Beñat Intxausti WILL come to Euskaltel!

It was anounced today that Beñat Intxausti will ride for Euskaltel-Euskadi in 2010. Apparently there is an agreement between the basque rider and his former team boss Mauro Gianetti. Beñat already mentioned that he's happy to finally ride for his own 'tierra', but what will happen with Jorge Azanza. He was the one who got in the team because Beñat didn't, but what will happen with him now? We will find out soon probably...

3 questions for Alan Pérez

Euskaltel asked the same three questions to Alan Pérez, here is what he answered.

-What was the best moment of the season?
The Tour de France and the Vuelta. In both races the team shone and obtained some great results. Personally I didn't have a lot of luck, but I was happy to contribute my part to those achievements.
-What do you want to remember and forget on personal level?
I will remember that I got the chance to participate in the Tour the France, the race that looked the hardest of the whole season to me, but I loved it. I would like to forget the several falls and injuries I had during important parts of my season.
-Facing 2010, what are your intentions?
To do the same for the team as I did this year and to grow as a cyclist. If I have some luck and great form, I would like to take maximum advantage of that.

3 questions for Jorge Azanza

It was a close call for Jorge Azanza, but due to the fact that Beñat Intxausti unfortunately won't come to Euskaltel next year because of troubles with his team Fuji, he got a place in the team for 2010. Euskaltel gave him three questions and this is what he answered:

- What was the best moment of the season?
In the beginning of the season I felt great and I was present in a lot of escapes unfortunately I couldn't win anything. I felt good until the Vuelta a Burgos.
-What do you want to remember and forget on personal level?
It hasn't been a great year for me on personal level, but I look at the future with a good feeling. I noticed this year that I can do good in a lot of stages and I can fight for the victory. I would like to forget the physical problems I had after the Vuelta a Burgos.
-What are your intentions for 2010?
I hope to stay healthy and that my talent will show in some races.

Sammy splendid in Lombardy

The season is almost over, the leaves are falling from the trees, the sprinters already put an end to their season and that's when you get one of the most beautiful races of the season, the Tour of Lombardy. And just like the last two years, Samuel Sanchez made clear that this was a race for him. He stayed with the favourites until the top favourite Philippe Gilbert got away on the last climb. That was the sign for Samuel to go too and he rode without too much difficulty to the belgian. The two of them rode to the finish but at the end it was unfortunately Philippe Gilbert who had the fastest sprint and won, but at least we saw that Sammy was still in great condition and could have won this race, maybe next year!

Samuel said after his race: I went away with probably the best man in the field, Philippe Gilbert. He is able to beat real sprinters like he did with Tom Boonen in Paris-Tours. He is in top form and I'm getting a little bit tired after an exhausting Vuelta d'España. Overall I'm very happy with this season because I showed consistency and I showed a great level of racing. Now I can get a little bit of rest and prepare for 2010!

Results
1. Philippe Gilbert SILENCE 5:43:45
2. SAMUEL SANCHEZ ST
3. Alexandr Kolobnex SAXO BANK +0:07
...
54. Ivan Velasco +2:53
71. Javier Aramendia +4:04
83. Aitor Hernandez +6:02
96. Iñaki Isasi +8:00

Euskaltel in 2010

Up till now Euskaltel has 23 riders contracted for 2010. Here's an overview:

Stayers (17): Anton, Aramendia, De Lis, Fernandez, Galdos, Hernandez, Isasi, Martinez, Nieve, Oroz, Pérez, Pérez, Sanchez, Txurruka, Urtasun, Velasco and Verdugo

Newbies (6): Jonathan Castroviejo, Daniel Sesma, Miguel Mínguez and Romain Sicard(Orbea), Gorka Izagirre (Contentpolis) and Beñat Intxausti (Fuji)

Insecure (3): Josu Agirre, Jorge Azanza and Andoni Lafuente

Fired (3): Iñigo Landaluze, Markel Irizar and Mikel Astarloza

Sammy in Paris-Tours

Samuel Sanchez will lead the orange Euskaltel squad in the upcoming french race Paris-Tours. He will be assisted by Aitor Galdos, Iñaki Isasi, Ivan Velasco, Markel Irizar, Aitor Hernandez, Jorge Azanza and Javier Aramendia. Last year Samuel Sanchez was the best of the Euskaltel guys on a 28th place.

Rubén Pérez: 'Next year I want to win a stage'

Biciciclismo had a little interview with Rubén Pérez and here is what he said:
-Which has been the best moment of the season?
Definitely the races in Murcia and Castilla y Leon. I saw that winning a stage was possible and it gave me a lot of strength. Sometimes I was in a better shape but then the speed somehow went away.
-On personal level, what do you want to remember and what do you want to forget about 2009?
I will remember a lot of good moments, all the stages where I was satisfied to fulfill my job, even though I didn't get a victory or came in the public spotlights. Those days you are happy because you can do your work every day. I would want to forget the moment when I became ill in April, but that's part of the job.
-What are your intentions for 2010?
Most of all I want to make that extra step and win a race. Next to that I want to keep progressing and keep on racing.

Markel Irizar to Radio Shack?

According to the Diario Vasco and Biciciclismo Markel Irizar will ride for the new Lance Armstrong team, Radio Shack, next year. Of course we all know that Lance Armstrong and Markel Irizar since they both survived testicle cancer (if I'm not mistaken) and that during Markel's recovery Lance sent a message to support him. Of course he will also meet Haimar Zubeldia again because he's following Lance too! In my opinion this could help Markel to improve his time trialling skills even more!

No gloria en el Tour de Vendee

Euskaltel & Koldo Fernandez couldn't repeat the succes they achieved in last year's Tour de Vendee. But at least they gave it all. When at 40 kilometres a group left, the guys did everything to neutralise the group, but it was just too hard to control. Koldo was the best of the bunch and came in on a 16th place, before good sprinters as Feillu and Geslin.

Results
1. Pavel Brutt Katusha 4:38:40
2. Mathieu Ladagnous +0:10
3. Thomas Voeckler +0:10
...
16. Koldo Fernandez +0:21
71. Aitor Galdos +1:17
75. Ivan Velasco +2:01
76. Iñaki Isasi +2:01

Ready for the Vendee!

There aren't much races left for the 2009 season, but today the Tour de Vendee is held in France. For most of us, this seems like a pretty unimportant race, but let's not forget that Koldo Fernandez won there last year and he will definitely try and do that again. This year he will be accompanied by Iñaki Isasi, Aitor Hernández, Aitor Galdos, Jorge Azanza, Javier Aramendía, Andoni Lafuente and Ivan Velasco. A good sprinting team that will be 100 procent behind Koldo!

Sammy to ride the Tour in 2010

Samuel Sanchez has already announced that he will ride the Tour de France next year. Igor Galdeano said 'Now that he finished third and second in the Vuelta, it will be the time for him to try the Tour once again next year. The first part of the season will consist of Paris-Nice, la Vuelta al Pais Vasco and the northern classics and then he will concentrate on both Tour and Vuelta. It's clear that we are a team born for the Tour de France and we will try to give it all".

This year Sammy has three races left to do, Paris - Tours, Giro di Piemonte and the Giro di Lombardia. I hope he can get the victory in that last classic, as I love the race and Samuel came close to the victory before!

SamSan 4th at WC

World Championships are probably the most stressful races of the year. You get a 7 hours broadcast but you know only the last our depends, you know only the last lap really matters, that's when your heartbeat goes up to an impossible rate and you just feel history will be made. That's what happened yesterday and it was incredibly thrilling to see that our favourite Samuel Sanchez was in great shape, the best of the Spaniards I think. He stayed in the wheel of Fabian Cancellara and never let go. At a certain moment it looked like the two would get away but the small bunch of favourites came back. When the final cut was made, Samu had to stay because Rodriguez was already there. That way he couldn't compete for the victory and missed out a great opportunity to become world champion. But at least he rode a great race and I'm sure he will get other opportunities in the futur!

Romain Sicard World Champion!

What we all hoped, came true yesterday! Next year Euskaltel will at least have on World Champion among their men. The French Basque Romain Sicard won the under 23 title in an amazing way, after winning the Tour de l'Avenir only one month ago. In the last twenty kilometres he attacked together with Michel Kreder from The Netherlands but on the last climb of the day Romain was too strong and road solo to the world title. A nice way to enter the prof peloton next year, I would say. Hopefully he can admit to the pace in the prof peloton and show us what he's really worth! Jonathan Castroviejo ended on a good 13th spot, Gorka Izagirre 47th.

4 representatives at the WC!

As you probably all now, this weekend the World Championships are held in the beautiful Suisse city Mendrisio. The time trial has already been won by who else than Fabian Cancellara, but the road race promises to become a more exciting race. Samuel Sanchez will represent Euskaltel and as I see it he will be the second leader of the team, right after Valverde. When the parcours will be hard enough and Valverde, as usual, doesn't get in the right place, it will be up to Samsan to go for the victory, just at the Olympics.

The younger riders will also fight for a World Champions title, that one for boys under 23 years. Here Euskaltel will be presented by Romain Sicard, winner of the Tour de l'Avenir, Jonathan Castroviejo, stage winner in the Tour de l'Avenir, and Gorka Izagirre. This race will be hard to predict but I think our guys definitely have a chance. It would be nice to have a young World Champion in our team!

Intxausti and Izagirre are coming home!

Great news on the transfer front for Euskaltel. Next year our orange troops will be stronger by adding two young and promising guys to it. Gorka Izagirre is a 21-year old guy with a lot of grinta and I'm sure he can evolve to a great one-day racer. The other one you'll probably know already ... Beñat Intxausti. Named one of the most promising Spanish riders, but in my opinion not taken good care of with Saunier Duval/Fuji. I would love to see what he can do with Euskaltel. So we already have Sicard, Izagirre and Intxausti, now I would also like Castroviejo :D