Euskaltel-Euskadi will return to the Giro d'Italia for the first time in three years next month headlined by up and coming Grand Tour threat Igor Anton. The Basque team announced the rosters for both the Giro and the Vuelta Castilla y Leon today on its website, Fundacion Euskadi.
The winner of two stages in last year's Vuelta will be joined in Italy by Ikel Nieve, Juan Jose Oroz, Inaki Isasi, Javier Aramendia, Jorge Azanza, Pierre Cazaux, Daniel Sesma, and Miguel Minguez.
Anton, a rider who has shown clear potential to win the sport's three week tours, was in a great position to win last year's Vuelta a España, but the then 27 year crashed out of the race in Stage 14 while wearing the leader's jersey. Up until that point, Anton had made it clear that he was the race's preeminent threat for the overall victory.
In 2011, the Basque rider has been quiet in his lead-up to the Corsa Rosa, but an 11th place last week at the Klasika Primavera bodes well that things are coming around nicely. His current form will be put to the test starting tomorrow.
Ahead of the Giro, Anton will take part in this week's Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, which starts on April 13th. It will be a welcome return for the climber. He finished second overall last year to Alberto Contador and even left the five-time Grand Tour winner gasping as he soared to victory on the mountaintop finish of Alto del Morredero.
Anton will get another go at Contador this week, as the embattled Tour de France winner will return to defend his overall title from 2010.
This week's team will be the same as the one the 2010 Tour de Romandie stage winner will have at hand in Italy, but with one exception: Iñaki will get the week off following a difficult trip through the Basque Country last week as part of the Vuelta a Pais Vasco. He'll be replaced by Ruben Perez.