Tour Down Under

As I continue my backpacking trip around the world, I decided to stop by Adelaide for the Tour Down Under. Here's a few of photos from yesterday's Cancer Council Helpline Classic:

Sicard talks of his delight at being in Australia

The line-up for the race

Getting a photo with the great Daniel Sesma

Pablo Urtasun

• Full name: Pablo Urtasun Pérez
• Date of birth: 29.03.1980
• Place of birth: Urdiain, Navarra
• Turned professional: 2005
• Joined Euskaltel: 2009
• Previous teams: CSC (stagiare, 2003-2004), Kaiku (2005-2006), Liberty Seguros (2007-2008)
• Palmarès: 1st: stage 1 Volta ao Alentejo 2006, stage 3 Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja 2007, stage 2 Volta al Sotavento Algarvio 2007, stage 5 Vuelta a Asturias 2008, stage 1 Vuelta a Asturias 2010, stage 7 Tour of Britain 2012, stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León 2013. 2nd place: stage 3 Vuelta a Castilla y León 2006, stage 3 International Rheinland Pfalz Rundfahrt 2006, overall International Rheinland Pfalz Rundfahrt 2006, stage 2 Tour de Suisse 2010, Vuelta a La Rioja 2012, stage 1 of Vuelta a Asturias, Klasika Primavera 2013. 3rd place: stage 2 Volta ao Alentejo 2006, stage 4 Volta ao Santarem 2007, stage 1 Vuelta Ciclista a Asturias 2007, stage 5 Vuelta a Castilla y León 2009, Prueba Villafranca de Ordiozia 2009, stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León 2010, stage 2 Vuelta a Castilla y León 2012, overall Vuelta a Castilla y León 2012.

Sergio De Lis

• Full name: Sergio De Lis De Andrés
• Date of birth: 09.05.1986
• Place of birth: San Sebastián/Donostia, Gipuzkoa
• Turned professional: 2008
• Joined Euskaltel: 2009
• Previous teams: Orbea-Oreka SDA (2008)
• Palmarès:

Romain Sicard

• Full name: Romain Sicard
• Date of birth: 01.01.1988
• Place of birth: Hazparne, Pays Basque, France
• Turned professional: 2009
• Joined Euskaltel: 2010
• Previous teams: Orbea (2009)
• Palmarès: 1st: Subida al Naranco 2009, stage 2 Ronde de l'Isard 2009, stage 8 (ITT) Tour de l'Avenir 2009, overall Tour de l'Avenir 2009, Under-23 World Road Race Championship 2009. 2nd: Prologue Tour de Loir-et-Cher 2009, stage 1 Tour de l'Avenir 2009, stage 6 Tour de l'Avenir 2009, stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné 2010. 3rd: overall Tour de Haut Anjou 2009, stage 3 Cinturó de L'Empordá.

Gorka Izagirre

• Full name: Gorka Izagirre Insausti
• Date of birth: 07.10.1987
• Place of birth: Ormaiztegi, Gipuzkoa
• Turned professional: 2009
• Joined Euskaltel: 2010
• Previous teams: Contentpolis AMPO (2009)
• Palmarès: 1st: Stage 4 Tour de Luxembourg 2010, Prueba Villafranca Ordizia 2010, Prueba Villafranca Ordizia 2012. 2nd: Trofeo Deiá 2011. 3rd: Stage 16 Tour de France 2012, stage 3 Paris-Nice 2013.

Beñat Intxausti

• Full name: Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga
• Date of birth: 20.03.1986
• Place of birth: Zornotza, Bizkaia
• Turned professional: 2007
• Joined Euskaltel: 2010
• Previous teams: Grupu Nicolas Mateos (2007), Saunier Duval-Prodir/Fuji Servetto (2008-2009)
• Palmarès: 1st: Stage 3b (ITT) of the Vuelta a Asturias 2010. 2nd: stage 4 of the Tour de San Luis 2008. 3rd: stage 7 of the Tour de l'Avenir 2007, overall in the Vuelta al País Vasco 2010, stage 4 of the Vuelta a Asturias 2010, overall of the Vuelta a Asturias 2010.

Jonathan Castroviejo

Full name: Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas

Date of birth: 27.04.1987

Place of birth: Getxo, Bizkaia

Turned professional: 2008

Joined Euskaltel: 2010

Previous teams: Orbea-Oreka SDA (2008-2009)

Palmarès: 1st: stage 3 Tour du Haut Anjou 2009, stage 5 Tour de l'Avenir 2009, prologue Ronde de l'Isard 2009, prologue Tour de Romandie 2011, stage 1 (ITT) Vuelta a Madrid 2011. 2nd: stage 2 Tour de Haut Anjou 2009, overall Ronde de l'Isard, overall Circuito Montañes 2009, stage 3b (ITT) Vuelta a Asturias 2010, Spanish National Time Trial Championship 2011. 3rd: stage 6 Circuito Montañes 2009, overall Vuelta a Madrid 2011. 6th: Spanish National Time Trial Championship 2009.

Miguel Mínguez

• Full name: Miguel Mínguez Ayala
• Date of birth: 30.08.1988
• Place of birth: Bilbao, Bizkaia
• Turned professional: 2009
• Joined Euskaltel: 2010
• Previous teams: Orbea (2009)
• Palmarès:

Daniel Sesma

• Full name: Daniel Sesma Sorbet
• Date of birth: 18.06.1984
• Place of birth: Arre, Navarra
• Turned professional: 2008
• Joined Euskaltel: 2010
• Previous teams: Orbea-Oreka SDA (2008-2009)
• Palmarès:

Mikel Nieve

• Full name: Mikel Nieve Iturralde
• Date of birth: 26.05.1984
• Place of birth: Leitza, Navarra
• Turned professional: 2008
• Joined Euskaltel: 2009
• Previous teams: Orbea-Oreka SDA (2008)
• Palmarès: 1st: Stage 16 Vuelta a España 2010, stage 15 Giro d'Italia 2011. 2nd: Stage 8 Tour de Suisse 2012. 3rd: stage 20 Giro d'Italia 2012, stage 2 Tour de Suisse 2012, stage 5 Tour Méditerranéen 2013.

Ibán pay homage to World Champ Astarloa

Ibán will today take part in a tribute to 2003 World Road Race Champion Igor Astarloa. The celebration will be held in Ermua, Astarloa's hometown. After a few turbulent years on the road, Astarloa has decided to quit the sport after 10 seasons in the pro peloton. The tribute features a who's who of past and present Basque cycling greats, including, among others, Big Mig Induraín, Roberto Laiseka, Marino Lejarreta, Sabino Angoitia, Koldo Fernández, Mikel Zarrabeitia, David and Unai Etxebarria, and of course the man himself.

Where do we go from here?

I need your help readers. Well, "readers" might not be the best word. I guess you-guys-that-used-to-read-my-blog-before-a-way-too-long-hiatus would be a better word. Or description at least. Or not, whatever. Anyway, I need your help in deciding how I'm going to do this blog. I promised you, and I'm true to my word, that I'll start posting regularly again in the not too distant future. The only thing that keeps me from getting started again is that I don't know what to write about. This blog was supposed to be about Ibán, but what is there to write about a former disgraced cyclist? Obviously he's still my biggest hero, but writing about my admiration for Ibán, which is kind of boring and might seem a little weird to most people, is going to be hard given that he's not riding any more. I guess most of you'll think: "Get over it, he doped, concentrate on Euskaltel in stead". Well, that's not going to happen. My idea was always to go back to writing solely about Ibán again, but I can't do that either, can I? And if I was to just write about Euskaltel, then I'd have to rename the blog, something which is not going to happen. So that leaves me with no idea on how to do this. I'm open to all suggestions, please just let me know what you think by either leaving a comment in the "comments" section below, or send me an e-mail. Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Ibán's done

I realised I promised to keep you up to date with Ibán's situation. It's been a long time since I last posted something. I've missed it, no doubt, and I'll be back, just not quite yet. Anyway, Ibán... Read an interview with him a week or so ago. I know there's been some rumours about a comeback, possibly with Xacobeo-Galicia, but that was, as I thought, just that. Rumours. He's decided to quit the sport all together, and won't be making a comeback. It's over. And he seems content with his decision. Amidst all this, I guess that's what matters the most. Initially I was worried for him after he was exposed as a cheater. We all know he isn't at his best when things go bad, he'd be the first one to admit that. He seems to be a very sensitive guy, so I was worried that his downfall would break him. Therefore I was relieved to read El Correo's interview with him; he seemed totally at peace with his life and situation. Besides writing a column for Basque daily DEIA now and then, he didn't reveal what he's up to now. Anyway, it's sad to realise we won't get to see him on his bike anymore, dancing up those mountains. It was a joy to watch, and man what a talent that guy was. Now all that's left is the memories of a merculiar climber. I'll cherish those memories.

Time-out

My dear readers, I'll be taking some time off the next couple of weeks. I'm sorry to say it, but I have to. But you should be fine I think, we're still in the off-season and not much is going on. I just need to free some time that's all. I'm way too busy, so I decided that I should stop blogging for a while. Though, if there's any news on Ibán you'll still find it here as that's the most important thing. Euskaltel, though, will have to wait I'm afraid. Except for eventual posts about Ibán I won't update it for at least a couple of weeks, perhaps more. But I'm not shutting the blog down mind you, so please check back regularly to find out when I plan to return. Until then, take care.