Valverde could ride Castilla y León

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By Antonio J. Salmerón After the announcement that Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador would ride...

By Antonio J. Salmerón

After the announcement that Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador would ride the Vuelta a Castilla y León later this month, Alejandro Valverde has thrown his name into the hat as a possible starter. Valverde's participation would add to the star quality of the field and create even more interest in a race that was almost defunct just three years ago.

According to Caisse d'Epargne manager Eusebio Unzúe, "the final decision will be made having taken into account different aspects; what we determine is the most adequate balance for Valverde."

Unzúe has to choose between the aforementioned Vuelta a Castilla y León, GP Cholet-Pays de Loire (March 22) or the Criterium International (March 28 to 29). In Castilla y León, Valverde will have the opportunity to pit himself against Contador, Armstrong and Carlos Sastre. "This race has an interesting test for Valverde: a 30km time trial stage," added Unzúe.

Unzúe did confirm the rest of Valverde's pre-Tour de France programme, which includes GP Miguel Indurain (April 4), Klasika Primavera-Amorebieta (April 12), Paris-Camembert (April 14), Amstel Gold (April 19), Flèche Wallonne (April 22), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 26), Volta Catalunya (May 18-24) and Dauphiné Liberé (June 7-14).