Juan Manuel Garate will end the season without competing, although since April, the rider is registered with the UCI with Belkin and since August has had a valid license. He even won his battle to be enrolled in the Spanish Social Security and have the same rights as any worker. However, the Dutch training has made him "miserable in life" and, in fact, has canceled his salary despite being on sick leave for the whole "psychological disorder" that has suffered in recent months. A call from a WoldTour team for 2015 has renewed his vigour, which is nothing moer than getting a race number and eventually retiring on the bike, "a small window" has been opened to "turn the page this year as black." "I hope my last year of cycling is better than this," he confides. 

His story is bleak and we immediately advance what your current situation. "I can still compete and I’m recovering from being very bad psychologically the last few months," Garate answered the phone. He informs us "behind the scenes of this story," a bitter and cruel hard story, hard, which reveals to BiciCiclismo, and discovers a ruthless treatment of his team. 

The Belkin announced an agreement with Garate (1976) in September last year, but he was not registered until April with the UCI. A door seemed to open; his ordeal 

had just begun, however. "After the team took forever to give me the papers to process the license. And that was in August. Until then called and gave me not. I leave from August 4. I have not enrolled in any race even notice me at all, "he says. "What I would like is to get a back again to turn the page on this year as black. This year is very difficult, or rather impossible, because they have all the defined schedule with only Lombardy and China," he assumed. 

Now a door for next year opened a few weeks ago and Garate has regained the joy and the desire to be a professional cyclist, as it has been since 2000 a ray of light. "Yes there was a team that contacted me. A phone call surprised me and has achieved many things up my self-esteem, made me wear shorts again. Only with this interest in me after a blank year did not mean that bad things and people saw. That gave me moral and I followed my training. Having ridden 26 Grand Tours and 15 years of professional must serve for something. Yes they asked me what my situation and what he planned to do next, if I wanted to ride next year. I told them that yes, I would be happy if I were to ride a bike, but there has been more. It has not materialized, not because I have financial claims simply because the template is complete and are waiting to have a gap," he answers sincere. 

"I've had forces from that day, until then I have struggled and could not pick up the phone. That call gave me the illusion. Belkin is making me much psychological damage and I needed help to overcome it. And, besides the professional help I'm getting, this small window that has opened is helping me to move on in my life," he adds. 

This interest has rekindled his desire he choose his bum on the bike. "My idea was to have as a cyclist put another end to my career. Of course this is not the ending I wanted and yes it would kill me to do otherwise. I did not expect this final. Everything here has given me a lot of anger and now I need to get that energy accumulated on the bike and I know so, competing. That would help me to move on in my life and as a person back to feeling good and healthy. And on the other hand, a sporting level I think I deserve another ending after a sporting career that I consider flawless. I do not want any recognition. It's personal. And so I'm going to try to fight. I hope my last year of cycling than this ", he says.

At least, Garate won a legal battle, being an affiliate over Social Security to have the appropriate insurance or a pension. A fight that has cost him his health. "Simply I claimed a right for which they have proved me right. I have recorded and released in Social Security as an employee, what I claimed. The team is a registered society in Spain and included me in the overall scheme of Social Security: I am now an employee of the company with SS, which in Spain can only say I think riders from Caja Rural and Movistar; foreign cyclists in Spain I do not think there's one with a general system of SS. I've got" a local one he confirms. 

"That's been my triumph and theirs seems to be that my career is over, that's the price they want to pay me just to defend my rights. Yes, I have gotten a win, but the price you want to pay me is high, because after boicotearme not let me run it do much damage. I do not know if all is worth fighting or not. I think it goes with my principles, fight for it, there I am trying to reverse this. If I do not get a goodbye as I would like, I have to meet with the good times you gave cycling, although I must say that it is very difficult to fight from within, "he adds. 

"I have been pushed to the limit" 

There are more details of the inhumane treatment he has received from Belkin could not believe that if the recount Garate. "Because of my state of depression that I went through, they recommended taking medical leave on August 4 because on July 27 I had a major fall, I noticed a very strong head blow, I left the town into three pieces, lost memory, knowledge, and they recommended both my psychologist and the doctor take the low insurance because they saw me on the bike; in fact, thought the fall was a result of my condition. Then I got down and I did make the team. Well, had not been two weeks, and months when they had no contact with me, sent me an email saying that if no training resumed within 48 hours failed to pay me ... And I have met. I have told them I have a floor of a doctor and I have to do is heal; I will not go against a medical decision. Let people know that I have not claimed during August and September. And still on medical leave, "he explains. 

"I'm fine, recovering it is a low around this psychological disorder that has caused me. I have been pushed to the limit. First, I have been ignored and then, knowing all this, I hit a good host clothing trained with Belkin as lame low psychological stress for me come with this. That I am a ill, gentleman! Not the case, but if it were up to that salary for having to feed my three children, I now understand that people can lose his temper. I never said anything to anyone. Let people know that there is in the back of this story, "he says. 

Garate offers more facts that certify their sinvivir in recent months and bad faith of the Dutch training. "On July 27 I fell on August 2 and was the San Sebastian Classic. Team doctor came to the race and no one was able or phones me to come visit or inquire about my status. Have the team to 20 miles from home for three days -lives Hondarribia-, I'm in bed, and they were not even able to get close. On day 4 I took the floor, so as not to take it. And 15 days later I sent the email. And you think these but do they want? Make my life miserable, "complains. 

Now, Garate does not give up at this violation of their rights. "I have to continue my legal battles: you can not allow a team to do this to a person. Contract cannot be more than six weeks without competing and I wear all year round without any career. Something I have to say. At least, I will fight. If they have stopped paying me being sick! The rules of the UCI are clear: the team is required to pay you in the first three months after your disability and 50% if appropriate. But is that to me after 15 days I have remUnitedHealthcare sign Ratto and Canolaoved the entire salary. To neither begin with, nor have they paid me the first four days of August in which in theory was operating "cries. 

Nor is an explanation for this attitude of the leaders of the Belkin. "Even if they see things continue to flee forward. They realize that they were wrong and instead give another blow to back down on the table. Basques are as they appear rather than Dutch, who are very proud and cant admit when they are wrong, "jokes even. 

Despite all this outrage on his person, Garate has not given up and is now hoping to return to get a dorsal pedal in a platoon, feeling ultimately a professional cyclist. "I need to run. I feel if they paid me the opportunity to spend on a page of my life. And say 'all this behind us and go back to doing what he did best and leave'. I do not want a tribute. Personally I need to feel useful again and all this time left behind. "With a bit of luck and if the destination is fair to him, he will get his purpose to put the last missed his jersey and have the farewell it deserves an exemplary record. It also points us to be presented for the title of national team manager. 

Meanwhile, he trains on his own, well wrapped against the contempt of Belkin. "The family is the best support, the end is what you will get, and you can not expect much more. The house will always be the truth and in that sense I am a lucky," he concludes. 

A pro since 2000, Garate has 26 Grand Tour in his legs (12 Vueltas 8 Giros and 6 Tours) and part of the winning club in each, he won a stage in the Spanish race in 2001, in the Italian race in 2006 (also the mountains jersey) and in the Tour atop Mont Ventoux in 2009, besides being Spanish Champion in 2005 His teams were: Lampre (2000-2004), Saunier Duval (2005), Quick Step (2006-2008), Rabobank (2009-2012) and Belkin (2013-2014).