“We expect an engaging race that’s demanding and varied with fun trails”

He’s getting more and more into mountain biking every time. Aleix Espargaró (Granollers, 1989) combines his job as a Moto GP racer with some “cameo” appearances in MTB events. After participating twice in the Andalucía Bike Race presented by Shimano, Espargaró eagerly awaits his debut in the Rioja region.

What do you know about La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano?

I have been told that it is a very fun race but also very hard; that given that it only lasts three days, the course is demanding, which makes for a different kind of competition. I have also been told that we will encounter very fun trails and, despite their difficulty, this always has appeal.

It will be your first time in La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano. What are your goals?

I’ve participated twice in the Andalucía Bike Race presented by Shimano, although the first year I had to abandon. For La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano I just want to enjoy it and improve my performance; I haven’t set any goals because my schedule is very demanding, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be competitive. I intend to do my best and get to know the race in order to participate again in the future and to improve my racing skills.

Motorcycle racing is also very physically demanding, how does the MTB affect your training?

Mountain biking helps me a lot to train for motorcycle racing since mountain biking is a sport that bears little impact on the body, contrary to running, for example. In this sense, it’s good to be able to do such competitive events that make you take your body to the limit — this is a very important aspect for an elite athlete.

What benefit does mountain biking have?

Training and competing on the mountain bike also help manage weight. I am one of the tallest and heaviest riders on the grid and sometimes I make poor food choices. This sport helps me in this aspect. Besides, it gives you this explosiveness, which helps me physically in many instances during motorcycle racing. In fact, cycling is the method I use most in order to be physically fit.

What’s your forte on the bike?

At the level of mountain biking, I have lots of technical things to learn. I would say that my best ability is that, as an elite athlete, I never throw in the towel ahead of time; I always push myself until the end, until those times when I go over my limit.

Are you developing an appetite for this kind of race?

I want to continue competing more in MTB. Road riding already had me hooked, but discovering the mountain bike has opened up a new world that I like more and more. I lack the time to train, but when I stop racing motorcycles, the bike is one of the things that I would like to dedicate myself to. I have five or six more seasons on the race circuit, after which I’ll be a good age to focus more on the bike and try to improve in many ways.