Odriozola back in the game

Former Orbea and Euskaltel directeur sportif Jon Odriozola is back behind the wheel, writes el Diario Vasco. The 39-year-old ex-pro won't be calling the shots for Euskaltel though, as he'll return with Basque amateur team Bidelan-Kirolgi. According to the newspaper the team was hoping to step up a level and thus become Continental, but it wasn't to be this year. Either way, Odriozola was enticed by the idea of a return to the sport he left so unexpectedly, to us outsiders anyway, back in 2008. He spent 2005 and 2006 in charge of Orbea, before he "graduated" to Euskaltel where he was a respected DS for another couple of years. Euskaltel wanted him to stay and offered him a new deal, but for whatever reason he turned it down. A solid domestique back in his racing days, Odriozola took his one and only win in the prestigious Subida a Urkiola in 2001, beating the late José María Jiménez and a certain Purito Rodríguez to the line.