BAHRAIN MERIDA. PURITO SI RITIRA, FARÀ IL TECNICO

PROFESSIONISTI | 09/12/2016 | 17:21
Joaquin Rodriguez ha deciso di mettere la sua eccezionale esperienza al servizio del team Bahrain Merida entrando a far parte dello staff tecnico della squadra per il triennio 2017-2019.
Joaquin Rodriguez - 37 anni, uno dei più grandi ciclisti di Spagna, professionista per 17 anni con eccellenti risultati - ha deciso con il suo agente e la famiglia di non continuare a correre. Si prepara invece all’esordio come tecnico e uno dei suoi compiti principali sarà quello di lavorare con i giovani e trasmettere loro le sue esperienze ciclistiche. Sarà inoltre ambasciatore delle biciclette Merida nel mondo, lavorando a stretto contatto con gli specialisti del team. Infine contribuirà anche a promuovere la conoscenza del Bahrain nel mondo e lavorerà a stretto contatto con la Bahrain Tourism Association.

Dopo aver preso questa difficile decisione, Joaquin Purito Rodriguez ha commentato: «Dopo aver riflettuto a lungo e cercato di riprendere la normale routine di corridore, mi sono reso conto di non poterlo fare. Così, con il sostegno della mia famiglia e degli amici, ho deciso di non tornare a correre. Vorrei ringraziare tutti coloro che mi hanno incitato a tornare, ma credo sia meglio smettere se non sono sicuro di poterlo fare al livello che vorrei. Naturalmente, sono grato anche al Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team: hanno creduto in me, mi hanno messo nelle condizioni di tornare e mi hanno dato libertà di scelta. Io semplicemente mi sono reso conto che non sono preparato fisicamente e mentalmente per un ritorno al 100%. Detto questo, sono orgoglioso di annunciare che in futuro lavorerò per il Pro Cycling Team Bahrain Merida, si tratta di una grande sfida».

Brent Copeland, General Manager del Team Bahrain Merida a sua volta ha commentato: «Sosteniamo Purito in questa difficile decisione, sappiamo quanto sia dura per un ciclista professionista porre fine alla sua carriera agonistica e abbiamo voluto dargli l'opportunità di chiudere con il nostro team, così come abbiamo lasciato a lui ogni libera decisione e siamo lieti che abbia accettato la nostra proposta di mettere la sua esperienza al servizio della nostra squadra».

Joaquin Rodriguez has decided to contribute his exceptional experience to team BAHRAIN MERIDA together with the teams technical staff for 2017, 2018 and 2019 Joaquin Rodriguez, age 37, one of the great cyclists of Spain who has had a professional cycling career lasting 17 years with an exceptional amount of results competing in the worlds most prestigious races. After he signed to ride for the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team and before the first “working” training camp, together with his agent and family has decided that it is to his best interest to not continue as a pro cyclist but he is very excited to announce continuing and contributing his exceptional experience to the team. Because of his rich experience in the peloton and his wide knowledge which he built during his long lasting professional career, BAHRAIN MERIDA management team offered him an important position among the technical staff of the team. One of his main roles will be working with young talents and giving them the opportunity to learn from his cycling experiences. As a winner of many competitions in the world of professional cycling, Rodriguez has huge amount of knowledge as a pro cyclist as well as he will be an important part of the contribution to the promotion of Merida bikes as an important ambassador, working closely with their representatives and team specialists. Last but not least, he will also help to promote the country of Bahrain and work closely with Bahrain Tourism Association. Team BAHRAIN MERIDA are very pleased to announce that Rodriguez will be joining the team and staff at most of the important races in the upcoming season. After taking this difficult decision, Joaquin Purito Rodriguez commented: “After taking enough time to think and also trying to come back to a working routine, I realized it was not possible for me. So, with the support of my family and friends, I decided not to come back to the competition at the highest of levels. I would like to thank everyone that supported me to come back; I am honored and you really made my decision difficult, but I believe it is better not to come back if I am not sure I can do it at the top level and be competitive to offer my fans what they deserve. Of course, I am grateful also to the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team. They believed in me, they gave me all the conditions to return and they gave me the freedom of choice, but I realized, speaking with them, that I am not prepared physically and mentally, for a 100 % come back. I wanted to announce this before the start of the new season, because the riders are the protagonists and they deserve the full attention. Having said this, I am very proud to announce that In the future I will work for the BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team, I will contribute, help and transmit my experience and knowledge to the young riders in the team. It is a big challenge which I am very grateful to the team for this amazing opportunity. Having 17 years of cycling career, I hope I can continue my work confidently in my new role and stay connected with cycling and cycling fans. And as I said at the past Tour the France -‐ Thank you, cycling! You are and always will be, the best thing that happened in my life. Thank you everyone!” Brent Copeland, Team BAHRAIN MERIDA General Manager commented on Rodriguez decision: “We support Purito with this difficult decision, we know how hard it is for a professional cyclist to end his racing career and we wanted to give him the opportunity to end his career with our team, we left the final decision up to him and wanted him to be free with what he best decided, as we have said before the first contact with Joaquin was made with the intention of him working with the technical staff of the team so we are pleased that he has decided to continue in this direction, the opportunity for our riders and staff to use his priceless experience and knowledge is something that is worth an immense amount to the team and we take pride in having Purito in this position, there is no better way to support a rider with his kind of personality, expertize and knowledge than offer him an important role of this sort, at BAHRAIN MERIDA we believe that an expert rider as Purito should be kept within the cycling world, we salute him as one of the worlds best cyclists and we welcome him as one of the teams staff members and look forward to many more years of working together.” BAHRAIN MERIDA Pro Cycling Team