Tour de France News for June 10, 2003 Edited by Jeff Jones Gorospe believes Euskaltel will shine in Tour By João Cravo Iban Mayo Photo: © CN The 43 year old director of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team, Julian Gorospe, is firm in his belief that his team deserved one of the final four wild card slots in this year's Tour de France. Euskaltel was the only foreign team selected, with Ag2r, Brioches la Boulangère and Jean Delatour gaining the remaining three spots. Among those missing out were the Phonak team (Zülle, Camenzind) and Domina Vacanze, with World Champion Mario Cipollini in its ranks. "They [the Tour organisation] know that we'll be on the front line when the mountain selects its favourites," said Gorospe, who won a Tour stage in 1986, to El Correo. "We always believed we could be in the Tour, and our preparation targeted that. At the same time we knew we should obtain results, and thankfully we achieved what we needed to achieve." Gorospe knows that to win a wild card spot in the Tour isn't the same as qualifying automatically through UCI rules. "Hoping every year to get a wild card to the Tour isn't healthy for anybody in the team," he says. "We're going to try hard to get an automatic qualification for the 2004 Tour, even though we know how difficult is to obtain that goal. But we have a good team, an interesting bunch of good riders and we'll follow our dreams." Julian Gorospe doesn't know if the nine man team that will ride the Centenary Tour will be the best squad that Euskaltel has entered in the race, having first participated in 2001. "By the end of the race I will know if this is our best team ever. I hope so," he states. "Our leader Mayo has a better knowledge of his own capabilities and that gives him more confidence, while [Samuel] Sanchez is now a more mature rider." Two years ago, Roberto Laiseka won the mountain stage to Luz Ardiden in the French Pyrénees. It was the first and only win by a Euskaltel rider in the Tour. Now the Tour is back to the same place, and for Julian Gorospe, July 21 could be another day to remember. "We know that thousands of Basque cycling supporters will be there to wave Basque flags and to cheer the Euskaltel riders like they did in 2001," he says proudly. "I'm sure that things will be harder for us this time, but we have our cards to play." Luz Ardiden isn't the only objective for Euskaltel in the 2003 Tour. "Iban Mayo can not only win a stage," says Gorospe. "He can also ride for the GC. I know how far he can go, but I won't tell you - I didn't tell him either. We don't want to put pressure on him." Julian Gorospe is aware of the importance of winning a Tour stage. "You win a stage and you're almost sure of a ride in the next Tour," he states. "Mayo and Sanchez can do it, as well as David Etxebarria - winner of two stages in 1999 while riding for ONCE - Unai Etxebarria or even Haimar Zubeldia." Petacchi takes part in the Tour de France Fassa Bortolo has confirmed that Alessandro Petacchi will take part in the Centenary Tour de France. The Italian sprinter who won six stages of the Giro last month hopes to be able to prove himself on the roads of France, alongside the likes of Erik Zabel, Robbie McEwen, Jaan Kirsipuu and others. (All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2003)

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