# 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, and the French Basque Country, or who had grown up in the cycling culture of those regions: 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.

## 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). 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. By 1999, with Roberto Laiseka winning the team's first Grand Tour stage win this investment had paid off. In 2001 they were invited to the Tour de France and achieved another victory for Laiseka in the Pyrénées.
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.
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 but reached no agreement with the team.
In 2018 Mikel Landa, the President of the Euskadi Cycling Foundation, established Team Fundación Euskadi on the Continental tour. In 2020, Euskaltel revived its sponsorship, thereby rebranding the team with the name of its predecessor, Euskaltel-Euskadi.

## Final team roster

    As of 9 September 2013.
| | Rider | Date of birth |
| Jon Aberasturi (ESP) | Jon Aberasturi (ESP) | (1989-03-28)28 March 1989 (aged 23) |
| Igor Antón (ESP) | Igor Antón (ESP) | (1983-03-02)2 March 1983 (aged 29) |
| Mikel Astarloza (ESP) | Mikel Astarloza (ESP) | (1979-11-17)17 November 1979 (aged 33) |
| Jorge Azanza (ESP) | Jorge Azanza (ESP) | (1982-06-16)16 June 1982 (aged 30) |
| Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | (1990-02-27)27 February 1990 (aged 22) |
| Garikoitz Bravo (ESP) | Garikoitz Bravo (ESP) | (1989-07-31)31 July 1989 (aged 23) |
| Tarik Chaoufi (MAR) | Tarik Chaoufi (MAR) | (1986-02-26)26 February 1986 (aged 26) |
| Ricardo García (ESP) | Ricardo García (ESP) | (1988-02-26)26 February 1988 (aged 24) |
| Gorka Izagirre (ESP) | Gorka Izagirre (ESP) | (1987-10-07)7 October 1987 (aged 25) |
| Ion Izagirre (ESP) | Ion Izagirre (ESP) | (1989-02-04)4 February 1989 (aged 23) |
| Jure Kocjan (SLO) | Jure Kocjan (SLO) | (1984-10-18)18 October 1984 (aged 28) |
| Mikel Landa (ESP) | Mikel Landa (ESP) | (1989-12-13)13 December 1989 (aged 23) |
| Juan José Lobato (ESP) | Juan José Lobato (ESP) | (1988-12-29)29 December 1988 (aged 24) |
| Egoi Martínez (ESP) | Egoi Martínez (ESP) | (1978-05-15)15 May 1978 (aged 34) |
| Ricardo Mestre (POR) | Ricardo Mestre (POR) | (1983-09-11)11 September 1983 (aged 29) |
| | Rider | Date of birth |
| Miguel Mínguez (ESP) | Miguel Mínguez (ESP) | (1988-08-30)30 August 1988 (aged 24) |
| Mikel Nieve (ESP) | Mikel Nieve (ESP) | (1984-05-26)26 May 1984 (aged 28) |
| Juan José Oroz (ESP) | Juan José Oroz (ESP) | (1980-11-07)7 November 1980 (aged 32) |
| Rubén Pérez (ESP) | Rubén Pérez (ESP) | (1981-10-30)30 October 1981 (aged 31) |
| Steffen Radochla (GER) | Steffen Radochla (GER) | (1978-10-19)19 October 1978 (aged 34) |
| Adrián Sáez (ESP) | Adrián Sáez (ESP) | (1986-03-17)17 March 1986 (aged 26) |
| Samuel Sánchez (ESP) | Samuel Sánchez (ESP) | (1978-02-05)5 February 1978 (aged 34) |
| André Schulze (GER) | André Schulze (GER) | (1974-11-21)21 November 1974 (aged 38) |
| Alexander Serebryakov (RUS) | Alexander Serebryakov (RUS) | (1987-09-25)25 September 1987 (aged 25) |
| Romain Sicard (FRA) | Romain Sicard (FRA) | (1988-01-01)1 January 1988 (aged 25) |
| Ioannis Tamouridis (GRE) | Ioannis Tamouridis (GRE) | (1980-06-03)3 June 1980 (aged 32) |
| Pablo Urtasun (ESP) | Pablo Urtasun (ESP) | (1980-03-29)29 March 1980 (aged 32) |
| Gorka Verdugo (ESP) | Gorka Verdugo (ESP) | (1978-11-04)4 November 1978 (aged 34) |
| Robert Vrečer (SLO) | Robert Vrečer (SLO) | (1980-10-08)8 October 1980 (aged 32) |
* ↑ Chaoufi left the team on 13 August.
* ↑ Serebryakov was suspended from the team on 6 April, adverse analytical finding in an out-of-competition drugs test in March. He was later sacked.

## Major wins
### 1995

    Stages 4 & 8 Volta ao Algarve, Asier Guenetxea

### 1996

    Memorial Manuel Galera, Iñaki Ayarzagüena
    Txitxarro Igoera, Iñaki Ayarzagüena
    Stage 4 Vuelta a Asturias, Álvaro González de Galdeano
    Spain Time Trial Championship, Iñigo González de Heredia

### 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
    Clásica de Sabiñánigo, 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
       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 Calvià, 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 Calvià, 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 Induráin, 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
    Overall Tour of the Basque Country, 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
    Greece Time Trial Championships, Ioannis Tamouridis
    Greece Road Race Championships, Ioannis Tamouridis
    Circuito de Getxo, Juan José Lobato