Jorge Azanza is one of several Euskaltel riders that still hasn't found a team for the coming season. Despite being a trusted domestique with 6 grand tours under his belt, the Spaniard has almost come to terms with the situation and expects that his career has come to an end.

The Euskaltel demise has left several riders on the market and almost daily, different riders from the Basque squad express their frustration over their dark prospects in the international media. Even the team's star riders Samuel Sanchez and Igor Anton are still on the market, making the situation even worse for their trusted domestiques.

One of those is Jorge Azanza who has been a professional with Euskaltel since arriving from Kaiku for the 2007 season. Always at the side of his leaders, he has very few personal results and still hasn't won a single professional race.

Nonetheless, he has been one of the most valued riders by Sanchez and the other stars on the team. This fact is reflected in his selection for 6 grand tours and he has been at the side of Sanchez in the three most recent three-week races, the former Olympic champion has contested.

Despite those facts, Azanza still hasn't found a team for the coming season. Earlier this autumn, he said that he was likely to retire at the end of the year and as no new doors have opened up, he has now almost come to terms with his fate.

"Yes, I mentioned that [that I will retire] because all my contacts have come to nothing," he said in an interview with Ciclismo Internacional. "At the moment, I don't throw in the towel but I still claim that there is a 99% probability that I will retire. The remaining one percent would be a miracle.

"I've had conversations with a certain team and even got really motivated and excited about it, but as I said, it came to nothing."

Despite his retirement drawing closer, Azanza has continued to train.

"I've always been cyclist and loved sport," he said." "I cannot live without exercising. Furthermore, I have a contract until January and I must be physically ready."

This year the situation has been particularly bad as 5 professional teams are folding. Next year, things are expected to improve as both Fernando Alonso and Oleg Tinkov are likely to create new teams.

However, Azanza doesn't have time to wait for a better situation.

"No, I won't train if I have not guaranteed anything for the future, even in 2015," he said. " I don't consider it to be an option. I will wait until December and if I don't find anything, I will focus on other aspects of my life to find a future in other areas."

With his career almost over, it is time to look back at the highs and lows of 7 years as part of the Euskaltel team. Unsurprisingly, it is his role as domestique that takes most place in the assessment of his career.

"The best of my career is that I have been allowed to ride all the great races in the world several times. Over the years I have learnt what my role is. I was a domestique and could help my leader, in this case Samu, who always appreciated and valued what I did.

"The worst was my injury in 2007, a broken collarbone," he added. "I feel that it was an obstacle in my progression. Fortunately, thanks to my wife, family and frieds, I could make it back and get to the level where I am and maybe end my career as a better rider than I have ever been."

Azanza rode his final race in 2013 at the world team time trial championships in late September.