Mikel Nieve
Mikel Nieve Iturralde (born 26 May 1984) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam . Career. Euskaltel–Euskadi (2009–2013). Born in Leitza, Nieve won the sixteenth stage of the 2010 Vuelta a España, shaking off four riders to win solo in the mountain finish at the Alto de Cotobello. He earned another prestigious victory in the fifteenth stage of the 2011 Giro d'Italia, the queen stage of that year's edition, which Alberto Contador later described as the most difficult stage of his life. Nieve had broken away early, and crested the penultimate  climb of the day, the Passo Fedaia, with only Stefano Garzelli in front of him. On the lower slope of the final climb to Gardeccia-Val di Fassa, Nieve passed Garzelli, and held on to win the stage after having spent a little less than 7 hours and a half in the saddle. He finished 10th twice in the Giro d'Italia in 2011 and 2012. He also finished 10th twice in the Vuelta a España in 2010 and 2011. In 2013, Nieve rode his first Tour de France, where he finished 3rd on Mont Ventoux and 9th on Alpe d'Huez . He ended up finishing 12th overall. After the disbanding of the team was confirmed at the end of the 2013 season, Nieve agreed to join on an initial two-year deal. Team Sky (2014–2017). In 2014, he won stage 8, the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné as well as finishing 8th overall. In 2015, Nieve finished 8th overall in the Vuelta a España, his highest Grand Tour finish to date. In 2016, Nieve won stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia. He also went on to win the mountains classification. Nieve also rode the Tour de France, where he  helped Chris Froome take overall victory as one of his mountain domestiques. Mitchelton–Scott (2018–2021). In August 2017, it was announced that Nieve would join for the 2018 season. During the 2018 Giro d'Italia, Nieve won the penultimate stage of the race, having been a part of the 27-rider breakaway on his 34th birthday. He finished 10th overall in the 2019 Vuelta a España, finishing in the top 10 of the race for the fourth time in his career, having entered the race as a domestique for teammate Esteban Chaves. At the 2020 Tour de France, he abandoned a  Grand Tour for the first time in 19 attempts, having finished each of the previous 18 in the top-25 placings overall. He then rode the 2020 Vuelta a España, and finished 13th overall. Caja Rural–Seguros RGA. In December 2021, Nieve announced that he was joining the team for the 2022 season, after thirteen years at UCI World Tour level.