Lawyers advise rider to turn down UCI deal
According to the Spanish publication, Meta2Mil, Alejandro Valverde has refused to negotiate with the UCI and accept what would amount to a very nice deal. In turn for giving up his appeal to the Court of Arbitration in Sport and admitting that he is the owner of blood bag number 18, labeled Valv.Piti, the international governing body of cycling has, according to Meta2Mil, offered Valverde a reduced sentence and the opportunity to keep his victories from 2010.
The reduced sentence would see Valverde return to racing at the end of July 2011, which would allow him to race a pretty stiff late season schedule highlighted by his beloved Vuelta a Espana as well as the World Championships and the end of season Italian Classics, like the Giro di Lombardia.
If this is in fact true, it would be a real chance for Valverde to wipe his hands clean of the eternal monkey on his back and come away better for it in terms of his palmares and his 2011 season, not to mention standing up and telling the truth and perhaps shedding his status as one of the more ignominious figures in the sport today. It would also be a nice feather in the cap of the UCI to show they really did effect some kind of change – fair justice doled out to a repentant offender, who would be allowed to return in the near future.
It would be a perfect situation for both sides and the sport in general, and an important step toward in some way helping Valverde’s future legacy considering that Valverde will return and will resume his spot in the professional peloton as one of the best racers in the world.
Of course, Meta2Mil reports that Valverde’s lawyers have advised him to refuse the deal and wait for the appeal.