A Spanish team without big names. A team that lacks stars, who due to age or even pressure from their teams have not been able to defend the country in a big event. A combination that does not appear among the favorites in the bets. Some modest members, far from the successes and greatness of other times. Some little-known faces wanting to surprise. Does it ring a bell? It is very similar to what happened in the recent European Basketball Championship. The Spain that runs the Cycling World Championship in Wollongong (departure at 2:15 am this Sunday, arrival at 8:50 am) can use the example and the mirror of those of Scariolo in Berlin.
Nothing guarantees you gold. The Spanish know it well. The podium of the 2013 World Cup in Florence was the saddest in memory for Spain. Joaquim Rodríguez, Alejandro Valverde, Alberto Contador, Samuel Sánchez and Luis León Sánchez formed a true dream team. Despite touching gold, Purito and Valverde kept the silver and bronze, frustrated by Rui Costa.
Nine years later, Spain presents itself with a line-up of eight cyclists where the majority are those who do not ride in the World Tour. One of them is Barcelona's Roger Adrià, from the Kern Pharma team, who despite his youth (24 years old) will compete in his second World Cup. Last year, in Flanders, he wanted to finish as it was and finished 59th, more than seven minutes behind.
“I knew that I was in the pre-selection but when I had to abandon the Vuelta due to covid I was not sure because the Vuelta is a good preparation for the World Cup.” However, Pascual Momparler trusted him after making his debut in his first major. “You run more than in classics or in one-week races. The hardest thing is continuity, one day and another”, says the Catalan about the experience.
So this year he will have to work again. “Our leaders are Marc Soler and Iván García Cortina”, explains Adrià to this newspaper from Australia. The one from Vilanova, a UAE cyclist, a full-fledged hunter, will be in charge of the attacks while the Asturian from Movistar will be the trick if everything arrives more grouped.
"The circuit (for which there are 12 laps) is harder than it seems," warns Adrià after having recognized the area. “The flat part has a lot of curves”, he warns, that it will be difficult to pursue. “The elevation has very good ramps”, he points out. He refers to the slope of Mount Pleasant, 1.1 km at 8.5%, with sections of more than 13%.
Adrià is clearly in love with a race like the World Cup. It is his favorite test. “It's 266 km. The world championship is always won by a great cyclist. You must have depth, tactics and speed, ”he analyzes.
Due to their characteristics and tastes, the Barcelonan can be the covered of the covered. For something he is one of the three summoned by Spain that has won this 2022. It was in the second stage of the Occitania Route, which ended in a 2 km long ramp. “Roquefort-sur-Soulzon is special for being the first as a professional. I have always had a top speed in small groups and especially if it ends up going up, in a finish that goes up a couple of kilometres; It is where I feel comfortable”, he defines himself. In addition, he was also escaped in the Bilbao stage of the Vuelta that Marc Soler won. “The terrain was good for me. I ran to win but Marc was very strong ”, he resigns himself.
In Wollongong, together, Adrià and Soler will have to face Van Aert and Evenepoel (Belgium), Van der Poel (Netherlands), Alaphilippe (France), Matthews, who runs at home, Pogacar (Slovenia) or the Eritrean Girmay. Big words.
