He started to pedal so (and never stopped)

Where he went to, the 2010 Peruvian cyclism runner-up Hugo Ruíz came back with triumphs – the lack of sponsorship broke him down constantly.

 

By Juan Carlos Zurita

 

        Cyclism is like life – gotta pedal with constancy and firmness if wanna get to the goal. Hugo Ruíz knows it very well, who had it all since his teenage to be the number one. This star has shined winning it all from junior categories. In 2010, he was already a national runner-up in his cathegory and dreamed of being a big professional across the world of pedal.

 

A Saturday morning, Hugo had us kindly in his Chulucanas, Peru-based house. “It’s a break day to me,” he commented us while he brought us a glass with water. He was alone. His father, Néstor, was at the mechanic workshop amid full work. Among trophies, diplomas, and his every victory’s buddy, his blue-colored bicycle, the dude told us his experience in this discipline.

 

“Since I was eight years old, I went out with my dad to run some streets of Chulucanas,” Hugo remembered. “He is a passionate for this sport, and since that time, my passion began.” But he was just 12 years old when he contested in his first competition, the Inter-School Open, that he wan defying any forecast on July 15^th, 2008. This was the starting line for a list of triumphs region-wide and nationwide. He got the first places in 9 competitions between 2008 and 2009.

 

    Going up

Hugo’s training is constant. That’s how he was achieving power, endurance, and agility, and because of his tutors’ good advices, he was improving his technique what he deserved a call from Chiclayo’s evolution Cycling Team that summoned him ending-2009 to join the bunch. He ran with them the Great Northern Classic which was joined by cyclists from Chiclayo, Jaén (Cajamarca), Chimbote, Talara, Piura, and Lima. Hugo got the third place in his category.

 

Later, he contested on July 1^st and 2^nd, 2010, in the 4^th Chiclayo Tour, where he got the first place. Hugo had planned to continue riding with Evolution but the team broke up, and he had to continue by his own riding for Chulucanas with the support of his parents and his school, San Francisco de Asís.

 

The success continued in 2010 and he got the big prize in October of that year when contested for Chiclayo in the National Championship runned in Ica City, where he got the second place escorted by Juliaca and Arequipa. He deserved the silver medal in merit to the sub-15 running-up. Hugo didn’t stop to get triumphs in 2011. In February, he got the second place in the open competition at San Pedro Mangrove Swamps (Sechura), and in March, he got the first place in For Routes of Tourism Competition at Máncora (Talara).

 

    For the Young biker, those triumphs were not gambling the destiny but it was the consequence of the devotion and the voluntary quit to a part of his teenage life which the games, the friends, and the own distractions of his age begin to limit purpossing to win time to the time and to train a little bit more as possible.

 

Although the cyclism is his passion, Hugo didn’t miss his classes. He was home after the school to contest against the time. It’s because he knew he should complete and finish his homework before going out to train at the sunset. He practiced three times a week during two hours, and a little bit more when he was just to contend a tournament. Not only his parents had the look straight at his champion but his neighbors and classmates as well.

 

But everything has not been good – it was indifference from the authorities and private sector because there is no funding for athletes. In Hugo’s case, he had passing troubles to trip to the different cities across the nation because he had no right money to stay and for the exigences related to physical preparation, bike’s mechanics, and other expenses. In some cases, he left to contest in championships because of the empty box.

 

    Hugo Ruíz is a worthy referent of Chulucanas’ cyclism, who with discipline, dedication, constance, and much training, has got putting the name of Piura very high. It’s necessary that the institutions grant his support for he continues getting triumphs. We’re sure he will add many more along his career, and he will have to continue making a hole on his showcases for keeping in so many trophies. After this first visit, Hugo got the second place at the Chiclayo Tour sponsored by one of our followers who gave the amount of the travel tickets.

 

Produced by Roberto Saavedra with collaboration by Estany Tineo. Edited by Nelson Peñaherrera.