By Antonio J. Salmerón
Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) President Fulgencio Sánchez is waiting news from the UCI and ProTour teams meeting today in Geneva. Sánchez confirmed to Cyclingnews that he has exchanged some words with UCI President Pat McQuaid.
"He gave me the impression that I should be very prepared to calm the ignited spirits of those teams that can or cannot participate in the ProTour races."
Sánchez has postponed the meeting scheduled for this last weekend with McQuaid, "Until the end of June." He continued, "When he [McQuaid] has clarified many things which are a worry to all of us and the Tour de France ..." This will be after McQuaid has obtained the opinions of all the cycling bodies, International Association of Professional Cycling teams (AIGCP) and Association of Professional Cyclists (CPA), which have recently held meetings.
Sánchez affirmed that he "agreed with McQuaid in that there is no reason not to allow someone to participate in the Tour, and other ProTour races, if they are not clearly identified in any anti-doping investigations." This was in clear reference to Alejandro Valverde, who, in Sánchez's opinion, "is being a victim of a brutal act that seeks to promote a false image of doping within cycling. Something that is not true."
"Valverde is not implicated in any case of doping. This is why he has to be in the Tour de France, something that worries those who consider him a dangerous rival."
