Rigoberto Uran confirmed in recent days what was an open secret: This 2024 will be his last year in professional cycling and he will hang up his bike after the Paris Olympic Games.
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The 'Bull' of Urrao had given some hope when he revealed a few weeks ago that his team, the EF Education Easy-Post He had offered him a contract renewal, which he not only had to discuss with the managers, but also with his wife and family.
One is never ready for a duel, but it is something that must be faced. It's not a decision I make alone
However, after his good presentation at the Tour Colombia 2024a race in which he acted as a team player and finished fourth in the general classification, confirmed that he is going to get off the bike this year.
“The time has come… At this moment I feel calm, but it is also very scary. It has been many years. Cycling has given me everything, I am almost 23 years old and my goal was to ride a bike, have a race calendar… It is something that makes you think and it takes a long time to make that decision because of the fears of what you are going to do with your life,” he explained in an interview.
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His idea is to finish at the top of international cycling and not fall behind the pack: “There are times when you have to learn to make decisions. It is very difficult. I'm here, this year I get off the bike and every day you think about what to do the day after… One is never ready for a duel, but it is something that has to be faced. It is not a decision I make alone.”
Rigoberto Urán, Nairo Quintana and Egan Bernal.
César Melgarejo / EL TIEMPO
In repeated interviews, Rigo explained that his idea was to leave the sport after competing in the Olympic Games, in which he wants to equal or surpass what he achieved in London 2012, when he won a silver medal.
But his presence in the Olympic Games to be held in Paris has not yet been confirmed: “I told them that I want to finish the race with the team's shirt, not with the Colombian shirt. Why? Because for me the team has been very important, obviously the Colombia shirt has given me a lot of satisfaction, but for me the Education First is a family“.
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And he added: “For this year we only have two places for the Olympic Games. If I am there, I would not be in the Tour de France, if I am not there for that, I would like it to be in the Tour de France. The Olympic Games is a race that I'm good at one-day races.”
Although it is not defined if the 37-year-old Colombian cyclist will be in one of the greats of the World Tour (Giro d'Italia, Tour de France or Vuelta a España), after its presentation at the Colombia Tour, The rider would have left the country to prepare for his last season with his squad.
According to the portal, Pro Cycling Stats, Rigo will compete in the O Great Road which will be held on the roads of Galicia (Spain) on February 24 and 25.
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