Alain González grabs team's maiden win

Alain González handed Naturgas Energía its very first victory of the year in Beasain on Saturday. The youngster sprinted to win the prestigious Torneo Lehendakari-race from an eight-man strong lead group to land his first triumph in the category.

González was launched by team-mate Mikel Iturria to best Bidelan's Jon Ander Insausti and Lizarte's Víctor Moleón, and the native of Vítoria was a relieved man post-race.

"I've just fulfilled one of my dreams", he told Bilbao-based daily El Correo. "To win a race as an amateur is big". And it was just reward for a recent run of strong form that's seen him finish third in Amorebieta and Durana.

Iturria closed out a good day for the team by taking sixth, while Loïc Chetout took out the Metas Volantes-competition. As a team, Naturgas ended up second.

Yesterday, another promising Basque, Ramón Domene, took out the San Pentekostes Saria in Bergara. The Caja Rural rider proved the strongest from a 15-man group that formed going over the final climb of Asentzio, and finally kick-started his season that's so far been troubled by injury. Jon Larrinaga and Loïc Chetout placed sixth and seventh respectively in the race that was won by a certain Peio Bilbao two years back.

Bergara results:

• 1, Ramón Domene (Caja Rural), 3:02:02
• 2, Diego Rubio (Diputación Ávila), s.t.
• 3, Cristóbal Sánchez (Seguros Bilbao), s.t.
• 6, Jon Larrinaga, s.t.
• 7, Loïc Chetout, s.t.
• 32, Mikel Iturria, 1:09
• 49, Imanól Estévez, 4:26
• 55, Pablo Comins, s.t.
• 85, Karl Baudron, 10:16
• 99, Oier Sánchez, 12:22

After such a strong weekend of racing, Naturgas seem ideally placed form-wise going into the Vuelta a Navarra that gets underway on Wednesday. More on that race later.

As for the overall Torneo Lehendakari-standings, results are yet to come in.

Photo: www.elcorreo.com