Valverde banned for 2 years?

[Steampunk]

HE chose to fight it with procedural bullcrap. He could have served his ban when the situation originally arose and he chose not to. He chose to manipulate the system and keep riding hoping somehow he would not have to do the time for his crime. Well, sometimes you lose battles like that, and he just did. He has nobody to blame but himself.

I wonder how much of this was strategic: he got in a couple of years at his prime (and quite a few results he'll get to keep), which he would have missed otherwise. I wonder if Basso's successful return is an indication that you can come back after all. Before the last couple of weeks, it wasn't really clear.

 

[Barrus]

I can't say about this case, but I delfinitely agree there needs to be some sort of amnesty or reduced sentence for those that cooperate. How we get to that, or determine that, I don't know.

does anyone actually know why this isn't in place at the moment and appears to not even be considered by the authorities. For such a system as it is at the moment keeps Omerta alive and ensures that the reall problems won't be handled, this problem being th doctors, trainers managers, etc. who keep this culture alive. For a rider there is no incentive to come out against these persons at the moment

 

[Magnus]

You're right. Or in reality, he should; he should have come back from his ban by that point. I wasn't saying that I thought he was a great sportsman for giving Szmyd the win.

I know you didn't. The hole thing's just been weird. And sure it's nice he gave the win to Szmyd. Just seems he shoud've given up a lot more wins.

 

[lightandlongshadows]

I don't know officially why such a system isn't in place but I could see such a system adding whole new layers of corruption.
I agree with you that the authorities should be going after the people behind the curtain who spend decades reinforcing the culture. It's like busting the guy on the corner selling dime-bags and giving the supplier a pass. As a society we seem averse to going to the root of problems, we'd rather just prune off a few branches and make things look good.

 

[LugHugger]

That's the doping conundrum, I'm afraid. Nobody knows what to believe. Thanks a lot all the cheats out there; caught, suspected or those lucky enough
to be considered worthy the tag of "clean".
That's why it doping ruins our sport.

However, I rush not to condemn, regardless of what I think I know, because of the third group mentioned above, not the first.

Yep. That's the rotten hypocrisy that is pro cycling. Valverde was/is a fabulous racer. It raises the question, what made him - and others - that racer? The drip and syringe or the gladiator spirit? How far back do we have to go to look for clean Piti results, if they exist at all?

 

[Thee_chisa]

Really? You're really making that argument, that is really a load of crock. Even if Sky was really interested in Nibali, 1 he still had a crontact, 2 he didn't really want to leave Liquigas, if he wanted to he could easily have left after this year to go to another team, yet he signed for another 1 or 2 years (can't remember from the top of my head). I myself won't be amazed if we never see Nibali work for a non-Italian team.
Also what do you base your accusation of Szmyd on?

BTW that sky only wanted clean riders in my mind is a bold-faced lie, on the part of Sky. If there is one person who I do not believe to be riding clean, even for a second is Wigan, sudden transformation to a GC-contender, sorry but I don't believe that.


On-topic: Great that he's banned, took a bit too long, but it is understandable what he did. What I do find partially strange is the fact that his ban in Italy practically has become doubled. I wonder how well he'll be coming back, and am looking forward to seeing him racing again, always an interesting and most of the time attractive racer

And another thing, I think there is a real problem in Pro-Cycling and this mainly stems from the manner in which national cycling federations act. In many cases it were not the Cycling authorities, especially not against there own riders. There is probably some form of conflict of interests for them, but really most do not appear to be that hard on the doping problem. This might perhaps be my own interpretation of these situations and I might be wrong, but really it doesn't seem to go in the right direction to me.

sky are part funded by the italian arm of sky which is why they need a big name italian. scandri is something of a talent spotter in italy and was asked about clean young italians for the team and failed to provide many names. nibali was almost nailed on to sign but this fell apart for some reason. they really need to start jailing riders for sporting fraud.

as for wiggins being a doper HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. the british system which he is from is based on not doping and has many campaigns to get this point across. he and cadel are 2 of the few riders in GC contention really riding clean.

 

[Frosty]

As far as Valverde being banned for longer in Italy, how many races would he have done there since his ban there started? Obviously the tour de france as it passed through Italy (thats a big one though obviously) but would he have done anything else? His palmares doesnt show a liking for italian events but im guessing the tour of lombardy would be a good event for him. Is it basically 2 years plus one tour de france and a tour of lombardy?

The thing is that if the ban in italy ended in may next year then he would be able to do every italian race through the rest of the season so he wouldnt have had a full 2 year ban. Maybe the fault for the more than 2 year ban (although part of this is cancelling of results) is his by trying to wriggle out of it?

As regards doping, i did hope the times on the climbs showed that things were heading in the right direction - quite what a 'clean' performance is in a GT is diffcult to judge though because it impossible to know exactly what a 'clean' performance would be on current data. However, i was disappointed by the Mortirolo times.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I can't say about this case, but I delfinitely agree there needs to be some sort of amnesty or reduced sentence for those that cooperate. How we get to that, or determine that, I don't know.

There's definitely provisions for that; Emanuele Sella and Patrik Sinkewitz both got reduced sentences based on that. Applying it to Puerto is a bit of an odd one, since so few of the Puerto riders have actually been pursued.

 

[Signor Corleone]

Signor Corleone

At long last!! Justice has finally caught up with Valverde. It's been so long
that I wonder if his dog Piti, is still alive?
Another thing I never liked about Valverde, when he was Spanish road champ,
he never rode in a champion's jersey, just a normal trade jersey with a few
red and yellow strips on it. Maybe he was trying not to bring undue attention
to himself!!
When he finally returns, hopefully he won't have the same form, although
going by how Vino has been at the Giro, anything's possible.
After following pro-cycling since 1956, the year Roger Walkowiak won the
Tour de France, the word to use is ' DENY! DENY! DENY!

 

[Irish2009]

He's going to appeal the suspension.................

 

[blackcat]

I hear Valverde is gonna endorse Hair Pulgz R Us in the next 2 years

 

[Colm.Murphy]

He's going to appeal the suspension.................

This will go nowhere, in fact, it might backfire on him, as they can assess damages.

 

[Bobby700c]

Not so fast guys - for everyone who's condemned Valverde as a doper -

Valverde's statement said the court agreed that "none of the victories were obtained through use of prohibited practices, which is confirmed because Alejandro Valverde, possibly the most controlled the athlete in the world, has never failed a doping test."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-to-fight-suspension

Great stuff. Seems like he's at least got a sense of humour!

 

[moi123]

Very sad, and way too late. Ban him earlier or don't ban him. He's banned while others have escaped.

 

[lightandlongshadows]

He's going to appeal the suspension.................

Sure he is, he's been fighting it off for four years, he might as well keep swinging. What a crap way to live life.
McQuaid's flopping around to - focus on the present and future but if the past comes back to haunt you...... Lance et al included Pat?

 

[Signor Corleone]

Signor Corleone

A Bjarne Riis once claimed, " I've never failed a dope test. "

 

[Big GMaC]

as for wiggins being a doper HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. the british system which he is from is based on not doping and has many campaigns to get this point across. he and cadel are 2 of the few riders in GC contention really riding clean.

Right, because an Anglophone never dope, not like those dirty spaniards and italians.

GB Track team anyone? Hayles getting pulled for having an HCT of 50+? etc.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I'll miss watching him race. Gonna be a long two years...

Agreed - he was great entertainment earlier this year.
I hope he bothers to come back in 2012.
Not that I condone blood bags though.

 

[M Sport]

Brilliant news, it's been far too long coming but better late than never.

 

[Race Radio]

Not sure if this has been posted but Valve Piti also has to pay 60,000 Swiss Francs

 

[Thee_chisa]

Right, because an Anglophone never dope, not like those dirty spaniards and italians.

GB Track team anyone? Hayles getting pulled for having an HCT of 50+? etc.

not anglophone, but british and french teams and riders seem to be a lot cleaner than the italians and the spanish. as for hayles, i can tell you for certain he is not a doper. the way british cycling works is that their system gets kids at an early age and works with them over the years, the best rise to the top - this is due to their physical advantages, such as lots of red blood cells, etc. this is where the blood passport thing falls down IMO, if you have a clean rider who has naturally high HCT then he is ******ed. they are probably chosen in british cycling on HTC levels so as to get a close to the dopers as possible naturally.

 

[Thee_chisa]

Not sure if this has been posted but Valve Piti also has to pay 60,000 Swiss Francs

does he still lose a years salary?

 

[thehog]

If I was Valverde I would take the UCI to the Swiss courts & use the Armstrong precedent. That should set him free.

 

[euanli]

Oh I hope he does that. That would screw the UCI big time.

 

[junkie]

Caisse was going to withdraw its sposorship, Arroyo's performance at the Giro could make all the difference, and now this...