád 4 Bicycle Race-GP Hungary (1.2) back in May, 2014.
Valverde’s Movistar Giro team mate, Jorge Arcas, also broke that 2014 record today and he is 2nd in the Strava KOM, with a time of 10:27. Mazzi’s time from eight years ago is still 3rd best.
Vincenzo Nibali, who is riding the Giro for Astana Qazaqstan, was also on the climb earlier today and recorded a time of 11:20; the two-time GC winner and seven-time stage winner regarded as an outsider this year as he is nearing the end of his career, though is still five years younger than Valverde.
Hungarian rider Attila Valter, who will be out to impress on home soil tomorrow, has been hitting the climb recently, with seven efforts recorded within the last 90 days. The Groupama-FDJ rider held the Giro leader’s jersey for three days later year and clearly believes tomorrow’s finish climb will be a key test.
Valverde is on top, for now...
Stage 1 |Budapest to Visegrád (195km)
