Iban Mayo 2006 season review

As the 2006 season newly came to an end, Iban can look back on a mixed season. 2006 has really been a rollercoaster ride; from the heights of winning in the Dauphiné, in Urkiola and in Burgos, to the lows of another disappointing Tour. Here`s a glance at Iban`s 2006 season as it unfolded:


Iban started the season with one goal in mind: the Tour de France. As a preparation for the biggeste cycling race in the world, he started out his season in races such as Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia, Vuelta a Castilla y Léon and other Spanish races. In these races he didn`t record any results of note, though that wasn`t the meaning either. But in early April, Iban took to the start in his first Pro Tour race of the season, the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. The Vuelta al Pais Vasco is Iban and Euskaltel`s home race, and has served both parties very well in the past. This year, Samuel Sanchez was their captain, and through brilliant assistance from Iban and the rest of the team, recorded a brilliant sixth overall, racking up two hugely impressive stage-wins along the way. Iban was mostly doing solid teamwork, but got to show himself in some stages, most notably on the Jaizkibel. Though Iban was far from reaching top form, he placed a respectable 25th overall.


Then came the Ardennes classics, namely Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Iban started the two last ones, as co-captain together with an on-fire Samuel Sanchez. Though not able to fight it out for the win in either of the two, Iban recorded some good results. 18th. in the Fleche Wallonne and 23rd. in Liège-Bastogne-Liège was impressive stuff, and showed Iban was approaching form. Something he took advantage of big-time come the Dauphiné.


In early June, Iban took to the start in the French stage-race Dauphiné Libéré, known as the last dress-rehersal for the Tour. The Dauphiné has been the place for many of Iban`s greatest

victories to date, and Iban was hoping for a victory to boost his morale going in to the Tour. Though, the first mountain stage turned out to be the complete opposite. Iban ended far behind the leaders on the mythical Mont Ventoux stage, and a repeat of his 2003 overall win had

vanished. But even so, on the next stage, Iban was back to his very best. On the hard mountain stage, he finished second to Ludovic Turpin, a breakaway-survivor from Ag2R. Though, Iban had beaten the presumably best, and on the next mountain stage showed it was no fluke. On stage 6 from Briancon to La Toussuire, Iban finally got the much-needed win he was longing for. By riding away from David Arroyo, the Oscar Sevilla and finally Alejandro Valverde in the last 10 kilometres, he took his first win in two years in commanding fashion(pictured above). Iban was back with a bang, back at the top echelons of the sport. After demonstrating such red-hot form just prior to the Tour, Iban was suddenly alongside Basso, Vino and Ullrich as one of the main contenders for the overall win. Spirits were high, but sadly, the Tour didn`t go as planned this year either.


The Tour started out ok, and as the peloton got to the first mountain test, hopes were high in the Euskaltel camp. Could Iban finally rediscover his Tour form of 2003? Many thought so, myself included, but it wasn`t to be. A cold and a sore throat, caused by the air-conditioning in the hotel, left Iban struggling. On the first mountain stage, Iban arrived together with the gruppetto. You could tell Iban wasn`t well, and on the next stage, he threw in the towel after his throat got worse. It was all for nothing, as Iban headed back home after another failed attempt to conquer the Tour. Illness prevented him a shot at it this time around, but that was mere consolation for all of us. Pictures of Iban being pushed up the road by helpful and desperate team-mates is what`s left from the 2006 Tour.


After staying at home with his closest friends and family for a week, Iban soon returned to racing again. The Vuelta a Burgos was his first post-Tour race, and most of us were curious as to what state of form he was in now. After being ninth in the TT, winning the queen stage and taking home the overall, Iban gave us a clear answer. He was obviously in top condition. The Spanish one-day race Subida Urkiola was his next race, and yet again proved unbeatable. So, three wins in the bag, and next up were the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian, a race taking place in the Basque Country. A Mayo in top-form and with "home"-advantage were touted by many as the most likely winner. And he was so close to doing just that. Breaking away with strong-men Sastre and Menchov on the feared Jaizkibel, they held of the chasing peloton until just five mere kilometres were left. Coming so close is always hard to swallow, but at least he got to show his form was still intact ahead of the Vuelta a España.


Iban was one of the biggest favourites for the three-week test Vuelta a España coming up in late August. Many predicted a first grand tour title for Iban, a title he had been expected to win since his arrival on the big-stage in 2003. But it wasn`t to be this time either. A very unstable Mayo performed well and encouraging on some seperate occasions, coming close to the win twice, but overall "just didn`t have the legs". Mayo ended the Vuelta in 35th. place on the general classification, as his grand tour-ghost continued to haunt him.

So, an up-and-down season is finished, but with one question remaining. Will Iban ever find the consistency to fight for the win in the Tour or the Vuelta? Only time will tell I guess. But it has nevertheless been an entertaining and exciting season for all of us. Aupa Iban!