Vuelta a Espana - Valverde silences doubters

Eurosport - Sun, 20 Sep 21:45:00 2009

Controversial Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde said he has proven himself as a three-week rider after securing victory in La Vuelta a Espana.

CYCLING 2009 Tour d'Espagne Alejandro Valverde - 0

Valverde took his first grand tour win just months after becoming embroiled in a doping scandal.

The 29-year-old Caisse d'Epargne rider, who had twice before been on the podium in Madrid, said his "goal is now achieved".

"It's a special feeling: now I know that I can win a big three-week tour, a harder one than the Vuelta," he said.

"Everyone had doubts, and I knew that I could achieve it because I had been close."

The trophy will be some consolation for the Spaniard, who is serving a two-year ban for doping in Italy which prevented him from taking part in the 2009 Tour de France as it briefly passed through the country.

The anti-doping tribunal of the Italian Olympic Committee took the action last May after it said blood samples taken from him during an Italian stage of the 2008 Tour matched DNA samples from suspect blood bags discovered in the 2006 Operation Puerto doping scandal.

Valverde has contested the allegations.

He said the Vuelta had not been his chief objective at the start of the season, but the decision in Italy changed his plans.

"I had to find another goal, in this case the Vuelta. I had to concentrate and leave all other problems behind," he said.

The rider, who won the Volta a Catalunya in May, did not win a single stage in this year's Vuelta.

However he remained strong throughout, helped by his team, and was able to respond to attacks by his rivals when needed, especially in the 14th and 19th stages.

"In the end the best man won," said Sanchez. "It was 21 days and what counted above all was consistency - and Valverde is the one who made the least mistakes."

Caisse d'Epargne team manager Eusebio Unzue said he hoped Valverde's win would silence his critics.

"It was something we needed because a certain black cloud has been created around Alejandro and a lot of false impressions: that he always has a very bad day, he has lapses in concentration, he can't finish races well," he said.

"I think in this Vuelta he showed his maturity and progress and got all those monkeys off his back. He demonstrated he is perfectly capable of winning a three-week race."

AFP

Comment 1 - 4 of 4

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. danibg1990 you wrong about Contador, but everything­ else is true

    From Bobcha, on Mon 21 Sep 10:28AM

  2. The lingering doubts do not revolve around whether he­ is currently riding clean, more about whether he has­ always been clean. It would be very easy for him to­ clear his name by submitting a DNA test and­ cross-reference against the Puerto blood bags, but he­ is simply clinging on to his racing career on­ technicalities. I suppose, it's not up to Valverde­ to constantly prove his innocence, more the Authorities­ to prove his guilt, but whilst this issue remains­ unresolved, his victories/reputation will remain­ tainted. Shame as well, as I really like to watch him­ as a rider - very exciting................well apart­ from this Vuelta, where he was very coservative, but­ that's how you win Grant­ Tours................steady all the way, don't have­ bad day.

    From pedro118118, on Mon 21 Sep 9:05AM

  3. Congratz to Valverde, he has had a great vuelta, he­ rode solid all the way and proved that he deserves the­ victory. For the once that doubt that he is clean I can­ only say that he has been tested more than 10 times­ during the race and a number of times while he was­ training and this far he NEVER tested positive. At this­ point there is no CLEAR evidence that he has ever­ cheated. So once again congratz to him for the great­ racing and looking forward to onother good performance­ in the tour next year ofcourse if Contador does not­ join the team. If he does he will have a great support­ by Valverde Sanchez and Rodrigouz, a team which will­ support him in the mountains much better than Astana­ did this year. As for the rest Sanchez rode great but­ could be dissapointed cos he missed tour because he­ wanted to win the vuelta, Evans apart from his bad­ luck, just wasnt good enough, basso did ok considering­ that he has been banned 4 two years, Mosquera and­ Gesink also riding at their best. Cunego and Moncoutie­ showed the qualities they could not at the tour this­ year and greipel was also really impressive in the­ sprints. In general it s been proved lately that it is­ practically impossible to be in top form for two­ consecative grand tours(Sastre 4 example had a good­ giro and then awful tour, Schlecks great tour and didnt­ even finish vuelta, Menchov same as Sastre). So claims­ that Contador would walk with the vuelta victory are­ really far from serious.

    From a cycling fan

    From Jordan, on Sun 20 Sep 10:24PM

  4. "Valverde silences doubters" - Judging by the­ comments under the article of confirmation for his win,­ I'd say he has done anything but.

    From CR, on Sun 20 Sep 10:03PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account