David Valero is one of the most charismatic and outstanding bikers of the moment. In force champion of Spain and fourth in the World Cup of
Mountainbike Held last September in Australia, the Granada cyclist is one of the ambassadors of the
Mediterranean Epic By Gaes, a Category XCS2 category test that will be played from February 8 to 11, 2018 in Oropesa del Mar. "It has a very attractive format, both for professionals who compete for ICU points and for fans who wish to enjoy an end of an end of Week in an environment with very surprising routes, "says Valero.
Now that 2017 ends, what balance do you make of the year?
The 2017 season has come perfectly. I would have liked to finish the year with the World Championship in Australia, but because of a mechanical problem I could not fight for more and I finished fourth. I am happy with that fourth position, because the previous year I ended up eighth in the world of the world championship and I had marked to overcome it.
"Spain has a good selection in Mountain Bike; in elite there is always someone competing for the podiums"
Has it been a season above, below or within the expectations you had?
Above, no doubt. It has been a season, far, very regular from beginning to the end while always among the 10 best in the World Cup and fighting for the podium. In other international races I have also been fighting. Another goal was to get the Spanish championship and has been brought for home, for MMR. Defending the Spanish championship for 2018 is a very exciting challenge.
What are the main objectives you have set for 2018?
Obviously the main objective is the World Championship, which is also celebrated in a circuit that I like a lot, in Switzerland, where I have made a podium twice. But we will go little by little. At the beginning of the year, the main objective is to start with some marathons, such as Mediterranean Epic. In addition, the World Cup is advanced on the calendar two months with respect to 2017 and there is opened a month of transition where we can prepare with international evidence in Central Europe. And, logically, there is also the Spanish championship.
How do you see Spanish Mountainbike within the world competitive panorama?
We have a good selection with high -level runners that are growing little by little. In the elite category we are 4 runners who, when there is one is another and there is always someone competing for the podium. The sub-23 females team is also playing a great role. And below we have great talents, such as Jofre Cullel, who is the current Júnior European champion and this year goes to Sub-23 category.
"The Mediterranean Epic has a very attractive format for both runners who compete for the UCI points and for those who are not professionals"
Is the pull of the Olympic bronze that Carlos Coloma got in 2016?
Yes it shows. Carlos's work is very good. The push that has given it to the
Mountain Bike The Medal of the Olympic Games. In Spain there is a lot of love of this sport and it is something that shows that it goes more.
How are you noticing this growth of Mountain Bike in Spain?
There are many amateur careers, and there are also more and more professional careers in the calendar. For example, in 2018 the Mediterranean Epic is released, which is an international test, scoring for the UCI ranking. It is a race that will attract runners looking for points for the world cup. In addition, for the dates on which it is going to be celebrated, professionals fit very well.
It is an UCI category career but is open to non -professional runners ...
On the one hand there will be the one who comes to compete for the points. But the career format is very attractive to everyone. All stages are held in the same environment, in an incredible landscape. And you can spend the weekend as a family. This summer I was training in the area and I was surprised by the wide variety of routes.
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