Fran Muñoz: “It has been a year of much, much learning, where I have experienced a great progression”

Undoubtedly Fran Muñoz has been one of the names of the 2022 cycling season not only within the U23 structure of the Contador Foundation, but also in the amateur scene. The rider from Mataró with Asturian roots achieved the first overall classification in the Spanish Cup for the team directed by Rafa Díaz Justo, a milestone in his particular history, but beyond the cup tournament he has also had great performances throughout the course both in Spain and in the Italian calendar, being fundamental in several successes of his teammates. A path that has earned him some call-up with the national team and to be one of the three stagiaires who has competed in the final stretch of the season with the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team ProTeam.

The first question is an obligatory one, what is your assessment of this first season with the U23 team of the Contador Foundation?
A very good one, without a doubt. I am very happy. It has been a year of much, much learning, where I have experienced a great progression. In short, it has been a year in which I have progressed as an athlete in all aspects.

How did you imagine this journey when you signed up?
At the end of the day, you know that you are coming to one of the biggest structures in the country in this category and you always have a certain amount of uncertainty. That’s why I faced the year with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of desire to have a good season.

In your last race in Italy, the Ruota d’Oro, both Marcel Camprubí and you were always in the group that played for the victory. Marcel finished eighth, you were sixteenth and Marcel’s immediate reading of the race was that you hadn’t read the finish well…
We worked very well that day, but in the heat of the moment you often don’t make the best decisions, and besides, these are races where you don’t have an earpiece…  But one more experience, which is what it’s all about. Personally I had a great time, we had good legs, very easy, and with the high level of the race, which was international, that motivated you even more.

What has been the most outstanding experience of the season?
The year has given a lot, but I have to keep my debut as a stagiaire in the Coppa Bernocchi. And on top of that, I was able to ride in the breakaway of the day.

A recurring question: Have you noticed many differences between Spain and Italy when it comes to the competition?
The races are different, yes, not to mention that in Italy there are a lot of one-day races and in Spain there are a lot of stage races. In Italy, for example, the riders who are not going to compete (and there are always a lot of contenders) are on the move all day long. I was very struck by this. In Spain it’s just as usual to keep to themselves a bit, the fifteen riders who compete in the end are the same and the way of racing is different. ….

One of the most beautiful things of the year has not been the high level of sport, but the huge group that each and every one of you cyclists have made?
A super nice group. I don’t remember any bad moment, just some race situation that you talk about and learn from. We’ve all made very good friends, you were very comfortable both in the races and in the rallies… In the end, when you’re away from home for so many days and you’re comfortable, having a good time and so on… that’s a luxury and you have to value it. Personally, I didn’t know anyone, just Arnau from having raced with him in some events in the cadet category, and I also knew David Domínguez and Marcel.

How do you rate the work of Rafa Díaz Justo in the direction?
I have learned a lot with him, he is a machine in all aspects. Rafa knows how to manage the group, without a doubt, and that’s not easy because we all have the same dreams, the same objectives and at the same time different ways of being. He takes a lot of the credit for this year. As a rider you know that if you make merit you will earn your place. And then there’s the tactical side. It’s incredible how he approaches each race and even how he turns situations on the fly when they’ve gone wrong. In this year’s Vuelta a Madrid, I remember, we made a mistake at one point in the stages, the breakaway went away for a long time and that situation led to a move with which we were able to do some damage in the fight for the general classification.

And for 2023?
It’s still early days, but in general terms the idea is to continue taking steps forward. The path has to be to consolidate myself as a rider and take a step forward in international races.  Between the Giro, the Europeans, other events in Italy… in the end I have accumulated about ten days of competition abroad. And the truth is that they are great because in the end there are few Spanish teams that go abroad so often. Yes, there are teams that compete abroad once, twice, three times… but the EOLO-KOMETA in this sense offers a lot of opportunities. And it shows.

The season has come to an end and now it’s time to rest and enjoy a well-deserved holiday, perhaps in an exotic beach destination… Hopefully!
Hopefully, it’s time to take a break from cycling, but we have to work hard on our running now that we don’t have any competitions!

[📷 J. F. C. (1, 3, 4) | Álvaro García (2)]