When we talk about professional cycling, men's road cycling tends to capture the vast majority of the spotlight. In any case, the truth is that there are modalities and protagonists beyond Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel or many others that leave little screen time for the rest of the cycling ecosystem.
Today we speak with Txell Figueras, a professional mountain biker in the Buff Megamo team, to discover how professional cycling is experienced within the women's MTB.
How do you get on a Txell Figueras bike for the first time?
My father told me that if I learned to ride a bike, he would give me a motorbike. In one afternoon he already had it done and in a week my father fulfilled his promise.
What age are we talking about?
About 4 or 5 years ago, the helmet was bigger than me (laughs). But at that time and with the motorcycle, the bicycles did not attract my attention too much.
And when does cycling return to your life?
It was at the university while studying INEFC. The professor of physical activity in the natural environment (a subject that Txell herself now teaches at the Euses Garbí University in Salt) had a Mountain Bike team and he offered me the option of competing again. Having no idea about MTB, I accepted.
How were those competitive beginnings?
They told me that the important thing was to finish the races and so I did. Always last, but she did. Then I got better. At that time, I was combining this hobby, because I was not yet a professional, with two jobs. I still have one as a swimming coach and another as an activities coordinator.
How do you go from this situation to focusing on the bike?
They fired me as activities coordinator and I didn't know what to do with my life. I was sad. I talked to my mother and she told me: “now do what you like best and do it to the fullest”. What I liked the most was that job, but then came the bicycle and that's how I began to dedicate more and more time to it. Two years after starting I was already rubbing shoulders with the best and I was even able to go to a World Cup. I guess I took the opportunity of not having a job to do what I enjoyed the most.
From rookie to the World Cup in 2 years?
That's how it is. At that time I was not yet in a professional team and I always say that I went to Canada with a 34-tooth chainring… Carlos Coloma, an Olympic medalist, told me “You don't know where you are, do you? You won't go anywhere with that dish, everything goes up here!” Thanks to him and the mechanics of the Spanish team, they were able to fit me one with 28 teeth. I entered the World Cup with what I had always competed with, I was a normal girl who competed for a team from a bike shop (smiles). There I discovered what true professional cycling was and I was able to start dedicating myself to it.
Then you enter a professional structure
Well yes. After that World Cup they took an interest in me and I was able to sign 2 years with MMR which, despite the pandemic, was an experience in which I learned a lot. The same with Buff Megamo, the team I'm in right now, where they believed in me when I wanted to change modalities and establish myself in the Marathon.
Can you live from MTB in 2023?
You should look for more sponsors and right now it's very complicated. But no, I can't dedicate myself 100% to this, I must and rely on my work as a swimming coach.
What percentages are we talking about?
Well, as a MTB professional my earnings come, a third from sponsors, another third from cash prizes for results and the remaining third in the form of a salary from Buff Megamo, of course they also provide me with all the necessary material and cover the sports needs that you have, but adding up all these earnings, you still can't afford to live on this alone. Only very few can do it.
Does this happen in the male category of your modality?
It also happens, there is no difference between boys and girls. What is true is that all the teams have a men's section and not all have a women's section, which causes fewer opportunities and also makes us settle for less, which is what we have right now.
And do you see a change in trend regarding this situation?
Yes, of course. There are more and more girls competing, global work is being done to promote women's cycling. The events are much more attractive, the prize money is similar to the men's and the general level is going up a lot. I notice it... It's not so easy to win anymore!
