Euskaltel Euskadi at La Vuelta

The Euskaltel-Euskadi team returns to Vuelta a España with the highest hopes and the goal of fighting for a stage victory. The Basque team has a workforce of eight riders combining experience and youth and whose quality is proven: Mikel Bizkarra, Joan Bou, Mikel Iturria, Gotzon Martín, Luis Ángel Maté, Antonio Soto, Xabier Mikel Azparren and Juan José Lobato, under the sporting direction of Jorge Azanza.

The team returns to the big laps with eight motivated riders to fight each day for at least one victory. Bizkarra and Iturria, who won a stage of the Vuelta 2019 in Urdax, are two guarantees, while Maté - this will be his tenth participation - and Lobato will bring their experience both inside and outside the race. There are four beginners: Bou, Gotzon Martín, Soto and Azparren. Fifteen years between Maté and Azparren, which certifies that it is a diverse group but very coherent and united. Indeed, Bizkarra, Bou, Iturria, Gotzon Martín and Maté took part in the recent Vuelta a Burgos and Soto, Azparren and Lobato come from the Arctic Race in Norway.

The orange tide is back! Eight cyclists and a technical and auxiliary staff will give the best of themselves to meet the sporting challenge and meet the commitment of their main sponsors and collaborators and the confidence of their partners and all their fans.

Jesús Ezkurdia, Managing Director: "I am particularly excited and delighted with the return of the orange tide on the Vuelta a España. We know what awaits us: suffering, dedication, effort. But we will try to make sense of it all, that there is a feeling behind the physical effort.We have a responsibility, but a responsibility that excites and motivates us, because we grow in the face of challenges and we are much more than a team, we are a sporting project, youth and social ".

Jorge Azanza, Sporting Director: "We have a compact squad. Our objective will be to try to be present in the race and to fight for a stage, even though we know it will be difficult. Bizkarra and Iturria are two climbers who can be present in the breakaways in the difficult stages. Gotzon, Bou and Soto are young riders in progress, this is their first Grand Tour, and they will surely give us a presence. Lobato and Maté are the captains on the road. Maté has raced ten Vueltas and will pass on his experience and Lobato is a respected cyclist. Both can bring calm and guide young riders in the race. Finally, there is the young rider of the team, Xabier Mikel, who had a very good progression this year ; we believe that the Vuelta will bring him a lot and that he will also be able to make a contribution to the building.

The 8 cyclists :

Xabier Mikel Azparren (1999) : 1st Vuelta.
Mikel Bizkarra (1989) : 3rd Vuelta
Joan Bou (1997) : 1st Vuelta.
Mikel Iturria (1992) : 3rd Vuelta
Juan José Lobato (1988) : 4th Tour
Gotzon Martín (1996) : 1st Vuelta.
Luis Ángel Maté (1984) : 10 th tour
Antonio Soto (1994) : 1st Vuelta.