Pérez back to the scene of his greatest triumph

Rubén Pérez will be one of a bunch of fast-men that Euskaltel will send to the upcoming Bayern Rundfahrt.

The German stage-race is special to Pérez, of course, as stage one of the 2010 edition was the scene of his first, and to this date only, professional victory. He's been back at the race every year since, but he's yet to find the same success.

Joining him in the hunt for the team's third win of the 2013 season will be pretty much every sprinter in Euskaltel's ranks, including an ace climber looking to bounce back from a disappointing first half of the season.

Full line-up:
Jure Kocjan, André Schulze, Steffen Radochla, Jon Aberasturi, Rubén Pérez, Juan José Lobato and Mikel Nieve.

The race runs from May 22-26.

Photo: Kevin Remmerie

Euskaltel's reliable duo at it again

Samuel Sánchez and Egoi Martínez both went on the offensive during the weather-shortened stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday.

The 144-kilometre ride started out in Cesare Torinese, as planned, but the peloton wasn't able to climb the Galibier over the border in France in its entirety, the appalling weather shortening the final ascent by  some four kilometres.

That didn't stop Egoi Martínez and Samuel Sánchez in trying to make a race of it, though, with both Grand Tour veterans making sorties off the front.

First Martínez jumped clear along with the likes of Robert Gesink and Robert Kiserlovski on the Télégraphe, before team captain 'Samu' made a dash for it inside the last five kilometres of the stage.

Sánchez drew with him Liquigas' Damiano Caruso, but with Giovanni Visconti up the road heading for success and Caruso not in a very cooperative mood it was soon doomed to fail.

They were duly reeled in, and Visconti soloed to a memorable stage win a minute or so ahead of the main general classification contenders. Heading into the second rest day and the last week of the Giro, Sánchez is 17th overall.

Results:

• (1, Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), 4:40:48)
• 16, Samuel Sánchez, 1:06
• 36, Egoi Martínez, 2:58
• 43, Gorka Verdugo, 3:41
• 57, Jorge Azanza, 9:53
• 73, Ricardo Mestre, 14:04
• 99, Robert Vrecer, 21:15
• 126, Ioannis Tamouridis, 27:54
• 136, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.

Iturria secures breakthrough result

Mikel Iturria clung on to his seventh place overall on the Ronde de l'Isard's final day to grab his best result in the pro ranks.

The youngster joined Euskadi from Naturgas Energía in the off-season and showed himself worthy of the chance with a strong ride in the prestigious French stage-race.

The last stage, a 161,3km trek from Foix to Saint-Girons, was won by Dutchman Gertjan De Vos. Haritz Orbe, who led the race after the first pair of stages, came in a strong fifth, while Iturria came in just a places further back in 16th.

Results:

• (1, Gertjan De Vos (Ovyta-Eijssen-Acrog), 4:38:01)
• 5, Haritz Orbe, 0:52
• 16, Mikel Iturria, s.t.
• 51, Mikel Aristi, 20:20
• 52, Carlos Barbero, s.t.

Final general classification:

• (1, Juan Ernesto Chamorro (4 72 Colombia), 16:34:40)
• 7, Mikel Iturria, 0:47
• 16, Haritz Orbe, 7:17
• 38, Carlos Barbero, 36:00
• 45, Mikel Aristi, 40:32

Photo: Fundación Euskadi

Jiménez bests González in Bergara

Carlos Jiménez made it back to back wins for Caja Rural this weekend as he came out tops in Bergara, Gipuzkoa, on Sunday.

Miguel Ángel Benito handed the prolific team the win in Beasain on Saturday, and Jiménez followed that up nicely with a win of his own a day later after emerging as the fastest sprinter from a 20-something group that formed in the closing clicks.

Strong climber Ander Plazaola of Lizarte tried to go it alone with a ferocious attack the last time going up the Asentzio climb, but it all came back together for a small sprint finish.

Alain González of Naturgas Energía had to make to with second, while Paul Usabel of Cafés Baqué, eighth yesterday, closed out the podium.

Results:

1. Carlos Jiménez (Caja Rural), 3:03:41
2. Alain González (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
3. Paul Usabel (Cafés Baqué-Conservas Campos), s.t.
4. Imanol Díaz (Seguros Bilbao), s.t.
5. Igor Romero (Ikolan), s.t.
6. Cristian Astalts (Reyno de Navarra), s.t.
7. Jokin Etxabe (Debabarrena), s.t.
8. Miguel Ángel Benito (Caja Rural), s.t.
9. Beñat Etxabe (Debabarrena), s.t.
10. Antonio Molina (Caja Rural), s.t.

Sánchez strikes back

Samuel Sánchez showed he's still got a few cards to play in Italy with a gutsy fourth-place finish in Saturday's summit finish at Jafferau.

The Euskaltel team leader displayed all of the determination and never-say-die attitude we've been accustomed to see from him over the years as he battled the elements en route to a result that will boost his confidence ahead of the demanding last week of racing in this year's Giro d'Italia.

Stage 14 of the race will always be remembered for the torrential rain and freezing temperatures that saw to it that the route was altered and made the day miserable for the majority of the riders out on the roads.

Vincenzo Nibali cemented his position at the top of the standings by coming in second at the same time as winner Mauro Santambrogio of Vini Fantini, with third going to the wily and ever-present Carlos Betancur of Ag2r. In fourth, at less than half a minute and ahead of such riders as Cadel Evans, Michele Scarponi, Beñat Intxausti, Rafal Majka and Robert Gesink, was 'Samu', showing his form is still there or thereabouts despite a less than stellar opening two weeks of the race.

Sánchez is still way down in 17th overall, but is now 'only' two and a half minutes down on Intxausti in tenth.

Another rider in orange who enjoyed a strong day in the saddle was Egoi Martínez. Despite crashing out of the break of the day he had once again managed to infiltrate, the veteran went on to finish 30th on the day and as a result climb to 27th on GC.

Results:

• (1, Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini), 4:42:55)
• 4, Samuel Sánchez, 0:26
• 30, Egoi Martínez, 4:01
• 48, Jorge Azanza, 5:50
• 80, Robert Vrecer, 12:59
• 83, Ricardo Mestre, 13:31
• 116, Gorka Verdugo, 20:32
• 134, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.
• 137, Ioannis Tamouridis, s.t.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi

Orbe blows lead in Ronde de l'Isard

Equipo Euskadi held the first two positions overall going into Saturday's third and penultimate Ronde de l'Isard stage, but Haritz Orbe and Carlos Barbero can now count themselves well out of GC contention after the Colombians stole the show in France.

Heiner Parra led a Colombia one-two by besting compatriot Juan Ernesto Chamorro at the summit of Carla Bayle after a taxing 164,5-kilometre stage.

Haritz Orbe, not a shabby climber on his day, was wearing the leader's jersey but could only finish 36th at almost eight minutes, while Barbero, who's more noted for his skills on flat and less hilly terrain, ceded more than a quarter hour.

First-year pro Mikel Iturria was consequently left to fly the flag for the team and did so convincingly, claiming eighth on the line and rising to seventh on GC.

Results:

• (1, Heiner Rodrigo Parra (4 72 Colombia), 3:43:42)
• 8, Mikel Iturria (Euskadi), 0:33
• 36, Haritz Orbe (Euskadi), 7:51
• 68, Carlos Barbero (Euskadi), 16:51
• 77, Mikel Aristi (Euskadi), 18:09

Benito pads lead with Beasain win

Caja Rural's Miguel Ángel Benito gave added proof of his unquestionable talent by powering to victory in a Torneo Lehendakari-ranked race in Beasain on Saturday.

The 19-year-old has been in superb form of late and followed up his victory in Natxitua last weekend with another solo win in Beasain. As a result, Benito added to his overall series lead and should, if he avoids injuries, take home the big trophy at the end of the year.

Francisco Medina made sure the green team had two representatives on the podium by coming home third, Héctor Sáez of Seguros Bilbao finishing second.

Results:

• 1, Miguel Ángel Benito (Caja Rural), 3:05:58
• 2, Héctor Sáez (Seguros Bilbao), 0:02
• 3, Francisco Medina (Caja Rural), 0:12
• 4, Beñat Txoperena (Gipuzkoa-Eki Sport), 0:23
• 5, Peio Goikoetxea (Cafés Baqué-Conservas Campos), 0:41
• 6, Ion Iriarte (Gipuzkoa-Eki Sport), 1:22
• 7, Igor Romero (Ikolan Lanaldi), s.t.
• 8, Paul Usabel (Cafés Baqué-Conservas Campos), s.t.
• 9, Unai Intziarte (Gipuzkoa-Eki Sport), s.t.
• 10, Fernando Grijalba (Caja Rural), s.t.

Barbero gives Euskadi first win of 2013

Carlos Barbero continued his fine run of form by handing Equipo Euskadi its first win of the year on Friday.

The young allrounder has been in fine fettle all season and capped it off on the second stage of the prestigious Ronde de l'Isard by besting team-mate, and new overall leader, Haritz Orbe into Carla-Bayle.

Watch how it all unfolded here:



The day prior, Orbe had again been second with Barbero third, meaning the Continental-ranked team has racked up four podiums, one win and a leader's jersey in only two days of racing.

General classification:

• 1, Haritz Orbe (Euskadi), 8:11:31
• 2, Carlos Barbero (Euskadi), 0:15
• 15, Mikel Iturria (Euskadi), 0:48
• 23, Mikel Aristi (Euskadi), 3:32

Azanza makes race of it in Cherasco

Jorge Azanza made a rare, but eventually futile, move off the front on Friday's 13th stage of the Giro d'Italia as Euskaltel continue to hunt their first win in the race.

The 254 kilometres between Busseto and Cherasco was a fairly straightforward stage as far as the general classification was concerned, meaning there was ample opportunity for some of the domestiques to get their time in the sun.

Jorge Azanza, who enjoyed a brilliant first week in Italy, showed his form is still very much there as he broke off the front of the pack with some 12 clicks to go alongside a host of strong roleurs. Azanza drove the pace at the head of the group for an impressive amount of time, but the sprinters got their way as the escapees were brought to a halt well in time for the dash for the line.

Mark Cavendish did as he pleased and racked up yet another triumph. Samuel Sánchez had no trouble in staying with the first main group and now sits 17th overall.

Results:

• (1, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), 6:09:55)
• 56, Egoi Martínez, s.t.
• 58, Samuel Sánchez, s.t.
• 70, Jorge Azanza, s.t.
• 116, Robert Vrecer, 3:47
• 138, Ricardo Mestre, 16:32
• 140, Gorka Verdugo, s.t.
• 141, Ioannis Tamouridis, s.t.
• 156, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi

Tamouridis shows sprinting legs yet again

Ioannis Tamouridis grabbed his third top 15-placing in the Giro d'Italia by sprinting to 9th on Thursday's 12th stage.

The Greek national time trial champion once again used his skills honed on the track to good effect on the 134-kilometre track from Longarone to Treviso.

While there was no stopping Cavendish taking his third win of the race, 'Tamu' did enough to hold off the likes of Bennati, Appollonio, Hunter and Bole to grab a creditable stage placing for the team.

As for team captain Samuel Sánchez, the 35-year-old had no trouble staying with the pack in the torrential rain that put an end to Bradley Wiggins' overall ambitions.

Heading into Thursday's leg, 'Samu' is still 18th overall.

Results:

• (1, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), 3:01:47)
• 9, Ioannis Tamouridis, s.t.
• 64, Egoi Martínez, s.t.
• 82, Samuel Sánchez, s.t.
• 106, Jorge Azanza, 1:07
• 146, Gorka Verdugo, 1:59
• 178, Ricardo Mestre, 4:24
• 179, Robert Vrecer, s.t.
• 185, Miguel Mínguez, 4:27

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi

Martínez attempts to rescue team's Giro

With Euskaltel's general classification ambitions all but out the window at the race's halfway stage, canny veteran Egoi Martínez made his traditional breakaway appearance in the Giro d'Italia's 11th stage in an effort to give his team-mates a much-needed boost.

The lumpy 182-kilometre trek from Cave di Predil to Vajont had written 'successful break' all over it, and birthday boy Martínez, turning 35 today, was unsurprisingly the team's man for the occasion. The former Discovery Channel rider was one of the lucky 20 who got a free pass to hunt glory, but no one could match Garmin-Sharp's Ramunas Navardauskas who cantered to the win ahead of BMC's Daniel Oss and Stefano Pirazzi of Bardiani Valvole.

"This was one of the stages where we had to be in the break, and we did just that", he said upon completing the stage in seventh place. "We knew the group would have a good chance of staying away on a day like this, so we had to get into the move to stand a chance of winning. But in a group this big it's always difficult to surprise the rest and win. A top rider, who was wise enough to attack before the last climb, came out tops".

Back among the favourites, Sánchez managed to stay with the frontrunners, but he was the only orange-clad rider in the 40-something group.  Jorge Azanza came in 20 seconds or so back, while Gorka Verdugo continues to struggle, coming in 13 minutes in arrears. He was accompanied in that group by most of his team-mates, including Robert Vrecer who earlier on had made an ill-fated attempt to bridge the gap to the breakaway.

Results:

• (1, Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp), 4.23:14)
• 7, Egoi Martínez, 3:07
• 43, Samuel Sánchez, 5:41
• 49, Jorge Azanza, 6:00
• 105, Ricardo Mestre, 13:35
• 112, Robert Vrecer, s.t.
• 125, Ioannis Tamouridis, s.t.
• 136, Gorka Verdugo, s.t.
• 138, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi

Sánchez blows up on first test

Euskaltel will have to regroup and stake out new goals after team captain Samuel Sánchez, barring a miracle, lost all chances of a top overall placing on the first day in the high mountains of Italy.

And the warning signs came early on the 167-kilometre stage from Cordenons to the summit of the cat.1-ranked Altopiano de Montasio.

'Samu' lost contact already on the penultimate climb, the Passo Cason de Lanza, and, while some trademark descending brought him back up to the lead group in time for the last ascent, his general classification ambitions were already hanging by a thread.

He was quickly shelled out the back when the road tilted upwards again, as Vincenzo Nibali stamped his authority on the race by placing third and padding his overall lead.

Sánchez, riding within himself to limit his losses, came in 26th on the stage a full 4:22 down on winner Rigoberto Urán of Team Sky, and thus tumbled to 18th overall.

The 35-year-old didn't talk to the press afterwards, but his team manager did.

"Today, our chances of fighting for the general classification were reduced quite a bit", Igor González de Galdeano said. "It was a goal for the whole team, but there's nothing you can do when the legs aren't there. But we've still got a big say in this race. I'm pleased with the team. Today we were out of it - it was impossible.

"We'll continue to fight, though. Our goal of winning a stage is still intact and we'll give our all to reach that objective. Two weeks of hard racing remains and we've got to pick ourselves up. There's still a lot for us to do in this race. We prepared for this race carefully, in detail. It was a big goal and, though our podium chances have taken a big hit, the hope of winning a stage is still very much alive. I expect a lot of this team", he concluded.

Galdeano gives little away as to why Sánchez, for once, seems to be off-colour when the team is relying on him. The same can be said of the usually reliable Egoi Martínez and Gorka Verdugo: strong climbers who've been pale shadows of their former selves thus far in Italy.

The same can be said of a number of the team's biggest riders throughout this season, prompting the inevitable question as to what the riders were doing in the off-season.

While Galdeano has publicly criticized some of his charges for simply not riding their bikes enough and keeping their weight in check, some have speculated in the media that the new training regime put in place by Iñigo Mujika over the winter is the source of the problem.

Whatever the reasons for these subdued first four months of the 2013 season, Sánchez et al. for sure won't go down without a fight in the year's first Grand Tour.

Watch this space.

Results:

• (1, Rigoberto Urán (Sky), 4:37:42)
• 26, Samuel Sánchez, 4:22
• 42, Egoi Martínez, 9:46
• 43, Gorka Verdugo, 10:32
• 54, Robert Vrecer, 14:51
• 69, Jorge Azanza, 20:53
• 98, Ricardo Mestre, s.t.
• 159, Miguel Mínguez, 28:33
• 161, Ioannis Tamouridis, 28:33

Sánchez stays in the hunt in rainy Italy

Samuel Sánchez got through another rainy and potentially dangerous stage in the Giro d'Italia to head into the first rest day with his pre-race goals intact.

Ryder Hesjedal was the day's big loser, ceding more than a minute to his main overall rivals. 'Samu' stayed attentive throughout to finish stage nine in the first group accompanied by super domestique Egoi Martínez.

Ricardo Mestre once again tried his hand in a breakaway, but the Portuguese Grand Tour debutant could not stay the distance and could not prevent Katusha's Maxim Belkov soloing to the stage win.

Heading into Monday's rest day, Sánchez is 14th overall.

Results:

• (1, Maxim Belkov (Katusha), 4:31:31)
• 13, Samuel Sánchez, 1:03
• 33, Egoi Martínez, s.t.
• 66, Jorge Azanza, 8:42
• 90, Gorka Verdugo, 12:35
• 141, Ioannis Tamouridis, 17:45
• 142, Ricardo Mestre, s.t.
• 150, Robert Vrecer, s.t.
• 162, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi

Benito conquers Natxitua

Caja Rural are firing on all cylinders these days. Just an hour or so after Amets Txurruka secured the professional team the overall win in the Vuelta a Asturias, the amateur outfit took yet another victory courtesy of young Miguel Ángel Benito.

He might just be 19, but he'll be on the radars of numerous professional teams come the end of the year after a barnstorming season. On Sunday he triumphed in the Clásica Natxitua, besting Naturgas Energía's Alain González and Ibai Daboz, a recent victor at the Vuelta al Bidasoa, at the top of the final climb.

Benito thus inherited Marc Soler's overall Torneo Lehendakari lead.

Results:

• 1, Miguel Ángel Benito (Caja Rural), 2:57:38
• 2, Alain González (Naturgas Energía), 0:05
• 3, Ibai Daboz (Gipuzkoa-Eki Sport), 0:08
• 4, Egoitz Fernández (Seguros Bilbao), s.t.
• 5, Raúl Martínez (Lizarte), 0:17
• 6, Josú Zabala (Reyno de Navarra), 0:22
• 7, Eddy Valdespino (Ibaigane Opel), s.t.
• 8, Diego Rubio (Caja Rural), s.t.
• 9, Ander Plazaola (Lizarte), s.t.
• 10, Sergio Rodríguez (Seguros Bilbao), s.t.

Photo: Team Caja Rural