"Euskaltel can run the team without the Fundación"

Euskaltel Euskadi has been the property of the Fundación Euskadi ever since the team was created back in 1994. That may be about to change according to Miguel Madariaga. Talking to DEIA yesterday, the Fundación president said the team's main sponsor may run the team on its own after next season.

"If I decide to leave... well then I'll leave. But there are other people here able to do the work I've been doing. I'm not Basque cycling all on my own. I've done a lot of work for the team and that work will not go away, but someone else will have to take over eventually. Maybe another organization will come onboard and run the team in another way. I have high hopes for Euskaltel (the sponsor). They have the necessary means and resources to run this team and won't have to rely on the Fundación", Madariaga explained.

"Currently the team is the foundation's. Euskaltel provide 38% of the budget with the rest coming, mainly, from Orbea and local institutions. The team won't disappear, but a new organization will have to built outside of the foundation. That's the inevitable future of the team, and Euskaltel are prepared to take the reins."

Does he think the uncertainty around the team's existence can have a negative impact on the riders' performances next year? No chance.

"No way. If anything, it should serve to motivate them even more. They have to perform if the team is to stay at the top".