Samu and Unai ready for Worlds

Euskaltel will have two representatives on the startline in Stuttgart today. Samu will of course line-up as one of the favourites for Spain, while Unai will be one out of three Venezuelans at the Worlds.

Samu is mine and many others' favourite to take gold on the not-so-hilly-as-people-think-it-is course. Samu is at the moment probably the best in the world, and I mean that, so I'll get made if Samu will have to sacrifice himself for Valverde on Antequera's orders. Surely Samu's in better shape than Valverde. In addition it's been difficult to concentrate on training these last few weeks for Alejandro, as his mind has probably been elsewhere due to the fight against the UCI. Freire is an obvious candidate to take his fourth Worlds, so Samu may have his work cut out for him. But no matter whether he'll be able to race his own race or if he'll act as super-domestique he'll do a brilliant race I'm sure. I'm not going to get too carried away, but I can't stop thinking how good the Worlds-jersey would look on an Euskaltel rider.

Unai is as mentioned one of three Venezuelans, so logically it'll be difficult for him. He'll start as their captain though, so hopefully Quintero and Hernandez will help Unai out if needed. I don't expect him to be able to fight for the win or anything like that, but it would be nice to see him in an early brake. The Worlds will be one of Unai's last races ever, so I hope we'll get to see him in the thick of it. Aupa Unai!