Born in Amorebieta, he was 81 years old and was chef of the Spanish team during the times of Miguel Indurain, Julián Gorospe and Abraham Olano, when he won the World Cup in Colombia.
Friday, December 26, 2025, 11:31
Juantxu Larrucea, a cook from Amorebieta, passionate about cycling and in charge of feeding the cyclists of the Spanish team when they went to the World Cups, died this Thursday at the age of 81. In his temple cooking and cycling were lived equally. The Juantxu was a sanctuary for runners. The Reynolds, then Banesto, stopped there on the day of the Spring Grand Prix. Indurain, Delgado, Olano, Marino, Gorospe… were many of the regulars, and in the case of Olano, Larrucea was the team’s cook when the Anoeta cyclist became world champion in Duitama (Colombia). Miguel Madariaga’s Euskaltel-Euskadi also closed the season there every year with a bean party.
There are those who called him the Arguiñano of cyclists. A native of Amorebieta, where he ran the Juantxu restaurant until his retirement, he also dedicated himself to hospitality in Durango and even worked as a cook on fishing boats during periods of work. Self-made, his attachment to cycling comes from a young age. A faithful follower of Julián Gorospe, he enjoyed his triumphs, such as the one in the sprint against Sean Kelly in Ibardin in Itzulia in 1984 or the one that at the same height gave him the absolute victory in the Basque round six years later, in 1990.
In charge of the team’s kitchen when it went to the long-distance World Cups on the road, he established a close relationship with Miguel Indurain, who from time to time skipped his diet to taste Juantxu’s desserts. With his admired runners he enjoyed the odd medal, such as Abraham Olano’s gold in Colombia, and suffered when the results did not suit them, such as in Utsonomiya in 1990, where he had to deal with the Japanese.
He remained active until 2010, when he and his wife, Asun Oarbeaskoa, inseparable since they met in 1970, handed over their business after more than 50 years of activity.
