Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga - ONCE

Name: Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga
DOB: 05/14/70
Residence: Abadiño
Marital status: Single
Amateur teams: Punta Galea & Kaiku-Gurelesa
Pro teams: Amaya, Banesto & Once
Amateur wins: 3
Pro wins: 5
Stage and oveall at la Vuelta a la Rioja 1993
Second at la Vuelta'94
Gran Premio Navarra'97
Gran Premio Amorebieta'97
Stage at la Vuelta a Aragón 1997

At 27 years of age, Mikel Zarrabeitia is already a veteran rider. He starts his eight season as a pro, half have been accompanied by back problems which have prevented him from fulfilling all the expectations that followed his second (behind Rominger) in the 1994 Vuelta Espagna. He has marked 1998 as the year that will mark his future. Alex Zulle's departure has increased his responsibility at ONCE and he is now the number 2 rider behind Laurent Jalabert.

- Do you have the time and the strength to complete the project of becoming a great cyclist, that started when you were second to Rominger at La Vuelta?

- My hope is to be able to recuperate the level that I had before I had the numerous physical problems that I've had in the last seasons. All of that is forgotten already. All I need is to get in form, but that is only a matter of time.

- Have you had good feeling in the first days of competition of the season?

- I didn't feel good at Mallorca, but I think that little by little I have improved. I hope to be in form for Paris-Nice, the first important date in my calendar. Then I have to maintain myself until June, when I have a rest period in my program.

- This season you will not ride the Tour and instead, you have said the Vuelta is your main objective. Is your idea to fight for the win at La Vuelta?

- All my preparation is geared toward la Vuelta and I think that I can be good for it. The leader will be Laurent Jalabert, but my intention is to also be in front.

- Does that mean that you will substitute Zulle as the pair to ride with Jalabert for the overall?

- The gap left by Zulle in the team has to be filled by David Etxebarria, Iñigo Cuesta, Luis Pérez and I. David and I will ride the same races and our objectives will be the same - to ride a good Vuelta.

- Your critics say that you lack the character to be the leader in a strong team.

- I have always been ambitious in racing. I have been in front and have attacked every time that I could. But when your strength is lacking you just have to follow wheels. What's fair is fair. Every time that I've been well, I have tried something.

- Is Manolo Saiz asking for more than in other years?

- My job with the team has not changed a lot. I have only been told that it is my responsibility to be strong for la Vuelta a España. Plus in other races where Jalabert and Zulle used to form a double front, now we will go without a clear leader and I will lead the team in some of these.

- So, has the departure of Zulle to Festina favored you?

- Until now we haven't noticed Zulle's absence. He is a great guy and we only miss his good character. You don't notice it during races. The whole team works the same, together.

- Why did you turn down the offer from Mínguez?

I have always had a good relationship with Mínguez and he offered me to go with him to Vitalicio, but I decided to stay here with Saiz because he has been good to me. Now my objective is to reward him for the trust that he's placed in me.

Ullrich talks

Last week, at the Tour of Valencia, Jan Ullrich (who is 1.84 meters) weighed 79 kilos against the 71 kilos during the 1997 Tour. Marco Pantani couldn't not believe what he heard. "Lucky that I'm not Ullrich's brother...", joked the Pirate.

On Wednesday, Jan will be at Tirreno-Adriatico to continue his diet based on races and long distance training. "I'm not worried at all, riders always gain weight. This time I've hit the maximum, but I'm not going to let myself get down, that would be a mistake. I count on losing a kilo every two weeks and I'll be ready for the Tour".

The success and popularity has accented your shyness, which has been confused with distrust. Ullrich wants to be transparent like the angels of Wim Wenders to train and race without the eye of the TV camera. For his seasonal debut at Palma de Mallorca, there were 100 German journalists. Jan divides commentators in two groups. Those that complain about his lack of availability and those who understand his need to be defensive. It is a story already told in relation to Miguel Indurain.

Similar to the great Navarran (who only spoke Spanish), Ullrich speaks only German. He also says very little and speaks well of everyone and everything. Indurain had Francis Lafargue, as is French public relations man, who directed the interview traffic. Ullich has entrusted Matthias Schumann, German ex-journalist, who follows him like a shadow and has been able to keep him tranquil, at least until the Tour de France.

- Is the Tour always in your thoughts? Only the Tour?

"At this moment yes. The Tour de France will be my only major objective for this season".

- In 1997, Virenque and Pantani made you suffer in the last week, in the mountains. What will be the most dangerous thing this year?

"At the 1997 Tour I was burnt because of my inexperience. I gave two hours of interviews a day, I ate badly, I didn't rest well and I reached the end completely exhausted. I won't make the same mistakes. Pantani is the number one in the mountains, but Virenque is more complete and counts with a very strong team. The Frenchman will be my first adversary".

- Many make comparisons with Indurain, but the Navarran was successful in winning two major stage races in one year. Will Ullrich be successful also?

"I'm too young right now to aim for two major stage races. But in years to come I could consider a plan to also race the Giro d'Italia".

- And the one day races? How can you forget winning the amateur World Championships at Oslo in 1993?

"As long as I have the conviction that I can win the Tour de France, it will be my only objective and the most important date of the year. But I would like a Professional World Championship title. And from the classics, I would like to win at Milano-San Remo one day".

- Is it true that you are studying French so that you can speak with your adversaries at the Tour?

"No, it's not true. What I would like is to study English, so that I could speak with everybody, but I don't have the time".

- At 24 years of age your life has changed radically. In Germany you have taken the place of Becker in the heart of the people and have earned astronomical figures. How much is this costing you?

"It costs me in my private life. It costs me that I can't take a walk with my fiancee Gaby in Merdingen. It costs me that I can't walk into a bar and have a beer in peace".

- They say that you are tired of giving a thousand and one interviews. Which one is the demand that bothers you the most?

"When they asked me: will you win the next Tour de France again?"