The “continuity, transition and internationalization” are the axes of the new project, as stated in the statement that Alonso has published on his website: “The new team will respect the contracts of the brokers who already had agreements with the Euskaltel-Euskadi for the years 2014 and 2015. We wish to give it continuity and gradually grow, signing the best men of the platoon, making a moderate transition to an international project. The medium-long term goal is to form a global benchmark team.”

Thus, at least until 2015, the structure of the Euskaltel-Euskadi will have some kind of continuity, even though it incorporates a new name and is based in Asturias. Igor González de Galdeano will continue as sports director, Samuel Sánchez will be the team leader – if by chance I don’t check Alberto Contador, as some rumors say – and other cyclists we have seen this year orange dresses will also be in the project promoted by Alonso, as well as the other professionals: masseurs, mechanics… Looking in the short term, therefore, the contract is good news for Basque cyclists.

For next year there are a total of fourteen riders with contract in force, including Mikel Snow, Igor Antón, Gorka Izagirre and Mikel Landa. Some had already reached pre-agreements for the next season with other teams, so it is yet to see if they continue in the project sponsored by Fernando Alonso. Anton has been optimistic: “I think the fourteen of us will be in this new group.”

However, starting in 2015, the picture is darker, as the “transition” comes after the “continuation” and the “internationalization”. “In the medium term they want to create a group based on another model of longitudinal gaze,” González de Galdeano himself acknowledged. Inevitably, this will entail a radical change in the structure – and philosophy – already immersed in the metamorphosis phase.

Alonso’s intervention will not save the Euskaltel-Euskadi project, at least as we have understood so far, although it will benefit cycling, in short, because of the interest that the “brand” Fernando Alonso can have in the market.

The end of a philosophy

Euskaltel-Euskadi disappeared at the end of two decades. Following the withdrawal of aid from the institutions, because of the crisis, they have not been able to find a second private sponsor.

Euskaltel contributed EUR 3.5 million each year to the cycling team. Following the withdrawal of aid from the Basque Government and the representatives of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, the telecommunications company has had to contribute EUR 7 million in this financial year. “The project was not viable,” said the group’s leaders.

The four-year plan has been exhausted in six months

“The team’s management has not been good,” said Roberto Laiseka, a professional cyclist of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team between 1994 and 2006.

Euskaltel has signed foreign cyclists to be licensed UCI World Tour (UWT) for a period of four years. In short: In order to be able to compete in the UWT category, the teams must have a minimum of points according to the results obtained by the corridors, points that Euskadi has achieved thanks to foreign corridors, despite the fact that the new fichajes have given a sad result: Moroccan Tarik Chaoufi has been suspended for lack of adaptation, Russian Aleksandr Serebriakov tested positive for EPO, German André Schulze has finished a race…

On the contrary, AMETS Txurruka, expelled from the group for lack of points, is very well in the Caja Rural, and that has made the leaders of the Euskaltel Euskadi even more embarrassing, who also expelled Ivan Velasco for the same reason. The change of philosophy has done nothing to this team. A number of cyclists strongly criticised the attitude of the directors and amateurs who have punched the orange roads are getting further and further away. Leaving all the weight of what has happened behind the current direction, in any case, may be a bit hasty.

The most amazing thing is that: That the team made a firm commitment for a period of four years and that the project has ended in six months. “The leaders of the group knew that the institutions were going to take away their input and yet there was a change of philosophy,” Laiseka said.

More information on the Bicicycling website: “In 2012, when everything was pink, when Euskaltel took over the management of the team with the Basque Cycling Pro Team, in the place of the Euskadi Foundation, presided over by Miguel Madariaga, and presented a strategic project for four years, a budget of 36 million euros was discussed. However, it was known last March that, for economic reasons, the continuity of the group was in jeopardy. No one understands this situation, nor does manager Igor González de Galdeano.”

There is no doubt that Euskaltel-Euskadi will leave a large gap both in the platoon and on the roadside. Amateur cycling does not live in good times. Many races have disappeared and others are in danger. Young cyclists from Euskal Herria will now have fewer opportunities to jump to the elite. There are still many questions to be answered about the project sponsored by Fernando Alonso. We will get to know more when the Tour of Spain ends.