Nairo Quintana breaks down in tears on the podium after an ovation from the public, video

The cyclist Esteban Chavez (EF Education-EasyPost) was crowned this Sunday as Colombian road champion, after an intense race in which
Nairo Quintana he returned to competition, finishing in third place and crying on the podium.

The “Chavito” recorded the best time in a 237 km journey that began and ended in Bucaramanga (northeast). Daniel Felipe Martinez (Ineos) took the silver, while Quintana fought to the end and was bronze.

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In the last 30 km of the route, with short but intense climbs, Chaves experienced an intense battle against Quintana, Martínez, the defending champion Sergio Higuita (Bora), Miguel Angel “Superman” Lopez (Team Medellin) and Brandon Rivera (Ineos). At 7 km from the finish he escaped and raised his arms alone.

Job

“We worked very well (…) throughout the preseason, it was quite demanding. And it’s a dream that is coming true,” he told reporters with a smile. It is the first time that Chaves, 2nd in the Giro d’Italia and 3rd in the Back to Spain of 2016, he wears the yellow, blue and red of the Colombian flag on his clothing.

“I’m going to have the national champion jersey all season and that’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. Winning here in Bucaramanga was impressive,” he added. In 2019, the cyclist suffered from mononucleosis, a disease that almost led him to retirement.

Crying

Applauded by the fans, Nairo Quintana competed for the first time since the Road World Championships in Australia, held in September of last year. Shortly before, he had been disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France, in which he finished sixth, for using a drug prohibited by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Divorced with him Arkea-Sámsic Because of that scandal, he was left without a team. This Sunday he ran with the Colombia selection and she wore a white lycra with a single sponsorship: her own brand of sportswear and cried when she got on the podium.
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AFP