Imanol Erviti, recently retired after 19 seasons in the professional peloton, was honored on Saturday in Pamplona by various family members, colleagues, and friends, as reported by Luis Pasamontes to Ciclismoafondo.
Imanol was surrounded by friends
Several groups of friends and former teammates from the teams Erviti was part of attended. Among them were “Chente” Garcia (Movistar Team Manager), Pablo Lastras, Rubén Plaza, Koldo Gil, Óscar Rodriguez, Juan José Cobo, Iván Gutierrez, Dani Moreno, Mikel Nieve, Ion Izaguirre, Alejandro Valverde, and many others.
He also received a trophy similar to the one from Paris-Roubaix, the race that Erviti loves so much. A race in which he achieved 9th place in 2016, a feat for someone who has endured suffering in hands, legs, body, and soul. The lights were dimmed, and a video prepared especially for the moment was presented.
Imanol’s victories in Las Rozas and Vilanova y la Geltrú once again elicited prolonged applause from the entire room. On this occasion, he could feel it more closely, with no sweat in his eyes but almost with tears.
Alejandro Valverde paid tribute to the colleague and highlighted the importance of a teammate like Erviti in achieving victories. He specifically recalled a Vuelta a España stage in Andorra, emphasizing that without Erviti, he wouldn’t have reached the finish line. Watch the video with the tribute to Imanol Erviti.