The Spanish National Federation are due to publish their lineup for the UCI Road World Championships in Australia this Monday and for Burgos-BH rider Jesus Ezquerra, if reports from earlier this week are borne out, it could be confirmation that he'll need to delay his wedding after an utterly unexpected call-up.
A delay for Ezquerra would be one of the many indirect knock-on effects of the ongoing battle for UCI points as teams fight to stay in the WorldTour and, rather than send them to the World Championships, opt to keep their riders racing closer to home.
Spanish National Trainer Pascual Momparler told Marca this month that of the line-up for the senior men’s races that he had originally planned, only two pros were currently available. Juan Ayuso and Marc Soler, both with UAE Team Emirates, are understood to be those two riders, although it has yet to be confirmed.
“All of us national coaches have the same problem,” Momparler told Marca. “Because a lot of teams won’t let us use their riders.”
“Some of them are not ‘lending’ us them because it will ruin their calendar to try and save their season. Others because one rider [from a rival trade squad] could lead a national team and others would have help that rider and in the World's he'd get points that then harm the chances of the [trade] teams.”
Retiring Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), the title winner in 2018 in Innsbruck, is among those who is reportedly unable to take part in the World Championships because of the relegation battle.
As a result of the depleted selection options, riders like Ezquerra are finding themselves facing a possible call-up that, as he told Cyclingnews during the Vuelta, would be a “great opportunity” – even if it meant delaying his wedding.
“We’re trying to change the dates of the wedding so I can do it,” Ezquerra, 31, commented. “It was a real surprise for me but it’d be a dream if it works out."
Ezquerra, in his fifth season at Burgos-BH, completed the Vuelta in 68th place and will find out Monday if he has finally been selected. He denied that having to delay his wedding was going to cause him problems at home, saying, “if it’s for something as marvellous as this, then it’d be a dream. I really want to do it. We’re handling it well.”
Ezquerra has one win in his career, a stage of the Volta a Portugal in 2016, but he has also secured two top ten finishes for himself during the Vuelta, on the transition stages to Montilla and Tomares, this year.
“I did one Worlds before, in 2011 in Copenhagen for the U23 team,” he said. “And if I can get back again, I’d love it.”
Then once back from Australia and in his native region of Cantabria, Ezquerra aims to be stepping up for another, far more important, date in his life – albeit a week later than originally planned.
