Euskaltel–Euskadi (1994–2013)
Euskaltel–Euskadi (UCI team code: EUS) was a professional road bicycle racing team from Spain, Europe. The team was commercially sponsored, but was also partly funded by the Basque Government until the end of 2013, with riders either from the Basque Country, Navarre, La Rioja, Cantabria and the French Basque Country, or who had grown up in the cycling culture of those regions:[1][2] This policy was abandoned to enable retention of World Tour status. Its sponsor was Euskaltel, a Basque telecom company. Euskaltel–Euskadi was famous for its all-orange team kits. Whenever the Tour de France passed through the Basque Country many spectators lined the route dressed in the team's orange or the colours of the Basque flag. The Euskaltel team also has a second team inside the "Fundacion Euskadi", this team rode in a continental category, the name of the team was Orbea. This team was created with the aim of forming the young cyclist before going to the Euskaltel–Euskadi.
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| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| UCI code | EUS | |
| Registered | Spain | |
| Founded | 1994 | |
| Disbanded | 2013 | |
| Discipline(s) | Road | |
| Status | UCI ProTeam | |
| Bicycles | Orbea | |
| Website | Team home page | |
| Key personnel | ||
| Team manager(s) | 2009: Josu Larrazabal 2014: Miguel Madariaga | |
| Team name history | ||
1994 1995–1997 1998–2013 | Euskadi-Petronor Equipo Euskadi Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
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History
Following the creation of the Euskadi Cycling Foundation (June 1993), Euskadi was established in 1994 (as Euskadi-Petronor), and has been recognizable among the peloton for their bright orange kit (which developed later in the team's history). [3] After a financially turbulent first few seasons, in which the team was on the brink of folding multiple times, they secured their long term and most successful sponsor Euskaltel. [3] By 1999, with Roberto Laiseka winning the team's first Grand Tour stage win this investment had paid off. [3] In 2001 they were invited to the Tour de France and achieved another victory for Laiseka in the Pyrénées.[3]
After a 2003 Tour de France breakthrough success during which both Iban Mayo and Haimar Zubeldia finished in the top-10 of the general classification, with Mayo winning the prized Alpe d'Huez stage. Euskaltel–Euskadi was considered to be a strong contender for the 2004 Tour de France as well. Iban Mayo's commanding victory in the 2004 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré stage race (traditionally seen as one of the tests for Tour de France contenders), including defeating Lance Armstrong in the Mont Ventoux hill climb individual time trial stage, further fueled the hype. Unfortunately, Mayo was injured in a crash on a pavé section of an early stage of the Tour de France, and abandoned in the first Pyrénées stage. Zubeldia also failed to deliver in the 2004 Tour de France, to the chagrin of Basque fans lining the road. "I wish that our uniform was not so easy to spot," admitted directeur sportif Julián Gorospe.
In the 2005 season the team recruited Aitor González, who won the Tour de Suisse. They again failed to make an impression in the 2005 Tour de France. In 2006 the sporting director Julián Gorospe was replaced by Igor González de Galdeano, who became technical secretary. Euskaltel–Euskadi ranked 13th in the UCI World Tour rankings among 18 teams, but only the top 15 teams automatically qualify for the World Tour for the following year (source?). The other teams qualify based on a variety of criteria, including team points and a dedication to clean racing, but the most important are points earned by individual riders.
Under points pressure, Euskaltel confirmed in 2012 that it would break with its long-standing policy of signing a majority of Basque riders and would employ riders of other countries to assure its UCI World Tour standing. This has had knock on effects for the makeup of other traditionally Basque teams such as Orbea and Caja Rural. For example, in the 2013 season Euskaltel's Amets Txurruka and Iván Velasco moved to Caja Rural.[4]
The withdrawal of sponsorship via government funds prompted the team to announce it would be unable to continue after the 2013 season. In September 2013 Formula One racing driver Fernando Alonso expressed a wish to ensure the team's survival by buying their UCI World Tour license[5] but reached no agreement with the team.[6]
In 2018 Mikel Landa, the President of the Euskadi Cycling Foundation, established Team Fundación Euskadi on the Continental tour. [3]
Final team roster
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Major wins
- 1995
- Stages 4 & 8 Volta ao Algarve, Asier Guenetxea Sarain
- 1996
- Memorial Manuel Galera, Iñaki Ayarzagüena Urkidi
- Txitxarro Igoera, Iñaki Ayarzagüena Urkidi
- Stage 4 Vuelta a Asturias, Álvaro González de Galdeano
- 1997
- Stage 4 Vuelta a los Valles Mineros, Igor González de Galdeano
- 1998
- Stage 8 Tour de l'Avenir, Txema Del Olmo Zendegi
- Stages 7 & 12 Volta a Portugal, Unai Etxebarria
- Clasica de Sabiñanigo, Igor González de Galdeano
- Stage 5 Volta a Galicia, Igor González de Galdeano
- 1999
- Stage 1 GP Mitsubishi, Aitor Silloniz
- Stage 4 GP Jornal de Noticias, José Alberto Martínez
- Stage 1 GP du Midi-Libre, José Alberto Martínez
- Stage 18 Vuelta a España, Roberto Laiseka
- 2000
- Overall, GP Jornal de Noticias, Mikel Artetxe Guezuraga
- Stages 1 & 4 GP Jornal de Noticias, Mikel Artetxe Guezuraga
- Klasika Primavera, Unai Etxebarria
- Overall Tour de l'Avenir, Iker Flores
- Stage 8, Aitor Kintana Zarate
- Stage 9, Iker Flores
- Prologue Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Alberto Lopez de Munain Ruiz de Gauna
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Asturias, Alberto Lopez de Munain Ruiz de Gauna
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Burgos, José Alberto Martínez
- Overall Euskal Bizikleta, Haimar Zubeldia
- Stage 4b, Haimar Zubeldia
- 2001
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Andalucía, Mikel Artetxe
- Stage 3 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, David Etxebarria
- Stage 3 Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme, Aitor Silloniz
- Stage 4 Tour of the Basque Country, Angel Castresana
- Stage 4 Vuelta a La Rioja, Igor Flores
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Asturias, Alberto López de Munain
- Overall GP du Midi-Libre, Iban Mayo
- Classique des Alpes, Iban Mayo
- Stage 3 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Unai Etxebarria
- Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Iban Mayo
- Stage 14 Tour de France, Roberto Laiseka
- 2002
- Trofeo Manacor, Igor Flores
- Overall Critérium International, José Alberto Martínez
- Stages 5a & 5b Tour of the Basque Country, David Etxebarria
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León, David Herrero
- Stage 4a Euskal Bizikleta, David Etxebarria
- Stage 5 Troféu Joaquim Agostinho, Mikel Artetxe
- Stage 7 Tour de l'Avenir, Aitor Silloniz
- 2003
- Overall Tour of the Basque Country, Iban Mayo
- Stages 1, 5a & 5b Iban Mayo
- Stage 1 Vuelta a La Rioja, David Herrero
- Stage 1 Euskal Bizikleta, David Etxebarria
- Prologue & Stage 4 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Iban Mayo
- Stage 1 Troféu Joaquim Agostinho, Lander Euba
- Stage 8 Tour de France, Iban Mayo
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Burgos, Gorka González
- Overall Tour de l'Avenir, Egoi Martínez
- 2004
- Trofeo Calvia, Unai Etxebarria
- Overall Clásica de Alcobendas, Iban Mayo
- Stages 1 & 2, Iban Mayo
- Subida al Naranco, Iban Mayo
- GP Llodio, Unai Etxebarria
- Overall Vuelta a Asturias, Iban Mayo
- Stage 5 Euskal Bizikleta, Roberto Laiseka
- Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Iban Mayo
- Prologue & Stage 4, Iban Mayo
- 2005
- Stage 2 Clásica de Alcobendas, David Herrero
- GP Llodio, David Herrero
- Stage 4b Euskal Bizikleta, David Herrero
- Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Iñigo Landaluze
- Overall Tour de Suisse, Aitor González
- Stage 9, Aitor González
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Burgos, David Herrero
- Stage 11 Vuelta a España, Roberto Laiseka
- Stage 13 Vuelta a España, Samuel Sánchez
- Escalada a Montjuïc, Samuel Sánchez
- 2006
- Stages 2 & 3 Tour of the Basque Country, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 5 Euskal Bizikleta, David Herrero
- Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Iban Mayo
- Stage 3 Vuelta a Asturias, Samuel Sánchez
- Overall Vuelta a Burgos, Iban Mayo
- Stage 4, Iban Mayo
- Subida a Urkiola, Iban Mayo
- Stage 13 Vuelta a España, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 16 Vuelta a España, Igor Antón
- Züri-Metzgete, Samuel Sánchez
- Escalada a Montjuïc, Igor Antón
- 2007
- Trofeo Calvia, Unai Etxebarria
- Stage 7 Tirreno–Adriatico, Koldo Fernández
- Stage 6 Tour of the Basque Country, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 4 Tour de Romandie, Igor Antón
- Stage 7 Volta a Catalunya, Samuel Sánchez
- Stages 15, 19 & 20 Vuelta a España, Samuel Sánchez
- 2008
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Murcia, Koldo Fernández
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Koldo Fernández
- Stage 2b Vuelta a Asturias, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 2 Euskal Bizikleta, Koldo Fernández
- Stage 2 Tour de Suisse, Igor Antón
- Stage 3 Vuelta a Burgos, Koldo Fernández
- Tour de Vendée, Koldo Fernández
- 2009
- Stage 2 Volta ao Algarve, Koldo Fernández
- GP Llodio, Samuel Sánchez
- Circuito de Getxo, Koldo Fernández
- Subida a Urkiola, Igor Antón
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Burgos, Koldo Fernández
- 2010
- Stage 4 Tour of the Basque Country, Samuel Sánchez
- Klasika Primavera, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 3 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Igor Antón
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Asturias, Pablo Urtasun
- Stage 3b Vuelta a Asturias, Beñat Intxausti
- Stage 5 Tour de Romandie, Igor Antón
- Stage 1 Bayern-Rundfahrt, Rubén Pérez
- Stage 4 Tour de Luxembourg, Gorka Izagirre
- Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, Gorka Izagirre
- Overall Vuelta a Burgos, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 1, Koldo Fernández
- Stages 2 & 5, Samuel Sánchez
- Stages 4 & 11 Vuelta a España, Igor Antón
- Stage 16 Vuelta a España, Mikel Nieve
- Tour de Vendée, Koldo Fernández
- 2011
- GP Miguel Indurain, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 4 Tour of the Basque Country, Samuel Sánchez
- Prologue Tour de Romandie, Jonathan Castroviejo
- Stage 1 Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid, Jonathan Castroviejo
- Stage 14 Giro d'Italia, Igor Antón
- Stage 15 Giro d'Italia, Mikel Nieve
- Stage 12 Tour de France, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Burgos, Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 5 Vuelta a Burgos, Mikel Landa
- Stage 19 Vuelta a España, Igor Antón
- 2012
- Stage 6 Volta a Catalunya, Samuel Sánchez
- Stages 3 & 6 (ITT), Samuel Sánchez
- Stage 2b (ITT) Vuelta a Asturias, Jon Izagirre
- Stage 16 Giro d'Italia, Jon Izagirre
- Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, Gorka Izagirre
- Stage 7 Tour of Britain, Pablo Urtasun
- 2013
- Stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Pablo Urtasun
- Stage 2 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Juan José Lobato
- Stage 7 Critérium du Dauphiné, Samuel Sánchez
- Circuito de Getxo, Juan José Lobato
See also
- List of cycling teams in Spain
- Orbea (cycling team)
- Euskadi–Murias
- Athletic Bilbao, football club with a similar Basque player hiring policy
References
- http://www.fundacioneuskadi.com/pag/ca_fundacion_creacion.asp?cod=1&ocultar=1&ocultarp=1 Archived 2012-02-28 at the Wayback Machine Foundation as described on the website of the FEC
- "Pedalling towards victory". Athletic Bilbao. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- Belbin, Giles (October 2018). "Jersey Tales No6: Euskaltel-Euskadi. With rider development as its core purpose, the Basque outfit built a cult following during its time in the pro ranks". Cyclist: The thrill of the Ride. 079: 35–36.
- "Euskaltel-Euskadi denies 'deal for points' with Oscar Freire". Velonews. Competitor Group, Inc. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
- Wynn, Nigel. "Fernando Alonso buys Euskaltel's WorldTour licence". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media Limited. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
- Phillips, Braden. "Alonso's purchase of Euskaltel-Euskadi team collapses". Reuters UK. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- "Euskaltel-Euskadi (EUS) – ESP". UCI World Tour. Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
- "Serebryakov returns positive out of competition test". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- "Chaoufi released by Euskaltel Euskadi". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
