Alejandro Valverde

Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (born April 25, 1980) is a Spanish road racing cyclist. He rides for the Caisse d'Epargne team. Valverde won the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race in 2006 and 2008. He was second in the 2006 Vuelta a España and sixth in the 2007 Tour de France. He won the 2008 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, an important race before the 2008 Tour de France. This means that many people think he will do well in the Tour. 

Valverde is a strong climber, sprinter and time trialist.

 Achievements 

2001
  U23 Road Race Champion
2003
 2nd overall, World Cycling Championship Road Race
 3rd overall, Vuelta a España
 1st, Stages 9 and 15
 1st, Combined Classification
 2nd, Points Classification
 1st, GP Primavera
 1st, GP Villafranca de Ordizia
 2 stage wins, Troféu Joaquim Agostinho
 Stage win, Vuelta al País Vasco
 Stage win, Vuelta a Aragón
2004
 4th overall and 1 stage win, Vuelta a España
 1st overall and 3 stage wins, Vuelta a Burgos
 1st overall and 2 stage wins, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
 1st overall, Vuelta a Murcia
 1st, Trofeo Cala Millor - Cala Ratjada
 3 stage wins Vuelta a Castilla y León
 Stage win, Vuelta al País Vasco
 1st, GP Primavera
2005
 1st, Stage 10, Tour de France
 1st, Stage 8, Paris-Nice
 1st, Trofeo Manacor
 1st, Trofeo Soller
 1st, Stages 3 and 4, Vuelta al País Vasco
 2nd overall, World Cycling Championships Road Race
2006
 Champion, UCI ProTour
 2nd Overall, Vuelta a España
 1st, Stage 7
 3rd overall, World Cycling Championships Road Race
 1st, La Flèche Wallonne
 1st, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
 1st, Stage, Vuelta a Murcia
 2nd, Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco
 1st, Points Classification
 1st, Stage 1
 3rd, Overall, Tour de Romandie
 1st, Stage 4
 7th, Overall, Dauphiné Libéré
2007
2nd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
2nd, La Flèche Wallonne
7th, Amstel Gold Race
5th Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco
3rd, Vuelta al País Vasco, Stage 4
1st, Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
1st Overall, Vuelta a Murcia
1st Stage 4
3rd Overall,Critérium International
1st, Points classification
 1st Stage 4, Vuelta a Burgos
6th Overall, Tour de France
2nd, Stage 9
2008
1st Overall, Vuelta a Murcia
1st Stage 4
 2nd, Klasika Primavera
 1st, Paris-Camembert
 3rd, Amstel Gold Race
 1st, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
 1st Overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
 1st, Points Classification
 1st, Stage 1, Stage 4 (ITT)
2009
 1st, Overall,  Volta a Catalunya
 1st, Stage 3
 1st overall, Vuelta a Burgos
 20px 1st Overall, Vuelta a España
 20px Winner combination classification
 1st, Klasika Primavera
 1st Overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
 2nd Overall, Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid
 4th Overall, Tour de Romandie
 7th, La Flèche Wallonne
 9th Overall, Vuelta a Castilla y León
 1st, Points classification
 1st, Mountains Classification
 1st, Combination Classification
 1st, Stages 3 & 5
2010
All results were voided from 31 May, because of the suspension backdated to 1 January.

 1st, Tour Méditerranéen
 1st Overall Tour de Romandie
 1st Stage 5
 2nd Paris–Nice
 2nd GP Miguel Indurain
 2nd Overall, Tour of the Basque Country
 1st Stages 1 & 2
 20px 1st Points classification
 3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
 8th La Flèche Wallonne

2012
20px 1st Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
1st Stage 2
20px 1st Points classification
1st Combination classification
1st Stage 17 Tour de France
2nd Overall Vuelta a España
1st Stages 1 (TTT), 3 & 8
20px Winner points classification
20px Winner combination classification
2nd Overall Tour Down Under
1st Stage 5
3rd World Cycling Championship Road Race
3rd Overall Paris–Nice
1st Stage 3
2013
20px 1st Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
20px 1st Points classification
1st Prologue & Stage 3
1st Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
2nd Giro di Lombardia
2nd Amstel Gold Race
2nd Clásica de San Sebastián
3rd 15px World Road Race Championships
3rd Overall Vuelta a España
20px Winner points classification
3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
3rd Vuelta a Murcia
4th GP Miguel Indurain
6th Milano–Torino
7th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné
7th La Flèche Wallonne
8th Overall Tour de France
9th Overall Tour de Romandie

Grand Tour general classification results timeline:
Grand Tour20022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320px|link=General classification in the Giro d'Italia|alt=Pink jersey Giro————————————20px|link=General classification in the Tour de France|alt=Yellow jersey Tour———WDWD69———20820px|link=General classification in the Vuelta a España|alt=red jersey VueltaWD34—2—51——23
WD = Withdrew; In Progress = IP

 Classics results 
This table shows Valverde's classics results.

YearMilan – San RemoAmstel Gold RaceLa Flèche WallonneLiège–Bastogne–LiègeClásica de San SebastiánUCI Road World ChampionshipsGiro di LombardiaParis-Tours 2003 54th   2nd 39th  2004     61st 6th  2005 33rd 13th 40th 34th 8th2nd 12th 20th 2006 24th 23rd1st1st 8th3rd DNF  2007  7th2nd2nd3rd 57th  59th 2008 3rd 21st1st1st 37th 2009  21st 7th 19th 17th 9th 2012  22nd 46th DNQ 26th3rd 2013 2nd 7th3rd2nd3rd2nd

References

Category:1980 births
Category:Living people
Category:Spanish cyclists
Category:Vuelta a España winners