Félix Laguna pedals hard in his free time

“I feel like I’m missing something on days when I don’t train.” Since he started amateur cycling seven years ago, Felix has been much more balanced. “Sport makes me physically and mentally fit,” affirms the Spaniard.

Short distances.

At the end of his working day on board his Actros 1845, Félix swaps the comfortable driver’s seat for the saddle of his mountain bike. He prefers to cycle in a natural environment: “There is nothing better,” says the truck driver, who lives in the 1,000-inhabitant city of Alhama de Aragón in the province of Zaragoza.

It takes Félix at most five minutes to get to work in the morning, as his house is two streets away from the headquarters of Transportes Colas e Hijos.

Félix has been transporting industrial luminaires from the interior lighting manufacturer Zalux for 15 years. His routes are short: either from the factory to the assembly plant (both in Alhama de Aragón) or from the assembly plant to the Plaza logistics park in Zaragoza. This leaves him plenty of time in the afternoon for his favourite sport.

Training four times per week.

“I just like being on wheels,” he says, winking. Seven years ago, a friend suggested that he accompany him on one of his bike routes. “I’ve been hooked ever since,” he says. “Bike riding reminds us of our childhood and gives us a sense of freedom,” he says, smiling broadly.

Félix trains four days a week. “Rest days are important – your muscles need a break too.”

An active club member.

Finding the right pedalling rate depending on the type of route and adapting his diet to the training are as much a part of Félix’s everyday life as the optimal driving style with his Actros. He’s always learning.

Together with other cyclists, Félix is a member of a small club in Alhama de Aragón. Together, they take part in races in the region, such as the Ribagorza competition across 183.5 kilometres, with five mountain pass roads and a total of more than 2,800 metres change in altitude. “The race always takes place on the last weekend in May and it is great fun,” says Felix, who is not intimidated by the mountainous tracks. “The atmosphere is sensational!”

Photos: Begoña Tremps