Cycling: Ion Izagirre and Gorka Izagirre is one of the few pairs of brothers in professional cycling. Today, the younger, Ion, takes on Velomotion's questions.
 |
 |
Ion Izagirre is one of the most successful Spaniards
Since 2009 Ion Izaguirre as a professional cyclist. As a strong climber and time trialist, he actually has the perfect prerequisites for a good classification rider. However, like his brother Gorka, who was two years his senior, he was only rarely allowed to drive on his own account. In the Movistar team, he was considered a noble helper. After the detour via Bahrain - Merida he has now landed at Astana. There his previous successes should be topped again. Won so far Ion Izaguirre in his career, among others, stages in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. He also won the Tour of Poland and the Tour of the Basque Country. He was allowed to wear the Spanish championship jersey in both time trials and road races.
How do you motivate yourself to train during the Corona break?
Ion Izagirre: "It's certainly a very difficult situation for the whole world, but we have to accept it. But I understand that I have to keep working and training to keep my form at a good level. Of course, working out at home is boring. But it is not so bad. We have bike trainers. There are many interesting online platforms that we can use to simulate street training or even a race. I also have the opportunity to do some physical exercises. All this makes training at home more or less acceptable. And just having the opportunity to continue my work is a good motivation for me.”
How do you relax after a tough training session or after intense races?
“Of course I try to rest as much as possible, to clear my head and just relax. But of course it can be quite difficult to completely disconnect from everything - you spend a lot of time with family, chatting with friends. There is also social media and interviews, which also take time. Despite this, I still try to rest in this short amount of time and recover as much as possible by lying in bed, being massaged, letting go and getting a good night's sleep.”
Can you recommend a good series or movie for our readers?
"If we're talking about TV series that I've watched recently...I really like Game of Thrones. It's a great series that I would recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it. Braveheart is an old movie, but it's great. It's a very good film that allows me to empathize with the characters in the film."
What does your favorite food look like and what are you particularly happy about in the food bag?
“I like simple food that is easy to prepare but still tasty: any kind of salad, good meat or baked fish. When we talk about the refreshment bags, sometimes I like to have a Coca-Cola in my pocket. I really like it, especially when the stage is very difficult or when the weather is too hot.”
Who do you think is the greatest professional cyclist of all time? Did you have a role model when you were young?
“Of course, I don't know every cyclist in history. Therefore, it is difficult to name just one and compare their performances. In my childhood, Miguel Indurain was a role model. As far as I know he was not only a great athlete but also a very polite and nice person who deserves a lot of respect. For me personally, Jan Ulrich was a hero when I was young. He was a driver I admired.”
Why is cycling the hottest sport in the world?
"I don't know if cycling is the best sport in the world, but I love it. i enjoy him It's a sport I've loved since I was a kid. Of course, cycling has both good and bad sides, but the main advantages of this sport are freedom, nature and the fact that you can practice this sport with your friends. This sport also allows you to challenge your body. Of course, cycling is also dangerous. It comes with certain risks, like the cars and the falls. But we always try to see only the good in cycling – and there is a lot of it.”
Do you like to watch bike races yourself? Do you remember the first race you saw?
“Yes, I really like watching bike races on TV. Actually as often as I can, because cycling is my job, my hobby and my love. It's hard to say which race was the first I saw. It was long ago. But I remember watching the Tour de France live for the first time. Together with my family and friends we went to one of the stages that led over the Tourmalet. We got there at night, found a spot and then had a great day. We saw the famous Tour de France caravan and saw all the great riders of the time: Indurain, Ullrich, Armstrong, Mayo.”
What do you think was the best race of all time?
“It's very difficult to say because there have been a lot of great races. There are both tours and classics to remember. But if I had to name a race, I would choose the World Championships in Innsbruck. It was a great race and it was something special for me. I didn't win myself, but our team did very well. Each of our drivers has made a significant contribution to Alejandro Valverde's success. It was great."
What's your next big goal?
"I do not know yet. We all live in a difficult situation and we have to wait until everything returns to normal. Our sports directors and coaches are planning everything now. I'm ready to go to the Tour, Giro and other races. The main thing is that everything is finally back to normal.”
What tips can you pass on to young up-and-coming drivers?
“I get asked this question a lot and I always say: The main thing is to enjoy cycling. A young athlete has many years before turning pro and many years after. There will be bad moments as well as good moments. So the main thing is that you really like what you are doing and most importantly don't be in a hurry. Because everything will come in its time. You have to be ready and then take it seriously to approach the professional level.”