Heura Piñol Granadino

How and when did you start cycling?

I started cycling in 2020. At that time, cycling was a secondary sport for me. I practised ultradistance trail-running and I cycled on recovery days. Then Covid-19 arrived and I started cycling on the rollers. By the time we were able to leave the house, cycling had become my main sport. At the beginning of last year, I bought a gravel bike because I missed the mountains and the feeling of freedom that trail running gave me.

What made you want to start competitions?

When I started cycling, I had the opportunity to join a French road cycling team, Le Boulou. I loved trying it and I learned a lot from it, but I think that competing on the road doesn’t suit my sporting character or my way of being. Last year, I decided to start competing on my own in gravel and I discovered that I love it.

What races are you anticipating the most?

I think the race that motivates me the most is Traka 360. It will be my first long race and that makes me excited. I think I can become a good long-distance cyclist because I’m a very stubborn person and I manage suffering well. Traka 360, for me, is a new beginning, and all beginnings are very exciting.

What do you think about the evolution of women’s gravel and women’s cycling in general?

I think we still have many battles left before we can say that women’s cycling is as evolved as men’s cycling. It’s true that in recent years we have made progress: more professional (and non-professionals) women’s teams, women’s competitions have become visible. But we still have a long way to go. I think it’s necessary to make women’s cycling even more visible.

One of your best race memories

The best racing memory is, without a doubt, my first road cycling race with the French team. They invited me to the last race of the French Cup to be able to evaluate how I was moving in the race and within the bunch. It was really a disaster! I fell, I had mechanical problems, I couldn’t find my place, and still I tried again and again until I finished the race. I remember the team manager telling me: “There are few girls as stubborn as you!!”

Any pro tips for race preparation?

I believe that a race doesn’t only involve the day of the race. Nutrition, hydration and rest in the days before are very important. My little trick: the night before the race I imagine how it will go. I imagine myself fighting for the top positions (although it may not be like that later), having good feelings, etc. This way, I feel safe on the starting line.