One of the toughest tests on the national handbike calendar is the Mallorca Handbike Tour: 3 days of competition, long distances covered and many meters of elevation climbed. Without a doubt, a circuit that adapts very well to my characteristics and to which I went with enthusiasm after not being able to do it the previous year due to a urinary infection.
On Thursday, October 22, I traveled to Palma de Mallorca, from there I transferred to the Viva hotel in Playa de Muro, everything perfectly organized to arrive at the explanatory meeting of the test. A lot of international presence with participants from England, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Holland…etc.
At 6:50 a.m. the alarm rang on Friday. We had to be ready and on the bike at 9am to pedal to the town of Pollença where the first round of the Tour of Mallorca was taking place. A 13.1 km time trial, without major slopes but with several 180-degree turns through roundabouts that reduce power and speed.
I left the first. It was positive, I didn’t cool my muscles waiting for the start. I started the first kilometer hard, I tried to maintain a high power but without going overboard, I was afraid of emptying myself before reaching the last kilometers. I was surprised with the power I was moving, my strength did not diminish and although passing through the roundabout penalized my watts, I came out of the curve with force to launch the handbike and maintain a constant pace.
I finished 3rd in my MH3 category, with a time of 22:38 at an average of 35.6 km/h, just 20 seconds behind the winner, the Englishman Chris Madden, and 10 seconds behind the German Lars Hoffman (winner of the Jerez race 1 month ago). Contented satisfaction, I love the time trial and I don’t like losing. The rest of the rivals were more than 30 seconds behind so a priori, the podium should be between us.
On Saturday, October 23, at 9 a.m., the start of the next stage took place. 67 km, classified as medium mountain, with constant ups and downs, which turned the route into a real arm-breaker.
He was in a bad position, the last of the platoon. I started with a 34 chainring, since almost everyone starts with the large chainring, a 50-52. This allows me to easily launch the bicycle in the first meters, achieve a good top speed and through a gap that I found on the left, I reached the height of the first 10. Big plate and keep the wheel. During the first 4 kilometers the pace was impressive, if the one in front was cut off, it was impossible to hook the head again. And that happened to me at the exit of a curve. The group stretched, divided into several platoons and I did not have the necessary strength to hook up to the front group. My two rival directors were escaping and I found myself pedaling alone.
After a while of solitude where I didn’t lower the intensity, Vicente Arzo arrived at my wheel. We pedaled together but a group of Englishmen riding hard caught up with us. The speed was high on the flat but on the climbs, the English faltered. After more than 10 kilometers without seeing any rivals, we saw the German Lars Hoffman in the distance. Arzo made an incredible effort to bring me up to par with him. Thank you Don Vicente.
We were pedaling a platoon of 10 people and the speed was devilish on the descents. With 20 km to go, we saw a white helmet in the distance, the ones worn by the MH3, it was the Englishman Chris Madden along with the Portuguese Andre Sobeiro. We contact them. I tried to be at the top of the group to avoid cuts, attacks or any incidents. After passing several roundabouts, the peloton broke away and entered the finish line with the same time as the Englishman and 4 seconds behind the German. Everything was to be decided in the queen stage on Sunday.
At 6:50 a.m. on Sunday, the alarm clock rang. I had slept better than any day and I felt like doing well. I arrived at my land. 72 km and more than 900 meters of positive slope towards Cape Formentor.
I stood on the second starting line. They all started off softer, as if they knew what was to come. Groups were quickly formed according to each one’s objectives. A German, an Englishman, a Portuguese and a Spaniard went forward.
The first slope of 3 km at 6-7% was very hard. He climbed at an incredibly high pace, to make a selection as soon as possible. The Englishman carried the weight of the group and did not lower the intensity. We all held on but in my mind I thought “if this continues like this, I can’t stand the next hill.” The hardest part was missing, the climb to Cap Formentor. In the first slopes, ramps of more than 10% were reached, it was there when the German and the Portuguese gave up the pace imposed by the English. I kept the wheel of the Englishman, who assiduously tested me with explosive changes of rhythm that I barely responded to.
We crested Cape Formentor and I went first on the descent to have more control in the curves. After the first descent, we began to climb, the hardest slopes came. The Englishman came up behind me, surpassed me and imposed an infernal pace. I held on for the first 300 meters. If I continued like this, I knew I could burst and I knew that I still had to reach the last 3 km slope where, if I had the strength, I planned to attack. It opened a space for me and Chris went alone.
He had a lead of 30 seconds so I hurried down the descent to contact him, just 2 km before starting the last climb I managed it. I had taken a gel and the moment of truth began. The Englishman took the lead and imposed a very high pace. I try to support him but I wasn’t able to. It opened an important gap for me and I thought more about maintaining second position than about winning the Vuelta.
Accompanied by Sebastián Mascaró, a cyclist who plays for a continental professional team in Burgos, he tried to maintain a good watt rate but without draining me. After reaching the top, Sebastián launched into a thrilling descent. I marked the curves and reached more than 75 km/h on a terrain full of dangerous curves. There were 18 km to go. The Englishman was ahead. I was 20 seconds into the time trial. I didn’t have eye contact on the straights so I assumed the distance between us was important. I planned those 18 km as a time trial. Regulate a high watt rate and stay focused. I was riding fast, talented by several cyclists who joined my route.
After the effort, I couldn’t contact Chris and I entered the finish line 1:30 minutes later. My advantage over the German Lars Hoffman was more than 7 minutes and thus I took second place in my MH3 category and 7th place overall, won by the Olympic and World Champion, Rafal Wilk.
Without a doubt I have a lot to improve, the best in the world are getting closer but there is still a long way to go to reach their height. I will continue trying and I hope that little by little, the distances will be shorter. I am testing and making changes on the handbike, giving the final touches to a long season and achieving a great result in Mallorca that makes me positive for 2016 where I will give the best I have to achieve my dream. Wanting is power.
Thank you friends of TEAM QUICKIE SOPUR, getting together is always a great satisfaction. Congratulate the organization for their great work and I hope to return next year. THANK YOU
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.