Noa Hirst, Dani Castellanos and Laura Márquez stepped on the podium in their respective categories
The DHI Spanish Cup raised the curtain last Sunday with its first scoring event in Otívar (Granada). An event that marked the premiere of the structure focused on this discipline that Chus Castellanos has sponsored for 2024 within Planet MTB, with 3 worthy riders who made their big debut, all of them getting on the podium.
A demanding 1.6 kilometer track, which forced the participants to reach this start well... and Daniel Castellanos did not fail. Making his debut in the U23 category in style, the man from Madrid was unstoppable and won the scratch in both the qualification series and the final, beating all of his rivals.
“I come back from Otívar very happy,” said Dani on the return trip. “In qualifying I clocked 2:46 and in the final I managed to lower my time by 2.” I have started the year on the right foot and with a lot of confidence. In two weeks comes the second test of the Cup in Sant Andreu de la Barca and I will go with a lot of motivation and with the desire to give everything after this result.”
Furthermore, he was satisfied with how his body responded: “I felt quite strong, finding a very physical circuit, both in length and in arm work, as it had a lot of stone. It even had flat areas and some small climbs where you had to pedal. You had to be very good. In the end tired but with good resistance.”
Como decíamos antes, Planet MTB ha creado esta estructura a la que se incorpora el junior Noa Hirst y la cadete Laura Márquez. Ambos estuvieron magníficos también en Otívar, propiciando un hat trick en el podio en un debut inolvidable para Planet MTB.
Noa is a 1st year junior, he is British and lives in Tarifa (Cádiz). On Sunday he qualified 2nd, staying only 24” behind the winner in his category, Francisco Mato. For her part, Laura is a 2nd year cadet and is the current Spanish runner-up in the specialty. In Otívar she won emphatically against Irene García Crespo.
The structure will have the support of MTR-2 during the 2024 season.
Text: Planet MTB/Chus Castellanos
