Igor Antón
Encyclopedia
Igor Antón Hernández is a Basque
professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour
team Euskaltel-Euskadi
.
Since turning professional in 2005, Anton's major achievement was winning the sixteenth stage of the Vuelta a España 2006
, between Almería
and the Calar Alto Observatory
.
After impressing his team directors in 2007, where he won a stage at the Tour de Romandie, Antón was soon picked out to be the team leader for the general classification
(GC) in the 2008 Vuelta a España. The year started well, and in June he came second in the Euskal Bizikleta
. Later in the same month, Antõn won the second stage in the UCI ProTour race Tour de Suisse
. In the GC he came home third. In September at the Vuelta a España, Antón was in the best form of his career and held the pace of the likes of Alberto Contador
and Alejandro Valverde
up the mountains. A fall on the stage to Alto de L'Angliru ended his ambitions in the Vuelta. The fall caused a fractured collarbone, and Antón's season came to an early end.
The 2009 season started slowly for Antón. He started the Tour de France
in July, but failed to make a great impression. The Tour was filled with bad luck for Antón as he had at least three falls during the start of the three week race. However, Antón came out of the Tour in great form and took the season's only victory on August 2, when he won the Subida a Urkiola
. During stage 14 of the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, whilst wearing the leaders red jersey, he crashed heavily and was forced to retire.
In 2010, Anton proved to be a formidable rider in the Classics, taking 4th at La Fleche Wallonne
and 6th at Liege-Bastogne-Liege
.
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
team Euskaltel-Euskadi
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Euskaltel-Euskadi is a professional road bicycle racing team from Spain. The team is commercially sponsored, but also works as an unofficial Basque national team and is partly funded by the Basque Government. Its riders are either from Basque Country, or at least have grown up in the cycling...
.
Since turning professional in 2005, Anton's major achievement was winning the sixteenth stage of the Vuelta a España 2006
Vuelta a España 2006
The 61st Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from August 26 to September 17, 2006...
, between Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
and the Calar Alto Observatory
Calar Alto Observatory
The Calar Alto Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated jointly by the Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie in Heidelberg, Germany, and the Instituto...
.
After impressing his team directors in 2007, where he won a stage at the Tour de Romandie, Antón was soon picked out to be the team leader for the general classification
General Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
(GC) in the 2008 Vuelta a España. The year started well, and in June he came second in the Euskal Bizikleta
Euskal Bizikleta
Euskal Bizikleta is an annual cycling stage race held in the Basque Country in June. Since 2005, the race has been organized as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour....
. Later in the same month, Antõn won the second stage in the UCI ProTour race Tour de Suisse
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
. In the GC he came home third. In September at the Vuelta a España, Antón was in the best form of his career and held the pace of the likes of Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
and Alejandro Valverde
Alejandro Valverde
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte is a Spanish road racing cyclist currently under suspension. He last rode for UCI ProTour team . Valverde's biggest wins have been the 2009 Vuelta a España, the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2006, 2008 and 2006 UCI ProTour series championship...
up the mountains. A fall on the stage to Alto de L'Angliru ended his ambitions in the Vuelta. The fall caused a fractured collarbone, and Antón's season came to an early end.
The 2009 season started slowly for Antón. He started the Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
in July, but failed to make a great impression. The Tour was filled with bad luck for Antón as he had at least three falls during the start of the three week race. However, Antón came out of the Tour in great form and took the season's only victory on August 2, when he won the Subida a Urkiola
Subida a Urkiola
Subida a Urkiola is a one-day cycling race in Durango, Biscay of the Basque Country. The first edition began in 1931 and is organized by the Sociedad Ciclista Bilbaina, but has not been held consistently until 1984 to present. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe...
. During stage 14 of the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, whilst wearing the leaders red jersey, he crashed heavily and was forced to retire.
In 2010, Anton proved to be a formidable rider in the Classics, taking 4th at La Fleche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
and 6th at Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège, often called La Doyenne , is one of the five 'Monuments' of the European professional road cycling calendar. It is run in the Ardennes region of Belgium, from Liège to Bastogne and back....
.
Major Results
2006- 1st Stage 16 Vuelta a España
- 1st Escalada a MontjuïcEscalada a MontjuïcThe Escalada a Montjuïc is a one-day, two-stage road bicycle racing race held in Barcelona, Spain since 1965. It is held in the middle of October, as one of the final races in the European season. Since 2005, it is organised as a 1.2 category race as a part of the UCI Europe Tour...
2007
- 7th Overall Tour de Romandie2007 Tour de RomandieThe 2007 Tour de Romandie served as the 59th edition of this event now held on the 2007 UCI ProTour. The stage race was held from May 1 through May 6, 2007 in the French speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy...
- 1st Stage 4
- 8th Overall Vuelta a España2007 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2007 Vuelta a España, the sixty-second edition of the cycle race, took place from September 1 until September 23, 2007. For the first time in a decade, the race started in the region of Galicia, at Vigo, home to Óscar Pereiro, with a flat stage...
2008
- 3rd Overall Tour de Suisse
- 1st Stage 2
2009
- 1st Subida a UrkiolaSubida a UrkiolaSubida a Urkiola is a one-day cycling race in Durango, Biscay of the Basque Country. The first edition began in 1931 and is organized by the Sociedad Ciclista Bilbaina, but has not been held consistently until 1984 to present. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe...
2010
- 1st Stage 4 Vuelta a España2010 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2010 Vuelta a España was held from August 28 to September 19 and was won by Vincenzo Nibali. The race began in Seville and ended, as is tradition, in Madrid.The race covered...
- 1st Stage 11 Vuelta a España2010 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2010 Vuelta a España was held from August 28 to September 19 and was won by Vincenzo Nibali. The race began in Seville and ended, as is tradition, in Madrid.The race covered...
- 2nd Overall Vuelta a Castilla y LeónVuelta a Castilla y LeónThe Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León is a professional road bicycle stage race held in Castile and León, Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Castilla y León has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Past winners:-External links:*...
- 1st Stage 3
- 2nd Klasika PrimaveraKlasika PrimaveraThe Klasika Primavera is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in April in Amorebieta, Spain. Since 2005, the race is organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
- 4th La Flèche Wallonne2010 La Flèche WallonneThe 2010 La Flèche Wallonne cycling race took place on 21 April 2010. It was the 74th running of the La Flèche Wallonne between Charleroi and Huy in Belgium. It was won by the World Champion Cadel Evans.-Teams:...
- 6th Liège–Bastogne–Liège2010 Liège–Bastogne–LiègeThe 2010 Liège–Bastogne–Liège monument classic cycling race took place on April 25, 2010. The race was won by Alexander Vinokourov after slipping into a breakaway with Alexandr Kolobnev...
- 9th Overall, Tour de Romandie2010 Tour de RomandieThe 2010 Tour de Romandie cycling road race started on 27 April and finished on 2 May in Switzerland. It was the 6th event in the 2010 UCI ProTour, and the 13th event in the World Calendar. The race winner had been declared as Alejandro Valverde, who won the final stage to take the race by 11...
- 1st Stage 5
2011
- 1st Stage 14 Giro d'Italia2011 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2011 Giro d'Italia was the 94th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started on 7 May with a team time trial in Turin to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italian unification, when the city served as the first capital of the single state.The route was...
- 1st Stage 19 Vuelta a España2011 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2011 Vuelta a España was held from 20 August to 11 September. The race began in Benidorm with a team time trial and ended, as is traditional, in Madrid. The 2011 Vuelta was the 66th edition of the race and was the first Vuelta in 33 years that visited the Basque Country...
- 3rd Overall Vuelta a Castilla y LeónVuelta a Castilla y LeónThe Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León is a professional road bicycle stage race held in Castile and León, Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Castilla y León has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Past winners:-External links:*...
- 5th La Flèche Wallonne2011 La Flèche WallonneThe 2011 La Flèche Wallonne was the 75th running of La Flèche Wallonne, a single-day cycling race. It was held on 20 April 2011 over a distance of between Charleroi and Huy in Belgium, and was the eleventh race of the 2011 UCI World Tour season....