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09 May 2017

“The format will allow me to be much more explosive”

José Antonio Hermida, silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and Cross Country Olympic (XCO) world champion in all categories, races La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano for the first time.

How do you face La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano for the first time?

I really want to start racing! I have never taken part in this race, I’ve done Andalucía Bike Race presented by Shimano (I actually won it) and I had the Riojan race pending. Three stages allow you to be much more explosive and I think it is an aspect that favours me.  

What goals do you have for your debut?

I will see how I find myself day by day. The fact, not being too long helps me, I’m in a good shape and the format of the race comes in very well. I’ll try to be in front and always giving the maximum. At the end of June I’ll take part in the MTB World Marathon Championship in Germany and it this will be a good training for my biggest goal of the season.

What would you recommend a beginner to stage racing?

Three-day races are the best to debut. They are individual, so everyone can set their own pace and it’s not excessively long, so even though on the last day you are tired, you expect a shorter stage and have the motivation of finishing the race.

In addition, La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano arrives in May, people been able to ride quite a lot and are in good shape. It’s an excellent event to join other mountain bikers with a similar rhythm at the beginning of the day who you don’t have to fight against and enjoy the bicycle and the routes that have been prepared.

How do you think it benefits that there are amateurs and professionals?

Another very important aspect is that amateurs feel like professionals, share experience and kilometers with professionals, interacting with them and feeling part of this world. It is the only sport where all spectators are practicing!

The Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano is booing, what is it due to?

I think it’s due to many factors and its format helps. It’s three days, so you only have to ask for one day off and have the entire weekend to practice sport. There’s an increasing interest in mountain biking and at the same time we see that society tends to appreciate a healthy lifestyle, which favours this kind of races.

How have the successes of Carlos Coloma and you at Olympic Games affected this country?

The mountain biking boom didn’t start with me, Carlos Coloma nor other recent riders. Everything began in 1992 because it was a kind of bike that allowed you to get off the tarmac and enter the nature. It’s true that at the media exposure of the Olympic medals help and above all because they involve the development of certain sports platforms that professionalize this sport.

After La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano will arrive GAES Catalunya Bike Race presented by Shimano, of which you are more than ambassador. What do you expect from it?

We hope to follow the dynamics of La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano and Andalucía Bike Race presented by Shimano, two successful formats. Together with the Catalonian race, there will be three events spread throughout the season which will cover the mountain biking year. Also, GAES Catalunya Bike Race presented by Shimano is located at the end of the season, a positive aspect because it can be seen as the culmination of the year.

How are you involved in GAES Catalunya Bike Race presented by Shimano?

I like the responsibility of being able to design the routes. We try to make a dynamic and fun race to show the potential that Catalonia has a perfect territory to practice the mountain biking. It will have less kilometres and climbing, not because it’s easier, but to adapt to the orography. We’ll always be at high altitude and that must be put into consideration. We don’t want the race to have the slogan of being the longest or with most climbing, but an event that you fall in love with. Besides, it’s important that the mountain bikers who race in the Cerdanya take back a good memory and don’t return home exhausted. At the end, each of these stage races is a party and the most important is the feeling of ending a great weekend.

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