The most sought-after, most desired and most deserved World Cup. The longest sprint for the most beautiful victory. At 38, Spaniard Alejandro Valverde fulfilled his life's dream.
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During his long career, he had stood on the podium of the event 6 times, twice as second and four times as third. A winning cyclist, who had in this race his black beast, his favorite race, the one that gives you the privilege of wearing the rainbow jersey for a year. Especially painful were 2005 and 2014 editions in Spain, and especially the 2013 in Florence. The extraordinary 38-year-old Murcian rider was facing his last great opportunity.
Innsbruk was the venue for the 2018 world championships. It was a circuit that seemed designed for Alejandro. A tremendously hard world championship, only for the great climbers. And Valverde was the fastest climber.
265 km where the best cyclists on the planet would have to make 7 laps of a circuit with the ascent to Igls, a mountain pass of 8 km at 5.7% on average, which would significantly wear out the participants, for the final ascent to Gramartboden, a climb of 3 km at 11% with a hellish ramp that reached 28, that would clearly select the strongest cyclists.
Many cyclists were considered candidates for victory at the starting line. Riders like the Slovakian Sagan, three-time world champion, Warrern Barguil, in excellent physical shape, Roman Bardet, one of the great protagonists, the Yates brothers... But among all stood out three great superclass. The Italian Francesco Nibali, who had had several duels with the Spaniard, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, perhaps the best rider in the world at that time, and the double world champion, the Frenchman Julian Alaphilip.
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