The Blue Line Hotel at La Vila Joiosa (Alicante) hosted Equipo Kern Pharma’s 2021 team presentation this Wednesday. The event was the apex of a one-week training camp held by Spain’s newest UCI ProTeam on the roads of Alicante.
Equipo Kern Pharma has put together a young roster of 20 cyclists ahead of its first season as UCI ProTeam. With an average age of 22,5 yo, the pharmaceutical team will be the youngest out of the 38 teams in cycling’s top two tiers, according to the ProCyclingStats database.
Team Principal Manolo Azcona and Team Manager Juanjo Oroz have kept most of the roster with which Equipo Kern Pharma raced during its maiden season in the UCI ranks as a Continental outfit. 12 riders, such as Enrique Sanz, Jaime Castrillo and Roger Adrià, are staying for a second year in green colours.
Eight riders have joined Equipo Kern Pharma this winter. Three prospects step up from its feeder team, Equipo Lizarte, including Spanish National U23 ITT champion Raúl García Pierna. There have been three international recruits, all of them from UCI Continental teams: Russia’s Savva Novikov, from CCC Development Team; Czech Republic’s Vojtěch Řepa, from Topforex-Lapierre; and Netherlands’ Danny van der Tuuk, from Metec-TKH.
Regarding its racing schedule, Equipo Kern Pharma will focus on the Spanish and French races. The pharmaceutical team will also participate in the national tours of Portugal, Slovenia and Slovakia, among others. The Volta a Catalunya will be the Spanish outfit’s debut on a UCI WorldTour race, while it hopes to deserve and receive a wildcard for the Vuelta al País Vasco, the Clásica de San Sebastián and the Vuelta a España.
“We feel proud of this team,” states Raúl Díaz-Varela, President and CEO of Kern Pharma. “Its main goal is the same as ours: to keep growing and to keep pushing forward towards new challenges. We also feel proud of Finisher®, our sports nutrition brand and the team’s official nutrition partner. Its collection of health and nutrition products will contribute for the team to achieve its goals.”
“We feel butterflies in our stomachs every day”, says Juanjo Oroz, Team Manager of Equipo Kern Pharma. “To be part of the cycling elite is the dream of a lifetime, and also a project shared by many people. It is really special for a group that has been working together for five years, since our days as an amateur squad with Equipo Lizarte, to become the backbone of a professional team.”
“Kern Pharma is the cornerstone of this project. They inspire and strengthen us. We are also lucky to work with Giant, Etxeondo, Globalia… a group of partners who want the best for this team and share its ambition of reaching the summit of this sport. Dreams come true and Equipo Kern Pharma is an example of that.”
Equipo Kern Pharma 2021 – Roster
Roger Adrià (18/04/1998, Barcelona)
Jon Agirre (10/09/1997, Zumaia)
Sergio Araiz (29/04/1998, Ayegui)
Urko Berrade (28/11/1997, Pamplona)
Jaime Castrillo (13/03/1996, Jaca)
Kiko Galván (01/12/1997, Lliça d’Amunt)
Carlos García Pierna (23/07/1999, Tres Cantos)
Raúl García Pierna (23/02/2001, Tres Cantos)
Álex Jaime (29/09/1998, Sarrià de Ter)
Jordi López (14/08/1998, Badalona)
Diego López Fuentes (09/12/1997, Ayegui)
Martí Márquez (09/02/1996, Llinars del Vallès)
Daniel Méndez (02/06/2000, Bogotá)
Iván Moreno (27/05/1996, Castellón)
Savva Novikov (27/07/1999, Tula)
José Félix Parra (16/01/1997, Ossa de Montiel)
Vojtěch Řepa (14/08/2000, Velká Bíteš)
Ibon Ruiz (30/01/1999, Vitoria)
Enrique Sanz (11/09/1989, Orkoien)
Danny van der Tuuk (05/11/1999, Assen)
Staff
Team Principal: Manuel Azcona
Team Manager: Juanjo Oroz
Sports Director: Pablo Urtasun
Mechanics: Mikel Ezkieta, Haritzer Medina
Masseurs: Gabriel Irisarri, Maider Mayoral, Alberto Osés, Mikel Pascual
Nutritionist: Amaia Martioda
Coach: Iosune Murillo
Doctor: Eder Etxeverría
PR: Francis Lafargue
Communications: María Gil, Saúl Iraizoz, Fran Reyes
Gear
Bikes: Giant [TCR Advanced SL; Propel; Trinity Advanced SL]
Wheels and Components: Cadex
Helmets: Giant [Rev Pro Mips; Pursuit; Rivet TT]
Cycling clothing: Etxeondo
Sunglasses: Eassun [Mortirolo; Giant]
Sports Nutrition: Finisher
Bidons: Oneka Distriplex
Home-trainers: Zycle [Smart ZPro]
Training Software: Bkool
