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WORLD HEALTH DAY. 7 APRIL 2021
At Bguara, we are convinced of the health benefits of sports practice. That’s why we offer you routes in the best possible environment, the Sierra de Guara, a playground where you can take care of your body and mind.
On World Health Day, we chat with Sergio Pérez, from Monzón, a professional cycling coach who owns the website https://www.sergiobike.com/ and is passionate about cycling.
Interview with Sergio Pérez
Who is Sergio Pérez?
You could say I’m an entrepreneur on wheels. Since I stopped being a professional cyclist, I’ve tried to stay connected to my passion, cycling, through various initiatives: Pirineo en Ruta, Bikefriendly, Aula en Bici, Coordinator of the Bike Promotion Plan at the Provincial Council, Selector for the Federation, Sports Advisor for Vuelta España, customer service at MammothBikes, etc. I could bore you!
But my current job is as a coach; I am 100% dedicated to my cyclists at https://www.sergiobike.com/. I’ve been a coach for 15 years, though officially for one year.
Cycling has enormous potential; there are hundreds of reasons why it is an unstoppable sector that is going from strength to strength… in tourism, sport, transport, and so on.
Do you go cycling in the Sierra de Guara?
Of course, whether you’re on the road or in the mountains, it’s a spectacular setting that really gets you into shape.
Do you have any clients who train in the Sierra de Guara?
Yes, both when I worked at Pirineo en Ruta and at Bikefriendly, we used to organise rides with clients in the Sierra Guara, and now I still do them with QDADAS with the cyclists I train; it’s the perfect way for us to ‘blow off some steam’.
How does taking part in sport affect our physical and mental health?
I’m not going to tell you anything you don’t already know: in this day and age, getting out into nature is essential and is undoubtedly part of the healthy habits needed for a fulfilling and balanced life. The Sierra de Guara is a real gem; it surprises me that there are people who, despite knowing it, leave the province to ‘get away from it all’.
Do you think people generally take part in sport, or is a sedentary lifestyle more common?
In the circles I move in, I sense that health is becoming an increasingly important issue; cancer, cardiovascular disease, stress, anxiety, obesity and depression… are all the order of the day. There’s no doubt that our habits play a decisive role in bringing us closer to or further away from these issues. The phrase ‘if you don’t have time for health, one day you might have time for illness’ is etched in my mind; unfortunately, in most cases we only change our habits when we’re really in a fix.
What does physical training for cyclists involve?
Phew, it’s tricky to sum up, but the key is to structure your training loads carefully so that you can make consistent progress in a way that suits your circumstances.
Cycling is evolving rapidly day by day, both in terms of equipment and physical training. With the arrival of power meters, we coaches now have a wealth of metrics to analyse a cyclist’s requirements with great precision and try to hit the mark based on their goals, but as I tell my cyclists: the season is like making a pizza; the most important thing is to make a really good base, with a ‘thick’ dough, so that we can then add whatever ingredients we want.
What sort of cyclists use your services?
From the cycle tourist aiming to finish the Quebrantahuesos in under 8 hours, to cyclists competing in the top-tier UCI Pro Tour… just imagine, I’ve got it all!
Who would you recommend using this type of service?
Any cyclist who wants to enjoy cycling with the assurance of having fun, making progress and learning more and more about cycling.
What advice would you give to people who are taking up cycling for the first time, even if it’s on an electric bike?
Cycling is a privilege, based on this premise, enjoying every single pedal stroke that we can take makes it it is a sport that gets you hooked, for the rest of your life.
What common mistakes do you see your clients making when preparing for exams?
They want to go faster than they’re capable of; generally speaking, they don’t know how to slow down enough when they need to, and as a result, they don’t know how to go as fast as they could… you have to take the steps one by one, and there’s no such thing as instant success in competitive sport.
Is there a particular route, trail or spot in the Sierra de Guara that you like best? Why would you recommend it?
I’ve still got loads of places to explore, but Vadiello, the Nocito area, Rodellar, the Mascún Gorge and the Canyons… anyone who comes here is going to be blown away – it’s absolutely stunning.
