"Maybe the mentality is sometimes too relaxed": Riders give insight at Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Not Unibet Rose Rockets, but TotalEnergies and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA have received the two wildcards allocated by Tour de France organizer ASO for the French stage race. The choice of the latter, the Spanish ProTeam, came as a surprise in the Low Countries. Perhaps mainly because we don’t know much about the team here. During the Tour of Oman, WielerFlits changes that after talks with some insiders from the team.

Of the 26 riders on Caja Rural, eight are not Spanish. The team’s main language is still largely Spanish, and most of the staff are from Spain as well. The odd ones out include the Italian Stefano Oldani, who arrived last winter from Cofidis, and the Australian Sebastian Berwick. The latter is already in his third year with the team. They’ll guide us through the team.

"I actually didn’t speak a word of Spanish when I signed here," Berwick reveals. "I only joined the team quite late after my contract with Israel-Premier Tech was not renewed. Why would I want to go to a Spanish team then? For fun. The Spaniards are really nice people. By now I understand a bit, but I don’t speak the language well yet. Everyone is very relaxed about that, and many young riders nowadays can speak some English. They don’t expect me to take Spanish lessons either."

For Oldani, the choice was a bit more logical. "From my time at Alberto Contador’s Kometa team, I already learned Spanish. I speak it pretty well now and really feel part of the family," says the fast Italian. "I also came late onto the market. From the outside, it seemed like a team that worked well and had a great history. When they showed interest, I saw it as a great opportunity. From the inside, it’s even better than I expected."

Important detail: at that time, the two did not yet know that Caja Rural could clinch a Tour wildcard. "You hoped for it somehow, because the start is in Barcelona, it’s a team that keeps growing and has good sponsors," says Berwick. "But I didn’t expect it." Oldani: "There were rumors, but for it to actually happen is a great reward for the way they work here."

"Forced to professionalize by UCI points"
Oldani describes the team as "a family environment" and "a team with a typical Spanish mentality." But what exactly is that mentality? Berwick: "Spaniards are very pleasant to work with. The atmosphere is very relaxed, maybe sometimes a bit too relaxed. They all tell the same kind of jokes and have the same outlook on life. That makes it a nice environment."

Still, the Australian sees an even more defining factor at Caja Rural. "They have a super long history." Berwick is right: the Spanish bank already participated three times in the Tour with a team in the 1980s, but the current incarnation was founded in 2010. "That a sponsor stays in the race for more than twenty years is unique in cycling. That makes the team very special. They have always persevered and deserve this gift."

That perseverance also came with a lot of effort. "In the last year, you’ve felt big steps in professionalism compared to the two years before. Progress has been made on all fronts. The UCI points system gave them the right pressure to change, I think. The bike brand (MMR, ed.) has improved, they send us to altitude camps. We now also simply have nutritionists. It comes down to watching and learning well from what the other teams do," Berwick laughs.

Scoring mainly with climbers
We believe that, but why do the riders think the team has a place in the Tour de France? "Because we are a very present team. We have a few good sprinters and punchers," says the Australian. "But I think we will especially stand out with the good climbers in our roster and in long breakaways. Last year in the Vuelta you already saw how much we love to attack, and how we can gain time for a good placing in the GC. We always have to be in the mix and show ourselves to the world."

Oldani, already a former stage winner in the Giro d’Italia, wants to take responsibility in that. They also mention Colombian former top sprinter Fernando Gaviria, puncher Eduard Prades, and climbers Alex Balderstone and Jaume Guardeño (numbers thirteen and fourteen in the Vuelta). "In the end, there are always riders you don’t expect who take a big step in the Tour de France. That can happen quickly."

A unique opportunity
Within the team, they realize it’s a unique chance. "If you don’t get excited about this, I don’t know what else," laughs Oldani. "It’s the biggest race in the world. I notice everyone is very happy and motivated. But there’s also a bit of stress. You want to deliver now that you have this opportunity and not fail on the biggest stage. It’s, besides the biggest, also the toughest race there is."

Berwick: "What Stefano says, I recognize. For an Australian like me, the Tour de France means everything. If you haven’t ridden there, you’re not considered a real rider by them. That only adds motivation. The team also stresses that everyone must stay very consistent and build up properly. It’s about not getting sick or injured, focusing on points and grabbing this chance."