Two days ago Alejandro Valverde annonced his 2016 calendar which is loaded with novelties, including a debut in the Tour of Flanders and the Giro d'Italia in addition to the Tour de France and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. A participation in the Vuelta a Espana is regarded as excessive, but who dares to rule out that possibility? Valverde himself refuses to do so.

Valverde and Movistar Team have opted for a schedule of classis and the Giro, with only one stage race, probably Tirreno-Adriatico, before the Italian grand tour. The news is his debut in the Tour of Flanders which was already a possibility in previous years. He will finally tackle the cobblestones before the Ardennes classics as Amstel, Fleche and Liege will again be his main goals. He will also do the Giro for the first time and then focus on the Tour and Rio.

The final part of the season is not defined.

"Are you considering doing three grand tours?" he was asked at the Movistar press conference. His answer opened the door for any possibility. "I do not know. It is not ruled out. Clearly it is very complicated to do all three. For now we plan the Giro and Tour. Then we have San Sebastian and Rio, and then we have to assess whether I can have other objectives or have to help the team in the Vuelta. I could also do the classics. Plouay, Montreal, Quebec are very attractive. We'll see. It depends on how tired I am and what the team needs."

In 2015 Valverde raced for 91 days, from January 29 in Mallorca until October 11 in Abu Dhabi, more than ever. He did the Tour and Vuelta, raced the Worlds and Lombardy and ended in the Abu Dhabi Tour.

Valverde's grand tours

2002: Vuelta (abandoned)
2003: Vuelta (3rd)
2004: Vuelta (4th)
2005: Tour (abandoned)
2006: Tour (abandoned) and Vuelta (2nd)
2007: Tour (5th)
2008: Tour (8th) and Vuelta (5th)
2009: Vuelta (1st)
2010: -
2011: -
2012: Tour (20th) and Vuelta (2nd)
2013: Tour (8th) and Vuelta (3rd)
2014. Tour (4rh) and Vuelta (3rd)
2015: Tour (3rd) and Vuelta (7th)