Squad for Tour Down Under

As their WorldTour-licence obliges them to, Euskaltel will get their 2012 season underway at the Tour Down Under in Australia from 15-22 of January. It's still a month to go before the grand kick-off, but the team have nonetheless decided who'll represent the team at the race: Victor Cabedo, Gorka Izagirre, Ricardo García, Rubén Pérez, Adrián Sáez, Romain Sicard and Pablo Urtasun.

For Cabedo, García and Sáez, it'll naturally be their debut race in the orange jersey. Sicard will be there with the aim of getting back into shape after an injury-ravaged year, while Pérez, Izagirre and Urtasun all possess the kind of end-speed needed to land them a result at the mainly flat course. Izagirre had a strong showing there last year and went agonizingly close to snatching a win - he'll be keen to make it right this time around.

To hone their form for the season-opener, the four senior riders (that'll be Izagirre, Sicard, Urtasun and Pérez) are currently getting in the kilometres at the east cost, on the Costa Blanca, the team's website reports. As per tradition at this time of year, the Basque Country is pretty wet and cold and not favourable to outdoor riding. The milder climes on the Costa Blanca are likely to suit them more, and Josu Larrazabal has gone with them to supervise their training. The quintet will stay 'till the 21st of December.