Once upon a time professional cycling has been without wattmeters. Riders, teams, directeur spotives had to listen deep inside their bodies to judge their efforts. Throughout these times, one team has always had the majorities of cycling fans on their side. Why? Because they've ridden fearless, aggressive, stylish, attacking.
For decades the team has been known for making races interesting. By always riding with their heart and soul. The team did not change even when times did: The doping era in the early 2000s, the time when powermeters were taking over control. But the team did not change. Was that why it collapsed?
Cycling romantics would disagree. At some point though the team got into trouble. Being threatened to loose it's Pro Tour status, the team opened up their guidelines, forced by the system to sign riders whose points made them receiving their license. On the downside, the mystique spirit of the team crumbled a little: Fans were not as enthusiastic. Financial trouble took over the news on the team, instead of what happened in the cycling side. The team could not live up to the high expectations of their fans. They first had to sell their soul, then they had to fold before making it worse. Cycling in the Pais Vasco was done.
But after a couple of years, 3 fan favourites took over to revive the project: Sammy Sanchez, Mikel Nieve and Igor Anton. A couple of months and plenty of effort later, the Euskaltel project was reborn. And with it the Pais Vasco had a World Tour team again.
Led by those 3 characters, the team could successfully restart. Eventhough bad luck with injuries did hurt the team, the combination of experienced riders and young talents from the region could shape a competitive equipe.
Despite being in the last 3rd of the World Tour Teams, the team lived up to the expectations of the Basque Country. People could identify with the team, eventhough it was neither the most successful nor rarely in critics. But it was a team with a voice and an identity, especially for the Basque that were downscaled foremost by the Spanish media. It was a rebellion.
Until it all started to break down again...
Spoiler
This story will not be based on PCM. Together we will shape the future direcitons of this adventure, that aims to be a new project for all participants including me.
In the first couple of episodes I will most likely give information about the background of the story. You can start participating with a couple of choices to make though.
Shortly after your participation really starts. I have predetermined a couple of possible directions to then really kick it off. You will be able to decide which ones to take however! In this part I'll mostly give a couple of options on how to continue the story, and you can choose between them. Your choices will majorly effect the storyline and my interpretative corridor while this is running.
After a certain point you'll reach even more freedom. This time I'll interpret myself in the first sense as the backroom of the story. You majorly determine the action of the story in a sense that you can write directives, take over roles, plan ideas, projects and much more. You take over the action!
Sounds complicated? Well ideas will clear up steadily in the duration of a couple of episodes, where you'll receive more hints on how this project is meant to run! I'd love to see you joining the project!
Big hype for this, the concept sounds very cool and of course love to see you and Euskadi back in the story section
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
What happened on the road since the project started?
The team had a great start to the year 2016. Igor Anton started the season off in San Luis with a win, and also Pello Bilbao brought the team a stage win at the Valenciana. Soon Samuel Sanchez took over the season for the team, winning a Tirreno stage after coming in 3rd in Strade Bianchi. And then even continuing his campaign with a 2nd place at the famous Milan - San Remo edition, where he came close against Stybar and Nibali.
Further in the season the team faced a small bummer, as in the main race of the season, the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, the team saw two stage wins by Garcia and Nieve, but could not fight for the overall victory. Instead the likes of Bilbao, Nieve and Sanchez could lead the team close to the Top10 in all 3 Ardennes classics.
From then on the season went different. Lobato brought the team a Grand total of 4 victories, including two stage wins in Spain, one in Croatia and a french classic. No further wins for the team, but Igor Anton rode a great Giro to finish 8th GC, The tour didn't run too well though. Nieve crashed out after being in great shape, while Samu couldn't hold his great early form in the race where he won stage 8 with a brilliant attack. At the end he could bring home the 13th overall, but the stage win stood.
However, the team took other hits in the meantime. First it was Benat Intxausti suffering under his mononucleosis a lot more than anticipated, so he wouldn't be able to come back as intended in the season. But then there was crossfire from different other terms. Constant rumours about a lack of liquidity surrounded the team, as this news article from cyclingnews before the Giro drew up.
Spoiler
His [Samuel Sanchez] most memorable victory came at a ski station which was already part of Euskaltel-Euskadi’s history, at Luz Ardiden in the 2011 Tour. It was Sánchez’s first win in the Tour de France and came on the same ascent as Roberto Laiseka’s win ten years before. History, as it were, had come full circle.
The most dramatic win on home soil for Euskaltel-Euskadi was in Bilbao for Igor Anton, as the Vuelta returned to the Basque Country for the first time in over three decades. Attacking on a climb he would often use in training rides, Anton claimed a historic victory as Spain’s biggest race returned to its country’s cycling heartland.
It fell to Juan Jose Lobato to take the team’s last ever victory, in the GP Getxo near Bilbao, a low-level one-day Classic, but appropriately enough, just an hour’s drive from the Aranzazu sanctuary where the team had effectively begun on December 6th 1993.
Now that the team came back hopes spread for a new era of basque cycling. The former leading trio of Euskaltel - Sanchez, Nieve and Anton - claimed for a new start of the long lasting project, eventhough they only talked about 1-year guarantees.
At this point though it seems like even those are tough to hold, as the project didn't seem to attract the spanish cycling scene as much as they hoped for. Rumours say that these conditions tend to fear potential investors, which makes it most likely to have the project folding after one year.
The team started of with their first victory of the season in the spirit of their last one, as Anton attacked to victory in San Luis. Another highlight came from Samue Sanchez at Milan - San Remo or the stage win at the Tirreno. The decent Pais Vasco however couldn't kit the graves opened up lately with spanish cycling fans and Samuel Sanchez. A great Giro most likely is the last option for securing a future at Team Euskaltel, but at this point it looks unlikelier than ever. Otherwise we might have to write a new article at the end of the season, talking about "another last victory" of Euskaltel Team.
But then there was also spanish media, that constantly talked down the chances of Euskaltel surviving, be it financially, ideologically or even from a sportive perspective, as e.g. ciclo21 presented in their power rankings before the Tour:
Spoiler
World Tour - Power Ranking 1st of June, 2016
1.
Movistar Team
2.
Team Sky
3.
Etixx - QuickStep
4.
BMC Racing Team
5.
Tinkoff
6.
Orica - BikeExchange
7.
Team Katusha
+1
8.
Lotto - Soudal
-1
9.
Astana Pro Team
+1
10.
Giant - Alpecin
-1
11.
AG2R La Mondiale
12.
Trek - Segafredo
13.
Cannondale - Garmin
+1
14.
Dimension Data
+1
15.
Team LottoNL - Jumbo
-2
16.
FDJ
17.
Lampre - Merida
+1
18.
Euskaltel - Euskadi
-1
19.
IAM Cycling
Experts had split opinions about the project. Some saw a long lasting revival in it, some saw a short term thing that was about to disappear as sudden as it appeared before the 2016 season. The team however did a good job in keeping up the work despite financial questions raised in the process.
A very strong performance at the Vuelta Burgos saw the team well prepared for the Vuelta. Samuel Sanchez won the race ahead of Movistars Quintana and Sanchez' teammate Nieve. Also the team had with Anton in 6th and Zubeldia in 9th three riders in the top 10. The perfect preperation? Well the team seemed ready, and with the 3 stars united a strong squad attended the Vuelta.
Vuelta a Espana
20.8. - 11.9.
Samuel Sanchez
Leader
Igor Anton
Free Role
Mikel Nieve
Free Role
Haimar Zubeldia
Lieutenant
David Lopez
Domestique
Amets Txurruka
Domestique
Pello Bilbao
Domestique
Omar Fraile
Domestique
In fact, 2 days before the start of the Vuelta in Balneario Laias, the management came together with sponor Kutxabank to expand their partnership. The goal was to expand the budget to make 2016 a lot more comfortable and the opportunity to expand and invest for 2017. Talks were on the topic of adding another star to the triple-headed monster that was Anton, Nieve and Sanchez, and kutxabank representatives talked about a certain climber riding for Team Sky at that point.
Leading the negotiations from Euskaltel's side was their head of administratives, Ander Ruiz Larrinaga: A young charismatic basque that Mikel knew over wider relatives. Ander graduated in sports management with emphasis on economics, contact was made again when Ander met Mikel again in Eibar prior to the Vuelta al Pais Vasco.
Spoiler
Why am I telling you this? Because you will probably take his role multiple times if you actively follow this story.
Sammy, Mikel and Igor often did this kind of work themselves, but that just wouldn't fit into their Vuelta preperation schedule. Hence it was Ander with the directives of the trio and the power to work on the future together.
And the talks went well, a certain path of similar ideas was found, that enclosed on
previous phone calls and meetings. An agreement was in sight; preparations for finalizing the partnership were on the run when Ander's phone of rang. And this was very untypical for him,for two reasons. First off Ander was an oldschool type of guy, preferring direct contact and a pen and a paper over tablets and video calls. And then this was not even his usual phone, but instead the one only few people had access to the number of. What happened?
Well Ander was very unsure about this. First he swiped the call away, but then the phone rang again just seconds later. Again there was no number shown on the display. What should he do now?
Option 1: This is not the time for phone calls! Turn down the call again and disconnect the phone. Finish the sponsor talks first, afterwards get back to accepting calls and try to figure out what could've been important enough to disturb these important talks.
Option 2: Find out who dares to disturb you now! This could be too important to pass on. Apologize to the kutxabank guys and take the risk of turning them off by this call. There could be more important things than the ego of three bank guys.
Option 3: Write your own directive...Here you gotta write your own idea on what to do now in a reply, please mark it as such with the "quote code".
This will be something like a learning/test episode. If you choose either option 1 or 2, there are scenarios on how the story continues prewritten. Your choice determines the path that will be taken for the future! If you choose to write an option 3, then this will be considered! It will be added to the list. You vote for your preferred option/directive by commenting with that number. If that directive is voted for I will write a new storyline according to that directive, trying to get in touch with the founder of the directive to include his ideas on why it was chosen.
Examples:
Spoiler
Examples for directives:
Directive 3: Of all good things there are 3! "member xy" We got some stuff to do, we turn down that call. But if the call comes down a third time we gotta go for it and give the calling person 2 minutes to explain themselves.
Directive 4: On hold "member xyz" Ask the kutxabank guys to put the talks on hold for a 10 minute break to deal with the call. Whoever manages to call you here must have important reasons to call you.
Example for voting:
option 2
I vote for Directive 17, because there I can see at the same time Kutxabank not being pissed off while at the same time recognizing if something important has happened. Also I have idea xyz, which may be interesting cause it could strengthen our position in the Kutxabank talks.
Of course, if you have your own ideas on how to support the story just comment them in. I am very happy to implement ideas of you guys, especially if they're really creative and the story benefits from it!
Yay, it's starting, and I love this decision making format I am split between option 2 or a variation of your example option 4. Would like to see what others think on it. Can I make a directive without voting for it yet? If so:
Directive 3:On hold "jandal" Ask the kutxabank guys to put the talks on hold for a 10 minute break to deal with the call. Whoever manages to call you here must have important reasons to call you.
Since it's not somebody Ander has in his contacts (even a man who dislikes calling would have contacts) it's not just someone wanting to catch up, etc. so there's a decent chance that it could be somebody worth hearing from. Of course, it could be a wrong number Kutxabank guys also seem to have a similar vision to us and get along well, and so they shouldn't up and leave because of this.
But not decided yet, as said
On the road: Great team performance in Burgos - Nieve has shaken off his TDF injury it seems, if he can regain his great form from there he could be a real menace. With Sanchez in shape, Antón having a good year and looking alright in Burgos, and Zubeldia basically a lock to repeat his anonymous 9th in the actual Vuelta, it looks like we could be ready for fireworks in the "home" grand tour!
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
This could be too important to pass on. Apologize to the kutxabank guys and take the risk of turning them off by this call. There could be more important things than the ego of three bank guys.
But are they? Well, objectively yes, but taking these guys were about to sign a paper that could secure and shape the close future of the project. You better not offend them.
And luckily they were not offened at all. Talks kept on continuing nicely, even with you leaving the room. But nevertheless this phone call was about to change the direction of everything. Not only for you, but also for everybody else taking action in the talks.
The phone call came from Aigle, UCI headquarters. At first it was about licensing issues, that's what you've guessed. But it was Mr. Artur Lopes itself on the phone. And if that name on the phone wasn't alarming enough, then certainly one phrase right at the beginning made clear that something serious happened: Biological Passport.
Shit. The worst thing possible for this young project: Irregularities with doping. Thinking about the MPCC membership, this would hurt the team a lot. But stuff got worse. It wasn't just one simple case that Mr. Lopes a talked about, not one of the young riders that tried to gain a spot for next season. We were talking about the man, the only non-basque the Basque fans could identify with in the world of cycling. We were talking about Samuel Sanchez Gonzales, main captain and founder of the Euskaltel project.
This obviously was a bummer for you. And how would you communicate that to the Kutxabank guys? Getting back into the room there was nothing to hide. By the look of your face it was too obvious to read that something gamechanging had taken place. So you decided to go by nothing but the truth.
Of course the Kutxabank guys were not happy about the news. Especially after talking about the special clean & fresh spirit of the team. Here you go the opposite way very quickly. And so did your guests. While keeping the polite tone in their voice, you'd surely realize that the energy in the room turned around. At the end of the time both sides came to and end with delaying the talks to a later point to rethink their positions and aims. You kind of guessed that there was no way back after this talks busted, but with that call you basically lost all the trumps in your hands.
Not everything was lost, because there was no positive doping test yet. But indices pointed towards a clear direction: Sammy, we need to talk. Now.
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
„Not everything was lost“ – That was what we closed last episode out with. Since then we had loads of developments, with a completely different state of the art. But one by one.
Of course you didn’t loose a second to call up Samu. But he denied everything. Not a single word towards admitting the cheating. Nothing towards being sorry. Just telling that „it wasn’t me“. That „there must be something wrong“. And yes, there was something wrong. The biological passport clearly indicated the case: Samuel Sanchez will be punished for doping.
This obviously was a huge bummer for our plans. And with that obviously not only the short-term goal, La Vuelta, was included. The leader was kicked off the team, creating a huge media roar, especially in the often Euskaltel-critical spanish ones. Giving instead Garikoitz Bravo the chance, the team went to the race with a full basque team. The enthusiasm in the Pais Vasco was almost unbroken, but with the spanish people this was different:
All sorts of harresment took place. Euskaltel was the most hated team on the start in Balneario Laias. And with Team Sky on the startlist this surely is a significant statement. This enhanced a controverse development: While basque fans took a mentality of „now we really gotta prove them wrong“ out oft he issues, supporting companies were not that convinced. Of course, the project lost a lot of credibility, thinking of the fact that it was Sammy Sanchez and his mates itself that created the project. And actively advertised the mindset of it. How could you trust a team that was founded by such a twilighted character? How can such project have a credible future?
Shift of topics: La Vuelta. The team surely has been influenced by the latest development. Not as often as usual the man in orange were in the break, in fact, it was only Garikoitz Bravo who surely tried to justify his nomination on offense. Also Nieve and Anton had their issues. While Anton already lost a lot of time on the flat, Mikel seemingly wasn’t at his best. The dominant Burgos seemed more and nmore like a fluke going into the race, when finally Nieve broke the bad vibes finishing 3rd on stage 14. At this point though, he was already down in the GC in 13th, with Zubeldia in 17th and Anton only 42nd.
Anton though had his moment three stages later. From the break he could finally hang on to a great result and finished 2nd. And on the last mountain stage it was our time. Coming from the break, after falling down to 14th earlier, Mikel Nieve enjoyed a long ride out going for the win. Fans were cheering him up the mountain for the first time the whole Vuelta. And he already had the victory in sight, when his and all the Basque hearts got broken on the final kilometer.
Euskaltel went out of La Vuelta without a stage win, at least they got a couple of podiums. Manager Larrinaga had to be creative now: Financial support was not to expect. As said, not only the credibility issues were problematic, also the very bad light spanish fans and media spotted Euskaltel in. To put everything in a nutshell: Investing into Euskaltel these days was as attractive to companies as sponsoring an event of Carles Puigdemont at a spanish conservative meeting in Madrid. Absolutely zero.
Financial uncertainty also hindered further contract negotiations. The end of the project could well happen much sooner than all had hoped for. Even Mikel and Igor were searching for other possibilities. And you, Mr.Larrinaga, gotta evaluate your options.
Option A: Keep on fighting. Try to find a sponsor inside the basque country that will help Igor, Mikel and you to keep the work up with the basque project.
Option B: Expand. Go over the borders: Try to find aid from superregional companies. France, Spain, Italy…The world is yours. Try to make Euskaltel a global player
Option C: Scale it down. Accept that it will be impossible to find a sponsor and go for a regional project. Try to merge with a CT team and build a basement approach that tries to create the potential to expand from a lower level.
You decide! You determine the path, we write the story together.
Pretty sure you didn't have Bravo last thread But glad to see him on the team now! A real shame to see the form build-up fizzle out and to see such a crushing last kilometre loss on Stage 20.
Option C: Scale it down.
As nice as it was to see Euskaltel have success in races like MSR and almost De Ronde, they came from a man no longer with us next year: Samu Sanchez. So I see no reason why Euskaltel don't become Southern Neighbours to Direct Energie as a strong, regional cycling team at PCT level who get WT wildcards when they want and show up big-time to them. Win back the hearts of the Spanish and international public with typical Euskaltel riding in WT races, fill the coffers with a bit more success at HC and C1 level, maybe merge with Euskadi-Murias even if some riders will leave us.
BUT I only think this should happen if Mikel and Igor are still on board. Go have an honest talk with them about the situation and their thoughts on taking a possible pay cut to the PCT - they should hopefully still get to ride Pais Vasco, Tour, Vuelta here as well.
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
Bad news, as I feared. I'm with jandal, option c, rebuild trust and support at a local level. Fire Sammy Sanchez and invest the money into better training and scouting of local talents.
Reputation of the Euskaltel project hit an all time low in Spain after the doping case of Samuel Sanchez. It was clear that the project couldn't continue as it did so far. The teams head of administratives, Ander Ruiz Larrinaga, now had to decide for a plan to deal with the lack of funds and trust in the project that once was built by Sanchez, Anton and Nieve. What did he decice?
Option C: Scale it down. As nice as it was to see Euskaltel have success in races like MSR and almost De Ronde, they came from a man no longer with us next year: Samu Sanchez. So I see no reason why Euskaltel don't become Southern Neighbours to Direct Energie as a strong, regional cycling team at PCT level who get WT wildcards when they want and show up big-time to them. Win back the hearts of the Spanish and international public with typical Euskaltel riding in WT races, fill the coffers with a bit more success at HC and C1 level, maybe merge with Euskadi-Murias even if some riders will leave us.
BUT I only think this should happen if Mikel and Igor are still on board. Go have an honest talk with them about the situation and their thoughts on taking a possible pay cut to the PCT - they should hopefully still get to ride Pais Vasco, Tour, Vuelta here as well.
And that was exactly what they would try to tear up the next weeks. Sanchez had no connections to the team anymore, but instead Anton and Nieve decided that they would commit to an upper-level PCT project. Other names however, such as Pello Bilbao, Benat Intxausti, Omar Fraile or Juan Jose Lobato looked into different directions. Zubeldia, Lopez and Txurruka decided to retire, leaving a big gap in rider quality.
That wasn't even the end of the story. With uncertainty until late september in terms of finances and team strength it was difficult to find riders comitting to the project. There had been some decent talks with young riders, but at the end of the day nobody significant would commit towards riding for Euskaltel on a sub-regular wage level. Hence it all got more complicated.
Finally, mid-october, Larrinaga decided to shut the doors on an independent project. Last minute Igor Anton (Dimension Data) and Mikel Nieve (Team Sky) could find a secure income spot in World Tour. Left was a shattered team and a failed project. And, what made it even worse, a significant number of young basques out of contract when most of the deals were already signed. What would you do now?
For Larrinaga now 2 options appeared. Murias Taldea had risen from the ashes of the first Euskaltel collaps, building up a new team in 2015. With the help of the federal government of the Basque Country and their Euskadi foundation it was looking forward to increase in professionality. Hence Larrinaga had an offer to join the project, and even take over 2-3 guys from the former project. They would see Larrinaga in a role to potentially lead the future structure and expansion plans.
The other way would be creating a very own CT team. For PCT it was clear that funds wouldn't be enough, but he could start at the very bottom with some young talent. While funds would be spare and make for a borderline-amateur team, at least some racing and an independent plan. Ambitions and chances to expand would be very low at this point, but the plans could be decided more independently.
But there was also a third option - one that he didn't even thought of having to evaluate a couple of months ago. At this point Larrinaga was even thinking about quitting. Is there a chance that he and his project could overcome the trust and support issues on a local level? This was as doubtable as it has never been before. Wouldn't it be better to let people with more credits in cycling and fans do the job of rebuilding basque cycling?
Option A: Join the most promising basque project: Euskadi - Murias to take part in and build the future of what seems to be the most professional approach of basque cycling right now.
Option B: Hold on to what you've got. Take it to a low level, but keep it your own independent project.
Option C: Quit the project and pass it to fresh faces with less negative coincidences in the past and new ideas in the present.
You decide! You determine the path, we write the story together.
Option B:
Build a new “Euskaltel” from scratch, mainly based on finding new talent in and around Basque country, no harm in a few riders from nearly regions as long as they don’t like the central government too much.
If option C means the end of the story, then I'll join the option B crowd. But if it means starting a new Baque CT team without any baggage, without Larrinaga, I advocate for that option. Whether Larrinaga is blameless or not, he is tainted by this huge crash - from running a WT team to nothing within a few weeks. I'd rather start over without him. How are Zubeldia and Txurruka feeling about taking up a new challenge now that they've retired?
Kutxabank guys also seem to have a similar vision to us and get along well, and so they shouldn't up and leave because of this.
