Orbea team for ultimate race

Orbea will tomorrow start their last race of 2010: the demanding three-day Tour d'Empordá in and around the cycling haven that is Girona. The team will send seven riders including Aitor Ocampos of Naturgas, who earned his chance at this level by finishing as best Basque in the Tres Días de Alava back in April. The other six lining up will be Noel Martín, Jon Aberasturi, Ricardo García, Joseba Larralde, Xabier Zabalo and Andoni Blázquez.

Landa ready for Worlds

Future Euskaltel rider Mikel Landa is enjoying his time Down Under, and told DEIA about his expectations for Saturday's race. "Taylor Phinney is the main favourite", he said, echoing most experts' sentiments. "There are two hard climbs on the route, but also sufficient time to recuperate in between them. We will do several loops on the circuit, so the accumulated fatigue and the natural selection will eliminate the ones not at the front on the climbs. I'd like to go top 10, but it's not an objective for me. We have Juan José Lobato on the team; he's a fast rider and will try to be there at the end. But if I end up among the front-runners, I'll give it a go." I reckon the route is a tad too flat to suit Landa's capabilities, but then again he's on great form, so I'll keep an eye on him for sure.

Naturgas secure Chetout

DEIA have revealed Naturgas Energía are very close to securing the services of "fenómenon" Loic Chetout. The second-year French junior has been recommended by Euskaltel's very first Frenchman on the team, Thierry Elissalde, who's kept a close eye on the youngster. Chetout has a number of wins to his name this year, among others the opening race on the French calendar, the junior version of the Vuelta a Gipuzkoa and last weekend's Criterium de Otoño. Chetout has been riding in the colours of Blagnac de Toulouse, the very same outfit Sicard grew up in.

Lombardia likely for Samu

Perennial Giro de Lombardia contender Samuel Sánchez is likely to line up for another go at the Italian fall classic in October. Speaking to el Diario Vasco, Samu, who's currently Down Under and getting ready for Sunday's big day, had this to say: "For Euskaltel, first and foremost, and for me, the Giro de Lombardia is important. Unless I finish the road race on Sunday feeling very bad, I'll do the race. I've twice been second and once third in that race. If I do the race it'll be to win it. If I can't see myself fighting for the win, I won't line up." Samu, who might now be promoted onto the podium in the Tour after Contador was finally caugth, revealed he'd spent 11 days training alone in the Sierra Nevada mountain range as preparation for the Worlds. He also added he's confident in his captain and three-time victor Oscar Freire.

Euskaltel anno 2011

According to reports on Bici Ciclismo, and on this very blog some time ago, the signing of Pierre Cazaux was Euskaltel's last ahead of the 2011 campaign. In addition to Cazaux, Mikel Landa and Jon Izagirre will make the jump from Orbea, meaning Euskaltel will welcome three new riders to the team in January 2011. Beñat Intxausti's departure has been well documented, as has the ones of Sergio De Lis and Aitor Hernández, and it now transpires Aitor Galdós will, like Bici Ciclismo hinted a few weeks back, not receive a new deal. He's now a free agent, but he probably won't have difficulties finding a new team due to his qualities and palmarès. All the other riders on this year's team will stay on for at least another year, meaning Euskaltel's plantilla will consist of 23 riders in 2011. Full list:

• Igor Antón
• Javier Aramendía
• Jorge Azanza
• Jonathan Castroviejo
• Pierre Cazaux
• Koldo Fernández
• Iñaki Isasi
• Gorka Izagirre
• Jon Izagirre
• Mikel Landa
• Egoi Martínez
• Miguel Mínguez
• Mikel Nieve
• Juan José Oroz
• Alán Pérez
• Rubén Pérez
• Samuel Sánchez
• Daniel Sesma
• Romain Sicard
• Amets Txurruka
• Pablo Urtasun
• Iván Velasco
• Gorka Verdugo

It's a deal!

Pierre Cazaux has finally and officially signed a contract with Euskaltel-Euskadi. So says the team's website, thus bringing to an end a couple of weeks' speculation. As anticipated the 26-year-old penned a two-year deal, and, if his progression to date is anything to go by, he'll be a valuable asset in the mountains as well as on the flats for the coming two years. The capture of Cazaux is likely to be the team's last this year, reliable sources say.

Cazaux decision in the offing

Despite me publishing a post last week titled "Euskaltel sign Frenchman", the Frenchman in question, Pierre Cazaux, hasn't actually penned the deal. But he's likely to though. The team have offered the FDJ rider a two-year deal, and the 26-year-old is expected to make a decision on whether to accept or rebuff the offer later this very Tuesday. Stay tuned.

Sicard to pen historic four-year deal

Romain Sicard will today put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the team, believe it or not. By signing this extensive contract, the young Frenchman will make history at Euskaltel: never has a rider signed a contract this long. Not even Ibán Mayo, who, after his sensational 2003 season, signed a contract for three years. To tie down Sicard on such a deal is a coup for Euskaltel and the rider alike I reckon. Sicard is virtually a guarantee for success in the years to come. It's not for nothing he's being billed as France's next Tour de France winner. And the fact that he's France's best bet for glory in the Grand Boucle is likely to secure Euskaltel a place in the race for the foreseeable future. A canny move by Galdeano and Madariaga no doubt. Staying with a Spanish squad is also likely to benefit the slightly shy and self-effacing Sicard, as he will to some extent escape the pressure and the massive expectations laid upon him by his countrymen. To be somewhat 'protected' from all the hype will do him the world of good. Too many precocious French riders have suffered and subsequently disappointed after being labelled 'the next Hinault' or 'the new Jalabert'. By staying away from it all, Sicard might just develop into the rider France have longed for for so many painful years.

Pello Bilbao signs for Orbea

As I predicted he would quite a few months back, Pello Bilbao has made the move from Sub-23 outfit Naturgas to Euskaltel's feeder-team Orbea. The 19-year-old climber, who grabbed four wins to go with the overall Torneo Sub-23 classification in a highly successful campaign, has been touted by experts as a future climbing great in the professional peloton. Pello will now get to cut his teeth among the pros as of next season. Watch out for him to make quite an impression. Mikel Bizkarra, who's also enjoyed a break-out year, is likely to join him at Orbea. More on Bizkarra's potential move later on.

Naturgas end season in Cantabria

Naturgas Energía are officially done for the season. The Vuelta a Cantabria, which ended on Sunday, was the last race on their calendar, and the youngsters will now get to take a well-earned rest during the winter. Cantabria was hard for the team. Bad weather marred the event, but the guys in red still didn't hide in the pack and were in the main break every single day. Grijalba, who enjoyed a great start to the year and who's looked strong throughout the campaign, got into the moves on day one and three, while Aitor Ocampos, who's also stood out from the rest, got in on the action on the second day. Top results were hard to come by, though, with Carlos Barbero's seventh on stage three the best result. On GC, Ocampos was best of the bunch in 21st, while Grijalba was 48th, Barbero 55th, Legarra 69th and Carazo 80th. Aritz Bagües, who's penned a deal with Orbea for next season, placed a strong sixth just behind a certain Moises Dueñas (You still remember that guy, right?), so he looks to be the real deal. DS at Naturgas, Iñigo Urretxua, was pleased eventhough the team left the race without any results to show for their efforts. "We've been aggressive and protagonists every day", he told la Fundación Euskadi's website. "We conclude our season on a high."

Languedoc-Roussillon wrap

The three-day Tour de Gévaudan Languedoc-Roussillon stage-race in France came to a close today. Orbea sent a potent six-man squad to the event and came within wiskers of taking out the opening-day team time trial. Over a ridiculously short 1,3km course, the team lost out by a few hundreths of a second to Team Vulco to finish an agonizing second. But no matter how bitter, it was still an excellent ride. But that was as good as it got for the guys in blue really, as they struggled to impose themselves on the following two stages. Joseba Larralde finished highest in 22nd place on the hilly second stage, 5:08 down. Xabier Zabalo ad Jon Izagirre were 33rd and 34th respectively at 12:43, Andoni Blázquez and Noel Martín ended up 55th and 56th at 20:15, while Aritz Etxebarria found the going way too tough, crossing the line in 88th place, a full 45:34 in arrears. Day three was equally tough on the riders with the stage going to the top of the Montée Laurent Jalabert in Mende. The guys fared better though, Zabalo grabbing a fine 16th at 1:12. Martín was 25th at 13 seconds further back, while Blázquez was another seven seconds adrift. Larralde was 37th at 2:05, Etxebarria 40th at 2:21, while Izagirre junior came in with the last group at 7:25. Naturally these results didn't make for high overall placings, with Larralde 22nd, Zabal 29th, Izagirre 37th, Martín 42nd, Blázquez 43rd and Etxebarria 69th. In the team rankings, Orbea grabbed eighth out of the 13 participating teams. While the riders struggled on the hilly stages, the team chiefs, led by the excellent Álex Díaz, will no doubt be encouraged by the team's super ride in the TTT.

Koldo eyeing Paris-Bourges

Tour de Vendée conqueror Koldo Fernández was content when speaking to the press after his impressive win today, saying: "I'm very pleased; it's hard to win bike races. It's difficult to win, so when you do it's important you enjoy it. Doing the Vuelta a España gives you great form. I've been able to rest this week, so I knew I came here with good form". Speaking on the remainder of the season, the modest speedster said: "The next objective in Paris-Bourges, we'll see how that goes, but first I'll savour this triumph. Being in the shape I'm in right now, it's a pain that I wasn't selected for the Worlds. But thinking about it is not worth the trouble. I lacked consistency in the first part of the season. I didn't have luck on my side after the ear infection and before the falls, but I've been more consistent in the second part and the results have come. Besides the two victories, I've been second six times, one of them in the Vuelta a España. If I'd beaten Farrar that day, it would have been an even more spectacular Vuelta. But to finish the season like this gives me strength to prepare for 2011. The worked flawlessly. We've had a great year."

Orbea trio prolong

Jon Aberasturi, Ricardo García and Adrián Sáez de Arregi have all decided to extend their stays with Orbea. The former joined from Naturgas ahead of the current season and has shown considerable promise in sprint finishes. García will embark on his third year with the team if I'm not mistaken, and will look to take that much-longed for step up in performance in 2011. The latter came across from Caja Rural in time for the 2010 season, and will hope to build on experiences acquired in his first season. The trio all penned one-year deals - as is the norm at Euskaltel's feeder-team.

Koldo repeats Vendée trick

Vendée is officially Koldo's happy hunting ground. The sprinter, who rarely wins outside his homeland, repeated his 2008 feat by sprinting to victory in the Tour de Vendée today. The Alava native beat emerging speedster Appollonio into second by quite a substantial margin at the end of the 1.HC race, taking the team's tally of wins this year to an unprecedented 17. Speaking after the race, the amiable Koldo made an interesting point in comparing the Vendée region to the hilly Basque Country. "It's the second time I've won here, and I imagine that is because the Vendée region is like Euskadi; it's similar to the Basque Country. It was a difficult sprint 'cause I was on (Jimmy) Casper's wheel, and suddenly Haussler and Apollonio jumped. The got a 25-meter gap, but I succeeded in catching and then passing them." The whole team did their best to keep Koldo out of the wind and help him in the closing kilometres today. JJ Oroz and Nieve both stayed with the 27-man peloton 'till the line, while Txurruka was 11 seconds down in 31st place. Aramendía and Urtasun ended up 44 seconds in arrears, while young duo Izagirre and Castroviejo called it quits underway.