As the cycling season kicked-off in the earnest, the riders expected to play the most important roles in its major events slowly start to show off their potential and reflect over expectations regarding 2014 year. Even though Alejandro Valverde, once unquestionable Movistar Team leader, experienced a rather quiet and anonymous start to the season in Dubai Tour, the 34-year old Spaniard seemed very confident about his own objectives and possibility of beating Christopher Froome at the Tour the France, as he was interviewed by Marca before the race came to an end.

Valverde, quietly passing through the following stages of the Dubai Tour first edition believes, that the globalization of the discipline was just a matter of time, and even though there is no a “cycling culture” in the countries organizing races from the season’s opening Asian bloc, still they have a proper arguments to create a good spectacle as they gain more experience.

“Slowly bike racing will globalize and that’s how it’s going to look like in the future. It is true they [Dubai Tour organizers] are a little green in organization but it is normal because there is no culture of cycling.”

The main objectives regarding 2014 year, spring Classics and Tour the France, are still relatively remote for Valverde, as he took his time during the even inaugurating his season to test the new equipment and slowly ride himself into a form without creating too big pressure. However, the 34-year old Movistar leader is aware that his chances are decreasing as the time passes by and it becomes more and more difficult to reach his ambitious objectives.

“Very comfortable , well before it was fine. No one had ever tasted and I'm pretty happy. The sensations are good both on the flat and up and down,” Valverde complemented his new bike.

“I do not know if it's the last or I get more opportunities but it is true that the years are already taking a toll. In April I’ll turn 34, and will be left with fewer opportunities but I’ll always do what I can.”

His racing schedule could be finally announced, as the decision has been made that Valverde will tackle the Tour the France as the lone Movistar leader, while Quintana will try his luck in the Giro d’Italia. The former Vuelta a Espana champion regrets he has never been handed a chance to race in the Italian Grand Tour and reveals, that he wouldn’t mind participating in la Grande Boucle together with the young Colombian climber, even though the decision was made without any influence of the riders.

“The Giro is a great race and winning it would be awesome, like winning the Vuelta. The Tour is the Tour, but I think he [Quintana] is a very young rider and thus has enough time to win the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta.”

“The one who decides is Eusebio (Unzué) and other team bosses,” said Valverde.

“For my part, if Nairo also did the Tour, it would have been great. He and I get along very well and it would not have been a problem.”

Obviously, the Tour the France is Valverde’s biggest objective in 2014 season, and the Spaniard believes it is perfectly possible to beat Christopher Froome on the way to Paris. Movistar team rider, whose best result to date in the event was finishing fifth in 2005, is more aware than anyone esle that one unfortunate day can waste all the chances of the final triumph, as he lost over ten minutes after experiencing a puncture in the crosswinds during the dramatic 13th stage of the French Grand Tour’s last edition. Thus, he points out to the cobbled roads of the Northern France as to one of those places where the race could be lost.

“He is not unbeatable by any means,” Valverde told Marca.

“He is a rider that, when fit, is very strong and very hard to beat, but not impossible. A Tour is very long, and anyone can have a bad day and lose.”

“It is a key because at that stage you can lose everything because of a puncture or a crash. Without looking back any further, last year , when I broke the rear wheel I dropped from second to fifteenth in the overall, losing 10 minutes.”

Apart from challenging Froome and Nibali at the Tour the France, Valverde aims to prepare a good disposition before the spring Classics and the World Championships, held this year in Spain.

“In March and April we have very nice Classic as the Milan- San Remo, Amstel , Fleche and Liege. Then there is the Tour and the Vuelta, and finally the World Championships”