Federico Martin Bahamontes, the winner of the 1958 Tour de France, would like to see Alejandro Valverde with the leadership of his team at the next edition of the French race. According to Spanish news agency EFE, he explained he was impressed that Valverde could do so well in the Tour de France.

"Alejandro Valverde will go for another Tour, because if he's finished third, then it's his obligation to go for second or first", he told. "Valverde should have done the same as Quintana and have rested more before the Tour."

Bahamontes explained also that he preferred Nibali. "It’s been a Tour with a lot of contenders, and the rider who was strongest physically was not [Tour winner Chris] Froome (Sky), but [Nairo] Quintana (Movistar). However, what I like to see is riders on the attack from the foot of the climbs, he [Quintana] is a great climber, but I prefer [Vincenzo] Nibali's way of racing."

"When you're a climber, you have to attack, then when they catch you, attack again and on the third attack, that's when you'll drop them."

He blamed the influence of sports directors too. "The [team sports] director is the one who controls everything, there's no fighting anymore, because they're too scared of losing riders and they want to get to Paris with the entire team."

The spanish former rider is the first cyclist to complete a "career triple" in winning the "King of the Mountains" classification in all three Grand Tours. He won six times the mountains classification at the Tour de France (+ 7 stage wins).