Team Caja Rural awaits a wild card entry, Manuel Cardosi will lead at the Vuelta a Espana 2012
The Spanish professional continental team, Caja Rural, is still anticipating receiving an invitation for the Vuelta a Espana 2012. The team has not appeared at the grand tour level so far and it is hopeful to make its debut at the home tour, this year.
Vuelta a Espana 2012 will start from Pamplona, which is the home town for Caja Rural and will give its riders a strong opportunity to secure some stage wins in front of the home crowd.
Manuel Cardosi has decided to step down for 2012, as the World Tour sprinter will ride for Caja Rural in the season ahead.
Cardosi’s inclusion in the team has definitely made the Spanish squad stronger.
In 2006, Manuel began his professional career with Team Carvalhelhos-Boavista. He was riding with the Team RadioShack in 2011 and his only win during that period came at the stage 4 of Volta a Catalunya 2011.
The US based team announced its merger with another world tour team, Leopard Trek, leaving Cardosi, along with a number of cyclists, without a team.
He told Diario de Navarra, "Things have not gone so well with RadioShack as I thought with the arrival of McEwen".
It has also been announced that Manuel will lead the team in the 2012 season and the 28-year-old sprinter is all set to take on the challenge.
It was mentioned on the team’s website that its sponsor has extended the contract until 2014 and has also increased the budget.
Mikel Azparren, Team Manager, told biciclismo.com, "Our relationship [with Unipublic, the Vuelta's organiser] is smooth and at the presentation of the Vuelta on January 11 we'll see if they say something more. So far the talks have been positive and we will fight for it (an invite) on the road".
He further added, "We've done a good block in Fuerteventura, where we worked on getting the riders used to the new bikes, and we'll return in January”.
It is only a matter of time till we find out the final list of teams participating in the Vuelta a Espana in 2012. However, one thing is for certain Caja Rural will leave no stones unturned at the Spanish grand tour if it receives a wild card invitation.
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