Upcoming races

• Euskaltel will take on both the GP Llodio and the Vuelta a la Rioja this weekend. The former, to be held on Saturday, will include 10 Euskaltel representatives: Azanza, Cazaux, Isasi, Fernández, Nieve, Oroz, R Pérez, Sesma, Txurruka and Urtasun. The race will mark sprinter Koldo Fernández's return to competition after a two-month lay-off. Everyone bar Sesma, Oroz and Cazaux will do Rioja the following day, whilst Aramendía will fill out the eight-man team.
  
• Orbea will of course take part in the same races. For Llodio DS Díaz will field the following seven riders: Aberasturi, Bagües, Bizkarra, Cabedo, Etxebarria, García and Martín. Cabedo will be replaced by Adrián Sáez in Sunday's race. Both races, Llodio especially, are likely to come down to bunch sprints, so keep an eye out for in-form riders Aberasturi, Cabedo and García in particular.
  
• Naturgas will take part in the Three Days of Álava towards the end of the month, the 28th, 29th and 30th to be precise. The race is organized by the Fundación Euskadi itself and is sure to be one of the team's biggest objectives of the year. To tune up for that race, as well as the prestigious Vuelta a Bidasoa coming up just a week or so later, the team is staging two collective training rides on the 21st and 22nd. A tentative roster for the races haven't been released yet, but the reds are expected to field their very strongest team.