Mikel Astarloza

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Astarloza and the second or maternal family name is Chaurreau.

Mikel Astarloza

Personal information
Full name	Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau
Born	November 17, 1979 (1979-11-17) (age 31)  Spain
Team information
Current team	Euskaltel-Euskadi
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Professional team(s)
2002–2006 2007–2009 2011–	AG2R Prévoyance Euskaltel-Euskadi Euskaltel-Euskadi
Major wins
Tour Down Under (2003)
Infobox last updated on July 21, 2009

Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (born November 17, 1979 in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country) is a Basque professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Euskaltel-Euskadi.

In 2003 he won his first race, when he finished just in front of Lennie Kristensen in the overall rankings of the Tour Down Under. He has taken part in all editions of the Tour de France since 2003, and won stage 16 of the 2009 Tour to record his second professional stage win in any competition (for the Euskaltel team), with his 9th position overall in 2007 as his next best attempt. His cousin Íñigo Chaurreau is also a professional cyclist.

On 26 June 2009 he tested positive on Recombinant Erythropoietin (EPO), for which he was suspended by the UCI on 31 July 2009.^[1] Arstaloza denied using EPO, saying that it was "sporting suicide" to use illegal performance-enhancing drugs.^[2] On May 15, 2010, he was formally handed a two-year ban by the Spanish Cycling Federation. Astarloza continually claimed his innocence, and Euskaltel-Euskadi stated that they would rehire him once the ban ended.^[3] He indeed rejoined the Basque team in August 2011, at the Vuelta a Burgos.^[4]

Palmarès

2003

1st overall, Tour Down Under

National Time Trial Championship - 3rd

2005

7th, Bayern-Rundfahrt

2007

10th overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

7th overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

9th overall, Tour de France

2008

4th overall, Vuelta a Andalucía

4th, Klasika Primavera

6th overall, Vuelta al Pais Vasco

5th overall, Tour de Romandie

7th overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

16th overall, Tour de France

28th overall, Vuelta a España

2009

4th, Klasika Primavera

11th overall, 2009 Tour de France

References

1. ^ http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/385507/mikel-astarloza-suspended-after-epo-positive.html
2. ^ "Spanish rider denies taking EPO". BBC Sport. 2009-08-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/8183836.stm. Retrieved 2009-08-04. 
3. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astarloza-suspended-for-two-years-for-epo
4. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astarloza-returns-after-two-year-ban

External links

• Mikel Astarloza profile at Cycling Archives

Persondata
Name	Astarloza, Mikel
Alternative names	Astarloza Chaurreau, Mikel
Short description	Road bicycle racer
Date of birth	1979-11-17
Place of birth	Gipuzkoa, Basque Country (autonomous community), Spain
Date of death
Place of death