The big day has arrived and the excitement is building. Aleix Espargaró feels butterflies in his stomach like when he started his motorsport career as a child, even more so. Today he will make his professional cycling debut with the Lidl-Trek Future Racing team at the Tour of Austria. It's (obviously) a completely different story compared to his motorcycle racing career, but the first-time excitement is strong.

And the expectations are high, given that last April he debuted in gravel at the UCI Gravel World Series 114 Race, finishing 7th overall and securing a pass for the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships. Espargaró discovered his passion for non-motorized two wheels years ago following a back injury and has always cultivated it, often riding with professional Spanish cyclists. Now it's time for his road debut in the top category.

From July 9th to 13th, the 35-year-old Spaniard, former MotoGP rider but still today a Honda tester and test rider (a week ago he used a wildcard to return to the track in Assen, ed.) will race among professional cyclists with the development team of the World Tour formation led by Luca Guercilena. He told us about his feelings via video call from Austria, wearing the Lidl Trek jersey and HRC cap.

Aleix, how do you feel?

"I feel happy and lucky. This period of my life is incredible. I never thought I would return to MotoGP, but I received this opportunity and grabbed it on the fly. In a few hours, I'll be at the start of a professional race, having never raced one even as an amateur. It's something illogical, but for a true enthusiast like me, it's a dream come true. I'm doing something historic and unique, and I'm proud of it. I was nervous, but after the reconnaissance of the first stage, I'm more relaxed and can't wait to put the number on my back."

More excited now or when you first debuted in MotoGP?

"Now. I reached the top of motorsport through a classic path, category by category. This time, I'll find myself in a group with half of my idols, from whom I have everything to learn. Racing in such an important team is a privilege. I'm a good and humble worker. The coaches are confident in my numbers, and my goal is to help the team and enjoy this surreal experience. I've received messages from champion cycling friends like Carlos Verona, Juanpe Lopez, Marc Soler, Ivan Cortina, Enric Mas... They wrote to me, 'You're doing something great. I could never imagine myself in MotoGP,' making me reflect on the scale of this debut."

What differences have you noticed between motorcycling and cycling?

"They are completely different sports. The team is fundamental in both, but even more so in cycling. Pedaling is physically harder; riding in MotoGP is very demanding and requires a lot of gym training, but in terms of suffering, cycling is one of the most exhausting sports. The bike is also very mental; it pushes you to give your maximum, to discover your limits, to try to overcome them. That's why I love it."

From captain to domestique: how are you living this role change?

"My cycling adventure is a great challenge, completely different from my 20 years in the World Championship. I'll gladly help my teammates, work until I explode; I'm part of the team. I have no reverence or fears. I'm used to tension, high speed, and contacts. Both on a bike and a motorcycle, you must be super focused, respect opponents but fear no one. I want to learn from those more experienced than me in this field and position myself in the best way possible."

How have you trained to be ready for this opportunity?

"I was already training a lot on the bike when I was a professional rider. In the last 8 years, we can say that cycling was already my life; I defined myself as 'a cyclist who races in MotoGP'. However, the many trips my job required didn't allow me to pedal more than 10-12,000 km per year. I've ridden more in the last 6 months (his Strava shows 14,325 km to date, ed.). For this opportunity, I must thank Carlos Verona, a long-time friend, who last year when I confided that I would retire because I felt I no longer had the energy to do the work I had done for 20 years, told me, 'Cycling has always been your passion; you should try.' Thanks to him, to Luca Guercilena, and to the entire group for welcoming me. I can't wait to start."