We witnessed last week in the rebirth of a rider: Rafael Valls. The Lampre Merida rider won the Tour of Oman beating the American Tejay van Gardener by nine seconds after won the queen stage, his first win in five years. And according to the Marca sports daily, the Spanish rider could have stopped his career.

“It has been five years that I've badly suffered with crashes and injuries and could never prove my worth. Finally this year I could make a longer winter than normal and the team has also given me more peace. I got to thinking even that victory that got in the Tour de San Luis in 2010 was only by luck, I had low self-esteem because when I was well I could never perform at their best for one or another problem,” said Valls. “As when I was well positioned in the Giro 2013 and I fell and broke two ribs. These things affect you mainly because nowadays it is very difficult to stay in the WorldTour. More than justice, I think with this I take the thorn I've always had and confidence that I could give more”, he explains.