Samu and Igor ready for Montjuïc

Two former winners of the Escalada a Montjuïc will take to the start in the traditional season-ender to the Spanish cycling calendar. Samu and Igor will both be on the start line, as the only two Euskaltel representatives. Samu won the race in 2004 as well as in 2005, while Igor claimed the overall win last year. The race will see the relatively small peloton tackle, first, a 24,4 kilometre long road race on a small circuit and, then, a 10 kilometre individual effort against the clock. The race also includes a downhill race, so I guess Samu is already assured of at least one win. Exactly how a downhill race is done I don't know, but it sounds like a lot of fun. Both Igor and Samu are, considering their form, hot candidates for the overall win, but they will face some stiff competition. 2006 runner-up Alberto Losada will probably give it his all to go one better this time round, while strong-men Carlos Sastre, José Ángel Gómez Marchante, Spanish champ Joaquím Rodriguez, Classics specialist Flecha and the retiring local Ángel Edo, all of whom have enjoyed stellar 2007 campaigns, will look to claim top honours in this presitigious season-closer.