On the day where Movistar announced the decision to extend the sponsorship of the eponymous cycling team, one of the team's stars Alejandro Valverde has confirmed that he may alter his usual race schedule to target the Giro d'Italia. The Spanish star will wait until the courses for the grand tours have all been revealed before making a final decision.

Today Alejandro Valverde was reassured that his Movistar team will survive until at least 2016 and the Spaniard has already started to plan the first of those three years. On the press conference where the renewed sponsorship contract was revealed, the Spaniard confirmed that he would continue his habit of riding two grand tours.

However, he may alter his schedule considerably compared to his usual habits. Until now, Valverde has always targeted the Tour-Vuelta double but has never participated in the Giro. This year his grand tour campaign was a big success as he finished 8th in the Tour - despite bad luck when he broke his wheel on stage 13 - and 3rd in the Vuelta.

While he won't make up his mind until the courses for all three grand tours have been unveiled, Valverde now reveals that he is considering making his Giro debut next year. With Nairo Quintana having shown his grand tour potential by finishing 2nd in the Tour, the two star riders on the team will have to share the captaincy duties in the three-week races.

"This year I did two grand tours, the Tour and the Vuelta, and I did well," he said at the press conference according to Biciclismo. "Next year I will once again do two three-week races."

"First you have to see the route of the Tour and the Vuelta," he added. We already know that the Giro had a very nice course that suits me well. Why not do the Giro? It could be a very good race for me. You have to wait for the unveiling of the Tour route. If it's very mountainous, it may be better for Quintana. And yes, I would also like to do the Vuelta where I have often been on the podium and even taken the win."

Valverde will turn 34 in April but still thinks that he has a bright future ahead of him. Having finished 2nd in Amstel Gold Race, Il Lombardia and Clasica San Sebastian, 3rd in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the world championships and the Vuelta and 8th in the Tour, he has probably had his most consistent year yet.

As he was suspended from May 2010 to January 2012, he feels that he still has several years at the highest level ahead of him.

"Certainly, I have more to give," he said. "You have to keep in mind that I was training alone for two years, without competing, and that it has prolonged my career. This year I was better than ever, and I will continue for three or four more years."

Valverde has won 41 races in his career but this year he only added 4 victories to his tally: Trofeo Deia and two stages and the overall in the Vuelta a Andalucia.