MADRID, 8 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish cycling team debuted this Wednesday at the European Track Championships in Grenchen (Switzerland) with Eukene Larrarte’s silver medal in the scratch event, while the women’s team pursuit quartet established a new best national mark.
The 24-year-old Larrarte took the continental podium after Spain’s record-breaking effort, reading the scratch brilliantly. The one from Tolosa reserved her strength until her time came with 10 laps to go with the Portuguese María Martins. In the sprint, Martins took gold.
“I feel very happy and incredibly satisfied. I have won silver in a European Championship and it is a moment that I have dreamed of many times and I still find it hard to believe. I think that with this medal I receive the award for all the work done. I remember a lot now about my family and all the people who have supported me”, he said in statements to the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC).
“I went with María Martins and I hesitated a bit because she is very fast, but I saw that we opened up a gap and I opted to go forward. In the end, I arrived with just enough strength and I had some problem with the bike and I focused on second place, which is an immense joy”, he added.
The first day of competition at the Grenchen velodrome had started well for Spain with a new national record set by Tania Calvo, Laura Rodríguez, Isabel Ferreres and Eukene Larrarte herself, with a time of 4:28.054. The quartet improved the previous mark by 7 seconds.
“It’s a very beautiful time, we have made a big jump. We have formed a very nice group and this has to give us encouragement to continue forward,” Larrarte commented. After finishing seventh in qualifying, the Spanish pursuit team will face Italy in the first round this Thursday.