Tadej Valjavec (born 13 April 1977 in
Kranj
Kranj (, ) is the List of cities and towns in Slovenia, fourth-largest city in Slovenia and the largest urban center of the traditional region of Upper Carniola (northwestern Slovenia) and the Slovene Alps. It is located approximately northwest o ...
) is a
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
n former professional
road bicycle racer
Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The two most com ...
, who last competed for the Sava team. He is well known as a good
climber due to his rides on mountain stages in the
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...
. Although he has achieved relatively few professional wins in his career, he has consistently performed well in the
Grand Tours, with three top ten and four further top 20 finishes.
Doping
On 4 May 2010 Valjavec's name was released as being one of several riders under investigation by the
UCI for "irregular blood values". He was provisionally suspended by Ag2r-La Mondiale and pulled from their squad for the impending
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...
. Team manager
Vincent Lavenu stated that should the Slovenian cycling federation sanction him, he would be fired. Valjavec has proclaimed his innocence and claimed an unreported illness is responsible for the values. On 30 July the Slovenian federation officially cleared Valjavec, criticizing the usage of the biological passport in this case stating that it failed to take into account the possible natural reasons for Valjavec's irregular levels. The UCI will likely appeal the case to the
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS; , TAS) is an international body established in 1984 to settle disputes related to sport through arbitration. Its headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland, and its courts are located in New York City, Sy ...
.
On 22 April 2011 The Court of Arbitration for Sport set aside the decision to exonerate the athlete from any doping offense and imposed a two-year ban on him starting on 20 January 2011, as well as the disqualification of all his results obtained between 19 April and 30 September 2009.
Career achievements
Major results
;1994
: 1st Overall Giro di Basilicata
:8th Road race, UCI Junior Road World Championships
;1995
: 1st Overall Giro di Basilicata
;1998
: 3rd GP Kranj
;1999
:1st Overall Giro Ciclistico d'Italia
Giro Next Gen, also known as Baby Giro, Girobio, Giro d'Italia Giovani Under 23 or Giro Ciclistico d'Italia, is an Italian road bicycle racing amateur stage race created in 1970.
The race is considered to be the most important race on Italy's U23 ...
:2nd Overall Tour de Slovénie
Tour of Slovenia (Dirka po Sloveniji) is a five day road cycling stage race held since 1993.
Between 2005 and 2018, it was organised as a 2.1 race on the UCI Europe Tour. The 2019 edition was classified as a 2.HC race. It became part of the U ...
;2000
:3rd Overall Grand Prix du Midi Libre
The Grand Prix du Midi Libre (referred to as just Midi Libre) was a multiple-stage road cycling course in the south of France. The race, named after the newspaper that organized it, was first organized in 1949 and was an important preparation co ...
:4th Trofeo Laigueglia
The Trofeo Laigueglia is an early season road bicycle race held annually in Liguria, Italy. It is held about ten days after the opening to the Italian season, the Gran Premio della Costa Etruschi. From 2005 to 2014, the race was organised as a ...
:7th Tour du Haut Var
The Tour des Alpes-Maritimes, formerly known as the Tour du Haut Var, () is an early-season two-day road bicycle race in the Var department region in the south of France. Until 2008 it was run as a one-day race, part of the UCI Europe Tour. In 20 ...
;2001
:5th Road race, National Road Championships
:7th GP Industria & Commercio di Prato
The Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in Prato, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicyc ...
:8th Tre Valli Varesine
The Tre Valli Varesine is a semi classic European bicycle race held in Varese, Italy. From 2005 to 2019, the race was organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2021 it joined the UCI ProSeries calendar after being cancelled in 2020. A ...
;2002
:1st Overall Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda
The Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda () was an Italian cycle road race. In 2007, the race was organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which were introduced in 2 ...
:6th Overall Giro del Trentino
The Tour of the Alps is an annual professional cycling stage race in Italy and Austria. First held in 1962, it was named Giro del Trentino () until 2016, and run over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy. In 2015, th ...
:7th Giro dell'Appennino
Giro or GIRO may refer to:
Banking and investments
* Giro (banking), a direct payment from one bank account to another instigated by the payer
* Girobank, a state owned and later privatised financial institution in the UK
* GiroBank, a Danish ba ...
:10th Overall Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse () is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France, which is on the calend ...
;2003
:1st
Road race, National Road Championships
:3rd Giro di Toscana
The Giro di Toscana is a road bicycle race held annually in Tuscany, Italy. From 2005 to 2014, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. The race was not held in 2015. On 4 April 2016 it was announced that the race will ...
:5th Overall Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse () is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France, which is on the calend ...
:6th Giro dell'Appennino
Giro or GIRO may refer to:
Banking and investments
* Giro (banking), a direct payment from one bank account to another instigated by the payer
* Girobank, a state owned and later privatised financial institution in the UK
* GiroBank, a Danish ba ...
:10th Overall Tour of Belgium
The Tour of Belgium (; ) is a five-day bicycle race which is held annually in Belgium, and is part of the UCI ProSeries.
It was held annually between 1908 and 1981, except during both world wars. Between 1982 and 1990 several races were not org ...
:10th Trofeo Matteotti
Trofeo Matteotti is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in Pescara, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions whic ...
;2004
:4th Overall Tour de Romandie
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs through the Romandie region, or French-speaking part of Switzerland. The competition began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling. It ...
:9th Overall Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...
;2005
:6th Overall Deutschland Tour
The Deutschland Tour (English: ''Tour of Germany'' and sometimes ''Deutschland-Rundfahrt'' in German) is the most important Race stage, multi-stage road bicycle racing, road bicycle race in Germany. Initially the race was held in May/June, but fro ...
:9th Overall Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse () is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France, which is on the calend ...
:10th Overall Tour de Romandie
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs through the Romandie region, or French-speaking part of Switzerland. The competition began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling. It ...
;2006
:8th Overall Tour of Slovenia
Tour of Slovenia (Dirka po Sloveniji) is a five day road bicycle racing, road cycling stage race held since 1993.
Between 2005 and 2018, it was organised as a 2.1 race on the UCI Europe Tour. The 2019 edition was classified as a 2.HC race. It b ...
:10th Trofeo Melinda
Trofeo Melinda was a single-day road bicycle race held annually in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. After 2005, the race was organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing com ...
;2007
:1st
Road race, National Road Championships
:2nd Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (; or Tour of Valencia) is a road cycling stage race held in the Valencian Community (''Comunitat Valenciana''), Spain. Its position in the cycling calendar means it is often used as preparation for the sprin ...
:3rd Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
The Vuelta a Andalucía (Tour of Andalusia) or Ruta del Sol (Route of the Sun) is a regional Spanish road bicycle race first held in 1925. Since 2005, it has been a 2.1 category race on the UCI Europe Tour. The race became a part of the new UCI ...
:4th Overall Paris–Nice
Paris–Nice is a professional road bicycle racing, cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the ...
:7th Overall Tour of the Basque Country
The Tour of the Basque Country (Officially: ''Itzulia Basque Country'') is an annual road cycling stage race held in the Spanish Basque Country in April. It is one of the races that make up the UCI World Tour calendar. As the Basque Country is ...
:9th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
:10th La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne (, French for "The Walloon Arrow") is a men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium. It is part of the UCI World Tour.
The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is ...
;2008
:10th Overall Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
;2009
:7th Overall
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse () is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France, which is on the calend ...
:9th Overall
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...
;2010
:9th GP Lugano
:9th Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato
The Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in Prato, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicyc ...
;2010
:8th Gran Premio dell'Insubria-Lugano
Gran Premio dell'Insubria-Lugano was a single day race in the historic region of Insubria, Switzerland. The race was established in 2009 as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. The race replaced the former Gran Premio di Chiasso
The Gran Premio ...
:9th GP Industria & Commercio di Prato
The Gran Premio Industria e Commercio di Prato is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in Prato, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicyc ...
;2011
:2nd Overall Cinturón Ciclista Internacional a Mallorca
;2013
:4th Overall Tour of Slovenia
Tour of Slovenia (Dirka po Sloveniji) is a five day road bicycle racing, road cycling stage race held since 1993.
Between 2005 and 2018, it was organised as a 2.1 race on the UCI Europe Tour. The 2019 edition was classified as a 2.HC race. It b ...
:5th Overall Istrian Spring Trophy
The Istrian Spring Tour, formerly known as the Istrian Spring Trophy (), is a multi-day road bicycle race held annually in the Croatian part of the Istria peninsula. The race was first organized in 1961 as a small competition reserved to local cy ...
:8th Overall Tour de Slovaquie
Okolo Slovenska (; ) is an annual road cycling stage race in Slovakia. Founded in 1954, since 2017 it has been rated as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is a stage race that usually includes five or more stages.
History
Okolo Slovenska ...
:10th GP Kranj
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valjavec, Tadej
1977 births
Living people
Slovenian male cyclists
Olympic cyclists for Slovenia
Cyclists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Cyclists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Cyclists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Cyclists from Kranj
Doping cases in cycling
Slovenian sportspeople in doping cases