Breaking: Valverde Under Pressure?

by BDBrian on May 14, 2007 6:03 PM EDT

"MILANO - La Guardia Civil, la polizia spagnola, confermerebbe che Alejandro Valverde e' coinvolto a pieno titolo nell'Operacion Puerto, nascosto dal numero '18' e dalla sigla ''Valv-Piti''. Lo riferisce il sito tuttobiciweb.it che ha raccolto indiscrezioni fatte dalla polizia spagnola al quotidiano L'Equipe. (Agr)"

Basically, this says that the Civil Guard confirmed that Valv-Piti is, in fact, Valverde.

Another one bites the dust?

[editor's note, by chris] CN has a bit more information, though nothing suggesting Valverde is actually guilty. All we know now is that the Italian press claimed to have made the connection to Valverde by reading the recently released dossiers. Now, the Caisse d'Epargne team is getting pressured by its sponsor, a French company, to investigate the matter. Also, ominously for any OP suspects, the Spanish judiciary has made WADA a party to the investigation, presumably a step toward WADA opening up disciplinary actions against named riders.

More details as we hear about them.

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Comments

I'm not surprised-- the spotlight is on the GC

type riders -- wouldn't it kick if Oscar Pereiro was also named...? There's over a 100 names on the list, so it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination.

It would be a tragedy if they couldn't ever name a winner for the 2006 TdF in this never ending morass of litigation.

by orangekick on May 14, 2007 8:12 PM EDT reply actions

Wouldn't be a tragedy, it would be just desserts

for the insufferable blowhards in charge of the TdF.

It would be high-larious if Operation Puerto evidence on Pereiro leaks out a day or two after the TdF officially proclaims him their 2006 champion.

by socal @ Podium Cafe on May 14, 2007 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Birillo or Piti

Now I'm completely confused. Do I call my new puppy Birillo or Piti? Does Floyd have a dog? How about Lance (or was that Sheryl?).

by paolo on May 15, 2007 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

My next pet

will be named PED.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris Fontecchio on May 15, 2007 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions

My vote

for comment of the week.

Ham and Yeggs May not win, but at least they won't starve to death.

by bethie on May 16, 2007 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Link?

How do they know it is Valverde? Phone conversations? DNA link to blood? Notes taken from the office? Did someone else name him?

by John.. on May 14, 2007 8:27 PM EDT reply actions

Stay tuned

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris Fontecchio on May 14, 2007 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Unfortunately

There isn't any more information that I could get. Hopefully more will come sooner rather than a year from now.

by BDBrian on May 14, 2007 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Great, Valverde is the anchor

Of my VDS team. Was there something about being able to swtich one rider at the end of Classics season??

by Tiki on May 14, 2007 11:20 PM EDT reply actions

Injury replacements only..

(you may want him to start training with Rene Hasselbacher)

Vlaenderen die Leu

by Peter Fontecchio on May 15, 2007 7:04 AM EDT up reply actions

I can't believe I trusted the little bastard

Remember his answer when all this broke last year: "Those of us who are innocent are happy to see all this happen..." or something like that.

by Tiki on May 14, 2007 11:22 PM EDT reply actions

It's all media-pressure

They aren't presenting any new evidence, the not so clever codename is still the only link. The spaniards, now under pressure from media from other countries with more interest in bringing down Valverde, are finally forced to open up to the possibility of his implication. I'm guessing there will be pressure on him to give DNA if he is to be allowed to race the TdF.
(Perriero is suspected to be the man behind the codename Urco in the Puertofiles. Apparently the name Urco comes from some kind of creature of local folklore in Perreiros hometown.)

by Jens on May 15, 2007 12:59 AM EDT reply actions