An opportunity that they must take advantage of yes or yes and where they have to leave their skin to try to be the hero. The ‘modest’ Volta teamsthose who do not participate in the highest international division of cycling, UCI World Tourand they do it by category UCI Pro Team, They know that when they receive an invitation to compete in a top-level race, they must respond to the organization’s gesture with the most delivery, because the competition is very tough.
This year the Volta extended an invitation to four Spanish Pro Team teams –Burgos-BH, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Kern Pharma and Euskaltel-Euskadi– and at the moment they are all trying to climb into the middle, with the orange formation close to a good level: they are the 14th team in the race, leading several World Tours, and they have Mikel Bizcarra to his runner’s best, 33rd.
Talked to MD yesterday Jesús Ezkurdia, general manager of Euskaltel-Euskadi, to find out how important it is for a group of its qualities to be included in the Volta: “Being in a World Tour race is very important. This is the best showcase for a cyclist and his team. As if a soccer player played a ChampionsThey are the races that give you prestige”. assumed ezkurdia that “it’s very difficult to stay on top. What we need to achieve is to have a presence in the race, to be present every day in the breakaways and to be higher in the category level where we are, and I think we are achieving this. It’s impossible to win a stage with the Volta riders”.
Euskaltel-Euskadi has a budget of 4 million euros – it usually comes from sponsors and the 1,500 members of the Foundation-, the team consists of about 40 people, a number that will grow to more than 200 in the case of Foundation which combines the development of the cyclist and moving to Volta a structure consisting of seven cyclists, twelve people on staff, a bus, a truck, a van and four vehicles.
ezkurdia He believes that until this season the team becomes competitive and shows that he is a good matchmaker when he is reminded of not inviting the return: “It’s a possibility. There are two invitations and many teams want to go there. It’s a shame, a disappointment, but not being in La Vuelta this year motivates us more than we deserve on an invitation next year”.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
