Valverde wants Worlds win

Spain's Alejandro Valverde is looking forward to this Sunday's UCI World Road Championship race in Varese, Italy. As co-captain of the Spanish National Team, Valverde is setting his sights high for the event.

"I have just one goal for these championships," he said, according to Sporza.

Valverde has enjoyed his best season to date this year. He won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Dauphiné Libéré, and the Clásica San Sebastián before finishing fifth in the Vuelta a España on Sunday. In between he was also crowned the champion of Spain.

The rider has been just one of Spain's shining stars in 2008. The nation has produced the winners are all three Grand Tours, with Alberto Contador winning the Giro d'Italia in May and this month's Vuelta a España, while Carlos Sastre claimed the Tour de France win. Topping off the stellar run for Spanish cycling is Samuel Sanchez's Olympic Games gold medal in the Beijing road race last month in China.

"This is the best season of my career," said Valverde. "Now I would love to become the World Champion, but if that doesn't happen, I won't be disappointed.

"If I have good legs, I will try to get into the right break," he said. "If I do then I will try something myself in the finale. If that doesn't work out, then I will ride for Oscar Freire."

The Spanish team will also feature Contador and Sanchez.