Alain González champion in team's backyard

Naturgas Energía prodigy Alain González was today crowned regional sub-23 champion of Álava, the region from which the team hails.

The speedy González (is that a new nickname?), who's victory in Beasain in late May is still the team's one and only triumph this season, obtained the title by being the best sub-23 rider from the region in today's Torneo Euskaldun-race in Amurrio, the LIX Circuito Aiala.

24-year-old Jon Pardo of neighbouring region Navarra, riding for French powerhouse team Entente Sud Gascogne, grabbed the win in a sprint of six. The former Seguros Bilbao youngster, a pro last year at Portuguese Continental outfit Onda-Boavista, outpaced Lizarte's Iban González, who could console himself with taking out the elite regional title. Third was 23-year-old Argentine Adrián Ezequiel Richeze, the younger brother of Maximiliano Ariel and Mauro Abel Richeze, who has a Vuelta a Toledo stage-win from earlier this year on his palmarès.

Results (courtesy of the Basque Cycling Federation):

• 1, Jon Pardo (Entente Sud Gascogne), 2:52:13
• 2, Iban González (Lizarte), s.t.
• 3, Adrián Ezequiel Richeze (Sel. Argentina), s.t.
• 4, Unai Iparragirre (Bidelan-Kirolgi), s.t.
• 5, Sergio Rodríguez (Seguros Bilbao), s.t.
• 6, Mario Gutiérrez (CAI), s.t.
• 7, Joseba del Barrio (Bidelan-Kirolgi), 0:04
• 8, Markel Antón (Bidelan-Kirolgi), s.t.
• 9, Walter Trillini (Sel. Argentina), s.t.
• 10, Antón Ibarguren (Caja Rural), s.t.
• 17, Mikel Iturria (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
• 44, Loïc Chetout (Naturgas Energía), 2:14
• 45, Alain González (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
• 48, Imanol Estévez (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
• 58, Jon Larrinaga (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
• 88, Francisco Javier Martín (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
• 95, Pablo Comins (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
• 97, Víctor Etxeberria (Naturgas Energía), s.t.

In the team rankings, Naturgas ended up 10th.

Note that the photo is from May's race in Beasain, not today's in Amurrio.