“There is no ceiling”: Spanish national champion’s breakthrough season takes another step forward at La Vuelta

Marcel Camprubí is beginning to look like one of the emerging Spanish riders to watch, and his national champion's jersey has made sure that he is difficult to miss at La Vuelta a España. The 24-year-old has increasingly featured in the attacks during the Spanish Grand Tour, while his performances have also caught the attention of someone who knows exactly what it takes to succeed at the highest level: Spanish national coach Alejandro Valverde.

Camprubí arrived at La Vuelta hoping to turn a season of gradual improvement into a major breakthrough. Wearing the Spanish champion's jersey has given him an additional spotlight, but his ambitions extend well beyond simply being visible in the race. After struggling during the opening months of the season, he feels that his form has finally started to arrive at the right moment.

“I’m very happy, especially after the first part of the season. In Switzerland I already started to feel better and I’m very happy with the last few races,” Camprubí told MARCA.

His victory in the Spanish road race championships provided the clearest indication yet of that progression. Now, at La Vuelta, the next objective is to win a stage.

The Spanish rider has already been making his presence felt in the breakaways, but getting into the right move is only part of the challenge. Camprubí wants to convert that attacking racing into the biggest victory of his career before the race reaches Madrid.

“I hope so. It’s the dream I came to La Vuelta with,” he said when asked whether he believes he can win a stage.

His chances, however, have recently been complicated by the effects of a heat-related illness. Camprubí admits that he has not felt at his best in recent days, although his sensations during the opening week have given him confidence that he can return to that level.

“I had a heatstroke a couple of days ago and I’m not feeling very well, but during the first week I felt very good. If I recover those sensations, I think I can be in contention.”

Alejandro Valverde has reportedly been in contact with Camprubí about the upcoming World Championships, providing perhaps the strongest indication yet of how highly the national team is beginning to regard him.

For Camprubí, being able to represent Spain at the Worlds is one of his main objectives as a professional cyclist. “It’s a dream come true. On top of that, it’s a circuit that suits my characteristics quite well, so I’m extremely excited,” he said.

There is also a significant development taking place away from racing. Camprubí already has a contract for next season with Pinarello Q36.5, but his improved performances have opened discussions about better terms with his team. “I’m talking with the team. For now I have a contract for next year and we’re seeing if it can be improved. We’ll see.”

Despite his recent performances, he is reluctant to put a limit on where that progression can take him. “In my opinion, there is no ceiling. There is only hard work, improvement and seeing what happens,” he concluded.