Amets wins criterium

Yeah I know I'm a little behind schedule these days. And I know most of you have already heard that Amets won the Criterium Jokin Ormaetxea. I still feel obliged to write about it though. After all, it's not every day an Euskaltel rider wins a race, be it the Tour de France or a low-beat criterium in the Basque Country. Koldo took the points win, while Igor Romero of Orbea won the elimination race. Amets triumphed overall ahead of hotshot Intxausti and Mikel. Even though Amets won, the day belonged solely to the family and friends of the late Ormaetxea.

4 races to go

The season is quickly coming to an end. Only four races remain on Euskaltel's calendar. Those four races are the Tour de Vendée, to be raced on Sunday, the Paris-Tours, to be raced exactly a week later, the Giro de Piemonte on the 16th and, of course, the Giro de Lombardia two days later. The starting line-up for the French one-day race in Vendée reads: Koldo, Aitor Galdos, Iñigo, Dioni, Beñat, Javier, Alán and Iván. Hopefully it'll come down to a sprint so that Koldo can add a win to the team's paltry tally of 7 wins this year.

Close but no cigar

Samu did well in today's Worlds road race. He looked to be Spain's strongest man, but eventually had to settle for 22nd place after missing out on the decisive move. Realizing that the break up the road were indeed going to stay away, he jumped clear of the remnants of what had once been the peloton to go in pursuit of the leading group. The chase proved fruitless though, but he can nonetheless be proud of his performance. He came in 22nd, only 1:22 in arrears.

Castroviejo ready for Worlds

Jonathan Castroviejo, the gifted all-rounder with Orbea who's likely to join the team before the end of the season, will line up today in the U-23 World Championship road race in Varese. The 21-year-old, who's enjoyed a brilliant season with Euskaltel's feeder team, is the sole Basque representative at the Worlds this year. Jonathan will, according to himself, try to stay out of trouble in the pack before doing his thing on one of the last laps. I'll be rooting for him this afternoon.

Euskaltel stars ride for Ormaetxea

Several Euskaltel riders, among them Haimar, Mikel, Koldo and Amets, will today line up in the annual Criterium Jokin Ormaetxea. Jokin Ormaetxea was, if you remember, the first-year pro who tragically died in a car accident back in 2004. Euskaltel rider Joseba Albizu was the driver that day, but has of course no guilt in the accident. He was himself severly injured, but recovered with time. At today's race Igor will be given the prize of "Best Basque rider 2008" by the organizer. A great gesture to a great rider.

Ibán not giving in

Ibán is not going to give up his case for justice just yet. The announcement that the CAS had decided to suspend Ibán was followed by silence on his behalf, but the silence was broken last week when his lawyer talked to DEIA. His lawyer, José Rodríguez, told they've taken the case to the Comité Español de Disciplina Deportiva. Rodríguez argues that the sanction handed out by the CAS is not compatible with the current Spanish legislation. The Comité Español de Disciplina Deportiva usually use up to 6 months on one single case, but it's understood they've been told to get moving and an answer will be given in October or November, at the latest. An actual judgement will not be handed out, it's the majority of the jury that will decide the case. Ibán did not comment on the case. And I don't know what kind of comment I'm going to give either. Hopefully he'll be cleared, but I'm not overly optimistic to say the least.

Egoi ends season

Egoi has decided to put and end to his 2008 season. Speaking to Gara yesterday, the likeable rider said it was time to chill out and reload the batteries after a taxing season. After all it's been a long season for him. In the interview he also expressed his sadness at not being selected for Spain's Worlds squad. His performance in the Vuelta indicated great form and led many to call for his inclusion in the nine-man team. It wasn't to be though, but he decided to look at the positive side of it: "Though, as I won't travel to Varese, I can stay at home with my new-born son. I've only been with him for three weeks, so I'm really looking forward to that." Of course, Ezequiel Mosquera performed fantastically overall in the Vuelta, but I do think that Egoi's engine and strength on the flats would be more helpful to the team than Mosquera's climbing prowess given it's a pretty flat Worlds this year. Time will tell I guess.

Iñigo glad to be back home

Iñigo was a happy man yesterday as the Vuelta came to a conclusion. In his daily column in DEIA he spoke of the hard reality of a three-week tour: "I don't think people really know how good it feels for a cyclist to finish a three-week race. The last stage may look like a transitional stage, but it really isn't. The truth is that every incline hurts. But it's not only because of the fatigue. It's because of the routines. Take the food for one. It's boring to eat the same things over and over again. We practically eat the same food for a month: pasta, rice, lasagne, chicken or meat. I need to change the routines. It feels so good to be done with the Vuelta. Cyclists have also got family, friends and a normal life we long for when we're away. I have all this in Algorta. I'll be back home today to meet the people and places I know... Today I'll get to see it all once again. We leave Madrid with an annoying feeling. The feeling of not having been able to win a stage. Not winning a stage is the only negative I can think of when it comes to our performance. After the time trial up the Nevacerrada we looked back at how the race unfolded for us emotionally. That opening day in Granada came to mind. You rememer that stage? Yeah, we came second in that team time trial. And, then, Egoi Martínez led the race from Sabiñánigo to the Angliru. I believe that's worth appreciating. People say that there, on the way to the Angliru, the race ended for us due to Igor's fall. I don't think so. I feel we recuperated well, and we were close to winning from breaks. I got into three decisive breaks, and Alán, Iván and Mikel did so as well... We've thought a lot about that day, the descent of the Cordal, and it hurts. That fall prevented Igor from continuing to progress mentally first and foremost. I talk about the experience to lead a team in a GT. That would be an important experience for a rider like him, a rider that will no doubt give the Basques a lot of joy in the future. He needs that experience, but other opportunities will present themselves. Soon. Next year. Surely."

Sign 'em!

We all know Euskaltel need new faces it they are to take a step up in quality. Even though Euskaltel is the Basque National Team of sorts, there are plenty of quality Basque riders getting their wages with other teams. I know Madariaga has stated that, except for Nieve and Castroviejo, no one else will join the team this year, so this isn't really a very realistic article I'm afraid. But this is my opionion on established, professional riders the team, regardless of wage demands and past history with the team, should bring in: (And, by the way, I'd love to hear your views on the matter)

• David Herrero: Obvious isn't it? He's way too good for a Pro Conti team. He won something like 10 races when with the team earlier, and it was a big, big mistake to let him go. He's incredibly talented; he's won mass-sprints, time trials and on mountain-tops. Still young, still Basque, and knows how to win a bike race; fits the bill perfectly. He's stated his desire to rejoin the team. Euskaltel should pounce on the possibility to resign him. Allegedly discussions over a prolongation to his contract two years ago stalled due to financial reasons and due to the "new code of ethics" within the team (including how to behave publicly, when to give interviews, what you're allowed to say etc.) Euskaltel need him badly.
• Beñat Intxausti: Makes me sad to see the biggest Basque talent ride with a non-Basque team. Scott-American Beef is a mess right now, so Beñat might, I reckon, actually join the team if the opportunity to do so was presented to him. I'd love to see him in orange. He reminds me of Ibán. He climbs like a God, but hasn't gotten the opportunity to shine with Scott this year. To get him would be a big boost to the team. He's a guarantee for future success.
• Arkaitz Durán: Big, big talent. Probably bigger than most people know. He's still very young, and he's got the potential to one day win a GT. I'm serious. He's performed well below what was expected of him when he turned pro five years ago, so a change in surroundings might do him good. Though, I would say, Euskaltel isn't the best place for young talent to develop, but everything than Scott-American Beef I'd say.
• Mikel Gaztañaga: A good sprinter who can win a race or three a year. More importantly though, he could act as Koldo's much-needed lead-out man. He'd be a solid reinforcement to the team. He has, like Herrero, stated his desire to one day ride for his home team, and it's high time he gets the opportunity. Together with Koldo and Aitor Galdos he'd form an excellent trio. He's riding with Agritubel, and would cetainly jump at the opportunity to ride all the Spanish races and stay in Spain. He'd be a good signing.
• Juan Manuel Garate: I've wanted him to join the team for years. I almost threw my laptop out the window when I read that Euskaltel didn't offer him more than a one-year contract last year. He required a two-year deal, but as he didn't get it he signed an extension to his contract with Quick.Step. Bravo Euskaltel! There you go! One of the very best Basque riders out there wanted to join you, and now he's with a Belgian squad. That's impressive. I don't know what kind of wages he demanded, so Euskaltel might have had their reasons not to hire him, but he'd lift the team to another level. Not signing him was a catastrophy.
• David López García: Why Euskaltel let him go is a mystery to me. Madariaga has stated that it should never have happened. He's a great climber and would add some much-needed firepower to the team. He's capable of winning hilly races, and is the kind of rider the team need so badly. Resign him please.
• Imanol Erviti: A great talent. Could develop into a good time triallist. Of course, he just won a stage in the Vuelta, and that's impressive, but that's got little do with it. He's always been a huge talent, but he hasn't really turned his talent into performances for Caisse (until his stage-win the other day that is). He's young as well, and has never been suspected of doping or anything like that, so he'd fit the bill.
• Iker Camaño: Quality rider, wasn't given the chance to shine he so thouroughly deserved whilst with the team. A Verdugo-type of rider. Would bring experience to an otherwise inexperience team. Has the quality to get into the top 10 in stage-races.
• Other riders that I'd like to see riding for Euskaltel: Arrieta, Garcia Acosta, Bingen Fernández, Aitor Pérez Arrieta (I know they're all getting quite old, but still they'd bring quality).

Round-up

I'm sorry for my absence, but I've been experiencing some network-problems of late. That all seems to have sorted itself out though, so I'll resume my blogging. Here's a short round-up of what's been going on:

• The Tour of Poland saw Iñaki finish a crediatble 14th overall after placing 11th on the last stage. Samu dropped out halfway through the race due to the unfavourable conditions. Samu was afraid the freezing cold and pouring rain could put pay to his Wordls preparations, and therefore decided to go back home and train instead. All in all and OK Tour of Poland performance from the team but, still, no wins to show for the effort.
• The Vuelta ended today. The last few stages saw what we've all become used to seing from the team; good riding, great effort, no win. Makes me proud, but also makes me sad to see the team giving it their all and just not being good enough to win. Credit to them for trying though. Losing Igor was a hard blow, but they've picked themselfes up and done their best. Koldo today collected yet another 4th place. He must be terribly disappointed with his sprints in this race. After all, the race wasn't top class every day. He looks close though, it's just a matter of details really. I reckon a place in the Tour line-up for him next year would do him the world of good experience-wise. It's just a matter of time before the wins start heaping up I feel. Egoi eventually finished 7th. That's awesome, just awesome. He's been terrific, and looks to be the rider I hoped he would be when the team re-signed him. Rubén as well did surpisingly well to claim 11th in the Nevacerrada time trial yesterday. He's turning into a complete rider Rubén, but the wins still elude him. There's a lot to improve upon for him, but the talent is there for him to develop. Euskaltel eventually ended up 2nd in the team classification after grabbing some vital extra seconds today. That's a brilliant result. Imagine how that ranking would have looked like if Igor was there. The final GC looks like this: 7th: Egoi. 28th, Mikel. 41st, Rubén. 45th, Amets. 51st, Iván. 63rd, Iñigo. 69th, Alán. 94th, Koldo. That's not too bad, but it's nothing more than I expected either. Madariaga declared himself happy with the team's performance, but, then again, he always does, so I don't really find his reactions very interesting to be honest. I'm longing for the season to end. It's been a terrible season overall for us Ibán and Euskaltel fans. Ibán is going through a hard time, and Euskaltel have performed well beneath what I had expected. If you, my readers, think I'm frustrated, then you're right. My frustration is obvious I guess, and I sense I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Haimar

Haimar epitomized everything I admired when I first fell in love with the sport: he was Basque, he climbed like a God, and he was Euskaltel. Yes, together with Ibán, he was Euskaltel. I think many felt that way. Perhaps some still do. But now he's gone, and it's high time to pay tribute to a true Euskaltel legend.


I first remember seeing Haimar racing when he abandoned the Tour in 2004. I was still in my early days as an Euskaltel fan, but I felt so sorry for him that day that, in an instant, he became one of my personal favourites. He still is in fact. Nothing, not even joining Astana, which, as you'll most likely know by now, is one of the teams I take a dislike to the most, can take away my affection for Haimar. It's the same as with Ibán; eventhough he let us all down taking drugs, he's still my favourite. Nothing can change that. Now, of course, Haimar doesn't mean the same to me as Ibán does. But, like Ibán, he's one of the most talented riders of his generation. And, sadly, once again like Ibán, he never got to fulfil that undoubted potential.

As a 23-year-old unknow quantity, Haimar rose to prominence in the latter half of the 2000 season. He showed immense promise by, first, winning the deciding time trial and the overall in the Euskal Bizikleta, then going on to place second in another time trial and thus overall in the Dauphiné Libéré, only beaten by a certain Tyler Hamilton, before going on to place 10th overall in his GT debut in the Vuelta a España. It was breathtaking stuff from the 23-year-old, so breathtaking in fact that he was dubbed the "New Induraín". Though, like every other "New Induraín", he failed to build on his early promise. So much in fact that his double win in the Bizikleta in spring 2000 is his only win to date. How a rider of his calibre has managed to win only once is a question I'm not able to answer. And I don't think I'm the only one.

The Tour de France has since 2003, without exception, been the one, and often only, goal of his season. As a result he's rarely been in top form neither before, nor after, the Grande Boucle. This has of course had its positives and negatives. On the positive side, Euskaltel have had a man capable of winning a Grand Tour on it's hands. That's a big plus for any team wanting to be invited to the biggest races around the world. On the flipside though, one of the team's best riders' season can come to nothing if he fails to shine in the Tour. That's happened, and not only once. But that's the price you've got to pay, and no one can say that it hasn't been worth it. Haimar's been fantastic to watch over the years in the Tour; he's had a great career no doubt. But the feeling that it could have been even greater can't seem to let go. I tell you, Haimar's always been capable of winning the Tour. The talent's there, period. But he'll never do it. At Euskaltel, a lot of things tend to go wrong. Rider's going in and out of form over night, good riders turn bad when they join the team, everything's public, riders being caught doping and, up until this year, the team have never really worked as a unit. Why that is I don't know. But it certainly hasn't helped Haimar achieve the goals he so easily could have obtained in different surroundings. But to blame it all on the team would be too easy. Haimar knows this, and he knows he could have done a lot of things different. But even so, he remains one of the team's all time greats.

Some say sport is beautiful. I agree. I value the aesthetic aspects of sport highly. But I rarely call sport events or performances beautiful. But I call watching Arsenal play football beautiful. And I call wacthing Haimar and Ibán in tandem at the 2003 centenary Tour beautiful. That was cycling at it's most perfect. Rarely have I seen cycling, or any sport for that matter, so aesthetically pleasing. It was something about how the two of them climbed those mountains in the Alps and in the Pyrenees so easily. And with so much style. I cherish the videos of Ibán and Haimar pushing Lance and Jan to the limit. That was quite something.

We'll never get to see that "something" again, at least not in an Euskaltel shirt. I'm sad to see him leave the team. This is where he belongs. Euskaltel without Haimar and Ibán is not Euskaltel. It's a new time, both for the team and for Haimar. For all I know he might blossom under Bruyneel's guidance. Most riders tend to. Maybe he can finally take that last step and become a Grand Tour winner. I'd love to see that happen. It wouldn't be with Euskaltel, but he's still Basque, and he stills climbs like a God. And he's still Haimar, the great Haimar Zubeldia Agirre from Usurbil. I wish him all the best.

Koldo fails to repay team

The team once again did their utmost to secure a win through Koldo, but once again to no avail. Koldo ended up 4th in an extremely tight finish, and will no doubt contemplate another missed opportunity. Though, he shouldn't be too hard on himself. A fourth place in a field of this calibre isn't that bad remember. But that's the way things are going these days. I have to applaud the team, though, for a fantastic effort. They assumed responsability straight away and led the peloton for most of the day. Impressive stuff, but sadly Koldo couldn't pull it off. He'll have another chance in Madrid on Sunday to grab his long-awaited Vuelta win.

Samu set to stay

It seems our worst fears have been unfounded; Samu looks set to stay with the team after all. News ciculating in different medias this morning indicate that Cervelo is not in the running for Samu's signature. Speaking to Cyclingnews.com, a spokesman of the team said: "The team has never spoken to Mr. Samuel Sánchez. We have no plans to hire him or to buy him out of any existing contract. Not to mention that we would not have the budget to do so anyway, we are a modest team able to attract great riders because they believe in our concept, not because we buy them out of existing contracts." I was so relieved to read this. Allegedly it would cost a team 900 000 euros to buy Samu ouf of his contract. Samu himself said: "I have a contract until the end of the 2010 season, and I'm not thinking about anything else". Great to hear, this will certainly boost the team's morale after some testing weeks.

Losing hope

Why is luck never on Euskaltel's side? I've had it, I'm so tired of always being let down by a fall, irregular sprinting, block-outs, or, as happened today, by Koldo being directed the wrong way with 2 kilometres to go. It all looked so rosy. The whole team, with Koldo at the end of the line, were at the very front of the pack, taking control of proceedings along with Quick.Step inside the last 10 kilometres. Finally I though it'd be Koldo's, and Euskaltel's, day. But no, it just isn't meant to be. With two kilometres to race, and with Koldo surrounded by team-mates in perfect position on Boonen's wheel, Koldo, another Euskaltel rider, along with four other riders, suddenly find themselves misdirected coming out of a roundabout. The six of them look up and notice they're all alone on the road. Luckily they were directed safely back onto the same road as the other riders, but by then it was all lost. Koldo didn't stand a chance of, first, getting past, say, 30 riders, to get in position in the space of a thousand metres, and then, secondly, to have enough left in the tank to mix it with the very best. With the formidable help of Rubén, though, he nearly pulled off the impossible. But, just for good measure, he was blocked out in the sprint by Haussler and had to settle for 6th place. The result in itself is good, very good actually, considering the circumstances, but Koldo is past the stage where a sixth-place finish is worth celebrating. For him, a rider of his calibre, only the win is good enough. He's got it in his legs, but with the way things are going these days, that might just not be enough.