Iban Mayo (Photo: capture-the-peloton.com)

RIAZZINO, Oct 16 (CP) - Spanish rider Iban Mayo Diez has signed a contract with the ProTour team Saunier Duval-Prodir, where he will spend the next two seasons. Mayo, since 2000 part of Euskaltel-Euskadi, had some financial problems with the team management and two weeks ago it was announced that the Basque would leave the Orange squad. The 29-year-old had some different offers from ProTour teams, but has finally chosen to ride in the yellow jersey of Saunier Duval-Prodir. Team Manager Mauro Gianetti announced to be very happy with Mayo's signing. Mayo's career knows some ups and downs. He started to impress when he won three stages and the final classification in the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco of 2003. After these victories he showed his skills in the Dauphiné Libéré, winning the prologue and one stage. In the overall he was beaten by only one rider: Lance Armstrong. In that year's Tour de France he won the mountain stage with finish on Alpe d'Huez and he achieved some top ten spots as well, which were good enough to occupy the sixth place in the general classification. After having won the Dauphiné Libéré in 2004, he dissapeared in the Tour de France and achieved no notable results until this season, when he won a stage in, again, the Dauphiné Libéré. Many fans thought this would be Mayo's second amazing Tour de France, but he disappointed and gave up after stage 10. After the French race he won the Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos and the Subida Urkiola.

© Jeroen Michiels