Iván Raña returns from the world of professional cycling to his beloved triathlon. He was riding for Spanish team Xacobeo Galicia for the season. The experience was interesting, but Raña cited too many problems in order to stay in cycling.
The Spaniard said he had a passion for cycling, but at the end of the season was left with a mixture of “bad feelings and having great fun” at the same time. “I can be a cyclist,” the European Triathlon Champion of 2002 declared to Spanish paper Marca.
One of the reasons he switched back had to do with the current state of cycling. “The situation in cycling is very difficult. It’s not giving me confidence.” He opts instead for something more secure and wants to return to the same level when he left triathlon. “Although it will take me four to five months to re-adapt myself.”
His goal are the London Olympics in 2012. “I hope to never leave triathlon again,” he said.
His progress as a cyclist was steady. “In March, I wasn’t in contention for wins, but by mid-season and towards the end I had the feeling I could be in the front.”
He hopes that some of the experiences from his professional cycling days will translate into a faster bike split, but his biggest goal is to improve his swimming and running skills.
In cycling he learned how to suffer. “There is a lot of tension in the races. Your heart rate is at 180 and you have to think quickly,” he said.
The Spanish Triathlon Federation (FETRI) is excited to have Raña back. “His experience in cycling will help him a lot,” said Lorenzo Bernal, vice president of FETRI. But Bernal thought it would be a bit complicated to fit Raña back in the team.
The technical director Juan Rodríguez saw less of a problem. “It’s like he never left. He has the support of the federation.”