Wednesday, July 25, 2012

This is the new Euskaltel
















Incoming General Manager of Euskaltel Euskadi, Igor González de Galdeano, and president of telephone company Euskaltel, Alberto García Erauzkin, today held a press conference in Zamudio in which they offered an insight into the direction the team is taking for the next few years. While some of it was old news, there was also some new information disclosed.

Here are the key points of what was said (courtesy of BiciCiclismo):
  • The objective is to stay in the UCI WorldTour while maintaining the team's cantera philosophy
  • The team has to adapt to the current demands of elite cycling to ensure the project's sustainability
  • The cycling team will integrate into the Basque Cycling Pro Team society, owned by Euskaltel SA
  • Euskaltel will have a budget of approximately nine million euro
  • Igor González de Galdeano will be the General Director of the Basque Cycling Pro Team and General Manager of the cycling team
  • The backbone of the team will still be Samuel Sánchez, Igor Antón, Mikel Landa and Ion Izagirre

"As of January 1. 2013, the cycling team will embark on its second big cycle in the spirit of continuing the project that has brought success over the last two decades", said García Erauzkin. "The project's objective will be to keep the team in the WorldTour, the highest level in international cycling, to adapt the structure of the team to the rigours of modern cycling, and to promote Basque cycling's cantera and the values behind it. We'll aim to maintain the cantera philosophy as the basic principle of the team".

Carlos Barredo and Dani Navarro were earlier on yesterday linked to the team, but Galdeano refused to  get specific on if and how many riders from outside the Basque Country the team would be looking to recruit.

"The team must evolve, take solid steps to remain at the top level and avoid making mistakes", he said. "If we need to adapt in the future, we will. But the captains of the team must be Basque, and we won't change that philosophy. We won't be making any rash decisions that might break the current philosophy."

García Erauzkin echoed Galdeano's sentiments that the core of the team will remain Basque.

"Euskaltel Euskadi is unique in the world of cycling. It's a team that represents much more than a commercial brand. The team represent a country, a certain way of doing things and values we're proud of. A project like this should be sustained and strengthened", he said.

He went on to confirm that the team will indeed have nine million euro a year at their disposal for the next three years, but, contrary to earlier reports, new sponsors may come onboard after all. Orbea is likely to stay on as bike supplier, but the team is also "open to other possibilities". 

As for the riders that will make up the team, pretty much everyone on the roster will stay on. Galdeano "guarantees that Igor Antón and Samuel Sánchez will remain in orange" despite the pair not having signed on the dotted line, and that the duo represents, along with Landa and I Izagirre, the "base of the team" for the coming years. 

The roster for next year will as expected be made up of 28 riders - five more than this year.

9 comments:

Fjelldal said...

What you think about the future of sicard in the team? will he leave couse he did not get the chance in the tour?

what you think about bringing Castroviejo and Intxausti back to the team? Any chance of that?

yyyysla bra blogg magga!!

Stephen said...

Good news I think, 9m and more riders with the same central idea...a bright future!

Unknown said...

"The backbone of the team will still be Samuel Sánchez, Igor Antón, Mikel Landa and Ion Izagirre"...

people have been chatting about Nieve, can you clarify his standing with Euskaltel Magnus? Just an incidental omission?

Anonymous said...

Im with Josh on the Nieve bit.

2010 Vuelta 11th
2011 Giro 10th, Vuelta 10th
2012 Giro 10th, T.d.Suisse 5th

Surely some sort of future should be built around him?

But overall good news for the teams future. I hope they stick with Orbea as well. Im just about to buy a team coloured Orca!!

Richie

Stephen said...

Richie, I have a classic Black & White Orca and its beautiful....never mind the team, just get one!

You don't see many about either so they are a real head-turner if bike blink counts with you :-)

Bolsen3 said...

It would seem like Nieve will leave the team? It doesn't seem possible to just "forget" him...

azanca02 said...

I would think that they would keep Orbea. There really are not many other Spanish brands that are out there...well in the US at least. There is BH and that is really about it.

Nieve must stay. He has points and the team will need them.

Magnus said...

It struck me too as odd that Nieve wasn't mentioned, but there's been no indications as of yet that he's headed out. He's been mentioned several times in the past as one of the most important guys to keep on the team. I know he was courted by Movistar a year or so ago, but I haven't seen those rumours resurface again since...

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