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Llaneras retires with all-star sendoff
Spanish track cyclist Joan Llaneras received an all-star sendoff Sunday in his farewell event in Madrid.
Joined by Olympic road cycling gold medalist Samuel Sánchez, Tour de France champions Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador and ProTour winner Alejandro Valverde, the 39-year-old Llaneras officially ended his long career with a criterium on the outskirts of Madrid.
This summer, Llaneras struck gold in the points race and silver in the Madison in Beijing and recently competed in some six-day events before his retirement bash this weekend.
“My medals in Beijing are more the fruit of labor than experience,” Llaneras told AS. “I am 39 and you have to know when to close the circle. I am leaving at the ideal moment, from the highest point of the Olympic podium.”
Surrounded by his all-star compatriots, Llaneras said Spanish cycling is enjoying its finest moment.
“Now we are gathering the fruit of the enthusiasm provoked by Pedro Delgado and Indurain among the youngsters,” said Llaneras, referring to the Spanish stars of the 1980s and 1990s. “We have to take advantage of the boom of all these latest victories in Spanish cycling and keep enjoying the high level we know have.”
Llaneras is Spain’s most successful trackie, winning seven world titles — three in the Madison and four in the points race — along with his first gold medal in Sydney 2000 with the points race and silver behind surprise winner Mikhail Ignatiev in Athens 2004.
Llaneras wasn’t expecting to race in Beijing, but a tragic turn of events fueled his ambition to continue racing. He was hoping to retire in the world track cycling championships in 2007 on his home island of Mallorca .
Isaac Gálvez — his world championship Madison partner 1999 and 2006 — died after colliding with a railing during a six-day event in Ghent in November, 2006.
At Mallorca, he rode on emotion to lap the entire field in the points race and win his fourth career world title. He dedicated the victory to his fallen friend and has never publicly spoken about it since.
At Beijing, teamed up with new partner Toni Tauler in the Madison and, largely thanks to Llaneras’ strength, the pair came home with silver.
Llaneras said he will now turn to coaching and try to help the next generation of Spanish track cyclists. He’ll work from Mallorca on the island’s new velodrome inaugurated at last year’s world championships.
