News round-up

• Ricardo García made his Euskaltel bow at the recently-concluded Tour Down Under, deeming himself "satisfied" with his overall performance. While his schedule for the remainder of the year is far from complete at this early stage of the season, the former Orbea rider admits taking part in the Vuelta in August would be a dream. "It would be nice to be included in the team for the Vuelta", he told sprintespecial.blogspot.com. "But hey, I've got a lot of riding to do before embarking on a Grand Tour.
• A new Basque has just turned professional: Pierre Cazaux's training mate Damien Branaa will don the jersey of Burgos 2016 this year after a few injury-plagued years. Click here to read more about the 25-year-old French Basque.
• Upon returning from the training camp in Alicante, the team will pay parish priest of the Church of San Miguel, José Antonio Goitia, a visit, reports the team's website. Riders and staff will offer a signed jersey to the patron saint of the Basque capital - the Virgen Blanca.
• The Basque Country, and the whole of Spain for that matter, will be left without a race on the UCI's cyclo-cross World Cup calendar next year. Igorre, Ibán Mayo's place of birth, were left off the schedule, with Italian capital Rome coming in to replace the cash-strapped Basque race.