The Basque based team have two major 2005 victories to their name. Whilst the Dauphiné Libéré and Tour de Suisse were won, teammanager Miguel Madariaga will have had a ”bad aftertaste”. Euskaltel’s Landaluze (Dauphiné Libéré) is investigated because of suspected doping usage, but more importantly neither of the big goals were achieved in the season.


In 2003, the performances by Aitor Gonzalez, Haimar Zubeldia and especially Iban Mayo were signs of great things to come. Suddenly, the “small” Euskaltel team was closely watched by the whole cycling community and fans all over the world. The...