By Antonio J. Salmerón
Professional Continental team Andalucía Cajasur will start its season in Argentina, at the Tour de San Luis (January 19-25). The Spanish team, now in its fifth year, hopes for their best season ever, with a roster of riders based around the experienced Xavi Tondo, Manuel Calvente, Ángel Vicioso and Javier Ramírez Abeja.
Ramírez Abeja returns to the professional peloton after a year off. He started his career with Liberty-Würth and raced for Fuerteventura-Canarias in 2007. José A. Redondo, José Luis Carrasco (winner of a stage in the 2008 Volta a Catalunya) and the always combative José A. López Gil round out the roster.
Antonio Cabello is the manager of the team, with ex-professionals Francisco Cabello and Martínez Oliver acting as the directeurs sportifs. The team also has a U23 and junior development team.
This year, the calendar for Andalucía is comprised of about 30 races in Europe and Mexico, but the main goal is definitely the Vuelta a España. If the team gets invited it will be the third consecutive invitation to the Spanish Grand Tour.
The team will start its continental racing with the Challenge de Mallorca (February 8-12) before its home race, the Vuelta a Andalucia (February 15-19). The first ProTour race for Andalucía Cajasur will be the Volta a Catalunya (May 18-24)
