Egoi Martínez is a rider that not many beyond Spain’s Basque Country have ever heard of. That’s about to change as the 27-year-old is set to join Discovery Channel in 2006.

Many expected Martínez to be Spain’s next big thing after winning the 2003 Tour de l’Avenir, but even by his own admission, he’s not a rider that wins come easy. In fact, that victory is the lone win on his palmares.

Martínez enjoyed a fine 2004, with strong performances in the Dauphiné Libéré, the Tour de France and the now-defunct Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon. In fact, it’s his strong ride alongside Lance Armstrong’s win in stage five in the Languedoc race first got him noticed by the Texan.

Martínez is one of five new riders Discovery Channel is bringing on for 2006. Others include Russian classics rider Vladimir Guzev (CSC), Aussie prospect Trent Lowe, Belgian rider Jurgen Van Goolen (Quick Step) and Slovenian Janez Brajkovic (Krka).

Martínez suffered through some injuries in 2005, but was hitting stride in the Vuelta a España. VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood sat down with Martínez one morning to find out more about the Basque rider. Here are excerpts from the interview:

VeloNews: How has your season gone compared to last year?Egoi Martínez: Last year I had really good form. I rode well at the race that used to be the Midi Libre, when I followed Armstrong at the stage he won, that was my best day last year. I was also very strong to help Mayo win the Dauphiné Libéré and then I was OK at the Tour. This year I didn’t feel as good. I crashed in April (at País Vasco) and I hurt my wrist and shoulder. I hurried too fast to come back and I made some errors in my preparation. I wasn’t great at the Tour, but I was OK by the end. I was not as strong as last year.

VN: And how are things going so far in the Vuelta?EM: Well, I am getting stronger as the race continues. I am trying to get into a breakaway and hunt for a victory. The team is doing well, even though we don’t have any chances in the overall now. We can still win stages.

VN: What about the rest of your season?EM: No world’s for me, but I might do some of the fall classics, like Zurich or Lombardia. I am a little tired. The morale is still good, but the legs are having a hard time keeping up.

VN: How did you make contact with Discovery?EM: Well, I think they noticed me a lot last year. They contacted me, but I still had a contract for 2005 with Euskaltel. This year I never expected to hear from them again because I didn’t have such a great season. I was surprised when Johan Bruyneel called me on the telephone to ask me to join the team. They offered me a two-year contract. There was never any doubt in my mind I wanted to join the team.

VN: Are you close to anyone on the team at Discovery currently?EM: I am quite good friends with Benjamin Noval. I have talked a lot to José Azevedo and Chechu Rubiera, but other than that, not so much.

VN: Have you had much chance to talk about the coming year with Discovery?EM: Not so much because we’re still racing, of course. We’ll talk more at the end of the season. I am supposed to go to a training camp in December in the United States. It will be my first trip to the USA, so I am very excited already.

VN: How did you react to the chance to join Discovery Channel?EM: For me it’s like a dream. Bruyneel was a great rider and now he’s one of the best directors in cycling. He’s very smart, very clever, he’s always supporting the team, making results for the team. For him to take an interest in me is a special feeling and it gives me motivation as a rider.

VN: Had you spoken with Armstrong much?EM: We spoke a little at the Dauphiné. I think he took notice of me last year. When I finished with him at the stage at Languedoc, that was the best moment of my career as a professional. I was strong enough to stay with him, and even though he beat me, it was still an honor. He was very impressive to race with him that day. At the finish he shook my hand as we crossed the line and he told me I rode well. I have a photo of that finish. Maybe now I can get him to autograph it for me.

VN: There’s some talk of Armstrong coming back, what do you think?EM: It would be a dream to ride in support of Armstrong at the Tour de France, I hope he comes back!

VN: Many in the States don’t know much about you, what kind of rider are you?EM: I am a rider who is more of a worker than a winner. I like to win, of course, but I am the kind of rider who has to look for the opportunities to win when they arise. I am not a rider like Armstrong or Mayo who win with regularity.

VN: Where are you from in Spain?EM: I am from the Basque portion of Navarra from a small village called Echarri-Aranaz. It has about 2,600 inhabitants in the medium mountains, about 1,200 to 1,400 meters.

VN: How did you start with cycling?EM: My two brothers were both racers, so we always had bicycles in the house. I always rode to keep up with them. Then I started racing at the local level, with the clubs, then I got picked up by Euskaltel. I was studying university as well and I wanted to finish that before turning pro.

VN: Euskaltel-Euskadi is such a unique team, will it be hard to leave?EM: The team is special. We are all Basques. We have the language, we have the history together. We are all very close on the team. It is like family. Most of us young riders grow up together on the team. The team has always had confidence in me. They brought me up and let me become professional. It’s one of the best teams in cycling. To leave will be difficult, but when I have an opportunity to join a team like Discovery, it makes it less difficult.