Alejandro Valverde is always consistent, but often struggled to win the biggest races, with just one Grand Tour to his name and many failures in Amstel Gold and Il Lombardia and the Worlds. Now the 35 year old has set his sights on Olympic Gold in the Rio Road Race.

“I can do well on the circuit they’ve designed in Rio,” Valverde told El Mundo. “I will do more one-day racing [in 2016] and I’ll see what I can do in the Giro d’Italia and I’ll help Nairo Quintana in the Tour de France, but I’ll be doing those races with Rio in the back of my mind. I’ll be with Nairo, but I will always be focused on how to be in best shape for the Games. I feel very motivated for Rio. It’s my fourth Olympics and it’s got a really good course for me. Of course I’m motivated.”

Valverde will begin his season at the Mallorca Challenge, before leading Movistar in the Ardennes, Giro, supporting Quintana at the Tour and then, potentially if he isn’t too tired, a Vuelta ride.