Trial looms in road rage incident gone bad involving Valverde after a motorist allegedly struck and injured the former world champion and another cyclist in 2022.
Alejandro Valverde is at the center of an ongoing legal battle in a road rage case. (Photo: Getty Images)
Updated March 18, 2026 05:27AM
Alejandro Valverde is at the center of a road rage incident that now appears headed for a full trial on alleged attempted homicide charges dating back to 2022 after a motorist struck and injured the ex-pro during a training ride in Spain.
A court hearing this week failed to reach a plea agreement in what prosecutors allege is attempted homicide after a motorist rammed their vehicle into the former world champion and another cyclist, EFE reported.
That clears the way for a trial after lawyers on both sides could not reach a plea deal during a preliminary hearing at the Provincial Court of Murcia in the apparent road rage confrontation during what was Valverde’s final pro season.
According to the public prosecutor, the confrontation happened on rural roads in Spain’s Murcia region in July 2022 when the accused — a retired Civil Guard officer — allegedly drove their car into Valverde and another cyclist after a heated altercation while overtaking their group, according to EFE.
Prosecutors are seeking a combined sentence of 15 years and three months in prison for two counts of attempted homicide and one count of reckless driving.
No trial date yet
Valverde — a former Movistar Team rider and current Spanish national coach — suffered injuries that required 30 days to heal, while the other cyclist sustained more serious injuries that reportedly took 412 days to heal, prosecutors said.
Spain’s traffic laws allow cyclists the right to use public roads and require motorists to maintain a safe passing distance of 1.5 meters, but the popular cycling destination has seen a series of high-profile incidents in recent years involving riders struck by drivers, some of them fatal.
Defense lawyers told EFE they dispute the prosecution’s characterization of the events and are pressing for the incident to be classified as bodily harm offenses rather than attempted homicide.
No court date has been set in the ongoing legal drama.