In the peloton since 1994
Sponsors: Telecommunications company, and the Basque Countryregional authority
Budget: $2.8 million
Manager: Miguel Madariaga
Directeur sportif: Julian Gorospe
Assistant: Ruben Gorospe

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Riders
ARRIZABALAGA Gorka (Sp),  April 14, 1977
ETXEBARRIA David (Sp),  July 23, 1973
ETXEBARRIA Unai (Ven), November 21, 1972
FLORES Igor (Sp),  December 5, 1973
GONZALEZ Gorka (Sp),  September 28, 1977
LAISEKA Roberto (Sp),  June 17, 1969
MAYO Iban (Sp),  August 19, 1977
SANCHEZ Samuel (Sp),  February 5, 1978
ZUBELDIA Haimar (Sp)

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Bigger goals

For the first time since its creation two years earlier, the Basqueteam made it to Division I in 2001 and immediately proved itself at theTour, with Laiseka’s superb stage victory in the Pyrénées.This year, the squad will go to the Tour de France with the intention ofdoing as well, if not better. It’s a good guess that we’ll again see theorange jerseys taking off toward the mountain summits. The Euskaltel-Euskaditeam draws its strong motivation from its Basque identity, and the regionaltalent pool is a great source of new riders, particularly after the departureof five top men from the 2001 squad: Chaurreau, Fernandez, Castresana,Del Olmo and Gonzalez Arrieta. Above all, the team will have to successfullypass the tests of the Tour’s opening week before thinking about a goodperformance in the general classification.TEAM WINS2001
LAISEKA: Tour de France, one stage
ARTETXE: Ruta del Sol, one stage
Igor FLORES: Tour of Rioja, one stage.
A. SILLONIZ: Setmana Catalana, one stage.
LOPEZ DE MUNAIN: Tour of Asturias, one stage ; Clasica de Alcobendas,one stage.
MAYO: Midi Libre; Classique des Alpes; Dauphiné Libéré,one stage.2002
J. MARTINEZ: Critérium International
D. ETXEBARRIA: Tour of the Basque Country, two stages.INTERVIEW
Julian Gorospe, directeur sportif :
"This year, we will undoubtedly be less of a surprise than last year.The team lost several riders last winter, but we’ve been able to survivethe reorganization. Roberto Laiseka’s stage victory at the 2001 Tour givesus even more hope for the future. This year, we will try to place wellin the general classification, but we will also try to be in the actionduring the first part of the Tour. The second part, with the Pyrénéesand the Alps, is reserved for the big names. In the Pyrénées,we will be practically at home, and we will try to win a stage once more.You know, the Tour is without doubt the most demanding event, and everyonewants to shine there and prove themselves. But there can’t be stage winsfor everyone, so each day is a new battle, according to the physical conditionof the team."