Comments on: Basso “Confessed”, Valverde Accused, Dekker Victorious http://cyclocosm.com/2007/05/basso-confessed-valverde-accused-dekker-victorious/ Pro Cycling News, Commentary and Special Features Fri, 18 May 2012 13:20:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Liz http://cyclocosm.com/2007/05/basso-confessed-valverde-accused-dekker-victorious/comment-page-1/#comment-1224 Liz Mon, 07 May 2007 22:00:24 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/05/basso-confessed-valverde-accused-dekker-victorious/#comment-1224 You are so right about Valverde's remarkable ability to remain in the Pro/tour Peloton. "... Valverde managed to avoid scapegoating that befell other Puerto suspects." He continued to race, therefore he was not viewed the same as others. He continued to race - hiding in plain sight - doing what he loves - because he's Spanish on a Spanish team and his Spanish DS did not get caught red-handed in a sting. Most importantly, his team management supported him. It wasn't against the law at the time to dope in Spain. Trafficking in doping - yes, against the law. "Sporting fraud" is a crime in Italy and France. I don't remember the details, but Vaverde was 'cleared' by the investigation or the Spanish federation. They ruled there wasn't enough evidence to proceed against him. Another thing, he was never mentioned as being caught on video entering or leaving the building where Fuentes office is located. Sevilla and Mancebo were on tape, among others. Meanwhile, Spaniards Alberto Contador and L. Leon Sanchez and Aus. Allan Davis were cleared because supposedly there was no evidence linking them to Fuentes - just Saiz. Davis raced in Australia in the winter. But all three former LS riders sat on the sidelines last year from July on....making them look sorta guilty. Of course, Pro teams already had full rosters. I don't know if Astana offered them contracts. This year Nozal, Serrano, Vicioso all Spanish and former LS riders - none are on a Pro Tour squad. So many others, too. didn n You are so right about Valverde’s remarkable ability to remain in the Pro/tour Peloton. “… Valverde managed to avoid scapegoating that befell other Puerto suspects.”
He continued to race, therefore he was not viewed the same as others.
He continued to race – hiding in plain sight – doing what he loves – because he’s Spanish on a Spanish team and his Spanish DS did not get caught red-handed in a sting. Most importantly, his team management supported him. It wasn’t against the law at the time to dope in Spain. Trafficking in doping – yes, against the law. “Sporting fraud” is a crime in Italy and France.

I don’t remember the details, but Vaverde was ‘cleared’ by the investigation or the Spanish federation. They ruled there wasn’t enough evidence to proceed against him. Another thing, he was never mentioned as being caught on video
entering or leaving the building where Fuentes office is located. Sevilla and Mancebo were on tape, among others.

Meanwhile, Spaniards Alberto Contador and L. Leon Sanchez and Aus. Allan Davis were cleared because supposedly there was no evidence linking them to Fuentes – just Saiz. Davis raced in Australia in the winter. But all three former LS riders sat on the sidelines last year from July on….making them look sorta guilty. Of course, Pro teams already had full rosters. I don’t know if
Astana offered them contracts.

This year Nozal, Serrano, Vicioso all Spanish and former LS riders – none are on a Pro Tour squad. So many others, too.

didn
n

]]> By: jim http://cyclocosm.com/2007/05/basso-confessed-valverde-accused-dekker-victorious/comment-page-1/#comment-1220 jim Mon, 07 May 2007 19:46:21 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/05/basso-confessed-valverde-accused-dekker-victorious/#comment-1220 Hey, maybe Horner borrowed your Modolo shifters for that TT. Hey, maybe Horner borrowed your Modolo shifters for that TT.

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