Briefs

• Mikel Astarloza has opted to start his season at the Mallorca Challenge in February, not at the Tour Down Under the month before. He says as much on his own website this morning. The 32-year-old added that he's feeling "better and better in training", and that he hopes to start the season "in the best shape possible".
• "The Giro d'Italia attracts me. I love racing in Italy", Samuel Sánchez reveals in an interview with Diario Siglo XXI. To find out why, read this.
• A Spanish blogger got to spend a whole day with Euskaltel during this year's Tour de France. To see what that was like, watching the concluding time trial from the team car in the company of Miguel Madariaga, click this link.
• Igor Antón is in the running for the 'Best Basque Athlete of 2011' handed out by Bilbao-based newspaper El Correo. As it stands now, he's actually going to win it, ahead of the likes of Iker Muñiain and Javi Martínez. To cast your vote, click here.