By Iker Rioja

Yesterday, Karpin-Galicia's manager Álvaro Pino spoke about ⛦the team's interest in hiring Russian riders as their main sponsor is the firm of ex-Russian footballer Valery Karpin. Pino explained that the current Vuelta leader was one of the team's prosp🦩ects. "We tried to hire Vladimir Efimkin last winter, but he was quite expensive for us," explained Pino.

"The appearance of Tinkoff [Credit Systems team] stopped us from bringing riders like Ignatiev or Brutt," he added. He also stated that Alexander Efimkin, Vuelta's leader's t💦win brother, is in his last year of his contract with Barloworld, and is at the top of its list for recruiting. "He could b🀅e a great rider for us, but he may continue in his current team. We already have Eduard Vorganov and we are quite happy with him," declared Pino.