Briefs

• Rubén Pérez, Gorka Izagirre, Romain Sicard and Pabo Urtasun are back from their nine-day pre-season training camp at the Costa Blanca. The quartet headed for the cycling-friendly cost to fine-tune their form ahead of the rapidly-approaching season-opener in Australia next month, and DS Larrazabal, who went with them, outlined the importance of the camp upon its completion. "At this stage of the 2012 preparations, long low-intensity rides are vital. It lays the foundations for the season ahead. Especially for these guys, who'll all start off early next year, it's of utmost importance. The Costa Blanca is the only place, at this time of year, where the weather allows you to to ride outside every day, so that's why we spent all of nine days here", Larrazabal told the team's website.
• Several Basque professionals are currently without a team for the upcoming season. Beñat Urain of Orbea has not been successful in finding a new home so far, while the same goes for Euskaltel's Daniel Sesma. Lampre's Aitor Pérez Arrieta is still on the look-out, while Geox's folding leaves Arkaitz Durán without a ride. In all, 40 Spanish professionals of this year is without a contract for next year.
• Earlier this week, the retiring Iñaki Isasi was honoured by the sport journalists of his home region of Álava. The sprinter, who calls Respaldiza home, was awarded the Pin de Oro by the Association of Sport Journalists of Álava. To read more, click this link.