Íñigo Cuesta

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**Íñigo Cuesta**
Personal information
Full name	Íñigo Cuesta López de Castro
Date of birth	2 June 1969
Country	Spain
Team information
Current team	Team CSC
Rider type	Domestique
Professional team(s)
1994-1995 1996-2000 2001-2004 2005 2006-	Euskaltel ONCE Cofidis Saunier Duval Team CSC
Major wins
1998 Vuelta al País Vasco

Íñigo Cuesta López de Castro (born 2 June 1969) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He was born in the Spanish town Villarcayo in Burgos. Cuesta turned professional in 1994 for the Basque Euskaltel - Euskadi team. Here his results included a second place in 1995 Vuelta a Asturia, 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 Vuelta al País Vasco. 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 Dauphiné Libéré, he didn't 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 didn't 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, where he won stage 5 in Tour of Catalonia, during the early ProTour season. Though he still had one year remaining of his contract, Íñigo Cuesta changed to Team CSC before the 2006 season. Here he is to assist team captain Carlos Sastre in the Vuelta a España.

[edit] Career highlights

1997
- 70th Overall, 1997 Tour de France
1998
- Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco
2000
- Stage 6, Dauphiné Libéré
2001
- 63rd Overall, 2001 Tour de France
2002
- 49th Overall, 2002 Tour de France
2003
- 127th Overall, 2003 Tour de France
2005
- Stage 5, Tour of Catalonia
- Mountains Competition, Tour of Catalonia