Net tightens around Valverde/ Italians link blood from '08 Tour, Operation Puerto

News has broken this morning of the Italian Olympic Commitee summoning reigning Spanish Champion Alejandro Valverde for quesioning in regards to the Operation Puerto drugs investigation. The Italians obtained blood samples from Valverde at last year's Tour de France which passed through Italy on Stage 20 and have subsequently linked the samples with blood from the 2006 Operation Puerto in bags marked in code as Piti and 18. This could spell disaster for Valverde who has had an amazing career marked with classics and stage race victories. Definitive proof is something that has eluded authorities in the Puerto case but with DNA matching Valverde and two seperate bags of blood that match, conviction and suspension could be just around the corner.