A controversial cycling start says goodbye

After all, it was the Italian doping investigators who cost Valverde two years of his highly successful career. In 2008, investigators used a Tour de France detour to Prato Nevoso to take blood from Valverde. And lo and behold: the DNA match matched the blood bags from the laboratory of the doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes with the label “Piti Valv”.

Piti was said to be the name of the Spaniard's German shepherd, which Valverde denied, as well as any direct contact with Fuentes. But all objections and denials were of no use before the International Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). 133 professional wins Since then, Valverde has escaped all doping questions, as he often does from his competitors on racing bikes. After his ban in 2011, the man from Murcia simply continued where he had previously involuntarily left off. In total, Valverde had 133 professional victories, more than any other Spaniard. Be it the great Miguel Indurain, Pedro Delgado or Alberto Contador. Accordingly, the 42-year-old recently celebrated euphorically on the side of the road almost every day at the Vuelta, which was “very emotional”.

Alejandro Valverde celebrated numerous successes. © AFP / MARCO BERTORELLO

Because Valverde had spoiled Spanish cycling fans with victories for two decades. He won spring classics such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège (four times) and the Flèche Wallonne (five times). He triumphed in major tours such as the Vuelta (2009) or in smaller ones such as in Catalonia (three times). He won numerous stage victories at the Tour or the Vuelta and was crowned world champion in 2018 - at the age of 38 at the World Championships in Innsbruck, as the second oldest professional cyclist after Joop Zoetemelk, having previously reached the podium six times.

Valverde was a complete racer. But he has a CV with dark spots. Because when Valverde began his career in the controversial Kelme team in 2002, he competed with drivers like Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich and Alexander Vinokurow. Valverde always remained silent about the dark years in cycling, which was probably because he was not often asked about it in his home country.

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A controversial cycling start says goodbye

Italy of all places! The fact that veteran Alejandro Valverde is ending his cycling career on Saturday after 21 years as a professional at the Tour of Lombardy is not without a certain piquancy.

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