Five moments in an atypical season for the Kometa-Xstra Cycling Team junior
The COVID-19 pandemic has totally conditioned the development of the 2020 season and the impact of suspensions and postponements has been even more noticeable in the formative cycling calendar, from cycling academies to the youth category. Nevertheless, the junior structure of the Contador Foundation has been able to develop its work, making a season with a lot of psychological learning possible. Good group performances during an atypical season that ended with three riders making the jump to the U23 team of the Foundation and others in outstanding amateur teams. These are five moments of a year impossible to forget.
1. Days of confinement.
Confinement and mobility restrictions prevented the normal development of educational life and outdoor training. These were especially intense moments in which all the members of the team showed great unity. An exercise in resilience. Good atmosphere through frequent meetings to share pedalling on the roller. To top it all off, different virtual cycling initiatives through the Zwift platform, within the framework of the Kometa-Xstra Challenge by Gobik.
2. Combativity in Sub-Baetica.
The Challenge Ciclista La Subbética was premiered at the end of September and became the last test of a calendar that would finally not see any of the tests scheduled for the following weeks. In Cordoba the team with very active Marius Knight-Chaneac and José Luis Medina. The Cadiz native, the protagonist of many breaks, would finish sixth in the overall final. Antonio González, another step for him, also finished into the Top-10.
3. Vuelta al Besaya.
The Cantabrian race recovered the cycling in the category with the maximum precautions proposing a route of four stages where the Collado de Brenes and the Collado de Cieza were not missing. The Catalan Arnau Gilabert assaulted the yellow jersey after a great performance of all the team during the last day.
4. Bennassar from start to finish.
The Majorcan Francesc Bennassar has completed a great year in his second year in the category. The brooch, the cherry, arrived at the velodromes with the silver medal in the Madison of the Europeans, pairing up with the new member of the junior Marc Terrasa. Before that, he was runner-up in the national road championship, won four titles in the Spanish track championships, won several victories in the Balearic calendar and had good results in the Vuelta a Talavera and the Memorial Cabedo.
5. A hard day of cycling in Gipuzkoa.
The Gipuzkoa Klasika was held in 2020 in Beasain at the end of August. The day proved to be unpleasant, with very adverse weather marked by rain and cold. Several falls conditioned the development of the race for the interests of Guillermo Gutiérrez’s team, but the maxim was always to continue to persevere. In a performance that did not go unnoticed, Alejandro Luna, from Madrid, resisted a couple of falls to continue in the race and pedal against himself to recover many positions and finish as far as possible.
[📷 Patricio García, Asier Fernández, Magdalena Salort y Federación Española de Ciclismo]
