Camaño prolongs; no Euskaltel return

Former Euskaltel rider Iker Camaño will not be making a return to Euskaltel in the near future, as the 33-year-old has agreed to stay on with what will next year be known as Team NetApp - Endura.

It was rumoured that Camaño, who's scored a healthy amount of UCI Europe Tour points this year (77,2) for British outfit Endura Racing, might be on his way back into the orange fold as the Euskaltel bosses keep chasing riders in possession of points that will help the team stay in the WorldTour from 2013 and onwards. His current team, which will merge with German Pro Continental outfit NetApp for next year, on Wednesday released the list of riders that will prolong their stay into next season, and the erstwhile Phonak and Saunier Duval all-rounder, who spent three years with Euskaltel between 2004 and 2006, figures on that list.

In other news regarding ex-Euskaltel employees, the wife of RadioShack-Nissan's Markel Irizar yesterday gave birth to the couple's third child. Unai, weighing 3,990 kilograms, becomes the couple's third son, with Alaitz, his wife, having already given birth to Xabat and Aimar in the past.

"The labour was hard as we needed a suction cup to help the baby out, but both the baby and the mother are doing really well", he said on his personal website. "Now we're one big family".

While both Camaño and Irizar are winding down their seasons, former Euskaltel climber Aitor Hernández has just started his. The Ermua native, now one of Spain's stand-out cyclo-cross riders, geared up for the 'cross-season by taking out a mountain bike event in Zegama, Gipuzkoa, this past weekend, writes BiciCiclismo. The Orbea rider also took out last year's race, a race forming part of the Open de Euskadi de BTT series.

Photo: Iñaki Azanza