FORGED IN THE MUD. Gorka Izagirre’s way towards the professional peloton is well known in Spain, as his father, José Ramón, was a renowned cyclo-cross specialist, with two national titles. He was the one who passed on that passion to his kids -also to Ion, a member of the Abarca Sports organisation for many years and one still very much admired by everyone around-.

‘SECOND ROUND’. At the Movistar Team, in the 2014-17 seasons, Gorka used a big portion of the potential he’s got inside, as one of the most remarkable allrounders in our country. He was crucial for so many collective wins -including unforgettable performances for the Blues’ 2014 Giro success- and claimed three individual victories, with two triumphs in Euskadi (Amorebieta, 2017, and Ordizia, 2014) and another one of big prestige: stage eight of the 2017 ‘Corsa Rosa’, just few months before momentarily leaving the squad. “I feel like a little kid who has got to know the world outside, and is ready to continue offering at home everything he’s learned over the past few years,” were his words as his signing was confirmed in late 2021.

HARD WORK AND GOOD RESULTS. A tremendously solid rider, who excels at long terrains and difficult weather / situations, no matter if it’s one-day classics or stageraces, inhospitable terrain for Spaniards like the cobblestones or the big mountains, he’s achieved important victories over the last few years: the 2018 Nationals -and no less than a Paris-Nice GC podium that same year-, the Grande Trittico Lombardo (2020) or the GC of the Tour de La Provence (2019). His brilliance was not as remarkable in 2022, completely devoted to supporting Enric Mas before his abrupt end to the 2022 Tour de France, which further underlines that the work from the domestiques -as unbreakable as the Basque was in July- is not appreciated as much by people when success doesn’t come your way.