The maternityIt has been a taboo theme in the world of sport -And in part, we want it or not, it still is- because In many cases the end of the protagonist’s career. Cycling, physical and sacrificed sport where there are, has seen how many of their stars decided to hang the bicycle for fulfilling the desire to be mothers. “The maternal instinct woke up with 30 years, at the best moment of my sports career. I competed two more seasons and retired to be a mother. I had seen the experience of runners who left their children with the grandparents, who could barely spend time with them … and did not want to live the same, ”he says Joane Somarribaconsidered as the Best Spanish Cyclist in History and currently exercising as an ambassador and sports advisor of the Kutxa-Foundation Euskadi work team.
“Maternity has given me the happiest moments of my life”points out in reference to Markel González Somarriba, today corridor of the Finisher team, subsidiary of Kern Pharma.
“Before you had to choose between motherhood and sport; one thing or the other”reflect ANE SANTESTEBANSpanish cyclist of the work Kutxa-Foundation Euskadi, 34, who This week Female Lavuelta Dispute (and has led the mountain). The race, which goes for its eleventh edition, curiously started Mother’s Day and had as the first leader the Dutch Ellen van Dijkdel Lidl trek. Almost two years ago, with 36, he gave birth to his son Faas, a moment that would change his life. “Without a doubt, the pain I experienced when giving birth was something that I had never felt or could have described before. When I suffer on the bicycle, I can always remember and think that it could be ten times worse, or even more. That is, without a doubt, something that I will take with me, ”says who will participate last year at the Paris Olympic Games and comes from podium at the Amstel Gold Race.
Before you had to choose between motherhood and sport; one thing or the other
Ane Santesteban, Spanish cyclist of the Kutxa-Foundation Euskadi
Recovery and breastfeeding
The introduction of a Maternity clause by the ICU in 2020which guarantees that cyclists Receive three months of full salary and five months with 50% of the salarymarked a positive step in supporting athletes during and after pregnancy.
-Lizzie Deignan, British Cyclist of Lidl-Trek.
One of the first runners to benefit from this measure was the British Lizzie Deignan36 years old and mother of Orla and Shea, two children of six and one year. “For us -he is married to the former Filip Deignan,” The decision to form a family was not based on trying to be an example to follow or break barriers in our sport. It was a personal decision. We wanted to form a family and all this is a consequence of it. I am lucky to be happy, to assume it and to fulfill that role of demonstrate what is possible, but it is not decided to form a family to break barriers”Says Lidl-Trek’s broker, who speaks of some of the consequences of motherhood.
It is not decided to form a family to break barriers
Deignan Lizzie, Lidl-Trek
“I recovered long before the pregnancy of my first daughter than my second child. With the second I won more weight and felt much more tired; I rode less by bike and lost more physical condition,” he says. “I couldn’t be away from home for more than three hours, because my son depended on me to feed. It was when I ceased to breastfeed that I could spend more time and energy to train, ”he adds.
There is still much for words as beautiful as ‘pregnancy’ or ‘maternity’ not to be cited with distrust in the world of sport, but cyclists, with their example, are going around the situation.
