Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) is the new leader of the UCI WorldTour individual rankings after winning the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classic.

The Spanish rider celebrated his 35th birthday on Saturday and celebrated his third victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. 

Valverde was isolated in the final kilometres of the oldest and toughest one-day Classic in the UCI WorldTour after a series of attacks on the many climbs in the Ardennes hills. However he had the tactical intelligence to chase after a late solo move by Daniel Moreno (ESP – Team Katusha) and then had the speed to win the sprint to the line. Talented young French rider Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick Step) came from behind to finish second, while Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP – Team Katusha) was third after being unable to take advantage of the attacks by his teammates in the final kilometres.

Valverde has now won Liège-Bastogne-Liège three times after victories in 2006 and 2008. He completed a near perfect week in the Ardennes classics, finishing second at the Amstel Gold Race and then winning La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. 

“It’s incredible,” Valverde said after celebrating his success with his wife and young son. “I started as the big favourite, I knew that all the world would be watching me but I knew that I could do something just the same. Second in Amstel, first in Flèche, first in Liège, it’s been an amazing week.”

“In the final kilometre there was a difficult moment when I saw Moreno get away. I decided I had to go across to him; I had to try and get him, even if it was a risk and I risked losing. Fortunately I had some strength left for the sprint too.” 

Valverde scored 100 UCI WorldTour points for his victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, lifting his individual ranking total to 338 points. He now leads Richie Porte (AUS – Team Sky) by 35 points, with Tour of Flanders winner Alexander Kristoff (NOR – Team Katusha) third with 237 points. 

Julian Alaphilippe is only 22 but proved he is the revelation of the Ardennes classics. His second places at both La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège strengthened Etixx-Quick Step’s lead in the team ranking of the UCI WorldTour. The Belgian team has a total of 779 points and has extended its lead on Team Sky. The British squad is second with 673 points, with Movistar Team moving up to third place with 663 points. 

Valverde also boosted Spain’s lead in the nations ranking thanks to his victory. Spain has a total of 807 points, with Australia second with 638 points and Colombia is third with 472 points. 
 

While Liège-Bastogne-Liège marks the end of the spring classics, the UCI WorldTour continues this week with theTour de Romandie in Switzerland. 

The six-day race (April 28 - May 3) will see some of the sports’ biggest stage race stars go head to head on the roads of western Switzerland. Riders expected to fight for overall victory include Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali (ITA – Astana Pro Team), Chris Froome (GBR – Team Sky), Nairo Quintana (COL – Movistar Team), Thibaut Pinot (FRA – FDJ), Jean-Christophe Péraud (FRA – AG2R La Mondiale), Rigoberto Uran (COL – Etixx-Quick Step) and Rafal Majka (POL – Tinkoff-Saxo).

The race begins with a 19.2km team time trial to the Juraparc and ends with a 17.3km individual time trial aroundLausanne. In between are over 10,000 metres of climbing, with three tough stages and a mountain finish in Champex-Lac.

The final overall winner will need to be good on every terrain and have the support of a strong team.