Karpin-Galicia optimistic for '08

By Antonio J. Salmerón

The Karpin Galicia squad has concluded a two week block of training together which featured "quantity rather than quality", team manager Alvaro Pino has announced. The squad's riders for 2008 will not take some time off for the Christmas break having completed their first team camp together, during which they also took part in activities such as a mountain bike ride.

"They will start with the individualised training from now," Pino announced.

Pino added that he's very happy with what was achieved at the training camp in Galicia, where the Professional Continental squad was created at the end of 2006. "At the beginning there were many riders who were reluctant to this system [of having a training camp], but I think that, while some of them used to work alone at home in optimal level, at the end everyone have adapted perfectly to it and have seen used to render and work in group," he said. "The results will be seen later; whether it is good or not."

The Karpin Galicia 2008 roster will feature fewer names than in 2007, but Pino expects the squad to show improvement throughout the season. "There are young riders, but with some experience already gained, and under normal circumstances they will continue getting better," he said. "I am also confident that new riders will feel well adapted to the new category as well as the new squad.

"Sure, we missed some very important riders, such as Eladio Jimenez, but we have already demonstrated a high level, for example the local Ezequiel Mosquera, who finished fifth in the Vuelta a España, but also David Garcia, David Herrero and Carlos Castaño," Pino added.