Caja Rural–Seguros RGA

Caja Rural–Seguros RGA
Team information
UCI code CJR
Registered Spain
Founded 2010 (2010)
Discipline Road
Status UCI Professional Continental
Bicycles ViVELO (2012–2014)
Fuji (2015– )
Website Team home page
Key personnel
General manager José Manuel Hernández
Team manager(s) Eugenio Goikoetxea
Team name history
1988
2005–06
2010–Feb 2013
Feb 2013–
Caja Rural–Orbea
Kaiku
Caja Rural
Caja Rural–Seguros RGA

Jersey

Caja Rural–Seguros RGA (UCI Team Code: CJR) is a professional continental cycling team sponsored principally by Grupo Caja Rural, a Spanish banking group. The team participates in UCI Europe Tour races and UCI World Tour events when given a wildcard invitation. The team's administrative offices and management are based in Pamplona, Navarra, Spain, but its service course (workshop and warehouse facility) is in Alsasua, Navarra.[1] Although Caja Rural was active in professional bike racing in the 1980s, it generally confined its activities to amateur and amateur elite cycling after 1989. Caja Rural re-entered professional cycling in the 2010 season.

It was announced in February 2013 that the team had acquired a co-sponsor in a subsidiary of Caja Rural and would become known as Caja Rural–Seguros RGA from 21 February 2013.[2]

History

Co-sponsorship with Orbea

During the 1988 season, Caja Rural co-sponsored Caja Rural-Orbea, a UCI Continental team. Caja Rural-Orbea enjoyed numerous victories at the hands of Dutch sprinter Mathieu Hermans and Spanish climber Marino Lejarreta.[3]

Amateur teams

The bank ceased to co-sponsor the Orbea team in 1989, but in 1992 resumed sponsorship of amateur teams operated by Club Ciclista Burunda.[3] Club Ciclista Burunda continues to operate an U23 amateur team sponsored by Caja Rural de Navarra, a local member bank of Grupo Caja Rural, and other junior teams. From February 2013, the sports club Tolosa C.F. operated the women's amateur junior, U23 and elite teams under the team names Caja Rural-Tolosa and Caja Rural-Bidebide.[4][5]

Caja Rural's amateur men's teams had been traditionally thought of as feeders for Euskaltel-Euskadi, for example supplying eight of the nine Navarra cyclists who joined that team in 2010 (the exception being Alan Pérez).[6] They have also been a springboard for many successful professional cyclists; for example, José Vicente "Chente" Garcia Acosta; Egoi Martinez, winner of the Tour de l'Avenir in 2003; Iker Flores, winner of the Tour de l'Avenir in 2000, and Aitor Gonzalez, winner of La Vuelta a España in 2002, among many others.

Co-sponsorship with Kaiku

In the 2005 season, the UCI Professional Continental team Kaiku, a.k.a. "Kaiku–Caja Rural", (KAI) was formed from Caja Rural's amateur team. The lead sponsor, Kaiku Corporación Alimentaria, is a Basque Country dairy products company in which Caja Rural de Navarra at the time held a substantial stake.[7][8] The team disbanded the following year.[9]

Return to the professional ranks

In late 2009, Caja Rural decided to move back to the professional peloton, forming a UCI Continental Team (competing in the Europe UCI Continental Circuits) that among other things would give continuity to their under 23 and elite amateur teams. In 2010, its first year returning as a professional team, the team's total budget was €837,932.[3] The original squad was made up of 16 riders, of whom 5 had come up from the amateur team. During the season, 4 members of the amateur team turned professional, 3 of them joining Caja Rural and one moving to Movistar.[10]

On October 19, 2010, Juanikorena Iñaki signed a contract with Preventia Sports Club (Club Deportivo Preventia), who manage the Caja Rural professional team, to continue as the team's Directeur Sportif in 2011. However, on 14 December 2010, he announced his departure due to major professional differences over approaches to training ("importantes diferencias en los criterios técnicos-deportivos").[11] Iñaki was replaced by Mikel Azparren. At the end of January 2011, Iñaki brought a lawsuit against the team in the Civil Court (Juzgado de los Social) of Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.[12] Iñaki proved breach of contract in his suit. The team's appeal to the Superior Court (Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Navarra) was dismissed on July 25, 2012, and the UCI made full payment of his salary for 2011, drawing from the team's bank guaranty held by the UCI.[13]

In 2011, Caja Rural advanced to the UCI Professional Continental category with a view to competing in top level racing, especially the 2011 Vuelta a España, the first Vuelta in 33 years to visit the Basque Country. On its début as a UCI Professional Continental team, Caja Rural adopted the motto: "un equipo para creer, un equipo para crecer" ("a team to believe in, a team for growth"). The team emphasizes that "growth" in the latter part of this motto is meant to connote not only the growth of the squad, but also the growth of athletes as individuals, in particular amateur athletes making the leap to the professional ranks.[3] In August 2011, Caja Rural rider Fabricio Ferrari won the overall Mountains Classification in the Volta a Portugal and the Young Rider Classification went to Garikoitz "Gari" Bravo.[14] The team did not compete in the 2011 Vuelta a España, but was named the Best Navarro Sports Team in 2011 by the Government of Navarra.[15]

Caja Rural was invited to participate in the 2012 Vuelta a España, which departed from Pamplona where the team is based. The 2012 Vuelta saw Caja Rural rider Antonio Piedra, take Stage 15, a high mountain affair finishing atop the Lakes of Covadonga climb. Piedra dropped his breakaway companions on the first "Hors Category" climb of the Vuelta, and finished with 2 minutes and 2 seconds advantage over his nearest competitor.[16][17] The team's enthusiasm for competition in their Vuelta début was highlighted by a heartbreaking episode in the 4th stage. Marcos García valiantly fought to the head of the peloton, sprinted to the finish line and threw kisses to the crowd as he crossed it triumphantly. However, owing to miscommunication with the team car, he was unaware that three escapees had crossed the line before him.[18]

David Arroyo of the Movistar Team who placed second in the 2010 Giro d'Italia and Amets Txurruka who rode for Euskaltel-Euskadi and took first in the Young Riders Classification at the 2007 Tour de France joined Caja Rural in the 2013 season. These two experienced riders have participated in 25 Grand Tours.[19] After a change of management in the 2012 season and in an effort to retain its UCI World Tour license, Euskaltel-Euskadi began including more riders from outside the Basque Country who hold high UCI World Tour rankings. Caja Rural has been a beneficiary of this policy picking up Amets Txurruka and Iván Velasco from Euskaltel in 2013, but the team also lost the promising young cyclist Gari Bravo to Euskaltel at the same time.[20]

On 21 February 2013, the team's name changed to "Caja Rural-Seguros RGA".[2][21] Two days later Antonio Piedra took the first podium for the newly renamed team by winning the Mountains Classification in the Vuelta a Murcia, part of the UCI Europe Tour.[22] The first General Classification victory for the newly badged team was won by Francesco Lasca on 31 March 2013 in the Vuelta a La Rioja.[23] Caja Rural–Seguros RGA rider Javier Aramendia won the Overall Combativity Award at the 2013 Vuelta a España after he and his teammates Antonio Piedra, David Arroyo and Fabricio Ferrari took 7 of the 20 stage Combativity Awards given during the race.

Sponsorship

The professional team's principal sponsor is Grupo Caja Rural, a savings bank and agricultural credit cooperative in Spain with 3,600 branches.

On 21 February 2013, Caja Rural added a new co-sponsor Seguros RGA.[2][21] Seguros RGA (meaning "Insurance RGA") was founded on 17 March 1986 as the insurance subsidiary of Grupo Caja Rural.[24] The "Seguros RGA" name and logo were added to new team jerseys and all other media.[21] Seguros RGA had supported the team in its bid to compete in the 2012 Vuelta a España and was featured on Vuelta team jerseys. Seguros RGA was so impressed with the profile and performance of the team that they decided to step forward as a team co-sponsor.[25]

Team Car at the 2010 Volta a Portugal

Škoda Auto provides sponsorship and team cars. Euskorot, a Basque Country graphics company, supplies the team car livery.[26]

Team bikes for the 2015 and 2016 seasons are supplied by Fuji Bikes models Transonic, Altamira and Norcom Straight.[27] From the 2012 to the 2014 season, the team had ridden Bulgarian brand bicycles ViVELO.

From the 2015 season, team kit is supplied by Italian clothing brand ALÉ,[27] replacing Inverse–CIRO SPORT from the previous several seasons. Spiuk supplies the team's helmets and glasses.

Bed4u Hotels added its sponsorship in January 2013 offering the team lodging.[28] Bed4u replaced Playitas, a Canary Islands sports resort where the team trained in the winter of 2012,[29] on team jerseys.

Centro Médico Vitasport (Vitasport Medical Centre), an advanced technology athletic training centre for professional and amateur athletes is a sponsor and also the registered office of Club Deportivo Preventia, the organization that runs the team.[26][30]

Team roster

2016

   RiderDate of birth Previous team 
Javier AramendiaDecember 05, 1986
David ArroyoJanuary 07, 1980
Carlos BarberoApril 29, 1991
Miguel Ángel BenitoSeptember 21, 1993
Pello BilbaoFebruary 25, 1990
Hugh CarthyJuly 09, 1994
Fabricio FerrariJune 03, 1985
Alberto Gallego (Jan 01–Jan 26)November 25, 1990Rádio Popular-Boavista (2015)
Domingos GonçalvesFebruary 13, 1989
José GonçalvesFebruary 13, 1989
Jonathan LastraJune 03, 1993
Ángel MadrazoJuly 30, 1988
Lluís MasJanuary 15, 1989
Antonio MolinaJanuary 04, 1991
Sergio PardillaJanuary 16, 1984
Eduard PradesAugust 09, 1987
Jaime RosónJanuary 13, 1993
Diego RubioJune 13, 1991
Héctor SáezNovember 06, 1993
Ricardo VilelaDecember 18, 1987
Iker Azkarate (Aug 01–Dec 31, trainee)December 05, 2016
Jon Irisarri (Aug 01–Dec 31, trainee)November 09, 1995
Josu Zabala (Aug 01–Dec 31, trainee)April 11, 1993

2015

As of 1 January 2015.[31]
Rider Date of birth
 Javier Aramendia (ESP) (1986-12-05) 5 December 1986
 David Arroyo (ESP) (1980-01-07) 7 January 1980
 Carlos Barbero (ESP) (1991-04-29) 29 April 1991
 Miguel Ángel Benito (ESP) (1993-09-21) 21 September 1993
 Pello Bilbao (ESP) (1990-02-25) 25 February 1990
 Hugh Carthy (GBR) (1994-07-09) 9 July 1994
 Fabricio Ferrari (URU) (1985-06-03) 3 June 1985
 Omar Fraile (ESP) (1990-07-17) 17 July 1990
 José Gonçalves (POR) (1989-02-13) 13 February 1989
 Fernando Grijalba (ESP) (1991-01-14) 14 January 1991
Rider Date of birth
 Francesco Lasca (ITA) (1988-03-29) 29 March 1988
 Ángel Madrazo (ESP) (1988-07-30) 30 July 1988
 Lluís Mas (ESP) (1989-10-15) 15 October 1989
 Antonio Molina (ESP) (1991-01-04) 4 January 1991
 Sergio Pardilla (ESP) (1984-01-16) 16 January 1984
 Heiner Parra (COL) (1991-10-09) 9 October 1991
 Eduard Prades (ESP) (1987-08-09) 9 August 1987
 Héctor Sáez (ESP) (1993-11-06) 6 November 1993
 Amets Txurruka (ESP) (1982-11-10) 10 November 1982
 Ricardo Vilela (POR) (1987-12-18) 18 December 1987

Major results

2010
1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Leon, Arturo Mora
1st Stage 1 Volta a Portugal, Oleg Chuzhda
1st Stage 5 Volta a Portugal, José Herrada
1st Overall Cinturo de l'Emporda, José Herrada
1st Stage 2, José Herrada
2011
1st Vuelta a Asturias, Javier Moreno
1st Stage 3, Javier Moreno
2012
1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Manuel Antonio Cardoso
1st Stage 3 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Yelko Gomez
1st Rogaland GP, Antonio Piedra
1st Stage 2 Circuit de Lorraine, Francesco Lasca
1st Stage 2 Volta a Portugal, Francesco Lasca
1st Stage 15 Vuelta a España, Antonio Piedra
Stages 2, 7, 8, 10 Combativity award, Javier Aramendia
2013
1st Vuelta a La Rioja, Francesco Lasca
1st Vuelta a Asturias, Amets Txurruka
1st Stage 1, Amets Txurruka
1st Stage 5 Volta a Portugal, Manuel Antonio Cardoso
1st Team Classification Vuelta a Burgos
1st Mountain classification Vuelta a Burgos , Amets Txurruka
2014
1st Stage 1 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Luis León Sánchez
1st Sprints classification Tour of the Basque Country, Omar Fraile
1st Klasika Primavera, Pello Bilbao
1st Teams classification Vuelta a Castilla y León
1st Stage 3, Luis León Sánchez
1st Mountain classification Tour des Fjords, Amets Txurruka
1st Points classification Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta, Davide Viganò
1st Stage 2, Davide Viganò
1st Mountains Classification (Maillot Lunares) Vuelta a España, Luis León Sánchez
1st Overall Tour du Gévaudan Languedoc-Roussillon, Amets Txurruka
1st Mountains classification, Amets Txurruka
2015
1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Pello Bilbao
1st Giro dell'Appennino, Omar Fraile
1st Beauties of Turkey Jersey Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, Lluís Mas Bonet
1st Stage 6, Pello Bilbao
1st Stage 8, Lluís Mas Bonet
1st Stage 4 Four Days of Dunkirk, Omar Fraile
1st Stage 2 Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad de Madrid, Carlos Barbero
1st Mountains classification Tour of Norway, Amets Txurruka
1st Stage 4, Amets Txurruka
1st Philly Cycling Classic, Carlos Barbero
1st Overall Tour de Beauce, Pello Bilbao
1st Stages 1 & 4, Carlos Barbero
1st Stage 2, Amets Txurruka
1st Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, Ángel Madrazo
1st Stage 5 Volta a Portugal, José Gonçalves
1st Stage 1 Vuelta a Burgos, Carlos Barbero
1st Stage 8 Volta a Portugal, Eduard Prades
1st Coppa Sabatini, Eduard Prades
2016
1st Stage 4 Étoile de Bessèges, Ángel Madrazo
1st Overall Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, José Gonçalves
1st Stage 2, Pello Bilbao
1st Stage 6, Jaime Rosón
1st Vuelta a Asturias, Hugh Carthy
1st Stage 1, Hugh Carthy
1st Stage 1 Volta Internacional Cova da Beira, Eduard Prades
1st Stage 2 Volta Internacional Cova da Beira, José Gonçalves
1st Philly Cycling Classic, Eduard Prades
1st Stage 7 Volta a Portugal, José Gonçalves
1st Stage 5 Vuelta a Burgos, Sergio Pardilla

National Champions

2012
1st  Bulgaria Road Race Championships, Danail Petrov
1st  Portugal Road Race Championships, Manuel Antonio Cardoso
2013
1st  Bulgaria Road Race Championships, Danail Petrov

References

  1. Caja Rural "Dossier de patrocinio 2012" ("Sponsorship Dossier 2012"). Team Caja Rural. 2011. p. 9.
  2. 1 2 3 Fotheringham, Alasdair (19 February 2013). "Caja Rural Pro-Conti Team Secures Second Sponsor". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Historia Caja Rural (Spanish)". Team Caja Rural. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  4. "Caja Rural-Tolosa CF". Team Caja Rural. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  5. "Presentación Caja Rural-Bidebide". Caja Rural. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  6. ""Caja Rural makes the leap", noticias de Navarra". noticiasdenavarra.com / Zeroa Multimedia. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  7. "Spanish Continental Team Kaiku - A Profile, Daily Peloton". Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  8. "noticias de Alava". Diario de Noticias-Edición Digital. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  9. "UCI Team Profile 2006". Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  10. Caja Rural "Dossier de patrocinio 2012" ("Sponsorship Dossier 2012"). Team Caja Rural. 2011. p. 3.
  11. "Iñaki Juanikorena denuncia al Caja Rural por incumplimiento de contrato (Spanish)". Diario de Noticias-Edición Digital. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  12. "Iñaki Juanikorena demanda a Caja Rural y solicita a la UCI el bloqueo de la garantía bancaria (Spanish)". europapress.es (Europa Press). Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  13. "El director Iñaki Juanikorena gana su contencioso contra Caja Rural (Spanish)". biciclismo.com. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  14. Caja Rural "Dossier de patrocinio 2012" ("Sponsorship Dossier 2012"). Team Caja Rural. 2011. p. 4.
  15. Caja Rural "Dossier de patrocinio 2012" ("Sponsorship Dossier 2012"). Team Caja Rural. 2011. p. 5.
  16. Moore, Kyle (2 September 2012). "Antonio Piedra makes the season for Caja Rural". VeloNation. VeloNation LLC. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  17. Pryde, Kenny (2 September 2012). "Rodriguez rules at Covadonga as Froome loses time in Vuelta". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media Limited. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  18. "Entrevista Marcos García". Caja Rural Team. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  19. "ViVELO Bicycles News". ViVELO Inc. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  20. "Euskaltel-Euskadi denies 'deal for points' with Oscar Freire". Velonews. Competitor Group, Inc. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  21. 1 2 3 "Nuevo Patrocinador". teamcajarural.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  22. "Dani Navarro conquista la XXXIII Vuelta Murcia". Club Murciano (Race Organiser). Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  23. "Victoria Caja Rural-Seguros RGA". Team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  24. "RGA Seguros: La Compañia: Historia". RGA Seguros. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  25. "Seguros RGA se une al equipo ciclista Caja Rural (Spanish)". Team Caja Rural. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  26. 1 2 "Caja Rural: Patrocinadores (Sponsors)". Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  27. 1 2 "Team Caja Rural Rolls Into The Ring". Road Bike Action Magazine. Hi-Torque Publications. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  28. "bed4U, nuevo patrocinador de Caja Rural Team". Bed4U Hotels. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  29. "Fuerteventura y Playitas" (in Spanish). Equipo Ciclista Caja Rural. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  30. "Centro Vitasport Localización". Centro Médico Vitasport. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  31. "Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (CJR) - ESP". UCI Continental Circuits. Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 5 January 2014.

External links

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