Haimar's diary

Haimar has, finally, posted a new entry to his diary on his own website. Here's what the departing legend had to say this time around, titled: "Here we go again".

First of all, my apologies for not updating my website for a while. After finishing my season in the Deutschland Tour, a race in which I did well and which made the end of the year a good one, I went home and dedicated myself 100 % to my family. Since Ane was born, I've never had as much time as now to be together with them. We spent nine days relaxing and reloading the batteries at the Canary Islands. Altogether I was off the bike for four weeks, more or less the same I've done the previous years.

But I've already embarked on this new project with renewed illusion. Everything's new to me: new team, new bike, new people... I still haven't met any of my new team-mates, but we've had some contact over the phone. The first camp with the team will be at the end of this month, and then I'll be able to get to know my new team-mates. I already know many of them, but from now on they'll be team-mates not companions. The team will on paper be one of the very best, although we have to prove we're the best on the road. Alberto (Contador), with his youth, and Lance, with his palmarès, will be the two main leaders. Levi (Leipheimer) and Klöden though are also able to win the biggest races, and the signing of Popovych further reinforces the team. I hope to do well in the Grand Tours and be able to help them win them. But I'm not forgetting the other riders on the team as they will, surely, do very well.

But before all this, I'll shine in the colours of Euskaltel-Euskadi for the last time this weekend. Once again I'd like to reiterate my gratefulness and wish everyone on the team the very best for the future. I'll take part in Café Baqué's criterium this Saturday in Durango. The Baqué team has existed for 25 years in the amateur category, and that's quite something. I never raced in Baqué's colours, but when I was at Olarra, Baqué was one of the strongest teams around and they still are. On Saturday we'll pay tribute to them, and I hope they keep the team going for another number of years.

I'll soon let you all know how the training camp unfolded. Until then...