After Paris-Nice, biciclismo followed rumours having possible health issues troubling Benat Intxausti.
[img-r]https://news.velonation.com/Men/Road/Im_Iz/original/Intxausti_Benat_2010.jpg[/img-r]The spanish climber, that joined the re-founded Euskaltel Team at the beginning of the year, seems to suffer under a mononucleosis.
After giving an Interview to noticias di Gupizkoa, where he confirmed that his disappointing race in France last week was due to health issues, we took some deeper steps into researching the problems. Local Sources close to Benat admitted that they are not completely sure on the level of illness. Both local media and medical sources call for a long break however, as first tests suggest a heavy hit by the virus.
It seems likely that Benat will miss both Giro and Tour, and could only start cycling again towards the Vuelta. Only time will really tell how long these health issues, that often take a quite mysterious path through the months, will hinder Benat from being competitive in cycling again.
Long break for Benat Intxausti! 24th of March, 2016
While Team Euskaltel had not the best of starts to the Tour of Catalunya the bad news after a great San Remo won't stop. Not only has Mikel Nieve already lost time and Victor de la Parte crashed out of the Volta a Catalunya, also Benat Intxausti will be missed for quite some time.
Cyclingnews.com confirmed news spread already by noticias di Gupizkoa, biciciclismo & Deia that have Intxausti suffering under the Epstein-Barr infect. There is no approximate time given for a comeback, but it is very likely that he'll miss most of the season. These news are an absolute crack into the stage racing hopes of our orange climbing arrows, that, by many betting sites, are a major favourite on getting cut by the UCI for the 2017 season in terms of their narrowing of the World Tour.
In better news, the French weekend including Classic Loire Atlantique & Cholet - Pays De Loire worked out really well for the team. While the captains spent their time in Italy, the riders of the second row did a nice job here. Fraile finished third at the hilly Classic Loire. This is even better seeing Julen and Jonathan with him for a long time and still finishing in the Top 10. At the Cholet they also had a good race, with Romain attacking a lot and giving us the chance to see our basques in action. Again 4 riders in the final group, though only Pello could sprint for a Top 10 (8th).
Edited by Croatia14 on 23-05-2017 11:41
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT) 28th of March, 2016
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
21.-27.3.
Igor Anton
Leader
Mikel Nieve
Free Role
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Arkaitz Duran
Domestique
Victor de la Parte
Domestique
Amets Txurruka
Domestique
Fernando Barcelo
Domestique
Today is my turn at the Hasiberri Reports, I am Fernando. My team gave me the special opportunity to ride my home tour, the Volta Catalunya, in support of our big captains Igor and Mikel. This is how we did:
First days went absolutely horrible. We could cover the breaks with Arkaitz and Amets, but neither of them could reach out for the mountains jersey. Their breakaways got taken in, and neither in Calella nor in Olot we could compete in the final.
To make it worse there was stage 3 to La Molina. A stage that should've fitted us well turned out to be a horrible day. We missed the breakaway despite being active. Victor crashed hard on the descent from the Toses and couldn't continue. Mikel didn't have the legs yet and got caught out on the first climb up La Molina, alongside him Amets and me. Our left trio of Igor, Haimar & David then continued to climb up towards La Molina and the finale of the stage, where the pace was not too high for most of the time. With 3k to go they were all in touch of the finish, with 1k none. Still a decent result by Igor finishing 12th and David in 16th, both less than half a minute down on Nairo there.
At stage 4 stuff went very different. Amets won both big climbing points on Canto and Enviny to be in front on the final climb with a group of 4. Up to Port Aine it then was all out for Igor, who covered a move by Katusha. Movistar and Sky did let Zakarin go with a teammate, and our main man joined him together with Amets who dropped back to help. With the peloton most likely focussing on JRod Igor was able to get paced to 45 seconds of an advantage with Zak - at least that is what I heared from the race radio down the mountain. The two worked together well and survived until into the last kilometer. But the race in behind was on and going with Sky, Movistar and Etixx being very active. Still laughing at the end was Purito, who took a harder dig from Zak as a relais to win it ahead of Nairo and Martin. Igor, as still 5th of the day, climbed up nicely in the GC.
On the next day to Valls it was one for the break again, and we were in it. I tried myself, but couldn't find the right legs. Instead David made it with all his experience, went over the top of the final hill of the day and went for it on the descent. Afterwards he told me he had a really good day, but Thomas de Gendt was just that little bit stronger. A second was a good one for him still, and I loved to see him so happy.
As stage 6 only saw our team decimating to 6 (Arkaitz DNF) with nothing else to mention let's move on to stage 7, that Montjuic circuit. And I finally managed to join a breakaway. However, it was a rather large group, and I had David again with me. We were like 13 guys and some burned the hell out of their legs. Well, at least I did to help him best. As a result I fell back on the third last passage, alongside a Caja and a Verva rider. From what I've heard then is that David again went over the final hill in the lead with two other guys in company, but Orica chased them down while I already drifted well down the order on the road. The peloton at the end sprinted for the victory, and Gerrans and Impey looked surperior for the all-day workhouse of Orica. They got robbed though by 3 faster men! Carlos Barbero took a big win for Caja Rural ahead of Meersman and Jonas Koch for Verva. Even Igor with a rather respectable 13th here, securing his 8th overall. Haimar (18th) also finsihed in the Top 20, which made it a good Volta for us despite the problems we had to face on our way.
Gora to Gora Euskadi!
World Tour - Power Ranking 1st of April, 2016
1. Movistar Team
2. Team Sky
3. Etixx - QuickStep 4. BMC Racing Team
5. Tinkoff
6. Orica - BikeExchange
7. Lotto - Soudal
8. Team Katusha
9. Giant - Alpecin
10. Astana Pro Team
11. AG2R La Mondiale
12. Trek - Segafredo 13. Team LottoNL - Jumbo
14. Cannondale - Garmin
15. Dimension Data
16. FDJ 17. Euskaltel - Euskadi
18. Lampre - Merida
19. IAM Cycling
Interview - Samuel Sanchez 5th of April, 2016
Reporter: Welcome Mr. Sanchez, great to have you here. Are you happy with your season so far? What have been the highlights for you?
Samu: Surely that San-Remo was outstanding, also Strade Bianchi is a race I loved like it was raced. So far I'm happy, but the major goals are still to come.
Reporter: We have really been surprised that you, as the major idol for many Euskaltel fans, are not here for the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. Why are you missing?
Samu: Well, two reasons: Firstly we have so many Basques in our team that'd give 110% for riding here. I do want to come back to this race for sure, as I loved every single appearence here. However, this year is not the right time.
Secondly I am focussing this year on broadening my skillset still. You know I'm not getting younger, but I know what I am capable of. This year I want to try out my opportunities on the paves.
Reporter: Probably speaking for all basque cycling fans we see that as a tragedy, skipping our Vuelta for such an event that has ever had a minor value for us since forever.
Samu: And that is exactly what we have to scrap for the future. We have to respect our past, and we have to respect our traditions. But we can not afford to live in the past. Too many times this way of thinking caused collapsing big players. We, especially representing the basque country, have suffered from that once. Igor, Mikel and I with all the others worked so hard for bringing this team back to where it belongs. At the front of the roads and the broadcast. As long as I am in charge for Euskaltel, as long as I am in charge for cycling in the Pais Vasco, we will forbid us to only think of the past and present, but more and more think of the future. Not only from a cycling point of view, but also from a general perspectivic. And this way our sponsors will go with us, and this way our fans will go with us. If not, then there has to be another change I won't be part of.
Reporter: We got your message, eventhough it is hard to see the benefits from riding in the flandres like you did in terms of what you could've done not only at our Vuelta, but also at the Volta Catalunya.
Samu: The team did a good job in Catalunya, and I am sure they will also do here. We are not a 3-man show, we are one unit as Euskaltel has ever been. Every rider is replaceable, only our philosophy of unity and sportmanship isn't. JJ and I went this way trying the Flandres with Egoitz, Jon, Captain Jap, Markel, Oscar and Mig. Did we make the big news? No. Did we suceed? Yes! Because we developed. We evolved. Jon was fantastic and stayed for long with Egoitz and me in all the races. Egoitz had that 16th in Gent-Wevelgem which is great, with another Top30 at E3. And I also didn't waste my time as you might claim. Finishing in the Top40 of all the cobbled classics is nothing you just do for fun. I stayed with every main peloton at all the races until the end. I almost finished in the Top20 in Flandres. JJ tried, but it isn't his thing. Well, he'll go for Paris Roubaix and than the cobbled chapter might be over for him. For me I also see a future that could include further opportunities on the paves.
Reporter: Are you serious with this? You want to sacrifice one-week races for this cobbled run further in the future?
Samu: Yes, of course. Also, they are a perfect way to find some racing fitness for the hilly classics. And I bet all those guys following cycling here want to see me in top shape in the Ardennes rather than just riding the bike in a usual way. I will go my way to be the best possible rider for our cycling project, and as long Mikel, Igor and our further crew do agree with that path this is exactly the one I take for a walk.
Reporter: Thank you Mr. Sanchez, we hope to hear from you in the future do we?
Decent racing in Catalunya and interesting interview with Samu. Unlucky for Intxausti to come sick for Giro and Tour, but hopefully big comeback in the Vuelta! Apparently a nice cobbled season for Garcia which was nice. Struggling in WT rankings but the boys will come good! Also, sign Garikoitz Bravo
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
@Tamijo: Intxausti indeed is a heavy loss, especially as he is the youngest of our captains...
@Selwink: 8th is good, but not too much in terms of points rewarded (20)...only Milan-San Remo bringing big points so far
@jandal: Indeed some solid races from Garcia...Benat is pretty unsure about when to come back: Tour might be possible with some luck - but with bad luck his season could also be over...Samu indeed knows how to treat the media...Talking about Bravo there was the silent decision to make sure that no riders from the existing basque teams under contract will be signed in 2016
@Abhishek: So far it's only a power ranking by ciclo21...but a spanish site putting Euskaltel into relegation zone may be indeed a bad sign
@Kiserlovski: The team has ridden by heart, and you can be sure they'll do it in Pais Vasco even more despite not having Samu on their side...Barbero indeed with a strong ride, and for sure one on the Euskaltel scouting list...
a small reminder that you can see the achievements table in the first posts as well as other useful information:
Vuelta al Pais Vasco (2.UWT) 10th of April, 2016
Hasiberri Report - Jonathan Lastra
Vuelta al Pais Vasco
4.-9.4.
Igor Anton
Leader
Mikel Nieve
Free Role
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Amets Txurruka
Domestique
Pello Bilbao
Domestique
Ricardo Garcia
Domestique
Jonathan Lastra
Domestique
Stage 1 was a good start for us. On the way to Markina-Xemein several climbs waited for us. Amets joined the break as he loves to do and indeed managed to win most of the climbs, so that he took the mountains jersey for us. That is how we roll!
His group got caught though by the work of Orica and Trek. However it was Luis Leon Sanchez to open the sprint. We had Pello in a very good position, and he did a great sprint, not being able to come around LuLu.
Felline was the fastest, but we took the podium on the stage, even crowned with Ric in the Top 10 too and me close to it, and the lead in the mountains classification. And boy we will defend the jersey by attacking with our hearts.
Gora to Gora Euskadi!
Starting the next day we had some high ambitions for the first big climbing test to Amurrio-Baranbio. But then the news of Samu's interview with ciclo21 reached us. Further details came through and reached us step by step; soon the mood of our team was undescribeable. Fuming may describe it best, however we felt some deep anger in us.
This anger also transformed in our cycling behaviour. Guys were nervous, I was too. Haimar, that experienced and always calm guy, quitted the stage early being in deep thoughts more than racing. Being inconcentrated we missed the break. I had a bad moment not on full focus, loosing vision and crashing into a Lotto rider, which caused a collision that also took Mikel and Amets down. The day surely couldn't get any worse couldn't it?
Vuelta al Pais Vasco (2.UWT) 10th of April, 2016
Hasiberri Report - Jonathan Lastra
...well it could. Mikel was able to continue the race, however Amets and I had to guide him through, finishing over 20 minutes behind the winner. The winner was taken from the final steep ramp. Again it was Igor for us alone there as David fell back on the penultimate climb. He did reasonable well however. Henao, Pinot, Contador and Quintana were stronger, but finishing 5th at + '09 in that type of peloton, ahead of the likes of Costa and Aru.
Taking it into the next stage peloton went a little slower. The perfect chance to rest for our hurt guys and Ricci to show himself on the attack. As his fellow breakaway companions were also far behind in the GC they fought for the victory. Only Barguil won time with a late attack, but at the front it was Ricci together with Jose Goncalves over the last climb. Ricci told me that he looked worse, but Jose went a little too early. Our man played the poker game well and won the stage with a marginal gap over the Caja rider. What a victory for us here at home.
Stage 4 took us back to normality. Another shark teeth profile, though Ricci & I were out the back pretty soon. Mikel road first over the Cat.1 KOM, looking better today. Igor was out with the best again on the final climb, finishing in the group of 15 fighting for the victory. He's not a born sprinter though, thus he didn't compete against stage winner Costa.
Moving forward on stage 5, the queens stage to Arrate, we placed ourselves with David & Mikel in the break. While the former sacrificed himself for our injured co-leader, we had a very good day in the peloton. At the foot of the final climb we were all together, while ahead Mikel and his breakaway companions still had 3 minutes. In the back then it was Katusha lighting it up early with Joaquin Rodriquez, and Purito was never seen again. Contador was second best sneaking into the GC lead, while Henao and Pinot followed up. Then we had Anton, our main man, following up on no smaller back-wheel of the one of Nairo together with Bauke and Rui. A very solid result to consolidate his current 6th overall. At the front though it was Mikel on a great day, batteling it out with Luis Leon Sanchez and Alexis Vuillermoz. At the end of the day we found a big crowd of journalists around him, and then we knew. It was Mikels day! He also found himself second in the KOM classification after today.
So far so good, but he wouldn't be able to attack the mountains jersey of LuLu with the closing TT in mind. There we all had a tough day, besides David. He found some great legs to get it up into the Top 10 of the day. Igor though had a lousy day on the road, loosing over 1'30 in 16 kilometers. And thus falling down to 9th GC. Still a really fantastic race for us, looking at the stage success. Bertie won the race by the way, ahead of Pinot, Purito, Henao and Quintana.
3rd
Pello Bilbao
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 1
7th
Ricardo Garcia
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 1
9th
Jonathan Lastra
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 1
5th
Igor Anton
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 2
1st
Ricardo Garcia
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 3
9th
Igor Anton
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 4
1st
Mikel Nieve
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 5
7th
David Lopez
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Stage 6
9th
Igor Anton
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: General Clas.
2nd
Mikel Nieve
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: KOM Clas.
The racing was great, but behind the scenes stuff was about to erupt. We delivered the right answer to the rumours on the road. But how will the team as a whole will deal with those? How do the consquences will look like? Only time will tell, or maybe Samu...
9th in the GC is quite good already, but two stage wins in the home region is absolutely awesome for the team. Surely this'll make the home crowd and all fans very pleased
GORA EUSKADI What a race in the Basque Country, all the lads chipping in for a strong showing, long may it continue!
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Great stage wins by Ricardo and Mikel, all in all a prefect stage 5.
Inside top ten overall is quite nice too, although it could look like more for a moment.
Great spirit shown by the team to put their anger to the background and get good results in their home race. Hopefully, the behind-the-scenes issues can be sorted out.
