Rigoberto Uran He is competing in his last race as a professional after 18 long years of experience. The Colombian wants to enjoy the Tour of Spain and appear in the foreground, although it is already one of the biggest attractions.
According to the criteria of
The 37-year-old cyclist did not have such a positive time trial and finished the 12-kilometer course between Lisbon and Oeiras in exactly 14 minutes, more than a minute behind the winner of stage 1, the American Brandon McNulty.
Rigoberto Uran
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Despite the result, there was no shortage of laughter with the cyclist born in Urrao (Antioquia), the press of Europe He knows that he is a special star who always has an ace up his sleeve to get laughs.
After this Saturday’s test it was no exception, Rigo He was hailed by journalists who sought him out like a rock star at the finish line. “It’s incredible that you have all the attention,” one journalist told him.
“I am happy. I am very grateful for what cycling has given me and I am only grateful for everything we have raced during all these years,” the Colombian began by saying.
Rigoberto Uran.
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He added: “I wanted to do the time trial quickly, we started quickly, but we were so sore in our legs that I said: ‘It’s not worth it again’… We have a rider who can win the Vuelta and we know what our objective is.”
The Antioquian cyclist pointed out that his idea of going to the Tour of Spain It’s not about going on vacation: “When you come to a race like this, even if it seems like you’re coming on vacation, it’s not like that. Appearances can be deceiving and Instagram, TikTok, and everything I upload is a bit of a lie.”
Rigo started to laugh a bit when he said that he wants to have strength in his legs for the whole race and to fight for a stage victory: “We are here because we have a rider who can win the race and my role is to help him. Then we hope that I get my chance in a breakaway and that day, imagine that my legs don’t last and I take off and end up winning the stage.”
Rigoberto Urán is one of the most renowned cyclists in the country.
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But he made
it clear that this will be his last Vuelta a España: “I won’t try again next year… To be able to train you have to have motivation, the illusion is always there.”
And in the middle of a question he said that he was delighted with Portugal and that he was thinking of returning, but he left a few hints of his humour. “We hope to return here, the only thing is that the sea is very cold, you already went in… Go in, that water is 19 degrees.”
The interview ended when a journalist asked him if he spoke Portuguese, and he laughed and said: “I don’t speak Portuguese.”
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