Briefs

• The county council of Gipuzkoa have decided to sponsor the Basque Country's two biggest races: the Vuelta al País Vasco and the Clásica San Sebastián. The agreement is actually for 2012, but the council "intend to prolong" 'till 2014. They'll provide 94,400 euro to the organizer, the Organizaciones Ciclistas Euskadi.
• Naturgas will line-up in Sunday's Torneo Lehendakari-race in Antzuola with the following riders: Jon Larrinaga (who leads the overall), Alain González, Pablo Comins, Oier Sánchez, Karl Baudron, Mikel Iturria, Víctor Etxeberria, Imanol Estévez, Loïc Chetout and Javier Francisco Martín.
• Pablo Urtasun will offer his thoughts on the Tour to BiciCiclismo throughout the race. Here's his first diary entry.