“Even if it costs a little more because we are not used to it, you have to adapt”
The adoption of severe measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus and urgently curb the pressure on the health system, with the decree of the State of Alert by the Spanish government and one of its great concretions in the confinement of many millions of people, has changed overnight the day-to-day life of many people. Human beings of different ages, diverse hobbies and multiple occupations. We went to the junior structure of the Alberto Contador Foundation to find out how one of its members, Arnau Gilabert from Barcelona, lives this day by day.
Gilabert, second year junior, is one of the new faces incorporated since the last edition of the Selection Campus and in this start of the year he has been one of the most outstanding riders. “It’s a bit complicated to handle all this, but we have to adapt,” says Arnau Gilabert about this forced break with its consequent confinement. His day-to-day life, in many ways, has completely disappeared. “I used to work in a fruit warehouse in the mornings, train at midday and go to school in the afternoons. I was busy all day. Now it’s impossible. Now I can’t work because there is hardly any work, almost nothing is sold,” he adds.
In the face of this period, however, Gilabert follows to the letter the advice that allows him to live a more bearable forced confinement. “Above all, I try to follow the habits I already had. When I wake up, I have a quiet breakfast, I train on the roller, and I also take advantage of the time to rest a bit and relax by doing some of the things that I like to do and that I couldn’t do until now because of the schedule: reading books related to cycling, watching a movie… One of my favourite books is Jugar con el corazón by Xesco Espar and I’m currently reading Sé imparable. Of the films that I have perhaps liked the most these days, both Creed 1 and Creed 2“.
And of course, the studies, always very much taken into account within the direction of the Alberto Contador Foundation and more within the youth structure. Arnau is currently studying an intermediate degree in mechanics. “At five o’clock in the afternoon I start with the classes, we must not be neglected. From the institute they ask us for homework. We are still connected to the teachers through the Internet. Even if it costs a little more because we are not used to it, we have to adapt to the circumstances and, as they say, we can’t neglect it”.
Asked if he misses the races, Gilabert is very sincere: “A lot, really; more than anything because I started the season on the right foot, going from less to more with the last weekend at the Víctor Cabedo and the truth is that I would like to be able to give continuity to all the work done. And I think there is no better place to show it than in competition”.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
📸 @flandiers
