Pasamontes: “Really willing to do well”
13 January 2012

New challenge

The Spaniard shows full of jow towards new challenge in his sporting career: becoming the road captain for Movistar Team's continental outfit

Aged 32, Spaniard Luis Pasamontes faces a new challenge in his already long, 10-year sporting career. After three seasons into the European structure of Eusebio Unzué, Pasamontes is packing his stuff for the biggest adventure in his career: becoming the road captain for Movistar Team Continental. “It’s going to be a significant change,” the Asturian started with his explanation. “American cycling is of a different kind, but above all this is going to be an experience for life. I hope it turns out good because I’m really willing to do well.” The Spanish rider told the following about the process leading to his signing: “I was proposed the idea, but Eusebio told me they wanted me to get to know everything there before making a final choice. I stayed with them for a week in December, knowing the day-by-day of the team. To tell the truth I went home really satisfied and we defined everything in the following weeks.”

Pasamontes sums up on his vision about Movistar Team Continental: “It seemed to me like an excellent human group. They are really grateful people that values every detail, every piece of advice, and that’s very important for me in a human scale. Those shows of affection were the ones seducting me because they didn’t stop getting in touch with me to ask for advice ever since.” That guiding role is assumed with no troubles by the Spaniard: “I know my role there will be more than just pushing on my pedals and I feel totally qualified for that. It’s a big responsibility and I like it, because I think passing on the European way of riding to them will make them much better. Their results will be even better as soon as they see how they can make efforts more profitable by optimizing some minor factors.

For Pasamontes, this new adventure is not a step backward in his career: “More in contrary, I see it as a big chance for me. Cycling is more globalized than ever, you’ve got to go out and move, you can see that European teams are travelling more and going to countries like Australia, Canada, Argentina… This is a chance to know another king of cycling. Of course I don’t rule out coming back home, but this is an open door for me I will profit to know other countries, other cultures and get into increased responsibilities.”

Despite all of that, Luis doesn’t forget about his sporting side, with his quality having to take the squad a leap forward: “Of course I don’t forget about my racing level, firstly because Luis Pasamontes only knows to be professional, and that’s the same here or in Colombia, and second to that, because given that you don’t have earpieces in America, you have to stay strong and up-front if you want to be the race director for your teammates. I wish I can get some results or, at least, helping my teammates to get them.” The Spaniard will travel next month to American land where he’ll presumably debut in the Uruguayan Rutas de América (February 21-26): “I’ll be doing 60 racing days approximately and will stay for long periods there to get used to the hour changes, the altitude… I’ll have to travel a bit earlier than normal to get adapted, because, when I was there, I suffered a lot from problems related to altitude. In Bogotá you’re 2,600 meters high, while in Europe you don’t find those heights even in high-altitude training camps. That’s what I fear the most.”