Hay triunfos que van más allá del tiempo y la clasificación. El de Andrey Amador, en la Titan Desert Marruecos 2025, es uno de esos. El costarricense, de 38 años, se alzó con la victoria general en su año de debut en esta exigente carrera, apenas doce meses después de haber estado al borde de la muerte tras ser atropellado por un camión en Barcelona. “Fue como volver a nacer”, repite una y otra vez, ahora que el maillot rojo ondea sobre su espalda con tanto orgullo como cicatrices en sus piernas.
Aquella curva que cambió su vida todavía le persigue. “Cogí una curva a la derecha y me salió un camión de frente. Me derrapé y me atropelló. Me metí debajo del camión y me pasó una rueda por encima del pie. Me salvé porque no me tocó el eje del pedalier, y también gracias a la zapatilla, que quedó destrozada”, rememora. Las fracturas fueron tantas que los médicos ni siquiera pudieron operar: solo quedaba esperar a que los huesos soldaran solos. Y así fue.
Tras una recuperación tan dolorosa como lenta, en la que el pronóstico era demoledor (“me dijeron que tardaría un año en volver a montar con normalidad”), Amador reapareció poco a poco, primero con salidas cortas, después en pruebas de montaña. Hasta llegar aquí. “He dado un paso importante, pero hasta la última etapa no quise cantar victoria. Aquí todos los días pueden pasar cosas”, comentaba en El Jorf, todavía con la tensión de la etapa decisiva.
Un regreso entre amigos
Durante el recorrido, no estuvo solo. En Marruecos compartió pedaladas con viejos conocidos. Entre ellos, Luis León Sánchez, con quien compartió equipo en 2009, y que fue clave en la jornada donde Amador despegó en la general. “Nos fuimos juntos hasta meta. El otro día, ordenando recuerdos en casa, encontré un reloj que me regaló Luisle cuando ganó la París-Niza en 2009. Ahora, 15 años después, aquí estamos, luchando en el desierto. Ambos llevamos el ciclismo en las venas”.
También fue vital Luis Ángel Maté, compañero en el KH-7, protector del líder en jornadas de viento y aliado silencioso en los momentos clave. “Hay que saber repartir, y yo no necesitaba ganar una etapa, necesitaba ganar la general. Sin ellos no lo habría logrado”, confesaba.
El propio Amador tuvo que mantener la cabeza fría en días complicados, como cuando sus rivales Fran Herrero y Noel Martín tomaron un atajo. “Tuve que mantener la calma, ver por dónde iban y seguirles hasta alcanzarlos. Aquí todo puede cambiar de un momento a otro”.
Una segunda juventud sobre ruedas
Dormir en colchonetas, pasar frío, hinchar su propio saco… Lejos de los lujos del World Tour, Amador ha redescubierto su pasión. “Viví un ciclismo profesionalizado, de mucho estrés: corriendo al bus, al hotel, al masaje… Siempre en hoteles con sábanas limpias. Ahora dormimos con lo puesto, con manta térmica si hace falta. Me ha devuelto a mi juventud, cuando iba de colonias. Es precioso”, relata. Incluso sueña con hacer la carrera “más salvaje, más autosuficiente. En la etapa maratón podríamos llevar hasta la comida encima”.
El adiós no deseado
Cuando Amador se retiró del ciclismo profesional en 2024, tras dos años en EF Education, no lo hizo como hubiera querido. “El accidente les dio la excusa perfecta para no renovarme. Me dieron la espalda. Preferían gente joven y no confiaban en que me recuperara”. Quiso despedirse con una última carrera digna, no con un camión de por medio. Pero el destino le tenía guardado otro final.
El ciclismo, como la vida, le ofreció una segunda oportunidad. “Dije que no volvería a coger un avión por ciclismo. Pero esto es pasión. Al final vuelves. Ibiza, Los Monegros, ahora Marruecos…”.
Un embajador para Costa Rica
Ganador de etapa en el Giro, líder de la ‘maglia’ rosa y exgregario de lujo en Movistar, Sky e Ineos, Amador mira ahora hacia su país. Quiere devolverle al ciclismo todo lo que este le ha dado. “Costa Rica vivía solo el fútbol, pero ahora hay una oleada ciclista. Hay chicos con mentalidad de profesionales, aunque llegar a Europa no es fácil. No es solo quererlo, hay que tener oportunidades”.
Por eso entrena a jóvenes sin cobrar un euro. “Soy el entrenador más barato del mundo”, dice entre risas. Sueña con tener un velódromo para que los chavales no dependan del clima, y trabaja en la organización de pruebas como homenaje a referentes locales, como Federico Ramírez, el ‘Lico’, campesino que no pudo correr en Europa por falta de recursos.
El círculo que se cierra
Del barro a la arena. De la frustración a la gloria. Del quirófano que nunca llegó al podio de Maadid. Andrey Amador ha cerrado su círculo. No el del ciclista profesional que luchó en los grandes puertos del Giro o el Tour, sino el del hombre que entendió que vivir es pedalear, aunque sea cuesta arriba.
“Hoy me siento muy feliz, muy orgulloso. Esto se lo dedico a mi familia, a todos los que creyeron en mí. Nunca imaginé que volvería a vivir algo así. Pero aquí estoy. Ganando la Titan Desert. Viviendo otra vez”.
This news was originally published on this post .
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