Manuel Peñalver

When he was a child, Manuel Peñalver’s father could not go to see him at the races because of his job. One day, he could go, and saw Manu started to juggle on the bike (without hands, imitating playing the guitar…) and fell. His father, angry, told him that he would not go to see him again… but in the end he won that race and whenever he can, he continues to go to his son’s competitions. Brave, determined and hungry for victory, Peñalver has given Polti Kometa some great moments in his first season with the team. He made the leap to professionalism in 2018, after being one of the references of the under-23 peloton in the ranks of the Gsport team, where he added up to six second places showing great speed. His growth and consolidation as a sprinter in the Burgos BH team were noticed in the growing outstanding results, and in a very special day. Full of emotion and just touching the win. In the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2022, with a fourth stage that ended in his native Torrevieja, Manu finished second and was close to victory in front of his neighbours. A punch to the handlebars and his tears for having been so close served as a revulsive to prepare for the Vuelta a España. Only the coronavirus stopped him from making his debut in a grand tour, another shock that he has also managed to overcome. In 2024, he has been able to achieve 12 top-10 finishes and five podiums, coming close to winning on several occasions, which fills him with enthusiasm for a 2025 in which his only objective is to win. Peñalver loves pasta and an ideal holiday for him would be in Tokyo (Japan).