Alejandro Valverde
Encyclopedia
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (born April 25, 1980 in Las Lumbreras, Murcia
) is a Spanish
road racing cyclist currently under suspension. He last rode for UCI ProTour
team . Valverde's biggest wins have been the 2009 Vuelta a España
, the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2006, 2008 and 2006 UCI ProTour
series championship. He has twice collected the silver medal in the UCI Road World Championships
, in 2003
and 2005
. Valverde is rare in combining different specialities in road bicycle racing
, being a strong climber and sprinter. After a lengthy court battle, he was suspended for two years as part of the Operación Puerto
blood doping
investigation.
, in his region of Murcia
, and he finished second. On the following week he won his second race in Yecla
. He allegedly took more than fifty consecutive victories between 11 and 13 years old, earning him the nickname El Imbatido (The Unbeaten).
based in Navarra, some distance away from his home in Murcia
. Perhaps due to the exhaustion from having to travel back and forth every weekend, his performance suffered while with the team.
He moved to the development team of the Kelme
professional squad and was coached by Francisco Moya, whom he credited with helping him become a better cyclist. Kelme also promised to allow him to move to the professional squad if he showed good performance. At the end of his first season with the Kelme amateur squad, they offered to move him to the professional squad.
team Kelme
, with whom he stayed until the end of the 2004 season. During his time with Kelme he had a breakthrough year in 2003
Vuelta a España
, where he won two stages and finished third in the General classification
. That year he also won the Vuelta a Mallorca
and a stage in Vuelta al País Vasco and other Spanish races like GP Primavera and GP Villafranca de Ordizia. He ended the season with a second place in the 2003 UCI Road World Championships
behind Igor Astarloa
after winning the sprint ahead of Peter Van Petegem
and Paolo Bettini
.
In the 2004 season he decided to stay with Kelme despite the team's financial woes and offers from other teams. He went on to win the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
, the Vuelta a Murcia
, a stage in the Vuelta al País Vasco, the Vuelta a Burgos
and taking fourth in the 2004 Vuelta a España
. Although he won a stage in the Vuelta, he was injured in a crash that forced him to downscale his ambitions in the overall classification. He also participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics
.
Valverde joined the UCI ProTeam in 2005. He won the last stage in Paris–Nice and finished second overall behind Bobby Julich
. He also took two stages in the Vuelta al País Vasco. In his first ever appearance at the Tour de France
, he won the 10th stage of the Tour de France
ahead of Lance Armstrong, whom he beat in the sprint into Courchevel
at the end of a mountain stage in the Alps. After Stage 12, he was in 5th place on GC
, 3 minutes and 16 seconds behind Lance Armstrong
. He was also leading in the Young Rider Classification
(white jersey), with a 3 minute and 9 second lead on Armstrong teammate Yaroslav Popovych
. However, Valverde was forced to withdraw from the Tour during the 13th stage because of a knee injury. Valverde recovered barely in time for the UCI
World Cycling Championship
in Madrid
, Spain. The injury of Óscar Freire
, who was the Spanish team captain, forced him to become the team leader, despite having had only one day of competition before the World's. Amazingly, he was able to be competitive and finished second to winner Tom Boonen
.
, winning La Flèche Wallonne
and taking victory four days later at Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Valverde subsequently won a stage in the Tour de Romandie
finishing 3rd overall. Valverde planned to challenge at the 2006 Tour de France
, and has stated that he hopes to win in the future. He went to the Pinarello
bicycle factory in Treviso
, Italy
, to optimize his time-trialing
performance. In fact he started among the favourites for the Tour after the withdrawal of Jan Ullrich
and Ivan Basso
due to a doping investigation. However, on the third stage of the 2006 Tour de France
, Valverde crashed, and had to abandon the Tour with a fractured right collarbone. His ambition to win a Grand Tour shifted to the Vuelta, later that year.
Valverde entered the 2006 Vuelta as the top favorite. Since he did not ride a full Tour de France he was in better condition than some of the other candidates for the victory: Menchov (title defender) and Sastre both ended in the top 10 of the 2006 Tour de France and were expected to be somewhat fatigued. Valverde won the 7th stage and dominated mountain stages, earning him the gold leader jersey after stage 9. Valverde lost the jersey however due to the aggressive climbing and attacking of Alexander Vinokourov
. In the last time trial, Valverde again lost time on Vinokourov and had to settle for the 2nd place in the overall standings, his second podium finish in a Grand Tour. Following his impressive performance in the Vuelta Valverde won yet another major title, winning the 2006 UCI ProTour
with several major races still left on the calendar as his point lead had reached unassailable levels. At the 2006 World Championship, Valverde was considered one of the favorites for the title. Although he did not win, he was able to finish 3rd and claim a bronze medal.
and Vuelta a Murcia
. In stage 4 of the Vuelta a Murcia, Valverde accomplished his first win in an individual time trial. He also finished third in the Critérium International
and fifth in Vuelta al País Vasco. In the Ardennes classics he took second place in both La Flèche Wallonne
and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, unable to repeat the double victory of 2006 season. In the 2007 Tour de France
, Valverde was seen as one of the favorites for the yellow jersey
until he had a disastrous individual time trial that diminished his chances of fighting for the overall classification. He subsequently finished sixth overall, eleven minutes behind, and thus finished his first Tour de France
after being unable to complete the race in 2005 and 2006. He decided not to race the Vuelta a España in order to prepare for the 2007 UCI Road World Championships
. On August 29, 2007, the UCI
announced that they prevented Valverde from riding the 2007 UCI Road World Championships
in Stuttgart
because of his possible implication in the Operación Puerto doping investigation to safeguard the atmosphere and reputation of the World Championships. The UCI also called upon the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) to open disciplinary proceedings against the rider, but RFEC refused to comply with the UCI's request, saying there was no new evidence against him. RFEC also included Valverde in its squad for the World Championships. The matter was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
, which authorised Valverde to participate in the 2007 UCI Road World Championships
.
In 2008, Valverde showed strong form in the spring. After winning the Vuelta a Murcia
, Valverde was focused on training. He announced his readiness with a podium finish in the Klasika Primavera
and a triumph at the Paris–Camembert. These successes foreshadowed excellent results in the Ardennes classics
: a podium at the Amstel Gold
and victory in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Valverde also won the 2008 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and the Spanish National Road Race Championship
in June. On July 5, Valverde won the first stage of the 2008 Tour de France
. His form faltered in the Pyrenees, and after being dropped on the Col de Tourmalet, eventually losing 5'52" to stage winner Leonardo Piepoli
, scrapping hopes of a podium finish. He performed better in the Alps and claimed a top ten finish. On Alp d'Huez it appeared that he was working alongside Team CSC to try and eliminate Cadel Evans
. He followed the Tour with a strong victory in 2008 Clásica de San Sebastián
, leading out the sprint and holding off Aleksandr Kolobnev and Davide Rebellin
. Later, at the 2008 Vuelta a España
, he started strong, winning the second stage and wearing the general classification leader on the 3rd one. He was the first week on head positions. However he lost around two minutes on a very wet stage to Saunces and lost any option to podium. However, he ended up in 4th position with some fantastic performances including his incredible ride up the Angliru, where he was only bettered by Alberto Contador
and then a good performance in the mountain time-trial. Before the participation at the 2008 UCI Road World Championships
at Varese
, he was mathematically proclammed the 2008 UCI ProTour
winner, being his second win in the 4 editions of the competition.
while finishing 9th overall with two stage victories. He could not repeat his successes of the last few years in the spring classics with his best result being a 7th at La Flèche Wallonne
. He won the Klasika Primavera
and the Volta a Catalunya
to put those disappointments behind him. With the threat of not racing the Tour de France
hanging over his head he entered the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
hoping to prove his worth. He performed consistently throughout the two early time-trials to stay in touch with the leaders before finishing second on the Ventoux to take the lead in the overall classification. Though Cadel Evans
repeatedly attacked him in the final days he stayed on his wheel, with the help of compatriot Alberto Contador
, to take the yellow jersey. On the back of these successes he appealed his ban by the Italian authorities with the Court of Arbitration for Sport
in the hope of racing the tour.
On 20 September 2009, Valverde clinched the overall victory in the 2009 Vuelta a España
.
, a blood-doping affair which erupted in 2006 against doctor Eufemiano Fuentes
and a number of accomplices. It uncovered doping products, bags of blood and code names that appeared to link top athletes, including 60 cyclists, to a highly-organized system of doping, which relied heavily on blood transfusion
s.
Valverde was not initially linked in the investigation, but internal documents from Madrid's Court 31 allegedly linked Valverde to confiscated blood via codes Valv, Piti and 18. In 2007 Valverde was banned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) from competing in the UCI Road World Championships
in Stuttgart
but Valverde was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
to compete at the championships. Dick Pound
, World Anti-Doping Agency president, said the CAS decision did not mean that Valverde was no longer a suspect.
In early 2009 the Italian National Olympic Committee matched DNA samples taken from Valverde during a rest day in Italy of the 2008 Tour de France to blood seized in the Operación Puerto investigation. At a February 2009 appearance in front of the Olympic Committee, Valverde maintained his innocence and questioned the Italians' jurisdiction over this case. In May 2009, the Italian Olympic Committee suspended him from competition in Italy for 2 years, effectively barring him from the 2009 Tour de France
, which detoured briefly onto Italian soil. Valverde filed an unsuccessful appeal against the Italian ban with the Court of Arbitration for Sport
; in a second hearing, scheduled for March 18–21, 2010, the UCI and WADA will contest the Spanish Cycling Federation's decision not to open a case against Valverde.
Finally, on May 31, 2010 it was announced the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the appeals from WADA and the UCI and Valverde is banned for two years, starting 1 January 2010, but rejected the request that any results obtained by the athlete prior to the beginning of the suspension be annulled.
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
All results were voided from 31 May, because of the suspension backdated to 1 January.
WD = Withdrew
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
) is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
road racing cyclist currently under suspension. He last rode for UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
team . Valverde's biggest wins have been the 2009 Vuelta a España
2009 Vuelta a España
The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
, the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2006, 2008 and 2006 UCI ProTour
2006 UCI ProTour
The 2006 UCI ProTour was the second year of the UCI ProTour system, in which the ProTour teams are guaranteed, and obliged to, participate in the series of ProTour races....
series championship. He has twice collected the silver medal in the UCI Road World Championships
UCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
, in 2003
2003 UCI Road World Championships
The 2003 UCI Road World Championships took place in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, between October 7 and October 12, 2003. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women, men under 23, junior men and junior women....
and 2005
2005 UCI Road World Championships
The 2005 UCI Road World Championships took place in Madrid, Spain, between September 19 and September 25, 2005. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23.The Men's road race saw Belgian cyclist Tom Boonen winning....
. Valverde is rare in combining different specialities in road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
, being a strong climber and sprinter. After a lengthy court battle, he was suspended for two years as part of the Operación Puerto
Operación Puerto doping case
Operación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world most famous cyclists at the time.Media attention has focused on the small number of...
blood doping
Blood doping
Blood doping is the practice of boosting the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream in order to enhance athletic performance. Because such blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, a higher concentration in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and...
investigation.
Biography
Valverde came from a cycling family, his father Juan was an amateur bicycle racer and bought him a bike when he was six years old. His brother Juan Francisco was also an amateur road racing cyclist. Valverde's first race was in JumillaJumilla
Jumilla is a municipality in southeastern Spain. It is located in the province of Murcia, close to the town of Yecla.-Economy:Jumilla is home to the world's largest photovoltaic solar power farm, with an installed peak power capacity of 20 megawatts. The solar farm consists of 120,000 solar...
, in his region of Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
, and he finished second. On the following week he won his second race in Yecla
Yecla
Yecla is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the extreme north of the autonomous community of Murcia, located 96 km from the capital of the region, Murcia....
. He allegedly took more than fifty consecutive victories between 11 and 13 years old, earning him the nickname El Imbatido (The Unbeaten).
Amateur career
Due to his many wins, Valverde was offered to ride for the elite amateur team BanestoBanesto
Banesto is a Spanish bank, 88.4% owned by Banco Santander. Currently Banesto is the fifth-largest banking group in Spain, operating around 1,770 branches....
based in Navarra, some distance away from his home in Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
. Perhaps due to the exhaustion from having to travel back and forth every weekend, his performance suffered while with the team.
He moved to the development team of the Kelme
Comunidad Valenciana (cycling team)
-History:In 1979, Kelme sponsored the mountains classification in the Vuelta a España. The owners of Kelme were not satisfied with the publicity that this gave, so they decided to sponsor a cycling team instead....
professional squad and was coached by Francisco Moya, whom he credited with helping him become a better cyclist. Kelme also promised to allow him to move to the professional squad if he showed good performance. At the end of his first season with the Kelme amateur squad, they offered to move him to the professional squad.
Kelme (2002–2004)
Valverde turned professional in 2002 when he signed a contract with the SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
team Kelme
Comunidad Valenciana (cycling team)
-History:In 1979, Kelme sponsored the mountains classification in the Vuelta a España. The owners of Kelme were not satisfied with the publicity that this gave, so they decided to sponsor a cycling team instead....
, with whom he stayed until the end of the 2004 season. During his time with Kelme he had a breakthrough year in 2003
2003 Vuelta a España
The 58th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 6 to September 28, 2003...
Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
, where he won two stages and finished third in the General classification
General Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
. That year he also won the Vuelta a Mallorca
Vuelta a Mallorca
The Challenge Vuelta Ciclista a Mallorca is a series of five professional one day road bicycle races held on the Spanish island of Mallorca in early February. The event is used as an early season preparatory event by many of the top teams in readiness for the bigger races later in the season...
and a stage in Vuelta al País Vasco and other Spanish races like GP Primavera and GP Villafranca de Ordizia. He ended the season with a second place in the 2003 UCI Road World Championships
2003 UCI Road World Championships
The 2003 UCI Road World Championships took place in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, between October 7 and October 12, 2003. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women, men under 23, junior men and junior women....
behind Igor Astarloa
Igor Astarloa
Igor Astarloa Askasibar is a retired cyclist from Spain.-Career:Astarloa turned professional with the Italian cycling team and enjoyed his best season in 2003 with team when he won the Flèche Wallonne and the road race title at the World Cycling Championships at Hamilton, Canada...
after winning the sprint ahead of Peter Van Petegem
Peter van Petegem
Peter van Petegem is a former professional road racing cyclist. Van Petegem last rode for Quick Step-Innergetic, in 2007. He lived in Horebeke. He was a specialist in spring classics, one of ten riders to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix in the same season...
and Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini is an Italian former champion road racing cyclist, and the coach of the Italian national cycling team. Considered the best classics specialist of his generation, and probably one of the strongest of all times, he won gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race and in the 2006...
.
In the 2004 season he decided to stay with Kelme despite the team's financial woes and offers from other teams. He went on to win the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana is a road cycling stage race held in the Valencian Community , Spain. Its position in the cycling calendar means it is often used as preparation for the spring classics or the grand tours which take place later in the season.No editions of the race have been...
, the Vuelta a Murcia
Vuelta a Murcia
The Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
, a stage in the Vuelta al País Vasco, the Vuelta a Burgos
Vuelta a Burgos
Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos is an elite men's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Burgos province of Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Burgos has been a multi-day stage race as part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarés:...
and taking fourth in the 2004 Vuelta a España
2004 Vuelta a España
The 59th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 4 to September 26, 2004...
. Although he won a stage in the Vuelta, he was injured in a crash that forced him to downscale his ambitions in the overall classification. He also participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
Caisse d'Epargne
Bobby Julich
Robert Julich, most commonly referred to as Bobby Julich, is an American former professional road bicycle racer who last rode for Team CSC in the UCI ProTour racing series. He got his international breakthrough when he finished 3rd overall in the 1998 Tour de France race, but has since ridden...
. He also took two stages in the Vuelta al País Vasco. In his first ever appearance at the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, he won the 10th stage of the Tour de France
2005 Tour de France
The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was...
ahead of Lance Armstrong, whom he beat in the sprint into Courchevel
Courchevel
Courchevel is the name of a ski resort located in the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise in the French Alps, in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes region. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world...
at the end of a mountain stage in the Alps. After Stage 12, he was in 5th place on GC
General Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
, 3 minutes and 16 seconds behind Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
. He was also leading in the Young Rider Classification
Maillot blanc
Numerous cycling stage races award a white jersey to signify the current leader and overall winner of a certain competition. The most prominent of these is perhaps the Tour de France, where the jersey is known as the maillot blanc and is awarded to the best-placed rider under 26 years of age...
(white jersey), with a 3 minute and 9 second lead on Armstrong teammate Yaroslav Popovych
Yaroslav Popovych
Yaroslav Popovych is a Ukrainian cyclist with the UCI ProTour team . He was born in Drohobych, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. Under-23 road race champion in 2001, Popovych turned professional in 2002 with , where he performed particularly strongly in the Giro d'Italia, finishing third in 2003...
. However, Valverde was forced to withdraw from the Tour during the 13th stage because of a knee injury. Valverde recovered barely in time for the UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
World Cycling Championship
World Cycling Championship
The UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race and individual time trial...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain. The injury of Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire Gómez is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding for the UCI ProTeam Rabobank. He is one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship a three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx...
, who was the Spanish team captain, forced him to become the team leader, despite having had only one day of competition before the World's. Amazingly, he was able to be competitive and finished second to winner Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen
Tom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
.
2006
In 2006, Valverde won a stage in the Vuelta al País Vasco, finishing 2nd overall and capturing the points competition. He then completed a prestigious double in the Spring classicsClassic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
, winning La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
and taking victory four days later at Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Valverde subsequently won a stage in the Tour de Romandie
Tour de Romandie
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
finishing 3rd overall. Valverde planned to challenge at the 2006 Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, and has stated that he hopes to win in the future. He went to the Pinarello
Pinarello
Cicli Pinarello S.p.A. is an Italian bicycle manufacturer in Treviso, Italy. It supplies mostly hand-made bicycles for road racing, track racing and cyclo-cross.-Models:-Montello SLX:...
bicycle factory in Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, to optimize his time-trialing
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
performance. In fact he started among the favourites for the Tour after the withdrawal of Jan Ullrich
Jan Ullrich
Jan Ullrich is a German former professional road bicycle racer. In 1997, he was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to take five second places and a fourth in 2004 and third in 2005. He is considered one of the best time-trialists in the history of the sport...
and Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders...
due to a doping investigation. However, on the third stage of the 2006 Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
, Valverde crashed, and had to abandon the Tour with a fractured right collarbone. His ambition to win a Grand Tour shifted to the Vuelta, later that year.
Valverde entered the 2006 Vuelta as the top favorite. Since he did not ride a full Tour de France he was in better condition than some of the other candidates for the victory: Menchov (title defender) and Sastre both ended in the top 10 of the 2006 Tour de France and were expected to be somewhat fatigued. Valverde won the 7th stage and dominated mountain stages, earning him the gold leader jersey after stage 9. Valverde lost the jersey however due to the aggressive climbing and attacking of Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
. In the last time trial, Valverde again lost time on Vinokourov and had to settle for the 2nd place in the overall standings, his second podium finish in a Grand Tour. Following his impressive performance in the Vuelta Valverde won yet another major title, winning the 2006 UCI ProTour
2006 UCI ProTour
The 2006 UCI ProTour was the second year of the UCI ProTour system, in which the ProTour teams are guaranteed, and obliged to, participate in the series of ProTour races....
with several major races still left on the calendar as his point lead had reached unassailable levels. At the 2006 World Championship, Valverde was considered one of the favorites for the title. Although he did not win, he was able to finish 3rd and claim a bronze medal.
2007
He started 2007 by winning the overall classification at Volta a la Comunitat ValencianaVolta a la Comunitat Valenciana
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana is a road cycling stage race held in the Valencian Community , Spain. Its position in the cycling calendar means it is often used as preparation for the spring classics or the grand tours which take place later in the season.No editions of the race have been...
and Vuelta a Murcia
Vuelta a Murcia
The Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
. In stage 4 of the Vuelta a Murcia, Valverde accomplished his first win in an individual time trial. He also finished third in the Critérium International
Critérium International
The Critérium International is a two-day bicycle stage race held in France every spring. It was formerly known as the Critérium National de la Route, first run in 1932....
and fifth in Vuelta al País Vasco. In the Ardennes classics he took second place in both La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, unable to repeat the double victory of 2006 season. In the 2007 Tour de France
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
, Valverde was seen as one of the favorites for the yellow jersey
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
until he had a disastrous individual time trial that diminished his chances of fighting for the overall classification. He subsequently finished sixth overall, eleven minutes behind, and thus finished his first Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
after being unable to complete the race in 2005 and 2006. He decided not to race the Vuelta a España in order to prepare for the 2007 UCI Road World Championships
2007 UCI Road World Championships
The 2007 UCI Road World Championships took place in Stuttgart, Germany, between September 25 and September 30, 2007. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23...
. On August 29, 2007, the UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
announced that they prevented Valverde from riding the 2007 UCI Road World Championships
2007 UCI Road World Championships
The 2007 UCI Road World Championships took place in Stuttgart, Germany, between September 25 and September 30, 2007. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
because of his possible implication in the Operación Puerto doping investigation to safeguard the atmosphere and reputation of the World Championships. The UCI also called upon the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) to open disciplinary proceedings against the rider, but RFEC refused to comply with the UCI's request, saying there was no new evidence against him. RFEC also included Valverde in its squad for the World Championships. The matter was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
, which authorised Valverde to participate in the 2007 UCI Road World Championships
2007 UCI Road World Championships
The 2007 UCI Road World Championships took place in Stuttgart, Germany, between September 25 and September 30, 2007. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23...
.
2008
Vuelta a Murcia
The Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
, Valverde was focused on training. He announced his readiness with a podium finish in the Klasika Primavera
Klasika Primavera
The Klasika Primavera is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in April in Amorebieta, Spain. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
and a triumph at the Paris–Camembert. These successes foreshadowed excellent results in the Ardennes classics
Ardennes classics
The Ardennes classics are three cycling classics held in mid-April in the Ardennes and Dutch Limburg. The races are notable for their hilly courses, and often have similar riders competing for the top positions as the races are held close after each other...
: a podium at the Amstel Gold
2008 Amstel Gold Race
The 2008 Amstel Gold Race is the 43rd edition of the Amstel Gold Race classic cycle race and took place on April 20, 2008. It was held on a course from Maastricht to Cauberg as the fifth event of the 2008 UCI ProTour. Italian rider Damiano Cunego of won the event after sprinting past Luxembourger...
and victory in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Valverde also won the 2008 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and the Spanish National Road Race Championship
Spanish National Road Race Championship
The Spanish National Road Race Championships are held annually to decide the Spanish cycling champions in the road race discipline, across various categories. The event was first held in 1897 and was won by a Portuguese rider, José Pesoa.- Men :- Women :...
in June. On July 5, Valverde won the first stage of the 2008 Tour de France
2008 Tour de France
The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
. His form faltered in the Pyrenees, and after being dropped on the Col de Tourmalet, eventually losing 5'52" to stage winner Leonardo Piepoli
Leonardo Piepoli
Leonardo Piepoli is an Italian professional road racing cyclist. He most recently rode for on the UCI ProTour, but had his contract suspended in July 2008 during the Tour de France amid allegations of the use of the blood boosting drug EPO in the team.-Career:He is a record four-time winner of the...
, scrapping hopes of a podium finish. He performed better in the Alps and claimed a top ten finish. On Alp d'Huez it appeared that he was working alongside Team CSC to try and eliminate Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
. He followed the Tour with a strong victory in 2008 Clásica de San Sebastián
2008 Clásica de San Sebastián
The 2008 Clásica de San Sebastián, the 28th edition of the Clásica de San Sebastián road cycling race took place on August 2, 2008 in Spain and was won by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of in a sprint finish on the Donostia avenue. He held off Russian Alexandr Kolobnev of Team CSC Saxo Bank and...
, leading out the sprint and holding off Aleksandr Kolobnev and Davide Rebellin
Davide Rebellin
Davide Rebellin is an Italian road bicycle racer, currently riding for the Italian Miche-Guerciotti team. He served a 2-year suspension for testing positive for Mircera at the 2008 Olympic Games...
. Later, at the 2008 Vuelta a España
2008 Vuelta a España
The 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later...
, he started strong, winning the second stage and wearing the general classification leader on the 3rd one. He was the first week on head positions. However he lost around two minutes on a very wet stage to Saunces and lost any option to podium. However, he ended up in 4th position with some fantastic performances including his incredible ride up the Angliru, where he was only bettered by Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
and then a good performance in the mountain time-trial. Before the participation at the 2008 UCI Road World Championships
2008 UCI Road World Championships
The 2008 UCI Road World Championships took place in Varese, Italy, between September 23 and September 28, 2008. The event consisted of a road race and a time trial for men, women and men under 23.-Medals table:-Events summary:-External links:**...
at Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
, he was mathematically proclammed the 2008 UCI ProTour
2008 UCI ProTour
The 2008 UCI ProTour is the fourth year of the UCI ProTour system. Following protracted disagreement between the organisers of the Grand Tours and the UCI, all races organized by ASO, RCS and Unipublic were withdrawn from the ProTour calendar...
winner, being his second win in the 4 editions of the competition.
2009
Valverde started 2009 in good form by taking the points and mountain classification in the Vuelta a Castilla y León2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León
The 2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León, the 24th running of the race, started on March 23 in Paredes de Nava, and concluded on March 27 in Valladolid. It was won by Levi Leipheimer.-Stage 1 - March 23, 2009: Paredes de Nava - Baltanás, 168.3km:...
while finishing 9th overall with two stage victories. He could not repeat his successes of the last few years in the spring classics with his best result being a 7th at La Flèche Wallonne
2009 La Flèche Wallonne
The 2009 La Flèche Wallonne cycling race took place on 22 April 2009. It was the 73rd running of the La Flèche Wallonne between Charleroi and Huy in Belgium....
. He won the Klasika Primavera
Klasika Primavera
The Klasika Primavera is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in April in Amorebieta, Spain. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
and the Volta a Catalunya
2009 Volta a Catalunya
The 2009 Volta a Catalunya was the 89th edition of the Volta. It took place between 18 May and 24 May, and was part of both the ProTour and the inaugural World Calendar...
to put those disappointments behind him. With the threat of not racing the Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
hanging over his head he entered the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
The 2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré was the 61st edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré stage race. It took place from 7 June to 14 June, and was part of both the 2009 UCI ProTour and the inaugural World Calendar. It began in Nancy, France with an individual time trial, and ended in Grenoble...
hoping to prove his worth. He performed consistently throughout the two early time-trials to stay in touch with the leaders before finishing second on the Ventoux to take the lead in the overall classification. Though Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
repeatedly attacked him in the final days he stayed on his wheel, with the help of compatriot Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
, to take the yellow jersey. On the back of these successes he appealed his ban by the Italian authorities with the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
in the hope of racing the tour.
On 20 September 2009, Valverde clinched the overall victory in the 2009 Vuelta a España
2009 Vuelta a España
The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
.
Allegations of drug use
Alejandro Valverde has been linked by documentary and DNA evidence to the Operación PuertoOperación Puerto doping case
Operación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world most famous cyclists at the time.Media attention has focused on the small number of...
, a blood-doping affair which erupted in 2006 against doctor Eufemiano Fuentes
Eufemiano Fuentes
Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes is a Spanish sports doctor best known for being implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case.Fuentes was once an athlete. He then became the team doctor of Team ONCE, Amaya and the Kelme. The former Kelme rider Jesús Manzano accused Fuentes of being involved with doping....
and a number of accomplices. It uncovered doping products, bags of blood and code names that appeared to link top athletes, including 60 cyclists, to a highly-organized system of doping, which relied heavily on blood transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
s.
Valverde was not initially linked in the investigation, but internal documents from Madrid's Court 31 allegedly linked Valverde to confiscated blood via codes Valv, Piti and 18. In 2007 Valverde was banned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) from competing in the UCI Road World Championships
UCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
but Valverde was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
to compete at the championships. Dick Pound
Dick Pound
Richard William Duncan Pound, is a Canadian lawyer, partner of the law firm Stikeman Elliott, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency based in Montreal, and former chancellor of McGill University...
, World Anti-Doping Agency president, said the CAS decision did not mean that Valverde was no longer a suspect.
In early 2009 the Italian National Olympic Committee matched DNA samples taken from Valverde during a rest day in Italy of the 2008 Tour de France to blood seized in the Operación Puerto investigation. At a February 2009 appearance in front of the Olympic Committee, Valverde maintained his innocence and questioned the Italians' jurisdiction over this case. In May 2009, the Italian Olympic Committee suspended him from competition in Italy for 2 years, effectively barring him from the 2009 Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
, which detoured briefly onto Italian soil. Valverde filed an unsuccessful appeal against the Italian ban with the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
; in a second hearing, scheduled for March 18–21, 2010, the UCI and WADA will contest the Spanish Cycling Federation's decision not to open a case against Valverde.
Finally, on May 31, 2010 it was announced the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the appeals from WADA and the UCI and Valverde is banned for two years, starting 1 January 2010, but rejected the request that any results obtained by the athlete prior to the beginning of the suspension be annulled.
Major achievements
2001- U23 Road Race Champion
2003
- 2nd, World Cycling Championship Road Race
- 3rd overall, Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a EspañaThe Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
- 1st, Stages 9 and 15
-
Winner combination classification
- 1st, GP Primavera
- 1st, GP Villafranca de Ordizia
- 2 stage wins, Troféu Joaquim AgostinhoTroféu Joaquim AgostinhoThe Grande Prémio Internacional de Torres Vedras - Troféu Joaquim Agostinho is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Torres Vedras, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarès:...
- Stage win, Vuelta al País Vasco
- Stage win, Vuelta a AragónVuelta a AragónVuelta a Aragón is a professional cycle road race held in Spain in April each year. The event was first run in 1939 but has not been held consistently, being cancelled in 2006 and 2007...
2004
- 3rd overall and 1 stage win, Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a EspañaThe Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
- 1st overall and 3 stage wins, Vuelta a BurgosVuelta a BurgosVuelta Ciclista a Burgos is an elite men's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Burgos province of Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Burgos has been a multi-day stage race as part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarés:...
- 1st overall and 2 stage wins, Volta a la Comunitat ValencianaVolta a la Comunitat ValencianaThe Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana is a road cycling stage race held in the Valencian Community , Spain. Its position in the cycling calendar means it is often used as preparation for the spring classics or the grand tours which take place later in the season.No editions of the race have been...
- 1st overall, Vuelta a Murcia
- 1st, Trofeo Cala Millor - Cala Ratjada
- 3 stage wins Vuelta a Castilla y LeónVuelta a Castilla y LeónThe Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León is a professional road bicycle stage race held in Castile and León, Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Castilla y León has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Past winners:-External links:*...
- Stage win, Vuelta al País Vasco
- 1st, GP Primavera
- 2nd Spanish National Road Race Championships
2005
- 1st, Stage 10, Tour de France2005 Tour de FranceThe 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was...
- 1st, Stage 8, Paris–Nice
- 1st, Trofeo Manacor
- 1st, Trofeo Soller
- 1st, Stages 3 and 4, Vuelta al País Vasco
- 2nd overall, World Cycling Championships Road Race
2006
- Champion, UCI ProTour
- 2nd Overall, Vuelta a España
- 1st, Stage 7
- 3rd, World Cycling Championships Road Race
- 1st, La Flèche WallonneLa Flèche WallonneLa Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
- 1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- 1st, Stage 2, Vuelta a MurciaVuelta a MurciaThe Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
- 2nd, Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco
- 1st, Points Classification
- 1st, Stage 1
- 3rd, Overall, Tour de Romandie
- 1st, Stage 4
2007
- 2nd, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- 2nd, La Flèche Wallonne2007 La Flèche WallonneThe 71st edition of the La Flèche Wallonne cycling classic took place on April 25, 2007 and was won by the 2004 winner Davide Rebellin ahead of 2006 winner Alejandro Valverde and 2005 winner Danilo Di Luca.- 2007-04-25: Charleroi-Huy, 202 km :...
- 1st, OverallGeneral ClassificationThe general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
, Volta a la Comunitat ValencianaVolta a la Comunitat ValencianaThe Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana is a road cycling stage race held in the Valencian Community , Spain. Its position in the cycling calendar means it is often used as preparation for the spring classics or the grand tours which take place later in the season.No editions of the race have been... - 1st Overall, Vuelta a MurciaVuelta a MurciaThe Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
- 1st Stage 4
- 3rd Overall, Critérium InternationalCritérium InternationalThe Critérium International is a two-day bicycle stage race held in France every spring. It was formerly known as the Critérium National de la Route, first run in 1932....
- 1st, Points classificationPoints classificationThe points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and therefore is often known as the Sprint Classification;...
- 1st, Points classification
- 1st Stage 4, Vuelta a BurgosVuelta a BurgosVuelta Ciclista a Burgos is an elite men's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Burgos province of Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Burgos has been a multi-day stage race as part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarés:...
- 6th Overall, Tour de France2007 Tour de FranceThe 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
- 2nd Spanish National Road Race Championships
2008
- Champion, UCI ProTour
- 1st Overall, Vuelta a MurciaVuelta a MurciaThe Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
- 1st Stage 4
- 2nd, Klasika PrimaveraKlasika PrimaveraThe Klasika Primavera is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in April in Amorebieta, Spain. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
- 1st, Paris–Camembert
- 3rd, Amstel Gold Race2008 Amstel Gold RaceThe 2008 Amstel Gold Race is the 43rd edition of the Amstel Gold Race classic cycle race and took place on April 20, 2008. It was held on a course from Maastricht to Cauberg as the fifth event of the 2008 UCI ProTour. Italian rider Damiano Cunego of won the event after sprinting past Luxembourger...
- 1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- 1st Overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1st, Points ClassificationPoints classificationThe points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and therefore is often known as the Sprint Classification;...
- 1st, Stage 1
- 1st, Stage 3 (ITT)
- 1st, Points Classification
- 1st,
Spanish National Road Race Championships - 9th Overall, Tour de France2008 Tour de FranceThe 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
- 1st, Stage 1
- 1st, Stage 6
- 1st, Clásica de San Sebastián2008 Clásica de San SebastiánThe 2008 Clásica de San Sebastián, the 28th edition of the Clásica de San Sebastián road cycling race took place on August 2, 2008 in Spain and was won by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of in a sprint finish on the Donostia avenue. He held off Russian Alexandr Kolobnev of Team CSC Saxo Bank and...
- 5th Overall, Vuelta a España2008 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later...
- 1st, Stage 2
2009
- 9th Overall, Vuelta a Castilla y León2009 Vuelta a Castilla y LeónThe 2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León, the 24th running of the race, started on March 23 in Paredes de Nava, and concluded on March 27 in Valladolid. It was won by Levi Leipheimer.-Stage 1 - March 23, 2009: Paredes de Nava - Baltanás, 168.3km:...
- 1st, Points Classification
- 1st, Mountains Classification
- 1st, Combination Classification
- 1st, Stage 3
- 1st, Stage 5
- 1st, Klasika PrimaveraKlasika PrimaveraThe Klasika Primavera is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in April in Amorebieta, Spain. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
- 7th, La Flèche Wallonne2009 La Flèche WallonneThe 2009 La Flèche Wallonne cycling race took place on 22 April 2009. It was the 73rd running of the La Flèche Wallonne between Charleroi and Huy in Belgium....
- 4th Overall, 2009 Tour de Romandie2009 Tour de RomandieThe 2009 Tour de Romandie cycling road race started on 28 April and finished on 3 May in Switzerland. It was the 6th event in the 2009 UCI ProTour, and the 12th event in the World Calendar....
- 1st, Overall, Volta a Catalunya2009 Volta a CatalunyaThe 2009 Volta a Catalunya was the 89th edition of the Volta. It took place between 18 May and 24 May, and was part of both the ProTour and the inaugural World Calendar...
- 1st, Stage 3
- 1st Overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2009 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré was the 61st edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré stage race. It took place from 7 June to 14 June, and was part of both the 2009 UCI ProTour and the inaugural World Calendar. It began in Nancy, France with an individual time trial, and ended in Grenoble...
- 2nd Overall, Vuelta a la Comunidad de MadridVuelta a la Comunidad de MadridVuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid is a stage road bicycle race held annually in July around Madrid, Spain. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
- 1st overall, Vuelta a BurgosVuelta a BurgosVuelta Ciclista a Burgos is an elite men's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Burgos province of Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Burgos has been a multi-day stage race as part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarés:...
-
1st Overall, Vuelta a España2009 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
- Winner combination classification
-
2010
All results were voided from 31 May, because of the suspension backdated to 1 January.
Grand Tours overall classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... |
– | – | – | WD 2005 Tour de France The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was... |
WD 2006 Tour de France The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis.... |
6 2007 Tour de France The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain... |
9 2008 Tour de France The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage... |
– |
 Vuelta a España The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... |
WD 2002 Vuelta a España The 57th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 7 to September 29, 2002... |
3 2003 Vuelta a España The 58th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 6 to September 28, 2003... |
4 2004 Vuelta a España The 59th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 4 to September 26, 2004... |
- | 2 | - 2007 Vuelta a España The 2007 Vuelta a España, the sixty-second edition of the cycle race, took place from September 1 until September 23, 2007. For the first time in a decade, the race started in the region of Galicia, at Vigo, home to Óscar Pereiro, with a flat stage... |
5 2008 Vuelta a España The 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later... |
1 2009 Vuelta a España The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5.... |
WD = Withdrew
See also
- List of doping cases in cycling
- List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences