Aleix Espargaró makes his debut as a professional cyclist in competition and secures a spot for the Gravel World Championship
After it was announced in mid-December that Aleix Espargaró would be part of Lidl-Trek in a role halfway between professional cyclist and ambassador, the former MotoGP rider made his debut in his new colors by participating in the 114 Gravel Race, where he achieved a commendable 7th position that gives him, right from the start, a ticket to participate in the Gravel World Championship that will take place next October.

Gravel, Aleix Espargaró's first contact with professional cycling
Former MotoGP rider Aleix Espargaró was finally able to fulfill his dream of competing as a professional cyclist with Lidl-Trek by participating in the 114 Gravel Race that took place last weekend in the Portuguese town of Elvas, although most of its 123 kilometers passed through the province of Badajoz, with the finish line in the city of Badajoz.
See this post on Instagram
RECOMENDADO
Impossible challenges and cycling legends: The 10 toughest mountain passes on the planet
Counter-steering, braking, and tracing: the basics for improving your curve handling
Does the current UCI limit for bicycle weight make sense?
Why short cranks are trending?
Why do most cyclists wear their glasses outside their helmets?
Why modern cyclists are spending less and less time standing while climbing
A debut in the top category of cycling that resulted in a very notable 7th place despite, as Aleix himself confessed on social media, having to deal with his lack of experience in gravel and being the first day he rode the Checkmate SLR, Trek's competition gravel bike.
A classification that allows the Catalan rider to secure a spot to compete in the upcoming Gravel World Championship, a race that will take place on October 19th, although the UCI has not yet confirmed the location of the event.

Now we are waiting to see when Aleix Espargaró will compete in a road race, which, as hinted by the team, may happen in a smaller event leading up to summer, such as the Vuelta a Burgos.