Euskaltel line-ups galore

Euskaltel have a hectic week and a half ahead of them with races in Italy, France and Belgium.

The big one is of course this Sunday's Il Lombardia.

Perennial contender Samuel Sánchez will be absent due to the injury picked up at the worlds, but the team will field a potent seven-man group anyhow. Ion Izagirre, Mikel Landa and Egoi Martínez will lead the team and be accompanied by Juan José Oroz, Garikoitz Bravo, Gorka Verdugo and Mikel Astarloza.

Before the 'Race of the Falling Leaves' commences, an eight-man squad will have taken part in the four-day Eurométropole Tour (formerly known as the Circuit Franco-Belge).

Representing Euskaltel for the last time will be Jon Aberasturi, Adrián Sáez, Ioannis Tamouridis, Robert Vrecer, Steffen Radochla, Ricardo Mestre, Peio Bilbao and Miguel Mínguez.

The race's first stage on Thursday was taken out by the on-fire Jens Debusschere of Lotto-Belisol in a sprint. Euskaltel's top man was unsurprisingly speedster Aberasturi in 15th.

Results:

• (1, Jens Debusschere (Lotto-Belisol), 4:22:05)
• 15, Jon Aberasturi, s.t.
• 39, Ioannis Tamouridis, s.t.
• 61, Adrián Sáez, s.t.
• 73, Peio Bilbao, s.t.
• 122, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.
• 136, Ricardo Mestre, s.t.
• 148, Steffen Radochla, s.t.
• 161, Robert Vrecer, s.t.

The same octet riding Eurométropole will also line up for Binche-Tournai-Binche (October 8), Paris-Bourges (October 10) and Paris-Tours (October 13).