Estévez and co. set for double-header

After the disappointment of missing out on the overall Copa de España crown earlier this week, the Fundación Euskadi's sub-23 team will be back in action this weekend.

Naturgas Energía will send teams to both Saturday's Torneo Lehendakari-ranked race in Soraluze and to the Euskaldun-ranked Subida a Urraki in Azpeitia on Sunday. Both races are held in the Gipuzkoa region.

The former was taken out by the prolific Fernando Grijalba of Caja Rural in 2012, and the red and whites charged with bettering their fourth place from last year (through Jon Larrinaga) are:

Imanol Estévez, Javier Francisco Martín, Noel Gil, Alain González, Karl Baudron, Alain Santamaría, Oier Sánchez, Bernat Font, Aitor Morales, Éder Sáez de Ocariz and Alberto Barrón.

Sunday's race sees a mountaintop finish, as the winner will be crowned atop the Urraki climb. The race also regularly takes in the Subida a Mandubia, so it was no surprise to see Arkaitz Durán claim last year's spoils ahead of noted climbers Ariel Sivori and former pro Higinio Fernández.

Naturgas Energía will be represented by the following 10 riders:

Víctor Etxeberría, Alberto Barrón, Éder Sáez de Ocariz, Noel Gil, Alain Santamaría, Pablo Comins, Álvaro Trueba, Oier Sánchez, Aitor Morales and Bernat Font.

Photo: Pascal Baudron