Iván García Cortina (Gijón, 1995) has not yet signed a renewal of his contract, so logically we will have to see a much more aggressive cyclist. The appetizer of the Valencian Community has not felt bad in this regard. The 24-year-old Asturian runner, strong, muscular, in love with the classic pavés, gradually learns the keys to rub shoulders with the old and the new icons of the world of the great northern classics.
QUESTION. Fourth year at the Bahrain, now different with the entry of McLaren. And more responsibility in their homework.
REPLY. I am very well here and the change is showing off. Everything is much more structured. The way we interact with the staff has changed a lot.
Q. The team was built in 2017 around Vincenzo Nibali. And he already left. It seems that the prominence is distributed a little more.
A. What the new directors and coaches say is that this is a business to win and for that they will give us all the tools.
p. What tools?
R. Of everything. We have people responsible for every need: materials, aerodynamics ... And what happens to the runners is also incorporated into the dynamics of the team. They receive with open arms everything we can contribute. Before you said something and perhaps the suggestion was not so welcome.
P. Rod Ellinworth, his new English boss, says: "He has a lot of talent and there is a lot to work with." In agreement?
R. Of course, the intention is to continue improving in the classic pave and take another step. Talking to Roger Hammond, who is the general coordinator of all the directors, he told me that he would have all the support for the classics and also the responsibility.
P. They ask you to win, of course. At least stages or some minor races.
A. I want to win everything I can. But as my progression goes slowly, let them be at least a couple of races, since last year I won the first. And, in addition, to improve in the classic ones, which I already did well last year. Let's see if I can be ahead in all, in general. In Roubaix I had very bad luck, it was very good and the prick left me behind. I went a little to my ball, but very well and the prick left me there. In one of the classics that won [Matthieu] Van der Poel, I went there with him, I cut myself five meters and goodbye ... Anyway, you are learning things, like spending something less at that time. You learn over the years. This is already the fourth, so I must go to more.
I go slowly, hurry up for whoever wants them
P. Physically he looks much more done, matured. Your work will have cost you this winter.
A. No, on the contrary. One of the differences in the change of equipment was not doing anything gym. I either do a good thing or I don't do it. And I noticed that with the gym I gained kilo, kilo and a half per week, but then I didn't get performance in the air. I decided to quit and I haven't gained weight, I finished with 76 and I started with 77.
Q. We always think that for the classics of pavés, the weight is positive.
A. Yes, that is the theory. But I am anabolic and with little work I take muscle. I am also not a pure sprinter and I can't get as much out of it, as a [Dylan] Groenewegen, for example. I have done more bike hours, applying the force on it and I think it has been very good for me. We will see...
Q. On your first Tour, the cake of the flat arrivals with Colbrelli was distributed a little ...
R. ... Well, it was almost everything to him (laughs).
Q. Well, now with Mark Cavendish in his team ... More competition.
A. I don't know, at the end of the year it will be seen. And I already tell him that I am not a pure sprinter. I don't think I'm going to share many races with Cavendish this year. I have to sacrifice more in the middle of the flat races. In classics like those in Canada last September I found myself very well. There will be cake for everyone.
Q. At least being with people from that record and experience will not hurt, right?
A. Of course, sharing equipment with these types of runners, such as Cav or [Heinrich] Haussler, allows you to take advantage of them. Here Haussler has been my teacher. I share a room with him and since he knows the classics very well I have learned a lot. To study them to know them.
Q. Do you concentrate with the team to prepare them, altitude and all that?
R. I do not do that. A week before the classics I go with my girlfriend to Geraardbergen and I do in five days all the tours of the Flanders classics ... Knowing each route is very important. You can see too much later in the race. You know if you have to go left or right at any given time, the narrowings. If the road narrows or you are ahead or you are not. And some details change details every year, you have to study them and be prevented.
P. Peter Sagan was going to eat the world last year and it wasn't for much.
A. It is that the greats that are season after season winning almost everything comes a point where that ends, by the head or legs, I do not know. But it is difficult to maintain that level for so long, let's see what happens with Van der Poel.
Q. Can the cyclocross winter take its toll on the asphalt? He has not stopped this winter and winning without stopping.
A. As long as he wins and makes it easy, because you see him and it seems that it does not cost him, he will continue to do well. We'll see. There are also [Remco] Evenepoel and other young people. Occasionally young people have come out that ravaged and then not so much.
Q. Do you notice any pressure? Last year of contract, responsibility, guys who come as shots ...
A. I want to do things well and win the Paris-Roubaix, so no pressure, the one that I wear I put it on myself. What happens is that everyone needs their time and I go slowly, the rush for whoever wants them.
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