Without any comparison the most important race of the season for us and the race Ion have been training so hard towards. Now he is even mentioned as the next Basque winner. Something that seems very likely - time will tell whether it will be this year or the next. Anyway he has some brilliant support.
On the first stage the boys kept close to the front all day doing a lot of work and in the end pretty much the entire team took part in the sprint hoping to make it messy enough for a surprise.
While we didn't get on the podium I'd say 3 riders in the top 10 and and all 8 in top 30 bodes well for the race as a whole.
Stage 2 was very similar to stage 1 with too many hills for the pure sprinters and not enough for the top punchers.
Again we were very visible throughout the day though we faield to catch Tschopp and Beñat didn't have luck trying to ditch the pack before the full-on sprint.
Another top 10 and another day with everyone looking sharp. This time our worst place was 41st.
The boys continued in styleon stage 3 though once again missing out on the podium. 5 riders in top 10 isn't too shabby though.
We went in to the queen stage full of hope after the strong start, but in the end didn't show the spirit needed as Ion and the others just sat there in the peloton while the otehr favourites attacked.
He did wake up a bit towards the end but far far too late. At least he took the youth jersey.
The following day he made the same mistake losing a bit more time to the big favourites for the GC and even missing out on the stage top 10.
So things came down to the hilly for us and especially Ion to regain some honour.
Beñat improved the spirit quite a bit when he set provisional best time and with Ion taking 3rd when he crossed along with several other good results we could end on some sort of high note.
However it has to be said that we are not content with how ee handled the two GC-deciding road stages. In a race so important for both us and our fans we really have to try harder.
You had quite a bit of bad luck in those two stages. Ion had constantly been in the front, but when the attacks came, he was constantly pushed back and blocked by other team's domestiques. It would have been great to see him do better than that, and I have to admit his result disappointed me a little as well.
In contrast to Pais Vasco we had neither hopes nor expectations going into the second monument of the year.
Well, actually Rudy was looking forward to it and the atmosphere around the race is obviously nice as well as the Flemish fans along with the Basques probably are the most enthusiastic in the world.
Halfway through the race Rudy decided to attack since the early cobbles had gotten rid of most of his helpers anyway.
He gained some advantage allowing him to get over the cobbles alongside some of the very big names.
Even with enough energy left to drop a legend like Boonen and even save some energy to win the sprint of his group placing much much better than anyone on their craziest drunken rants would have expected Euskaltel to finish in a cobbled monument.
That also makes him finish as best Belgian which is highly prestigious in itself.
Selwink wrote:
You had quite a bit of bad luck in those two stages. Ion had constantly been in the front, but when the attacks came, he was constantly pushed back and blocked by other team's domestiques. It would have been great to see him do better than that, and I have to admit his result disappointed me a little as well.
You should have re-run it then
Just kiddin of course. Can't quite decide whether to be relived that he didn't such as much as it could appear or even more disappointed over bad AI...
Live broadcast from the Sporza studio, a few minutes after the conclusion of Ronde Van Vlaanderen
Karl Vannieuwkerke: We now have the first rider arriving in our studio, Rudy Verboven, finishing 4th as first Belgian. He's just getting a microphone and then he's going to sit down with us. There we go. Rudy, congratulations on your great race!
Thank you.
How does this 4th place feel?
Good and not good of course. I had great legs today and no doubt this is the best result in my career. But yes, it's 3 other guys going to the podium in a few minutes. That feels bad of course
We'r egoing to show you some images you cna comment on. Here is your attack.
Well, I know that if I wait, I'm going to get dropped eventualy. The team did great, but at that point I was on my own, so I hoped to get a few riders with me. I just didn't expect Sagan would come already. He went really fast, he was actually hurting me already so far from the finish.
Then the peloton came back, and you were in a group with Boonen and Van Avermaet. Did you feel like you would come back?
Yes, Tom was riding hard. Greg and Phil were there as well. But then suddenly Boonen was gone and Greg punctured..
We're going to show some footage of that now, go on.
Well I was suddenly alone. I did feel we could close the gap together, but alone it was really hard. I was hoping the front group would slow don't, but apparently they didn't.
Look at how close you got!
Yes I saw them, but I still had an entire Paterberg to go at that point. I tried, but I just couldn't get there.
Well, I don't know why he did that. I guess he was happy with just being on the podium. If they play it tacticaly, I might come back and he might get nothing. I don't know. The other two were happy about it. I think he did make a tactical mistake there. You ride the Ronde to win, not for a podium
Did you think more was possible.
As much as it hurts to say this, yes. I should've followed when they went. Okay, following Sagan got me to my limit, but if you see how Bozic hangs on. He shouldn't be better then me in this race. I made a mistake there. And well, I still think if Greg didn't puncture, we would have reached them as well.
Let's say for a moment, you reach the front group and you are there for the sprint. What could have happened?
Well, this is a really annoying question, I wasn't there, that's it
Ok, when we look back to last year, we clearly see progress. Where does it end for you?
The difference is huge. last year I was dropped all the time, now I finish 4th in the Ronde. Of course the team got better, they offer me better support this year, but I do feel I have become a lot stronger myself. I know I have to confirm this in Roubaix, but I can see myself winning a classic one day.
And will that be at Euskaltel? Because you just finished as best Belgian in the Ronde. Lotto and Quick Step would be stupid not to contact you.
For now I want to focus at Euskaltel. Transfer season is far away, and we'll see what happens then. I don't have any reason to leave the team at the moment
You best result last year was a nice top 10 in Fleche Wallonne, how are you looking towards the Ardennes this year?
I feel stronger then last year, but normaly it is Ion who will lead the team there.
Okey, thank you Rudy. We're going to let you hit the showers now, while we go back to the podium ceremony. Give him an applause ladies and gentlemen! Rudy Verboven, 22 years old, 4th in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen!
After the great Ronde we had high hopes for Rudy to carry on his good form in this hilly and cobbled race.
Xavier kelp him well placed until the finale.
Sagan attacked and no one followed so when the Slovakian suddenly had quite a big gap Verboven went after him.
He doesn't look back. Partly due to never catching up with Sagan, but it's not shame to get beaten by a rider of that caliber so he has reason to be proud of his race.
Also nice to see Florencio just managing to score a few points.
The month started with a home race that turned out a bit weird as the other big leaders used heir dometiques to block the road preventing Ion from following attacks thus resulting in a somewhat disappointing GC.
However 13 stage top 10's and a youth jersey made sure that we made ourselves noticed on home soil.
After that we sent a team to Belgium mainly just because we had to.
Somehow the team was transformed and helped Rudy get to last half in good shape. Encouraged by that he attacked from far out bot on de Ronde and Brabantse Pijl and were rewarded with two surreal results.
2014
2013
Ronde van Vlaanderen
150
0
Tour of the Basque Country
194
76
Brabantse Pijl
104
14
The numbers says it clearly: This was a good month for our effort to improve on last season.
Rider of the Month
This month one rider did somthing deemed impossible for a rider wearing our jersey: Getting big results in cobbles.
Rudy Verboven
Attacker of the Month
This month we weren't represented in a single of the early breaks. However one rider excelled with two brilliantly executed mid-race attacks.
Rudy Verboven
Monthly Rankings
Name
Days
Pts
Pts/Day
Verboven, Rudy
2
240
120
Izagirre, Ion
6
114
19
Florencio, Xavier
2
14
7
Intxausti, Beñat
6
32
5,33
Izagirre, Gorka
6
16
2,67
Spoiler
Antón, Igor
6
8
1,33
Castroviejo, Jonathan
6
8
1,33
Landa, Mikel
6
8
1,33
Zubeldia, Haimar
6
8
1,33
Nieve, Mikel
6
0
Fernandez, Koldo
2
0
Aberasturi, Jon
1
0
Bilbao, Pello
1
0
Bravo, Garikoitz
1
0
Durán, Arkaitz
1
0
Erviti, Imanoel
1
0
GarcÃa, Egoitz
1
0
Irizar, Markel
1
0
Sanz, Enrique
1
0
Something Basque
The latest single from one of the hottest contemporary Basque rock bands:
Granted, Roubaix didn't go as well as I hoped, but I think I made up in the Brabantse Pijl. Sagan was too strong once again, he's in the shape of his life, but I wasn't too bad either, I rode away from the rest.
I got close, but 22 seconds seperated us. Still, a 2nd place here is a huge result for me. Just look at the names I left behind me. I'm more confident then ever that one day I will win a race. Being on the podium after the finish was very nice, Sagan congratulated me for my race. Yet the question remains, what could I have done if I followed his attack?
With the cobbles behind us it was time for another group of races, where we did not perform as wanted last year.
In the meantime especially Ion have developed a lot so we should do better than our single Ardennes top 10 last year.
Still we're not the big favourites so Ion held his horses for the second wave of attack.
Then he made a great show of himself even though he didn't manage to follow the biggest names all the way.
In the end he finished tired in the first big group just managing to score a few points.
Luckily Igor had a great day and saved a good amount of energy for the final sprint securing him and us a great result.
This is in many ways a preperation race for the Giro for Cristiano, but we still want a good result.
We got of to a solid start finishing 6th in the opening TTT though it was a clear miscalculation by the boys that Cristiano wasn't among the first five finishers.
On the second day Cristiano was caught a bit back-handed but saved his honour by squeezing into the top 10.
MartÃnez found his way into the early break, though they didn't affect the finale much.
One that did affect the finale though was Cristiano de las Campos, who was among the first and most eager attackers among the favourites.
He pushed on so only Quintana and Pellizotti could hang on.
Neither of them were able to pass him for the stage win. A beautiful first win for our young prospect.
On the final stage Gorka took good care of Cristiano helping him get to the ultimate climb in good condition.
He didn't quite have the legs of yesterday, but less is acceptable - especially when he defended his great GC result.
While Roubaix did end a bit better than could have been expected that should be see in the light of us being Euskaltel - Euskadi…
Much better was Amstel Gold Race where Ion and Igor showed a good collaboration with Ion being offensive and Igor saving energy for a solid finish. Good omens before the last Ardennes.
Then came Trentino where Cristiano was to test his form coming into the Giro. We gave him some solid support and he did amazing winning a stage ahead of Quintana and coming second in the GC.
I dare say this was his big breakthrough.
2014
2013
Paris-Roubaix
0
0
Amstel Gold Race
130
0
Giro del Trentino
139
41
The points say it all: This was a good month for us.
Rider of the Month
No surprises here. A big breakthrough will always be rewarded:
Cristiano de las Campos
Attacker of the Month
Only one rider was in a real break this month so he gets the prize:
Egoi MartÃnez
Monthly Rankings
Name
Days
Pts
Pts/day
Antón, Igor
1
100
100,00
de las Campos, Cristiano
4
134
33,50
Izagirre, Ion
1
30
30,00
Spoiler
Erviti, Imanoel
5
0,00
Izagirre, Gorka
5
0,00
Sicard, Romain
5
0,00
Astarloza, Mikel
4
0,00
Castroviejo, Jonathan
4
0,00
MartÃnez, Egoi
4
0,00
Zubeldia, Haimar
4
0,00
Florencio, Xavier
2
0,00
Verboven, Rudy
2
0,00
Aberasturi, Jon
1
0,00
Bilbao, Pello
1
0,00
Fernandez, Koldo
1
0,00
GarcÃa, Egoitz
1
0,00
Irizar, Markel
1
0,00
Landa, Mikel
1
0,00
MÃnguez, Miguel
1
0,00
Something Basque
Aa small feature looking back at some of our teams highlight as well as talking to a few of our legends.
