Basque team giving unsigned riders time to impress
Team leaders Samuel Sanchez and Igor Anton have committed their immediate futures to Euskatel-Euskadi with the team managing to secure a further thirteen riders so far for its 2012 roster. Mikel Nieve, who won a stage at this year’s Giro d’Italia, will also stay with the team but with the current roster at 23, a few of the riders could be left to find new employment.
However, team manager Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano said he is happy with the core of the team and a few more signings could possibly come from its Orbea development team.
“Nothing is decided. We always have the problem of not having a very wide range to sign from but I’m really happy with the team we have,” Gonzalez de Galdeano told BiciCiclismo.
Euskatel-Euskadi generally only sign riders from the Basque country but have two Frenchman on the team this year in Romain Sicard and Pierre Cazaux, only the second and third riders on the team who’ve not been Spanish.
Ricardo Garcia and Victor Cabedo, two riders from the Orbea development set up, have both excelled this year and are rumoured to be joining the professional team next year.
“Yes, they have options, I’m not going to deny that. But today we are not talking about this situation. We have signing windows and we’re going to wait out the Vuelta. As of September 11 we have twenty days and then we’ll make decisions. We are participating in the Eneco Tour and then we go to Hamburg, Poitou Charentes, and Plouay. There are cyclists who try to do their best and we will give them the opportunity,” added Gonzalez de Galdeano.
According to the general manager, the team will have between 23 and 25 riders next year. Koldo Fernández is not expected to be amongst them as the Spaniard is reportedly moving to Garmin Cervelo after eight years on the Euskatel-Euskadi team, while Jonathan Castroviejo is expected to go to Movistar.
The fifteen confirmed riders for 2012: Igor Antón, Mikel Astarloza, Pello Bilbao, Pierre Cazaux, Gorka Izagirre, Jon Izagirre, Mikel Landa, Egoi Martínez, Mikel Snow, Juanjo Oroz, Rubén Pérez, Samuel Sánchez, Romain Sicard, Gorka Verdugo and Amets Txurruka.
Currently on the team and haven’t re-signed for 2012: Aramendia Javier, Jorge Azanza, Jonathan Castroviejo, Koldo Fernández de Larrea, Iñaki Isasi, Javier Minguez, Alan Pérez, Daniel Sesma, Pablo Urtasun and Iban Velasco.