Guerrero - We'll remember this day forever

For reasons not even remotely linked to the results of the team, Saturday's Dutch one-day race Ronde van Drenthe will live long in the memory of the Euskaltel riders and their sports director.

Only 32 riders completed the 195km event, of which two were from Euskaltel: Juan José Lobato, 30th, and Pablo Urtasun, 32nd and dead last. While those results are hardly something to brag about, DS Óscar Guerrero was all but disappointed with his team post-race.

"It was an epic day, a day we'll remember forever", he told the team's own website. "The thermometer didn't rise above zero and it never ceased raining. Here they ride in a manner totally unknown to us. The tempo was high right from the off - there was no time to attack. The fact that only 32 riders managed to finish the race goes to prove how hard it was.

"Pablo Urtasun and Juan José Lobato finished the race out of pride", he continued. "Juanjo was going really well but punctured at the worst time - just when the 32 riders at the front of the race split in two. It was the worst timing, and it turned out to be impossible to latch back onto the 19 riders that managed to get a gap on the rest. It's a shame as he was going well on the cobbles and the small climbs", he said.

Peio Bilbao made his return to competition after an injury-plagued start to 2013. Despite failing to cross the finish line, Guerrero was happy with his young charge.

"He was going well, but, with 70 clicks to go, when riding at the front, he got really cold", he explained. "His legs were good, but he wasn't able to pull on the breaks. Hot tea helped him for a while, but he eventually had to climb off".

Results (full results here):

• (1, Alexander Wetterhall (NetApp-Endura), 4:56:47)
• 30, Juan José Lobato, 4:02
• 32, Pablo Urtasun, s.t.

Euskaltel's Classics contingent will continue their Northern-Europe adventure tomorrow with the Dwars door Drenthe.