Íñigo Cuesta

Born in Villarcayo de Merindad de Castilla la Vieja, Burgos, Cuesta turned professional in 1994 for the Basque Euskadi–Petronor team. Here his results included a second place in 1995 Vuelta a Asturias, and in 1996 he signed a contract with Spanish team ONCE. Cuesta would have to wait until 1998 before he won his first race, the overall victory in the stage race Tour of the Basque Country. In securing the stage race win, he proved his talent as both a climber and time trialist, though not on the level of the Grand Tours.

Even though he won a second triumph, a stage in the 2000 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, he did not get his contract renewed. Instead he signed with Cofidis, after his initial new employer, Linda McCartney Racing Team, went bankrupt before the season started. His four years at Cofidis did not provide Cuesta with any more wins, his biggest result a 13th place in the 2001 Vuelta a España. In 2005 he changed to Saunier Duval–Prodir, where he won stage 5 in the Volta a Catalunya, during the early part of the 2005 UCI ProTour season. Though he still had one year remaining of his contract, Cuesta changed to Team CSC before the 2006 season. Here he assisted team captain Carlos Sastre in the Vuelta a España.

Cuesta continued to help Sastre in 2009, after the announcement that he changed team and joined the new Cervélo TestTeam. During the 2010 Vuelta a España, Cuesta started for the 17th consecutive year, a new record. To commemorate this, the race organizers gave him jersey number one, normally worn by the winner of the previous edition.[3]

He announced his retirement in August 2011 after his team were not selected for the Vuelta a España.[4]

• Team CSC profile
• Íñigo Cuesta at ProCyclingStats