He is from the Basque Country, won the Vuelta al Pais Vasco in 2002, was second in the 2003 Flèche Wallonne and is one of Illes Balears' best riders. Cyclingnews' Hernan Alvarez Macias meets Aitor Osa.
Osa is a typical Basque man. When he is not on the road, he lives in a town called Deba, a village by the sea with a population of 5,000 people, in the same province as San Sebastian, known as Guipuzcoa. In the inner part of this northern Spain, a common element is mountains. Lots of them. This is where he began riding - and still does.
Aitor Osa: So far things are going fine. The only bad thing is that I lack a win. I've been at the front of many races, but I haven't won anything at the moment. I've had good placings, but no victory as yet.
AO: I was there at the front, but it was a shame not to reach the podium in the end after so many days with the yellow jersey. Not to get in the top three and not to win the stage where I ended second [Stage 2 - ed.] That's the only thing that makes me disappointed.
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CN: However, you were there with the best in the peloton...
AO: Yes, as I told you I was second on the second stage and I wore the yellow jersey until the last day. Then, at the end, I was three seconds away from the podium and that's a real shame.
CN: What did you lack to win this race, which you won in 2002?
AO: I think I lacked a little bit of toughness and strength. Both things. If I had been a bit stronger, I think I would have reached the podium. And also if I had been tougher, I could have ended on the podium.
