Venezuelan climber José Rujano comes out of retirement to target Vuelta a España

The 36-year-old said he was inspired by the longevity of Alejandro Valverde

José Rujano on the Colle delle Finestre at the 2011 Giro d'Italia (Photo: Yuzuru SUNADA)

(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)

It looks as though 2019 could be the year of the comeback, as retired Venezuelan super-climber José Rujano has announced his ambition to win the Vuelta a España.

Rujano, now 36, left the professional peloton in 2013 but said he was inspired to rejoin the sport by the longevity of Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde.

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.