Daniel Castillo-Noyola wins Bronze at the American Continental Championships

Another international medal is heading to the Mountainbike Racingteam in Aalen. It has traveled a long way from Costa Rica, where Daniel Castillo-Noyola claimed the bronze medal at the American Continental Championships.

Costa Rica - La Lucha, located over 2,000 meters above sea level - was the setting for one of the most important races of the season for Daniel Castillo-Noyola, a native of Mexico who competes for the German professional UCI Mountainbike Racingteam. “We spent six months preparing for this race. I trained hard in Spain alongside my teammates, and I’m happy to return to Europe with a medal,” said the pro mountain biker, who lives near Mexico City.

As expected, the race was no easy walk in the park for Castillo-Noyola. The course featured a long climb and many pedaling sections, making it a particularly demanding challenge in terms of endurance. The high altitude added another layer of difficulty, as the thin air pushed the athletes to their limits.

The World Cup-experienced Noyola rode confidently through the time trial as well as the pre-heats and quarterfinals, attracting the attention of other athletes and national teams alike. The semifinal was a tough battle, with competitors from the American nations racing more aggressively than Noyola was used to from his European teammates.

The big final featured the expected big names from Latin American countries – Brazil, Ecuador, and Daniel Castillo-Noyola. Noyola got off to a strong start and was neck-and-neck with the race leader, but was then caught in a crash involving two other riders on the opening straight. Although he quickly got back on his bike, the Brazilian riders Cucuzi and Moreira had already pulled too far ahead, leaving Noyola to claim the bronze medal.

Team manager Steffen Thum sees his athlete’s development and knows that great, fair success takes time: “We’ve gradually introduced Dan to professional racing. He’s progressing step by step, even far from home, and now he’s able to win a medal at international competitions. Dan and his entire country can be very proud of this medal,” said Thum.

Three years ago, Thum brought the Latin American rider into his Racingteam. At the time, many saw it as a purely media-driven move, given Noyola’s 300,000 Instagram followers. However, it’s now clear that the Mexican is among the strongest mountain bikers on his continent and is a core member of the German pro team.