“La Rioja Bike Race is one of my favourite stage races”

Clàudia Galicia (Megamo) five-time winner of La Rioja Bike Race and recent champion of the Mountain Ski World Cup, races again with the aim of finishing and adding kilometers, discarding the possibility of revalidate the five titles won.

Expectations ...

For me, it’s a special edition and I hope to enjoy it since I have not been able to train a lot because of personal problems, but I am here because it is a race that I really like it and I didn’t want to miss it. My goal is to finish and make a good race with the shape that I am, which is very low, and add kilometers.

You come from a very demanding Mountain Skiing season with great results. You face this edition ...

I face it in a different way than in other years, since it has been a very long season of Mountain Skiing, and I am very satisfied to have won the overall World Cup. The fact of having given so much in Mountain Skiing makes it me more tired and have been able to train less. I am very satisfied with the season and now it’s time to think in Mountain Biking.

Hildegunn Hovdenak and Rocío del Alba García, the main contenders

I don’t think I’m in the podium fight. This year the focus is a bit different and I don’t think it will make it difficult them the victory, even so, I will be giving everything, but wins a stage I think would be difficult

Five editions, five victories

La Rioja Bike Race is one of my favourite stage races so this year I come, although I am mot in shape, but I felt very badly to miss it. I am convinced that if it were not like that, it would not come.

The riojan route benefits you…

It’s a route that I already know and I play with advantage. I think it’s good for me to be long and hard climbs to go with a ryhthm and fluid in descending, and that is what I have been improving over the years. I think it has benefited me to master both thinks, to be more versatile.

You value of La Rioja Bike Race…

I love the route with the Rioja vineyards, and the plus of Logroño: Laurel Street and the tapas in the afternoons. Post race is very fun and I think it is a very complete stage race to enjoy it to the fullest.

You are more combative in ...

Long climbs where I can be in my rhythm and where I feel better

A moment that you remember in a special way of La Rioja Bike Race ...

Without doubt last year! I arrived with a strange shape way and won the fifth edition, due to the fact of being five, I was delighted. It was also the first year that it was not easy; in first stage Clara Fernández overtook me, in the second stage was Hildegunn, and it was La Rioja Bike Race more fought, but very happy to have achieved it for the fifth time in a row.