The clamor of two people from Mariposa against Butterfly’s skin, pedaling through the imposing Pyrenees

Determined to promote and help with treatment Epidermolysis bullosaa rare disease better known as butterfly skin because of the extreme skin fragility it causes, Asturians Quico Munoz and Manuel Carrelo, Nenonbased in Burela, i.e. Ribade, competed at one of the most impressive and recognized mountain biking events in the world: Andorra Epic Pyrenees.

Cyclists from A Mariño pedaled their message of solidarity with the jersey association debra during four phases, 220 kilometers and more than 7000 meters of ascent through the Pyrenees. It took them 14 hours to finish sixth in the general masters doubles, just seven seconds behind fifth place, after completing a “very tough” race.

“Each race here with those kilometers and bumps is done at more than 20 on average, and there we didn’t reach 15,” points out Nenón. “There was a stage where we reached an altitude of more than 2,500 meters. You get more suffocated, your heartbeats are over and when you reach the peak, you start descending in extremely technical sections of 45 minutes and more with a lot of accumulated fatigue”, his partner points out about the special features of the event.

The glory of the Andorran epic was attracted by the Pyrenees participants from 40 countries and many of them at the highest level, such as the former world champion in the discipline Jose Antonio Hermida. “Gathering this level of participation is not easy and already explains the level of the test. Seeing you with such people at the beginning is very exciting,” says the doctor at the Hospital Público da Mariña Quico Muñoz.

The people of Mariña also hail the “extraordinary organization” of the competition included in the Epic Series MTB circuit. “It’s amazing how comfortable they are to the runner. I have been to many races, but at the organizational level this is without a doubt the best,” says Muñoz. Nenon also applauds the “amazing scenery, just like all the staff of a great organization.”

Convinced that they have fulfilled their task of promoting epidermolysis bullosa and the association that supports it, the athletes are recovering from 14 hours of effort and are already setting themselves new challenges in South Africa and Switzerland.