David Arroyo Interview: The Wearer Of The Maglia Rose

CT: First of all, congratulations on your recent result at the Giro, Can you tell us what wearing the Maglia Rosa meant to you?

It has been a fantastic week for me, the best since I am a professional rider. Wearing the pink jersey with the roads crowded with Italian tifossi is a memory I always keep. People love very much that race; I would say that the Giro has a special flavor and this has been a spectacular edition with many attacks from the beginning. 

CT: You defended the pink jersey with such passion and tenacity, can you tell us what the suffering was like, particularly while climbing the Passo del Mortirolo?

I tried to calculate the efforts during the climb up to Mortirolo, knowing that the second part of the stage could be decisive, as my team director, Neil Stephens, suggested to me.  Mortirolo and Zoncolan are among the hardest mountains in cycling and I usually do better in the Pyrenees or the French Alps, with long slopes and less gradient.

CT: Wet roads and steep inclines made the descent of Stage 19 so dangerous. People  were on the edge of their seats watching you fly down the mountain. Were you nervous or could you only think about the stage?

I thought the descent was worth taking the risk, the asphalt was in good condition. After the Gavia stage, the Italian TV asked me why I did not take the risk there. There it was really dangerous road, with parts dry and an old asphalt with holes. And ravines nearby! 

CT:  What inspired you to want to become a professional cyclist?

I started cycling seriously at the age of 15 and I have always been a lover of nature; cycling it is a way to visit places also and little by little I got more involved in it.

CT: Caisse D'Epargne is such a strong team, and you have been with them for about 5 years. What does it mean to you to be with one of the biggest Pro Tour teams?

This is a really serious team who tries to compete for the overall in all the races. For that reason, the team tries that domestics as me have our chances in a couple of races during the year.  It is a way to give experience of winning to many riders.  My team mates really fought hard in the break of L´Aquila and during the last week against the push of Liquigas.

 And finally…

CT: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?!

I am very normal guy, but let me say that I like Spanish food. Jamón would be a good choice, I think!

Photos courtesy of Bob Cullinan. To see more