Mikel Astarloza
Encyclopedia
Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (born November 17, 1979 in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
) is a Basque
professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .
In 2003 he won his first race, when he finished just in front of Lennie Kristensen in the overall rankings of the Tour Down Under
. He has taken part in all editions of the Tour de France
since 2003, and won stage 16 of the 2009 Tour to record his second professional stage win in any competition (for the Euskaltel team), with his 9th position overall in 2007 as his next best attempt. His cousin Íñigo Chaurreau is also a professional cyclist.
On 26 June 2009 he tested positive on Recombinant Erythropoietin
(EPO), for which he was suspended by the UCI on 31 July 2009. Arstaloza denied using EPO, saying that it was "sporting suicide" to use illegal performance-enhancing drugs. On May 15, 2010, he was formally handed a two-year ban by the Spanish Cycling Federation. Astarloza continually claimed his innocence, and Euskaltel-Euskadi stated that they would rehire him once the ban ended. He indeed rejoined the Basque team in August 2011, at the Vuelta a Burgos
.
2005
2007
2008
2009
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
) is a Basque
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 ProTeam .
In 2003 he won his first race, when he finished just in front of Lennie Kristensen in the overall rankings of the Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the...
. He has taken part in all editions of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
since 2003, and won stage 16 of the 2009 Tour to record his second professional stage win in any competition (for the Euskaltel team), with his 9th position overall in 2007 as his next best attempt. His cousin Íñigo Chaurreau is also a professional cyclist.
On 26 June 2009 he tested positive on Recombinant Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
(EPO), for which he was suspended by the UCI on 31 July 2009. Arstaloza denied using EPO, saying that it was "sporting suicide" to use illegal performance-enhancing drugs. On May 15, 2010, he was formally handed a two-year ban by the Spanish Cycling Federation. Astarloza continually claimed his innocence, and Euskaltel-Euskadi stated that they would rehire him once the ban ended. He indeed rejoined the Basque team in August 2011, at the Vuelta a Burgos
Vuelta a Burgos
Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos is an elite men's professional road bicycle racing event held annually in the Burgos province of Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Burgos has been a multi-day stage race as part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Palmarés:...
.
Palmarès
2003- 1st overall, Tour Down UnderTour Down UnderThe Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the...
Spain National Time Trial Championship - 3rd
2005
- 7th, Bayern-RundfahrtBayern-RundfahrtThe International Bayern Rundfahrt is a stage race cycling race held each year in Bavaria, Germany. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour.The race was held as an amateur race between 1980 and 1988.- Winners :...
2007
- 10th overall, Volta a la Comunitat ValencianaVolta a la Comunitat ValencianaThe Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana is a road cycling stage race held in the Valencian Community , Spain. Its position in the cycling calendar means it is often used as preparation for the spring classics or the grand tours which take place later in the season.No editions of the race have been...
- 7th overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2007 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 59th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré took place from June 10 to June 17, 2007. It consists of a Prologue and seven stages, of which one is time trial, covering a total of about 1140 km, starting in Grenoble and finishing in Annecy....
- 9th overall, Tour de France2007 Tour de FranceThe 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
2008
- 4th overall, Vuelta a AndalucíaVuelta a AndalucíaThe Vuelta a Andalucía or Ruta del Sol is a regional Spanish road bicycle race. Since 2005, it has been a 2.1 category race on the UCI Europe Tour....
- 4th, 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....
- 6th overall, Vuelta al Pais Vasco2008 Vuelta al País VascoThe 2008 Vuelta al País Vasco, the 65th edition of the Vuelta al País Vasco stage cycling race, took place from April 7 to April 12, 2008. It was won by Spanish rider Alberto Contador of .-General classification:...
- 5th overall, Tour de Romandie
- 7th overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 16th overall, Tour de France2008 Tour de FranceThe 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
- 28th overall, Vuelta a España2008 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later...
2009
- 4th, 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....
11th overall, 2009 Tour de France2009 Tour de FranceThe 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...