NCh RR / ITT

Movistar Team to fight in five fronts for national titles in Spain, Poland, Russia, Great Britain and Portugal, in both time trials (Thursday and Friday) and road races (Saturday and Sunday)

Just like every year, the week prior to the Tour will award almost all cycling road and time trial titles in Europe. Movistar Team hopes to improve in 2013 the great streak in Blue colours in the past two years -three victories, with back-to-back jerseys for Rojas (’11) and Ventoso (’12) in Spain and Branislau Samoilau’s Belarusian ITT title- to come into the Tour de France with at least twenty wins (19 up to date) this season.

Alex Dowsett will open the fire for Movistar Team on Thursday evening, a 24-kilometer course (two laps) in Ayrshire, southwest Scotland to decide the British Time Trial championships, where Dowsett will defend his 2011 and 2012 victories. The rest of the TT’s will come a day later, with special attention to the Spanish race (Bembibre, 44km), where Jonathan Castroviejo will try to win his second ‘rojigualda’ jersey after years in silver, and the Portuguese contest (Pataias, 34km), with Rui Costa seeking for his first elite prize. 

Sunday will be the most important day, with road races in Portugal (172km in Pataias for Rui Costa), Britain (184km to be covered by Alex Dowsett in Glasgow), Poland (240km in Sobótka, with Sylwester Szmyd in the start list), Russia (196km in Samara with Vladimir Karpets’ presence) and, above all, the Spanish RR championship in Bembibre (207km). Movistar Team will try to take its third consecutive victory with all national riders in their roster: Castroviejo, Cobo, Erviti, Gutiérrez, Jesús Herrada, José Herrada, Intxausti, Lastras, Madrazo, Moreno, Plaza, Rojas, Sanz, Teruel, Valverde and title holder Fran Ventoso, still doubtful to ride after the injury in his right little toe during the Route du Sud last week.

2013 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Movistar Team

 PORTUGAL
– ITT (Rui Costa). Friday 21, Pataias, 34km, 17 h.
– RR (Rui Costa). Sunday 23, Pataias, 172km, 13 h. 

GREAT BRITAIN
– ITT (Alex Dowsett). Thursday 20, Ayrshire (Scotland), 48km, 19.30 h.
– RR (Alex Dowsett). Sunday 23, Glasgow, 184km, 14.30 h. 

POLAND
– RR (Sylwester Szmyd). Sunday 23, Sobótka, 240km, 11.30 h. 

RUSSIA
– ITT (Vladimir Karpets). Friday 21, Petra Dubrava, 50km, 10.30 h.
– RR (Vladimir Karpets). Sunday 23, Samara, 196km, 11 h. 

SPAIN
– ITT (Castroviejo, Jesús Herrada, Plaza, Teruel, Valverde). Friday 21, Bembibre, 44km, 11 h.
– RR (Castroviejo, Cobo, Erviti, Gutiérrez, Jesús Herrada, José Herrada, Intxausti, Lastras, Madrazo, Moreno, Plaza, Rojas, Sanz, Teruel, Valverde. Not confirmed: Ventoso). Sunday 23, Bembibre, 207km, 10 h.