Antón ready for top performance in Catalunya

Igor Antón will take on his first goal of the year when he leads Euskaltel Euskadi at the upcoming Volta a Catalunya.

The lightweight climber, who for the first time has made the race an early-season target, has just spent 10 days at altitude following the conclusion of the Clásica de Almería in a hope to rediscover the spark that once made him one of the world's most feared climbers.

Joining the mercurial escalador will be Mikel Nieve, fresh off an underwhelming ride at Paris-Nice.  Mikel Landa, who on Thursday completed Italian one-day race GP Nobili, Tarik Chaoufi, Jon Aberasturi, Mikel Astarloza, Ricardo Mestre and Juanjo Oroz will also be on hand to assist Antón in his fight for WorldTour points in the hills of Catalonia.

The latter duo, Mestre and Oroz, have recently spent time training in Villajoyosa on Spain's eastern coast, hoping to find form beneath the clear blue skies and sun that almost without exception greets the riders at the Costa Blanca.

Check out the stages running from Monday 18th of March through the 24th here.

Full team: Jon Aberasturi, Igor Antón, Mikel Astarloza, Tarik Chaoufi, Mikel Landa, Ricardo Mestre, Mikel Nieve, Juan José Oroz. (Source: Euskaltel Euskadi)

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi