From 51 to just 33 riders - Basque Country risks losing almost half of its professional cyclists into 2027
Cycling
Basque cycling faces the 2027 season with two contrasting developments. On one hand, Mikel Landa’s return to Euskaltel-Euskadi has renewed hope in a team aiming to regain prominence on the international calendar. The Tour de France’s passage through the Basque Country will also put the spotlight on a region with a deep cycling tradition.
Behind those two boosts, however, lies a less encouraging reality: the Basque professional peloton is shrinking. The number of riders with confirmed continuity has fallen from 51 to 33, reflecting the difficulty of finding places in professional teams and the impact of the closure of squads that once served as a pathway for local riders.
Uncertainty affects both riders with several seasons in the peloton and young cyclists who had found an opportunity to step up. The closure of Kern Pharma, which had a significant contingent of Basque and Navarrese riders, has been one of the biggest blows. Some have found places with other teams, but others still have no certainty about their futures.
According to figures published by El Diario Vasco, the decline is also clear in the regional breakdown and professional team rosters. Euskaltel-Euskadi remains the main home for local riders, while Movistar and Caja Rural account for many of the remaining places. Generational change, retirements and a lack of development teams paint a challenging picture for Basque cycling.

Mikel Landa, Euskaltel Euskadi’s marquee signing.
Landa leads the hopes of a peloton with a shrinking Basque presence
Mikel Landa’s return to Euskaltel-Euskadi is the main sporting reason to look ahead to 2027 with optimism. The rider from Álava will lead a project that has assembled a 22-rider roster, including a strong contingent of Basque cyclists. They include Xabier Berasategi, Xabier Isasa, Jon Agirre, Yago Agirre, Gari Ugarte, Nico Alustiza, Jonathan Lastra, Txomin Juaristi, Marco Martín, Gotzon Martín and Ander Okamika, as well as young riders Unai Ramos, Iker Mintegi, Julen Arriolabengoa and Hodei Muñoz. The team has also confirmed several renewals and new signings for next season.
Xabier Berasategi was one of the team’s standout riders in 2026. The rider from Gipuzkoa finished as Euskaltel’s top UCI points scorer, with 622, and claimed his first professional victory at the age of 26. Away from Euskaltel, Movistar will have Jon Barrenetxea and Diego Uriarte, while Caja Rural will count on Gorka Sorarrain, Unai Iribar, Gorka Corres and Iker Villar. The progress of young riders such as Eñaut Urkaregi, who is under contract with Lidl-Trek Futures until 2028, and Luca Martínez, who will continue his development within the UAE structure, is also worth watching.
Kern Pharma’s closure has triggered significant movement in the transfer market. Iñigo Elosegi, Hugo Aznar, Ibai Azanza and Mikel Retegi have been left without the Navarrese team, although several former teammates have already found new homes: Urko Berrade is joining Astana, Diego Uriarte is moving to Movistar, Ibon Ruiz to Bahrain and Unai Iribar to Caja Rural.
The progress of the three stagiaires who tried their hand at the professional level in 2026 also merits attention: Kepa Ormazabal, Ander Otegi and Unax Errasti are returning to development teams or still have no confirmed destination. Errasti at least made his mark by scoring points at the GP del Lazio.
The regional breakdown shows that Gipuzkoa remains the province with the most riders, with 12, followed by Navarra with nine, and Bizkaia and Álava with six each.
Ion Izagirre’s retirement is another significant loss for Gipuzkoan cycling, although names such as Haimar Etxeberria at Red Bull-Bora, Alex Aranburu at Cofidis and Xabier Mikel Azparren at Pinarello Q36.5 remain prominent. Aranburu again produced strong results, while Azparren was runner-up in the Spanish time trial championships and came close to winning a stage at the Vuelta.
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In Bizkaia, by contrast, the outlook is more difficult following the retirements of Pello Bilbao, Mikel Bizkarra, Jonathan Castroviejo and Omar Fraile. In Álava, Landa, Markel Beloki — who is moving from EF to Ineos — and Ibon Ruiz maintain the region’s representation. Navarra still has riders such as Igor Arrieta, a stage winner at the 2026 Giro, Óscar Rodríguez, Urko Berrade, Diego Uriarte and Iker Mintegi.
The transfer market still holds unanswered questions. Jokin Murguialday, Unai Aznar and Andoni López de Abetxuko, along with Ailetz Lasa and Asier Etxeberria, are among the riders whose futures remain unresolved. It is also worth keeping an eye on cyclists taking their first steps in continental teams or development squads, as the reduction in professional places could hamper their progress.
Landa’s return and the Tour’s passage through the French Basque Country will offer reasons for hope, but the fall from 51 riders to 33 confirms that Basque cycling faces a structural challenge: retaining its talent and ensuring the next generation has a pathway into the professional ranks.
Basque and Navarrese riders: contract status, 2026–2027
| Rider | Hometown | 2026 | 2027 |
| GIPUZKOA | |||
| Alex Aranburu | Ezkio | Cofidis | Cofidis |
| Nicolas Alustiza | Zumarraga | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Jon Agirre | Zumaia | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Yago Agirre | Donostia | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Xabier Berasategi | Olaberria | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Xabier Isasa | Urretxu | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Gari Ugarte | Legazpi | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Xabier Mikel Azparren | Donostia | Pinarello Q36.5 | Pinarello Q36.5 |
| Haimar Etxeberria | Irun | Red Bull-Bora | Red Bull-Bora |
| Unai Iribar | Ibarra | Kern Pharma | Caja Rural |
| Gorka Sorarrain | Tolosa | Caja Rural | Caja Rural |
| Alex Díaz | Urretxu | Caja Rural | No team |
| Unax Errasti | Antzuola | Kern Pharma | No team |
| Kepa Ormazabal | Gabiria | Euskaltel | No team |
| Ander Otegi | Zegama | Euskaltel | No team |
| Eñaut Urkaregi | Larraul | Lidl-Trek Future | Lidl-Trek Future |
| Ion Izagirre | Ormaiztegi | Cofidis | Retired |
| BIZKAIA | |||
| Jon Barrenetxea | Gamiz-Fika | Movistar | Movistar |
| Jonathan Lastra | Bilbao | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Ander Okamika | Lekeitio | Burgos-BH | Euskaltel |
| Txomin Juaristi | Markina | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Marco Martín | Bilbao | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Gotzon Martín | Orozko | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Iñigo Elosegi | Zierbena | Kern Pharma | No team |
| Ander Ganzabal | Orozko | Euskaltel | No team |
| Pello Bilbao | Gernika | Bahrain | Retired |
| Mikel Bizkarra | Mañaria | Euskaltel | Retired |
| ÁLAVA | |||
| Markel Beloki | Vitoria | EF Education | INEOS |
| Ibon Ruiz | Vitoria | Kern Pharma | Bahrain |
| Mikel Landa | Murgia | Soudal Quick-Step | Euskaltel |
| Julen Arriolabengoa | Erentxun | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Hodei Muñoz | Luiaondo | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Gorka Corres | Vitoria | Caja Rural | Caja Rural |
| Andoni López de Abetxuko | Agurain | Anicolor | No team |
| Jokin Murguiaday | Agurain | Euskaltel | No team |
| Javier Ibáñez | Vitoria | Caja Rural | No team |
| Joseba López | Vitoria | Caja Rural | No team |
| NAVARRA | |||
| Igor Arrieta | Uharte-Arakil | UAE | Lidl-Trek |
| Óscar Rodríguez | Burlada | Ineos | Ineos |
| Diego Uriarte | Barañain | Kern Pharma | Movistar |
| Iker Gómez | Alsasua | Kern Pharma | Movistar |
| Urko Berrade | Pamplona | Kern Pharma | Astana |
| Iker Mintegi | Alsasua | Euskaltel | Euskaltel |
| Unai Ramos | Tudela | Kern Pharma | Euskaltel |
| Iker Villar | Eguzkitza | Caja Rural | Caja Rural |
| Ibai Azanza | Pamplona | Kern Pharma | No team |
| Hugo Aznar | Cortes | Kern Pharma | No team |
| Unai Aznar | Cortes | Euskaltel | No team |
| Mikel Retegi | Barañain | Kern Pharma | No team |
| Ailetz Lasa | Ziordia | Tavira | No team |
| Asier Etxeberria | Egües | Pingtan | No team |
| Luca Martínez | Lakuntza | Tolosa-Danena | UAE-Gen Z |

Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
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- This is just stupid, You do what you are good at not what you are weak at. He has no results to speak of when he participated. Even Froome, Conatdor had very little. With Pogi there he wont win none of the classics. he is already 30+ with a few years left at the top. It takes years to get good at classics. Is that really worth the effort???abstractengineer02-11-2026
- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
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