Alejandro Valverde has outlined his immediate career plans after retiring from racing, confirming that he's going to take up a key staff role with his Movistar team from next year.
Speaking at the Saitama Criterium in Japan, Valverde said that he will work with the team in a role liaising between riders, coaches, and directors.
He told Spanish newspaper AS in Japan that he's set to work with the team at all three Grand Tours.
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"My main job will be that there will be more communication between directors, coaches, and riders," he said.
"I will be in the car at some races. For example, the idea is to be at the Giro, Tour, and Vuelta, but not the whole thing. I'll be five or six days, something like that. I'll still be seen at races."
Valverde's now former teammate Enric Mas, who he helped to second place at the Vuelta a España, said that it would be valuable to have Valverde in the team car given the experience he gained during his two-decade career.
Valverde's leadership was shown during the Least Expected Day documentary series and during his long career.
"It's very important for a rider like him to be in the bus or car, with his experience, so that in complicated or tense moments he can contribute. Especially in the races he won so many times," Mas said.
The new role for Valverde, details of which aren't explicitly clear, will be a big change for the 42-year-old, who officially ended his time on the bike with sixth at Il Lombardia. He also took on the Saitama Criterium at the weekend and will ride Rigoberto Urán's Giro de Rigo Gran Fondo event in Costa Rice at the end of the month.
"Even though I've spent so many years competing, it doesn't mean that what comes next pays me any respect," he said. "It will be strange when the season starts, for sure, but I'll continue to be linked to this world."
In addition to being with the team and in the car at races next season, Valverde is also set to take part in Movistar's altitude camps where he'll be back on the bike.
He also said that he'd like to keep competing in some way, maybe even in gravel racing, though has no definitive plans on that front yet.
"That's the idea," he said. "I don't know if, for example, it'll be the whole three weeks, but for 10 days or something like that. It will be without competing, that's for sure.
"I would like to be in gravel races and things like that, though I still haven't taken a good look at it. It will be to have a sporting goal and to have fun, which for me is the same.
"Maybe it would be without so much discipline, but my training mornings are going to be untouched."
