La Granja, Spain  - Local hero Alejandro Valverde on Friday closed in on the overall Vuelta victory when he finished second on the 19th stage behind compatriot Juan Jose Cobo.

Australian Cadel Evans finished third on the day.

More importantly than his second place was that Valverde managed to put some distance between himself and Robert Gesink, who went into the day in second place.

Velverde also got a time bonus for finishing second and now has a lead of one minute 26 seconds from Samuel Sanchez, who moved into second past Gesink.

Puertollano, Spain  - Andre Greipel of Germany secured his third stage win of this year's Tour of Spain when the Team Columbia rider claimed victory in Tuesday's 16th stage from Cordoba to Puertollano.

Greipel prevailed in a mass sprint at the end of the 170- kilometre-long stage from France's William Bonnet.

Spain's Alejandro Valverde continues to head the overall standings after finishing in the peloton to maintain his 31-second lead over Dutchman Robert Gesink and 1:10 minutes over compatriot Samuel Sanchez.

Another Spaniard Jesus Rosendo led a solo break for 140km but was caught by the pack 18km from the finish.

Madrid - Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde on Tuesday filed a complaint against the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in his fight against a doping ban.

Valverde's management said his lawyers have brought the case before Spanish justice authorities, saying that the CONI made use of unlawfully acquired evidence.

The Caisse d'Epargne rider was two weeks ago banned for two years by a CONI anti-doping tribunal which implicated him in connection with the Operation Puerto doping probe centring on Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

Rome - The sports court of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) on Monday started anti-doping proceedings against Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde.

The winner of the UCI ProTour championships in 2006 and 2008 is accused of blood doping after blood samples, allegedly belonging to him, were seized from alleged doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

The head of the commission, Ettore Torri, has said that Valverde was guilty of doping or attempted doping and has asked for a two year ban for him.

Madrid/Rome  - A Madrid judge ruled Wednesday that Italian anti-doping proceedings against Alejandro Valverde are "null and void," but the Spanish cyclist said that he would appear anyway in an effort to clear his name.

Madrid Judge Antonio Serrano ruled that proceedings initiated against Valverde by Italy's National Olympic Committee (CONI) made unlawful use of blood samples seized from alleged doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, in an investigation against the winner of the UCI ProTour championships in 2006 and 2008.

Madrid - Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde has asked for a further postponement of a hearing by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in a doping investigation, Spanish media reported Tuesday.

Valverde had originally been ordered to appear before a CONI panel on Monday, but the hearing had been postponed to Wednesday at the Caisse d'Epargne rider's request.

According to the reports, Valverde has sought another 48-hour postponement to allow his lawyers more time on the case.

Rome  - Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde has been summoned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in a new doping investigation linking the rider to the Operation Puerto affair.

CONI said on its website Wednesday that Valverde has been summoned to a hearing for Monday.

Italian media reports said DNA tests on blood samples taken from the rider last July match blood samples seized by police from the laboratory of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

Rome  - Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde has been summoned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in a new doping investigation linking the rider to the Operation Puerto affair.

CONI said on its website Wednesday that Valverde has been summoned to a hearing for Monday.

Italian media reports said DNA tests on blood samples taken from the rider last July match blood samples seized by police from the laboratory of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.