Two Spaniards for Discovery

The Discovery Channel ProCycling team has signed two Spanish riders for 2006: Egoi Martinez (Eusklatel-Euskadi) and José Angel Gomez Marchante (Saunier Duval). The 27 year-old Martinez has signed a two-year deal with the American team. His Basque directeur sportif Manuel Madariaga is aware that his rider could not deny the apparently generous offer of Johan Bruyneel.

"I've spoken to Bruyneel and I know that the rider said that he owed us a lot, but that an offer like that didn't come around every day," Madariaga told Diario Vasco. Martinez won the Tour de l'Avenir in 2003.

Gomez Marchante is currently still under contract for another year with Saunier Duval, but will reportedly buy his way out of the agreement to join Discovery. Marchante climbed the Mont Ventoux for second place in this year's Dauphiné Libéré. Another rider apparently targeted by Bruyneel is Illes Balears' Xabier Zandio.