Down Under round-up

The Tour Down Under concluded yesterday morning, and sadly the team were left with no tangible rewards for their week-long efforts in terms of results. Not that they fared badly, though. Gorka Izagirre was as expected Euskaltel's main man for GC and stage honours, and he came oh so close with a brave and valient ride on the fifth and penultimate stage to Willunga. Izagirre impressively stayed in the leading 15-man group on the hilly stage, and tried to catch the group cold with a powerful surge inside the last kilometre. For a while it looked like he might just pull it off, but he was reeled in inside the last 100 or so. Tough luck, but at least he got to show his form is right where it should be. Stages four and six were largely uneventful, but the strong Willunga-ride meant he finished up a solid 12th overall. Iván Velasco weren't too far off either, coming home 23rd. Rubén Pérez was 40th, Isasi 41st, Minguez 51st, debutant Jon Izagirre 72nd, and Daniel Sesma once again endured a painful Down Under, ending up as number 109. In the team ranks, Euskaltel finished an okay 10th. Next up for the team is the annual Spanish calendar-opener, the Mallorca Challenge.