The sight of cycling teams training on Mojácar’s roads and pedalling along the Paseo Marítimo is almost an everyday occurrence for everyone driving or walking around the town. With Winter, the beach umbrellas and swimsuits give way to these groups in their multicoloured kits, at a time of year when the traffic is much lighter.
It has been the turn of the professional cycling team, Novo Nordisk, to not only brighten up the place, but bring a new element to the sport as they are the first world team of athletes with type 1 diabetes and are true advocates for the fight against this illness.
Novo Nordisk was founded in the United States by the pharmaceutical company of the same name, although its 16 elite racers include around 12 different nationalities, enjoying success at the most prestigious international events and regularly stepping up onto the podium.
The team was created with the mission to inspire, educate and give a driving force to those affected by showing that diabetes does not crush talent or the desire to do what you want to do as well as competing at the highest level.
This year, Mojácar has been chosen as the place for all the cyclists to assemble for their first training of the 2019 season. David Lozano, a professional rider, has been part of the team since it was set up in 2013 and has a long record of both personal and Novo Nordisk victories.
David has spent a week in Mojácar with the team, checking out equipment and getting the team ready. He has been amazed by Mojácar and hopes to be able to repeat the experience in the future, but for the time being, competitions begin in February and go on until October with a total of 85 races taking place around the world.
First will be the Rwanda Tour, where David was champion earlier this year. For him, his illness only means an extra level of control above that made by any athlete. He admits to it taking a “slightly harder” effort, but is keen to stress on the other hand, the effect sports have in dramatically improving diabetes.
Both racers and the Novo Nordisk staff have been staying at the town’s Servigroup Hotel Marina Playa which has all the specialized facilities to meet the demands of professional cycling teams as well as other high-level sportsmen and women that visit during the cooler months.
