Perico Delgado’s emotional memory of the late cyclist Ángel Arroyo: “He was a turning point in Spanish cycling with his performance in the 1983 Tour. In those years we Spaniards were considered second-class citizens”

There are people, athletes, in this case cyclists, who leave their mark on those who have been lucky enough to get to know them. This Sunday the Avila cyclist died Angel Arroyo at the age of 70, after nearly two weeks in hospital facing a serious illness detected half a year ago.

The surname Arroyo may not appear on the list of preferences of the youngest cycling fans, but this is largely what it is thanks to the breed of riders like Ángel, who was born in El Barraco, Ávila, in 1956.

Arroyo began competing in 1979 in the ranks of the Moliner-Verecoto move to the year following the Fosforera-Vereco-Campagnolo and in 1981 to Zor-Helios-Novostil; before joining the Reynolds team, today Movistar, where he would achieve his best successes.

In his ten years as a professional – his last career was in the Return of Mexicoin which he finished 2nd -, Arroyo obtained 18 victories and overall his best mark was 2nd place in the 1983 Tour de France after Fignon.

After his loss, many colleagues wanted to pay tribute to Arroyo with their words. Thus, the former professional cyclist Eduardo Chozas He said “what sad news that we would never want to know. We have lost a friend, a great cyclist, a great person. A companion since my beginnings in cycling when we were children. Ganan, wasps, Carpanta, he gave us all nicknames, always happy and jovial”

Alejandro Valverde, former world champion and current national coach, had these words for him “rest in peace Ángel Arroyo. One of the great names of Spanish cycling in the eighties. A big hug to family and friends”, the general manager of the team, Eusebio Unzuéwrote Ángel an emotional letter.

“I’m very sad, Ángel,” it begins, in which it is noted that “I always had a special devotion for you. You arrived in 1982, when we were barely two years into this adventure, and you were one of those who showed us the way. That Vuelta of ’82, the podium in our first Tour of ’83, were fundamental to understanding how far this team could go… but above all, you helped lay the foundations of this team and a way of understanding cycling that has given us accompanied since then: always being there, fighting for the general classifications and grand tours… We will remember you for countless details and moments, but, above all, for the mark you left on all of us. You have ensured that we never forget you, dear Ángel. See you forever.

Also Perico Delgado had some nice words towards his former teammate in Reynolds: “When a friend leaves, he leaves silence; but he also leaves a life full of memories. Arroyito, those memories will always be the place where we will meet again,” the Segovian wrote on his social networks while