Gorka Izagirre making waves Down Under

Gorka Izagirre, Euskaltel's new 23-year-old rider who joined from Contentpolis-AMPO in the close-season, put his name out there in his first Pro Tour race for the team. Gorka lined up with four other Pro Tour debutants in the recently-concluded Tour Down Under in Australia, and will no doubt look back at it as a success. Being active all through the race, from the Cancer Council Helpline Classic to the concluding crit on stage six, and placing a respectable 28th overall, is no mean feat for a Pro Tour newbie. Add that to the fact that he was away with Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde, Luis León Sánchez and Slovakian sensation Peter Sagan on the last climb up the Willunga Hill until a mere 1000 metres were left to go, and you've got one impressive overall performance indeed from the precocious 23-year-old. Coming up Willunga Hill in a small select group in third position just behind Lance was impressive.

Given that Gorka has been in and around the Spanish national team for quite a few years now along with the likes of Rafael Valls, Jonathan Castroviejo and Beñat Intxausti, I'd been expecting quite a bit from the Gipuzkoan. Though I wasn't expecting him to come up with the goods this fast. I won't complain though. Sadly, there's not a lot of talent coming out of Spain, let alone from the País Vasco, these days, or should I say years. But in Gorka I think we might have got one. He can obviously climb. He's fast, but not a sprinter. He's good on the flats. In his own words, he's an all-rounder who hasn't quite yet decided where to channel his efforts. But he's got time on his side. And if his progression to date in anything to go by, we might be looking at a future champ.