A driver who deliberately ran over two Movistar riders is facing 15 years in prison. The crime took place in July 2022 on a road in Murcia when a retired police officer, Alejandro Valverde and another member of his training group got into an altercation after an overtaking manoeuvre. The defendant then ran them over with his car.
The public prosecutor is demanding a total sentence of fifteen years and three months in prison for the defendant for two attempted homicides and the offence of reckless driving. The consequences of the accident were documented: Valverde, the current cycling coach of the Spanish national team, sustained injuries that required 30 days to heal, while his teammate took 412 days to fully recover. The prosecution is imminent after a settlement failed for the time being. In Murcia, the hearing convened by the provincial court to reach an agreement ended without success.
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In a statement to the Efe news agency, the accused's defence lawyer contradicted the prosecution's assessment. In his opinion, there was never any intention to kill in the behaviour in question, which is why he assumes that the incident would only constitute a criminal offence of bodily harm.
National coach Alejandro Valverde
At the time of the accident, Alejandro Valverde was in his final year of his career and was preparing for his last Vuelta a España. The Spanish cycling federation Real Federación Española de Ciclismo (RFEC) had signed Valverde as a coach in 2025. Valverde signed a four-year contract at the time and will therefore be in charge of the Spanish team at the upcoming World Championships, European Championships and Olympic Games. The man from Murcia has an impressive track record: 2018 World Champion, seven-time World Championship medallist and ten times in the top ten at World Championships. The Spanish national team will now benefit from this experience.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
