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Alves Hanging with the Young Kids, Improves to 2-For-3 at World Finals

By: Darci Miller

LAS VEGAS – Silvano Alves is no stranger to success in Las Vegas.

In fact, few men have had as much as Alves has.

The three-time PBR World Champion is 41-for-61 (67%) in his career at the PBR World Finals – all but five of those outs have been in Las Vegas – and he has one event title (2014) in addition to four other Top-3 finishes.

“Yeah, a lot of good memories here,” Alves said with a laugh during Round 3 of the 2021 PBR World Finals in T-Mobile Arena. “Never forgot this here.”

In recent years, Alves hasn’t ridden up to his prior World Championship form. After placing second at the 2017 World Finals to finish the season ranked No. 11, he ended 2018 ranked No. 32 after placing 27th at the World Finals. In 2019, he could not compete in Las Vegas due to injury and finished the season ranked No. 27. He then improved to No. 20 in 2020 with an 11th-place finish in Arlington, Texas.

In 2021, however, we’re seeing a new – or old – Silvano Alves

He’s currently 2-for-3 at the World Finals after riding Catch My Drift for 86.26 points in Round 3 on Friday night and is 12th in the aggregate with 172 points. Alves is one of 11 riders that are 2-for-3 and is 95.75 points behind event leader Mason Taylor (3-for-3, 267.75 points).

“I’m happy I covered my last two bulls the last two days,” Alves said. “It felt great. He’s a good bull from Canada. The first time I rode him was tonight. It’s just perfect for the last two days.

“I got a second opinion, third opinion, and I watched a couple videos from PBR Canada, and I liked him. I wanted to try him.”

 
Alves has also brought the energy with his celebrations, whooping at the top of his lungs after dismounting. Far from the grizzled veteran that’s done this 41 times before, Alves looks as excited as a rookie.

“I’m very happy because I like it here,” he said with a grin. “It’s the best time to ride really well. It’s the best here to ride to pick up your (rank). That’s why I’m excited to be here. There’s a lot of energy here.”

Alves has earned 21.5 points for his efforts and is now ranked No. 14 in the world. It’s as well as he’s performed in the world standings since 2017.

After several years plagued with injuries and hardships, a season with a modicum of success has been a breath of fresh air for the Pilar do Sul, Brazil native.

“Right now, this season is a great change in my life because a couple years ago, there’s not trouble, but a lot of up-and-downs all the time,” Alves said. “And this year, I’m healthy all year, and I stay in the Top 10 most of the season. It just lowered a little bit, but I try to really work hard now to get back in the Top 5, Top 10 at least, finish with the top stars. It’s been really good this year.”

At 33 years old, Alves is one of the elder statesmen in the locker room, in a fraternity with the likes of Cody Nance, also 33, 35-year-old Fernando Henrique Novais and Joao Ricardo Vieira, 37.

While Alves knows that he’s closer to the end of his career than the beginning, he’s far from over the hill and nowhere near done.

“Yeah, I’m closer (to the end), but I feel great,” he said with a laugh. “I’m very happy. Right now, I’m thinking just a couple more guys are more old in the locker room now, for the old guys at the PBR Finals, but I feel great. I look like a young guy now. I’m very happy to stay a contender with the young kids.”

“He’s old as hell,” joked Dalton Kasel, one of those young kids at 22 years old. “He rides good, though.”

Kasel also made the whistle in Round 3, covering Smooth Wreck for 84.5 points and his first qualified ride of the week.

Alves has drawn Risen’s Freight Train (4-0, UTB) for Round 4 (11 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network).

While he still may not be the Alves of old, he’s thrilled to be back in Vegas and riding well, and he hopes to still be in it when the field is whittled down to 12 for the championship round on Sunday.

And with the wisdom of age comes a lack of nerves.

“Just happy,” he said. “Just ride each night, each bull the next day.”

Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media

© 2021 PBR Inc. All rights reserved.

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