The new miracle worker of Athletic is an “authority” of the University of Colorado (USA) and the originator of the groundbreaking Eddy Merckx. Íñigo San Millán, born in 1971 in Vitoria, has completely revolutionized the field of sports physiology. He has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the Lezama team, which is currently enjoying a magnificent season, securing fifth place in the League, reaching the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, and now preparing to face Atletico de Madrid in tonight’s highly anticipated match at the Metropolitano. From the end of October to January 20, they embarked on an astonishing 14-game unbeaten streak, a feat unparalleled in the last 40 years in Bilbao.
The sudden surge of energy at San Mamés perfectly coincides with the arrival of San Millán to the Performance department. This Basque physiologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colorado since 2008 was brought on board by the Ibaigane club back in October. “His main role will be to lead the Performance department, which aims to optimize the conditions and athletic performance of the footballers – both in the men’s and women’s first teams, as well as in the development of players in Lezama – in all aspects that exceed the scope of the coaches/trainers’ responsibilities,” explained the officials of the red-and-white entity during his introduction.
Athletic recruited San Millán after witnessing his remarkable achievements in the field of cycling. The Basque physiologist serves as personal trainer to Tadej Pogacar (two-time Tour de France champion) and Juan Ayuso (the most promising rider in the Spanish peloton). He also holds the position of Head of Performance for the UAE cycling team, which boasts an impressive budget, ranking first in the UCI with a stunning 60 million euros.
From Denver to Lezama
This is not the first time Athletic has turned to a cycling specialist for assistance. In 1995, they enlisted the services of Sabino Padilla, Miguel Indurain’s former coach. Padilla also trained marathon runner Martín Fiz. Padilla remained with the Lezama club until 2007, during which time the Biscayan squad achieved a remarkable fifth-place finish in the 1996/97 League (earning them a spot in the UEFA) and secured runner-up status in 1997/98 (qualifying for the Champions League). However, Padilla faced controversy when Carlos Gurpegui tested positive for nandrolone in 2002, and he was blamed for the incident. It should be noted that Padilla and San Millán do not have any professional or academic ties.
In recent years, San Millán has overseen the training of the UAE team from his university department in Denver. However, since October, he has relocated to the Lezama offices, while still keeping a close eye on the training of UAE cyclists.
San Millán, a graduate in Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences Medicine from Colorado State University, started his sports career as a talented youth player at Real Madrid. However, he soon realized that football was not his calling, and at the age of 16, he made the switch to cycling, where he forged a successful future on the pedals. In Madrid, he joined the Chamartín cycling club, and during his youth and amateur years, he had the opportunity to train alongside many renowned athletes, such as David Plaza, Martín Perdiguero, and Félix García Casas. A lifelong learner, San Millán has collaborated with various sports teams over the past 25 years, including those involved in soccer, cycling, basketball, athletics, rowing, triathlon, swimming, and American football. “I have worked in many sports, and you always learn from each one, incorporating new methodologies. There are methods from cycling that can be applied to football,” stated San Millán upon joining Athletic. He added, “Football has evolved significantly, but we can still delve deeper into understanding internal load, identifying if a player’s performance decline is caused by lactate, fatigue, or glycolytic processes.” Clearly, San Millán is an expert in scientific monitoring of sports performance data.
Matxin’s admiration
“It is truly an honor and privilege for me to work at Athletic, given its historical DNA and the significance it holds for Basque society,” expressed San Millán on October 25 during his presentation on the club’s website. The physiologist, who is currently not permitted to give interviews, has refrained from making any further public statements. He has even declined the opportunity to hold a press conference.
“Íñigo is an authority, incredibly intelligent, and a true luminary in his field,” praised Joxean Fernández Matxin, director of the UAE. The two have been acquainted since before 2004 when they first crossed paths during their time at Saunier Duval. San Millán is also renowned for his pioneering work in the development of new technologies in exercise metabolism, nutrition, sports performance, and diabetes. In addition to Spanish, he is fluent in English, French, and Italian.
The versatile trainer is also highly committed to the fight against cancer. He allocates a portion of his earnings to support his research, which focuses on novel approaches to interfere with cancer metabolism. His laboratory in the US has successfully demonstrated that the lactate produced by cancer cells (different from exercise-induced lactate) acts as a primary regulator of cancer growth, making it a potential therapeutic target. Together with his team, he has conducted two studies that have effectively blocked two key enzymes in cancer metabolism, resulting in the halting of cell growth and cell death within 24-48 hours. Although the latest study has yet to be published, further animal testing is required to advance the research, but San Millán laments the lack of funds to continue his investigations. Overall, San Millán is a highly distinguished researcher with a illustrious track record.