Valverde not present at Italian hearing

Alejandro Valverde Tour of Spain stage 2

published 11 May 2009

Alejandro Valverde has decided not to be present at his doping hearing in Italy today, according to early reports.

The Spaniard is facing accusations from the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) that a blood bag containing traces of EPO found in the Operacion Puerto investigation belongs to him.

The Caisse d'Epargne rider faces a two-year suspension in Italy, and possibly elsewhere, if the hearing in Rome ultimately finds that he is guilty of doping.

Last week Valverde lodged a complaint with a Spanish court against the hearing, stating that CONI's anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri has ignored a Spanish judge who has said that evidence obtained in Spain cannot be used in an Italian investigation.

CONI are seeking to establish a link between Valverde and blood bag number 18 allocated the codename 'Valv. (piti)' found in the Madrid laboratory of Dr Eufemiano Fuentes as a result of the Operacion Puerto anti-doping investigation.

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Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.