At first glance Alex doesn't seem to be a typical example of an aggressive and temperamental rider. This is a false impression, though. At the beginning of his pro career he was known as a rider who couldn't control himself. He got his nickname "Crazy Dog" in his very first pro race. When fighting for a contract with Once, he gave in all he had, attacking on the flat, in the mountains and at strong wind.

Miguel Indurain is supposed to have tried many times to hold him back in the spring, saying "Hey, Alex, slow down, the season has only just started." He didn't take this warning to heart until later, unfortunately not with good results. After his change to Banesto, his program was totally changed around. The Spanish team was searching for a new leader after the end of the Indurain era, and thought it had found its next Tour winner in Alex. Because of his doping suspension he couldn't start racing until late in the spring season, but still managed a fantastic second place in the Tour. This successful preparation program was tried again the next year, in 2000, but it ran into the same problems as in 1994. In that year his whole season was planned around the Tour, but the "experiment" backfired. As Alex said, the wins in the spring may cost strength, but are important for the morale for the rest of the season.