Intxausti likened to Iban

Saunier Duval's Basque hotshot Beñat Intxausti, who a year ago turned down an Euskaltel offer, has been likened to Iban by Saunier chief Joxean "Matxin" Fernández. Intxausti is a known admirer of Iban, and has for years been the hottest property in Spanish cycling. "He reminds me of Iban in many ways", "Marxin" said. "He's a brilliant climber and a winner, just like Iban, but he's not as aggressive as Iban. Iban, when in form, attacks all the time. That's not Beñat, he's more calculative. We have great hopes for him". I was gutted to see him turn down Euskaltel last year, as he's going to be one of the biggest stars in the sport in a few years. His performances in the Worlds and the Tour de l'Avenir is a proof of that.