Xabier Berasategi wins in Panama and consolidates Euskaltel-Euskadi in the Top-30: “We have taken a big step”
Xabier Berasategi has finished off the dominance of Euskaltel-Euskadi and has won in the Chiriqui Grand Prix (1.2, Panama) with Xabier Isasa second and Hodei Muñoz fourth. For the Gipuzkoan cyclist it is his first professional victorythe seventh for the team in 2026.
A group of 11 cyclists, with the five from the orange squad, have played for victory in the 170.5 kilometer race from David to Las Lomas. Gari Ugarte has tried it alonebut finally the victory has been elucidated in the sprint; Berasategi has imposed his quality with Isasa second, Muñoz fourth, Gotzon Martín tenth and Gari Ugarte 11th.
“Today has been incredible. It may seem easy, but it has been very hardespecially because of the weather: between 36 and 38 degrees throughout the day with a humidity of 90%. All the equipment has been impeccable -Gari fell in training yesterday-. Maybe at the beginning we worked too hard, but then it was an elimination race, in which the 11 strongest arrived,” commented Jorge Azanza, sports manager of Euskaltel-Euskadi.
“In the end, our riders prevailed, they all competed perfectly. Therefore, we have taken a big step to stay in the Top-30. Our main objective during the remaining two days will be to be focused until the end,” Azanza added.
We have taken a big step to stay in the Top-30. Our main objective during the two remaining days will be to be focused until the end
The Gipuzkoan had achieved four second places in 2026, highlighting those achieved in the Tour of Hainan (2.Pro) and the Tour de Vendée; He was fifth in the GP Castellón and the GP La Marseillaise, sixth in the Binche-Chimay-Binche and ninth in the Vuelta a Castilla y León. The man from Olaberria has debuted his professional record in Panama in his fourth year with the team and, recently, renewed for two more seasons.
Going for the Classic Province of Chiriquí
The same group of cyclists, under the sports direction of Jorge Azanza, will face the Chiriquí Province Classic (2.2) this weekend, to be held in two stageshe Saturday and the Sunday. The first stage (146 km) ends uphill and the second (149 km) is held on a winding circuit (12 laps).
Jon Agirre, Nico Alustiza, Mikel Bizkarra, Jonathan Lastra, Marco Martín, Iker Mintegi -11th for the Navarrese in the Giro del Veneto on Wednesday- and Louis Suttonfor their part, will compete on Sunday in the Veneto Classic (1.Pro), while Txomin Juaristi and Axel and Danny van der Tuuk will compete in the Nations Time Trial (1.1, France), also on Sunday.
Seven wins in 2026
This Friday is the team’s seventh victory in 2026 along with those achieved in the Primavera Ontur Grand Prix (Axel van der Tuuk), a stage of the Dookola Mazowsza (Paul Hennequin), a stage of the Tour of Portugal (Xabier Isasa), two stages (Danny van der Tuuk and Paul Hennequin) and the overall (Iker Mintegi) in the El Djazaïr Grand Prix. Added to all of them is this victory in the Chiriquí Grand Prix (Xabier Berasategi).
