By Monika Prell
Since last Sunday, all 29 members of the Euskaltel-Euskadi squad have been training in Alfaz de Pí, Spain, with the riders aiming to cover around one thousand kilometers during the week. The team will be divided into four groups with different training intensities depending on the objectives of each rider for the upcoming season.
The riders hoping to be in good form for the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco and the Spring Classics, including Züri Metzgete winner Samuel Sánchez and Mikel Astarloza, trained for five hours over 150km taking in an ascent of the Coll de Rates. Those with an eye on the Tour de France trained at a lower intensity while another group remained in the team hotel for physiological testing. The groups were accompanied by Igor González de Galdeano plus sports directors Xabier Carbayeda, Gorka Gerrikagoitia and Jon Odriozola.
From today, riders will also undergo a series of high intensity tests over four minute periods in order to measure lactate threshold values and determine if each rider is following an effective training program.
