New Grupo Nicolas Mateos-Murcia presented

By Antonio J. Salmerón

The new Spanish Professional Continental team, Grupo Nicolás Mateos-Murcia was presented to the public in Murcia, Spain, December 27, with the assistance of the city major, Miguel Ángel Cámara, the Sport Council of the Region of Murcia, Antonio Peñalver, and Luis Nicolás Mateos. The goal of the team, as stated during its presentation, will be to make its mark on the first part of the Spanish season to earn a spot in the 2008 Vuelta a España.

Grupo Nicolas Mateos-Murcia's major events this spring include the Challenge a Mallorca, Vuelta a Andalucia, Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana and Vuelta a Murcia. The team, directed by Gines Garcia, also announced that it will be present in the Portuguese calendar.

The 16-man squad will be led by the ex-Relax riders, Julián Sánchez and José Miguel Elías, the veteran Adrián Palomares (Fuerteventura) and the climber Manuel Váquez (Andalucía-Cajasur). It will also count on four local riders: Eloy Teruel, Jesús Buendía (Barbot-Halcon), Sergio Dominguez and José Carlos Lopez (Soctec U-23).

Ridley will supply the bikes, clothing from Inverse and helmets from Catlike.