In an interview with Marca.com, the 36-year-old Spaniard says he's proud of what he accomplished this year, taking third in the Giro d'Italia and then supporting teammate Nairo Quintana’s Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana ambitions, but he had a blunt answer when asked about trying another triple.
"No," he told Marca. "Here I answer very quickly. This year I wanted to try, not to win, but to have the experience, but you can't do well at all. I've been through it, and I do not think I will repeat it.
"The balance sheet is very good," he said. "I have raced all three Grand Tours, I won seven races, including the Flèche-Wallonne, and I finished third in the Giro d'Italia, with a stage win included. In the Tour de France I tried to help Nairo Quintana at all times and managed to finish sixth, and the Vuelta, despite being my third three-week race, I also was able help Nairo."
This year's Giro d'Italia was Valverde's first attempt at the Italian Grand Tour, and he gave it high marks after finishing third overall behind Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange).
"I liked it," he said. "The Italian fans are amazing. The tour, the organisation ... everything was great. I'm happy about the race, not just the end result."
Valverde competed in the Spanish national championships between the Giro and the Tour de France, where he says he arrived in top form to help Quintana to the Colombian's eventual third-place overall finish. After the Tour he raced San Sebastian and the Olympic road race, finishing third in the Spanish one-day race and 30th in Rio. But by the time the Vuelta came around, Valverde said, he was feeling the effects of his long season.
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"To participate in my third Grand Tour and win with Nairo and being a part of it, is very important," he said. "It was a last celebration with the whole team, a triumph. I am very pleased to have contributed to this success."
Valverde also confirmed to Marca that his future will continue to be linked with Movistar.
"Next year I will continue in the Movistar team," he said. "We have not signed yet, but we're about to. For the moment I do not know my 2017 objectives or targets."
