Interview with raúl alonso

To start, we would like to get to know you a little better. Tell us where you are from, what you do and what practical disciplines You practice other sports besides cyclingsmo?

I am from Asturies and I spend my life between Gijón and San Martín de Luiña, which is also where I practice cycling in two of its disciplines: road and mountain biking. But it is just another hobby and the only sport that is practical, in reality I am a historian and communicator.

Some of us become fond of this sport because it is already practiced in our family or because we have seen it on television and it caught our attention. When would you say and how do you think your love for cycling was born?mo?

In my case it runs in the family. There is no memory in which my father is not present with his bicycle. From there, my hobby came, going out on his road days with him and attending as a spectator many of the cyclocross and road events that were held in Asturies. Currently, I try to go out on my bike at least 2 or 3 days a week, it's the best way to disconnect.

 

We know that there will be many, but is there a special route that you dream of being able to do and have not yet been able to do?o?

I love road races where there are sections of sterrato. In that sense, the professional test is the Strade Bianche, with that beautiful finish in Siena. In La Rioja there is a similar cycling event, La Eroica Hispania, and I would like to attend at some point.

And although there will be many anecdotes, tell us some evidence that you have done that you remember with special affectiono?

The BTT Meetups in my town, where I collaborate in the organization. But I do have to talk about another test, the Fia Flavius ​​BTT, in Salas. It has a very beautiful route, even better landscapes and excellent organization. In that test I have very good memories with my great riding partner, Alexis.

 

When you go out to train, do you prefer to go alone or with someone?o?

Normally I go alone, enjoying the landscapes that we have in Asturias and discovering new paths that I had never been through before. However, cycling with friends is a good way to socialize and I like to enjoy this great sport with other people.

¿What do you like most about this sport? Would you recommend it to everyone?do?

The closeness with professionals and camaraderie. In other sports you can't even imagine being so close to the big names in cycling and, however, here you can be centimeters away from them by standing in the ditches as the competitions pass.

At Momabikes we have collaborated with Bicycles Without Borders to facilitate access to education for children and young people in Senegal by bicycle. We know that you also collaborate in a social initiative that is celebrated in San Martín de Luiña (Asturias), could you tell us a little more about this event and what social benefits you achieve with itl?

Well, it is a totally festive and charitable day. A few years ago (in 2022 we face the seventh edition) we decided to recover the practice of cycling in the town and do a non-competitive test by our council, Cuideiru.

It is a small mountain bike cycling test of cycling coexistence in which about 150 people meet and in which numerous businesses collaborate. It is always celebrated on the third weekend of the month of September and has a very important social function: with the participation fee, which includes various insurance and gifts, it is mandatory to deliver at least one kilo of non-perishable food. At the end of the test, they are delivered to the City Council Services to be distributed among the most disadvantaged. In previous editions we managed to collect close to 500 kilos of food, people put a lot of effort into it.

It is very important to practice sports, and especially cycling, but we must not leave aside issues like this. It costs us nothing to carry out this action and it is something that people greatly appreciate.

 

And finally, what advice would you give to a person who has just bought one of our mountain bikes and wants to start practicing this sport?e?

Enjoy the pleasure of exploring the terrain by bicycle and do not be afraid to explore new paths, because you will find new treasures that were hidden. Practicing cycling is, to a certain extent, another way to connect with nature and get to know the environment that surrounds us.