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| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| UCI code | CJR | |
| Registered | Spain | |
| Founded | 2010 (2010) | |
| Discipline | Road | |
| Status | UCI ProTeam | |
| Bicycles | ViVELO (2012–2014) Fuji (2015–2017) De Rosa (2018–2020)Guerciotti (2021–2022) MMR (2022–) | |
| Website | Team home page | |
| Key personnel | ||
| General manager | José Manuel Hernández | |
| Team manager | Eugenio Goikoetxea | |
| Team name history | ||
2010–Feb 2013 Feb 2013– | Caja Rural Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | |
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 Current season | ||
Caja Rural–Seguros RGA (UCI team code:CJR) is aUCI ProTeamcycling team sponsored principally byGrupo Caja Rural, a Spanish banking group. The team participates inUCI Europe Tour races andUCI World Tour events when given a wildcard invitation. The team's administrative offices and management are based inPamplona,Navarra, Spain, but its service course (workshop and warehouse facility) is inAlsasua,Navarra.[1] It was announced in February 2013 that the team had acquired a co-sponsor in a subsidiary of Caja Rural and would become known asCaja Rural–Seguros RGA from 21 February 2013.[2]
Caja Rural re-entered professional cycling in the 2010 season. In late 2009, Caja Rural decided to move back to the professional peloton, forming aUCI Continental Team (competing in the EuropeUCI Continental Circuits) that among other things would give continuity to their under 23 and elite amateur teams. In 2010, its first year returning as a professional team, the team's total budget was €837,932.[3] The original squad was made up of 16 riders, of whom 5 had come up from the amateur team. During the season, 4 members of the amateur team turned professional, 3 of them joining Caja Rural and one moving toMovistar.[4]
On October 19, 2010, Juanikorena Iñaki signed a contract with Preventia Sports Club (Club Deportivo Preventia), who manage the Caja Rural professional team, to continue as the team's Directeur Sportif in 2011. However, on 14 December 2010, he announced his departure due to major professional differences over approaches to training ("importantes diferencias en los criterios técnicos-deportivos").[5] Iñaki was replaced by Mikel Azparren. At the end of January 2011, Iñaki brought a lawsuit against the team in the Civil Court (Juzgado de los Social) ofPamplona,Navarra,Spain.[6] Iñaki proved breach of contract in his suit. The team's appeal to the Superior Court (Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Navarra) was dismissed on July 25, 2012, and theUCI made full payment of his salary for 2011, drawing from the team's bank guaranty held by theUCI.[7]
In 2011, Caja Rural advanced to theUCI Professional Continental category with a view to competing in top level racing, especially the2011 Vuelta a España, the firstVuelta in 33 years to visit theBasque Country. On its début as aUCI Professional Continental team, Caja Rural adopted the motto: "un equipo para creer, un equipo para crecer" ("a team to believe in, a team for growth"). The team emphasizes that "growth" in the latter part of this motto is meant to connote not only the growth of the squad, but also the growth of athletes as individuals, in particular amateur athletes making the leap to the professional ranks.[3] In August 2011, Caja Rural rider Fabricio Ferrari won the overall Mountains Classification in theVolta a Portugal and the Young Rider Classification went to Garikoitz "Gari" Bravo.[8] The team did not compete in the2011 Vuelta a España, but was named the Best Navarro Sports Team in 2011 by the Government ofNavarra.[9]
Caja Rural was invited to participate in the2012 Vuelta a España, which departed fromPamplona where the team is based. The2012 Vuelta saw Caja Rural riderAntonio Piedra, take Stage 15, a high mountain affair finishing atop the Lakes of Covadonga climb. Piedra dropped his breakaway companions on the first "Hors Category" climb of theVuelta, and finished with 2 minutes and 2 seconds advantage over his nearest competitor.[10][11] The team's enthusiasm for competition in theirVuelta début was highlighted by a heartbreaking episode in the 4th stage.Marcos García valiantly fought to the head of the peloton, sprinted to the finish line and threw kisses to the crowd as he crossed it triumphantly. However, owing to miscommunication with the team car, he was unaware that three escapees had crossed the line before him.[12]
David Arroyo of theMovistar Team who placed second in the2010 Giro d'Italia andAmets Txurruka who rode forEuskaltel–Euskadi and took first in theYoung Riders Classification at the2007 Tour de France joined Caja Rural in the 2013 season. These two experienced riders have participated in 25 Grand Tours.[13] After a change of management in the 2012 season and in an effort to retain itsUCI World Tour license,Euskaltel–Euskadi began including more riders from outside theBasque Country who hold high UCI World Tour rankings. Caja Rural has been a beneficiary of this policy picking up Txurruka andIván Velasco from Euskaltel–Euskadi, but the team also lost the promising young cyclistGarikoitz Bravo to Euskaltel–Euskadi at the same time.[14]
On 21 February 2013, the team's name changed to "Caja Rural-Seguros RGA".[2][15] Two days laterAntonio Piedra took the first podium for the newly renamed team by winning the Mountains Classification in theVuelta a Murcia, part of theUCI Europe Tour.[16] The first General Classification victory for the newly badged team was won byFrancesco Lasca on 31 March 2013 in theVuelta a La Rioja.[17] Caja Rural–Seguros RGA riderJavier Aramendia won the Overall Combativity Award at the2013 Vuelta a España after he and his teammatesAntonio Piedra,David Arroyo andFabricio Ferrari took 7 of the 20 stage Combativity Awards given during the race.
The professional team's principal sponsor isGrupo Caja Rural, a savings bank and agricultural credit cooperative inSpain with 3,600 branches.
On 21 February 2013, Caja Rural added a new co-sponsorSeguros RGA.[2][15] Seguros RGA (meaning "Insurance RGA") was founded on 17 March 1986 as the insurance subsidiary of Grupo Caja Rural.[18] The "Seguros RGA" name and logo were added to new team jerseys and all other media.[15] Seguros RGA had supported the team in its bid to compete in the2012 Vuelta a España and was featured onVuelta team jerseys. Seguros RGA was so impressed with the profile and performance of the team that they decided to step forward as a team co-sponsor.[19]
Škoda Auto provides sponsorship and team cars. Euskorot, aBasque Country graphics company, supplies the team car livery.[20]
Team bikes for the 2015 and 2016 seasons are supplied byFuji Bikes models Transonic, Altamira and Norcom Straight.[21] From the 2012 to the 2014 season, the team had ridden Bulgarian brand bicycles ViVELO.
From the 2015 season, team kit is supplied by Italian clothing brand ALÉ,[21] replacing Inverse–CIRO SPORT from the previous several seasons.Spiuk supplies the team's helmets and glasses.
From the 2016 season, the power meters and computers are supplied by Pioneer replacing Rotor
Bed4u Hotels added its sponsorship in January 2013 offering the team lodging.[22] Bed4u replacedPlayitas, a Canary Islands sports resort where the team trained in the winter of 2012,[23] on team jerseys.
Centro Médico Vitasport (Vitasport Medical Centre), an advanced technology athletic training centre for professional and amateur athletes is a sponsor and also the registered office of Club Deportivo Preventia, the organization that runs the team.[20][24]
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Bulgarian Road Race,Danail Petrov
Portuguese Road Race Championships, Manuel Antonio Cardoso Bulgarian Road Race, Danail Petrov
European Track (Scratch race), Sebastian Mora
Venezuelan Time Trial, Orluis Aular Venezuelan Road Race, Orluis Aular Venezuelan Time Trial, Orluis Aular Venezuelan Road Race, Orluis Aular
Uruguaian Road Race, Guillermo Thomas Silva
