Euskaltel Euskadi (Ciclismo)
Euskaltel-Euskadi, officially known as the Euskadi-Euskadiko Txirrindularitza Iraskundea Cycling Foundation, is a professional cycling team that participates in the UCI ProTour. It also races abroad under the name Euskaltel-Pays Basque. At present it is the team that has been on the world race circuit for the longest time (15 seasons in 2008), together with Lampre. It also takes part in some Continental Circuit races. Euskaltel-Euskadi is notable for the fact that all its racers started their career in the Basque country.
Euskaltel-Euskadi’s first major race victory was in 1999, when Roberto Laiseka, who had been with the team since its creation, won the Alto de Abantos stage of the Tour of Spain. In 2001 the team debuted in the Tour de France and Laiseka won another stage, this time a high mountain stage finishing in Luz-Ardiden.
