Rafael Valls

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Rafael Valls

| image = Antwerpen - Tour de France, étape 3, 6 juillet 2015, départ (102).JPG

| caption = Valls at the 2015 Tour de France.

| fullname = Rafael Valls Ferri

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1987|6|25}}

| birth_place = Cocentaina, Spain

| height = 1.79 m

| weight = {{convert|64|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| currentteam = {{UCI team code|BEX men}}

| discipline = Road

| role = {{ubl|Rider (retired)|Directeur sportif}}

| ridertype = Climber

| amateuryears1 = 2007

| amateurteam1 = {{UCI team code|REG|2007}} (stagiaire)

| amateuryears2 = 2008

| amateurteam2 = {{UCI team code|FOT|2008b}} (stagiaire)

| proyears1 = 2009

| proteam1 = {{UCI team code|BBH|2009}}

| proyears2 = 2010–2011

| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|FOT|2010}}

| proyears3 = 2012–2013

| proteam3 = {{UCI team code|VCD|2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/10790/Vacansoleil-DCM-presented-with-twelve-new-riders-for-2012.aspx|title=Vacansoleil-DCM presented with twelve new riders for 2012|work=VeloNation|publisher=VeloNation LLC|date=3 January 2012|access-date=7 January 2012|first=Ben|last=Atkins}}

| proyears4 = 2014–2015

| proteam4 = {{UCI team code|LAM|2014}}

| proyears5 = 2016–2017

| proteam5 = {{UCI team code|LTS|2016}}

| proyears6 = 2018–2019

| proteam6 = {{UCI team code|MOV|2018}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/movistar-sign-valls-for-2018/|title=Movistar sign Valls for 2018|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Immediate Media Company|date=28 September 2017|access-date=3 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telefonica.com/en/web/press-office/-/movistar-team-launches-2019-season-with-highest-hopes|title=Movistar Team launches 2019 season with highest hopes|work=Telefónica|publisher=Telefónica, S.A.|date=18 December 2018|access-date=4 January 2019}}

| proyears7 = 2020–2021

| proteam7 = {{UCI team code|TBM|2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2020-team-preview-bahrain-mclaren/|title=2020 Team Preview: Bahrain McLaren|first=Daniel|last=Ostanek|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Future plc|date=26 December 2019|access-date=1 January 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15229/1002125/279|title=Bahrain Victorious|work=UCI.org|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|access-date=1 January 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210101044146/https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15229/1002125/279|archive-date=1 January 2021}}

| manageyears1 = 2023–

| manageteam1 = {{UCI team code|BEX men|2023}}

| majorwins = Stage races

:Tour of Oman (2015)

}}

Rafael Valls Ferri (born 25 June 1987) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2009 and 2021 for seven different teams. Valls took four victories during his professional career – a stage at the 2010 Tour de San Luis, a stage and the general classification at the 2015 Tour of Oman, and a win in the 2019 Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia one-day race.

Following his retirement, Valls now works as a directeur sportif for UCI WorldTeam {{UCI team code|BEX men}}.{{cite news|first=Alberto|last=Marcos|url=https://www.rouleur.cc/blogs/rouleur-espana/rafa-valls-y-la-odisea-de-jayco-alula-en-la-vuelta-los-ciclistas-han-crecido-a-palos|title=Rafa Valls y la odisea de Jayco AlUla en La Vuelta: "Los ciclistas han crecido a palos"|language=Spanish|trans-title=Rafa Valls and Jayco AlUla's odyssey in La Vuelta: "The cyclists have grown up hard"|work=Rouleur|publisher=Gruppo Media Ltd.|date=22 September 2023|accessdate=19 November 2023}}

Career

Born in Cocentaina, Valls left {{UCI team code|VCD|2013}} at the end of the 2013 season, and joined {{UCI team code|LAM|2014|nolink=yes}} for the 2014 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.teamlampremerida.com/en/2013/09/rinforzo-spagnolo-rafael-valls-ferri-con-la-lampre-merida/|title=Spanish reinforcement: Rafael Valls Ferri in Lampre-Merida|date=12 September 2013|access-date=31 October 2013|work={{UCI team code|LAM|2013}}|publisher=New Master SRL}} In 2015, Valls had his biggest victory to that point by winning the Tour of Oman and its fourth stage.{{cite web|title=Rafael Valls jubilant after winning 2015 Tour of Oman|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/02/news/rafael-valls-jubilant-winning-2015-tour-oman_361490|website=Velonews|access-date=25 February 2015|date=22 February 2015}} In September 2015 it was announced that Valls would join {{UCI team code|LTS|2016}} from 2016 on a two-year deal.{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lotto-soudal-sign-rafa-valls-on-two-year-contract/ |title=Lotto Soudal sign Rafa Valls on two-year contract|date=25 September 2015 |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=7 November 2015}} In August 2020, he was named in the startlist for the 2020 Tour de France.{{cite web|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2020/startlist |title=107th Tour de France: Startlist |work=ProCyclingStats |access-date=27 August 2020}} However, he crashed on the opening stage, and abandoned the race.{{cite web|url=https://cyclingtips.com/2020/08/the-tour-de-france-ice-rink-who-crashed-and-whos-hurt/ |title=The Tour de France ice rink: Who crashed and who's hurt |work=Cycling Tips |access-date=29 August 2020}}

At the end of the following year, Valls retired from the sport, despite holding a contract until the end of the 2022 season.{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Dabbs|url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/after-suffering-several-crashes-im-not-in-the-mindset-to-compete-at-that-level-rafael-valls-announces-retirement|title='After suffering several crashes, I'm not in the mindset to compete at that level': Rafael Valls announces retirement|work=Cycling Weekly|publisher=Future plc|date=21 December 2021|accessdate=19 November 2023}}

Major results

Source:{{cite web|url=https://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=886|title=Rafael Valls|work=FirstCycling.com|publisher=FirstCycling AS|accessdate=19 November 2023}}

;2005

: 3rd Time trial, National Junior Road Championships

;2008

: 9th Overall Grand Prix du Portugal

;2009

: 4th Overall Circuito Montañés

: 10th Overall Tour de l'Avenir

;2010

: 2nd Trofeo Inca

: 3rd Overall Tour de San Luis

::1st 20px Mountains classification

::1st Stage 2

: 9th Trofeo Deia

;2014

: 8th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali

;2015

: 1st 20px Overall Tour of Oman

::1st Stage 4

: 8th Overall Paris–Nice

: 8th Overall Volta a Catalunya

;2016

: 8th Overall Tour Down Under

;2017

: 7th Overall Tour Down Under

: 10th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné

;2019

: 1st Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia

;2020

: 9th Overall Route d'Occitanie

=Grand Tour general classification results timeline=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Grand Tour ! scope="col" \| 2010 ! scope="col" \| 2011 ! scope="col" \| 2012 ! scope="col" \| 2013 ! scope="col" \| 2014 ! scope="col" \| 2015 ! scope="col" \| 2016 ! scope="col" \| 2017 ! scope="col" \| 2018 ! scope="col" \| 2019 ! scope="col" \| 2020 ! scope="col" \| 2021
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey pink.svg Giro d'Italia \|— \|DNF \|— \|29 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|DNF \|— \|— \|96
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey yellow.svg Tour de France \|53 \|— \|41 \|— \|DNF \|78 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|DNF \|—
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey red.svg Vuelta a España \|— \|— \|DNF \|43 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|—

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Grand Tour

! scope="col" | 2010

! scope="col" | 2011

! scope="col" | 2012

! scope="col" | 2013

! scope="col" | 2014

! scope="col" | 2015

! scope="col" | 2016

! scope="col" | 2017

! scope="col" | 2018

! scope="col" | 2019