Cycling: The García Pierna brothers: “Our father gave us the passion, that’s why we are here”

Phear the veins of Carlos and Ral cycling blood runs. They are children of the ex-cyclist Flix Garca Casas and, until this year 2023, both have competed on the same team. Both went through MARCA to say goodbye to the year.

What is it like to live and train in Madrid as a cyclist?

RG. We don’t live in central Madrid and perhaps that makes things a little easier for us. We live in Tres Cantos and, from there, we go directly to the bike path and in no time you are in the Sierra. For that it is very well located and we also have the airport very close. That’s a positive point. We save a lot of traffic by not living downtown.

CG. Winter here is a bit unpleasant because it is very cold, but we make up for it with the people around here who help you train together. Then the weather is good and all that is good for us.

You come from a cyclist family, does your passion come from him?

CG. We have ridden with him since we were little, but he has never forced us. She has been a reference for us. He took us out for a bike ride along the lane, he tortured us a lot, but we are very grateful. He gave us the passion and we have become professionals.

RG. I remember almost nothing about watching him on TV. It sounds familiar to me when he stopped running and we saw him at the Clavero Memorial. Sometimes she has shown us a competition video and from there we know how she runs.

And now, do you still see each other at the races?

RG. Match not too much. But before, when I was in Aeolus, we did agree more in the concentrations. This year we were close at the Super World Cup in Scotland, but we saw little of each other.

CG. Last year in the race we did agree more when he was director in Aeolus. We were in Turkey, Asturias… and this campaign we saw ourselves in the Challenge at least. You talk for a little while and it is always appreciated.

Until December 31, do they run together, do they always share a room?

CG.

The year of the pandemic they did put us together a lot, maybe it was more comfortable for the team. In the rest of the races they tend to change us because it is positive to share time with other colleagues.

RG. Here in Madrid we are always together at home. Now that we separate teams we will agree less, but now we almost had the same plan. Then in the summer there are more races, but you meet at home even if you don’t go to the same races.

Good and bad things about always being together?

RG. The worst thing is if there is one down. You know you haven’t fallen, but it could be your brother. The nice thing is that your brother is also there in the platoon.

CG. I think similar. This 2024 will also be difficult because we are not on the same team. In those types of racing situations you know that bad things can happen and you are tense.

Which Madrid cyclists do you go out with?

RG. With the Serrano brothers (Gonzalo and Javi) and with Diego Sevilla, although he lives in the south. We went out with Sergio Martín from time to time, but unfortunately not now after the accident. There is also Evan Anguela, from Galapagar.

CG. It’s sad because before, when my father was racing, they had a group of 15 pros. They lived next door and went out every day. Now we are very very few, but it is what it is. It is more difficult to balance because everyone has their specific job and they don’t work five hours like they did before.

How do they do those trainings?

CG. We try to square the stop at least, but it all depends on our training. Luckily, we always tend to find someone to at least spend some time together. We usually train a lot in the mountain area when we have to do passes. If it doesn’t come, we do it closer to home without going up to the ports. The best thing, for us, is to train accompanied.

Speaking of 2024, how will you face the course?

RG. The objective is the same as always: to establish itself in the category. I want to be a solvent runner. Having that broader calendar, or at least the possibility, I think it will give a level. I’m really looking forward to it, working everything I have to start the year well and not too far behind. So far the change is noticeable because you change the entire work group, but the biggest modifications will come with the races. I want to have that good level to respond with what they ask of me and take advantage of the opportunities I have.

Why to France with Arkea? Did it matter that her father left there years ago?

RG. France has not had an influence in its day, but it did tell me that it had been good there. They bet a lot on me. It is a project that we like. We liked what we talked about at the time and we thought it was a very good option. It is a decision that has already been made and there is no point in thinking about whether I would have done this or that. I’m happy with the decision and now it’s time to see how it goes.

Everyone likes to know what happened to Movistar.

RG. Many things happened, too many… I found out about my signing from the news out there, but many things happened. In the end they don’t depend on me or us either. These are things that happen and it doesn’t make sense to dwell on them too much.

Q. Carlos, and at Kern Pharma?

CG. Looking forward and confident for the new year. Already in the first concentration they told us the team’s objectives. With the new regulations you have to be among the top 30 to be eligible to run LaVuelta. That is the primary objective and we must fight for it. It is our main showcase and we have to fight for it.

Q. Are Arrieta, Pierna, Adri gone… can you notice their absence?

RG. They are good runners and we are going to miss them. Now it’s time to adapt to the situation we have. There is a balanced team and I think we can do interesting things. Having options during the year is going to be good for us. We don’t know when we will have the opportunity, but we have to take advantage of it.