Galdeano dreaming of volcanic win

The Giro, the first Grand Tour of the year, is just around the corner, and team chief Igor González de Galdeano is just as excited as the rest of us at the prospect of watching Igor Antón hopefully grabbing a big win the high mountains. Not just any stage though, Galdeano wants that stage: the ninth to the top of the equally famous and infamous volcano of Etna. "The team's objective is to win a stage", he told DEIA, before adding that he'd love Antón to win one of the many queen-stages and, if possible, the stage to Etna. "That stage is both special and historic". That particular stage is likely to be hotly contested with the likes of Contador, Menchov, Scarponi, local guy Nibali, Sastre, Pozzovivo et al. all present. But the team head was eager to play down expectations of a high overall placing, though, saying Antón and his team-mates only have their eyes on stage wins. "Igor Antón is feeling good, but his goal is to fight for a stage not the overall. Effectively the overall is out of the question. He's capable of winning one of the most prestigious stages, and if he's feeling good on the climbs he'll naturally be in with a chance overall as well. But that's not our aim." Galdeano went on to highlight that lieutenant Mikel Nieve is also in top shape, and said a win for the team in Italy would be epic: "Euskaltel-Euskadi have never succeeded in winning in the Giro so it would be historic." The captain himself, Antón, echoed Galdeano's sentiments, telling Biciciclismo: "My primary objective is to get to the mountain stages in good shape, be up there and get a stage. It would be a big step in my career but it won't be easy." He went on to say that he'd be satisfied if he finished the race with a win in the bag and a 60th overall, reiterating that the GC was not on his mind. If anyone really believes that is another question altogether. The fact is that rarely has a GT been as suited to Antón's strengths as this year's edition of the Giro. It's made for pure climbers and Antón can safely count himself as one of those. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but I wouldn't rule out the GC just yet...