Valverde motivated to chase Vuelta win

Alejandro Valverde maintained the overall race lead.

Alejandro Valverde maintained the overall race lead. (Image credit: Lavuelta.com)

As a second year professional Alejandro Valverde won two stages and finished third overall in the Vuelta a España. Then aged just 23 years of age, his 2003 performance led many to predict he’d soon win Spain’s biggest event, as well as many other races.