Beñat Intxausti to leave Team Sky for Euskadi-Murias
The Spaniard will be leaving the WorldTour after battling with illness
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b6JwBJwQWzTQ7WwsHh5XPN-415-80.jpg)
Benat Intxausti on stage one of the 2016 Tour of Poland. Photo: Graham Watson
Spaniard Beñat Intxausti will be leaving Team Sky to ride for Euskadi-Murias after battling with illness.
The 32-year-old had signed for the British WorldTour team from Movistar in 2016 but recent seasons have been hampered by illness.
Basque team Euskadi-Muris announced on social media on Tuesday that Intxausti will join the professional continental outfit from next season.
>>>New Chinese team will have a bigger budget than Team Sky, according to CEO
He said: “I feel good and I look to the future, I believe in this project, it is our project, the leading Basque cycling project, and that facing the future prepares a good foundation. “
Intxausti has won two stages of the Giro d’Italia in his career and claimed general classification in the Tour of Beijing in 2013.
But he raced just three days in 2017 after contracting mononucleosis, and said he had considered quitting cycling due to illness.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The 2018 season has been a similar story, with Intxausti entering the Tour of Norway but not finishing the first stage.
He then rode the Hammer Series in Stavanger in May where he finished fifth overall.
His next race was the EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg in August, which he did not finish.
General manager of Euskadi-Murias, Jon Odriozola, said: "It's very important for us to have Beñat Intxausti next season, he's among the best Basque riders and, although he's had two bad years, we want to get him back and get nice things with him."
Sky signed a promising Intxausti from Movistar after he won stages in the 2013 and 2015 editions of the Giro d’Italia.
After the start of 2016, he immediately began to suffer with mononucleosis. He raced eight days in the spring of 2016, including third overall in the Volta a Valenciana, returning in the summer for only seven race days.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
How to watch the Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
Get all the information you need to watch the action of the men's and women's Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
By Cat Glowinski Published
-
Ribble Cycles looking to capitalise on 'big summer of sport' with 30% off highly-rated models
Direct-to-consumer Ribble Cycles has always been rated highly among the Cycling Weekly tech team. This is our pick of the best Road, Gravel and E-bikes from their 'Summer Sale'
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
It's time to stop expecting so much of Ineos Grenadiers at the Tour de France
The British team are always under pressure to match their past best, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tom Pidcock says Ineos Grenadiers will be 'better' at the Tour de France without Steve Cummings
Netflix series depicted tension between the DS and rider, dynamic sources told Cycling Weekly carries a degree of accuracy
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'dreaming' of taking yellow jersey on opening weekend of Tour de France
British rider hopes to play starring role in Italian Grand Départ
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I think I'll get the opportunity to go for a stage' - Geraint Thomas relishing support role at Tour de France
Former yellow jersey winner says this year's race "could be my last"
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Carlos Rodríguez to lead Ineos Grenadiers at Tour de France, supported by Geraint Thomas and Tom Pidcock
British squad will aim to "race aggressively and disrupt" at the French Grand Tour
By Adam Becket Published
-
21 things you didn't know about Tom Pidcock
According to the man himself, he's never had a hangover. It's alright for some.
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock adds extra mountain bike race to schedule, one week before Tour de France
Pidcock confirms he will race World Cup event in Crans Montana, Switzerland ahead of Olympic title defence
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
5 things we learned from the first week of the 2024 Giro d’Italia
The Italian Grand Tour is firmly underway and Tadej Pogačar is in the pink jersey. Here are our takeaways from the first week of action
By Tom Thewlis Published