The Tour of Colombia by bicycle is the most important stage race in the country and this Friday a new edition starts in Barranquilla, with the stage between Puerto Colombia-Loma Arena-Cartagena, over 123 kilometers.
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The victories of the country’s cyclists abroad, the same ones who cannot take part in the Vuelta due to international regulations, have overshadowed the good name of the competition, but in recent years there has been a constant that confirms that the race It is very important for the local concert and the neighboring countries.
To the exterior
Although in lots of the Vuelta cannot count men like Nairo Quintana, Miguel Ángel López, Egan Bernal or Rigoberto Urán, Well, in light of the results of recent years, it is seen that the test has ‘changed its philosophy’.
In some of the past editions there was evidence of the triumphs of men experienced in cycling, with several years in the world and local cycling, something that in a certain way ruined the objective of promoting the competition.
However, this has changed and if you look at the statistics of the last four champion cyclists three of them have gone abroad after having pocketed the first place in the general classification.
It is important to note that the current champion of the test is Tito Hernández, who won with Team Medellín, but who now defends the colors of Team Banco Guayaquil, a continental group that has been armed in Ecuador under the direction of the Colombian, Víctor Hugo Peña.
Hernández prevailed last year in the Vuelta a Colombia and at 26 years of age he is living a new international experience, which can help him for his future.
An Ecuadorian who came to ‘try his luck’ in Colombia and in the national tour was Jonathan Caicedo, but after his victory in the 2018 edition, in 2019, he left for Europe and today he is part of the EF team.
He has competed in the Giro d’Italia four times and once in the Vuelta a España. and in that first competition he won the third stage in the 2020 edition.
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“Young people have a place, run and win, not every year three or four can leave for Europe, but those cases are happening and the Vuelta de la Juventud and the Vuelta a Colombia have served as a springboard, as we have seen,” EPM coach Raúl Mesa told EL TIEMPO.
And I add: “Many Colombian cyclists have left for Europe very early, without racing here, without being in the Vuelta, but now we see that this course is good and that it can be won”.
I have been in road cycling for six years and no champion has repeated in the Vuelta
But we can put in that lot Yesid Pira, the cyclist who was the leader and the revelation of the Vuelta a Colombia last year, figuration that came in handy for the leaders of the Caja Rural team to see and be interested.
“I have been in road cycling for six years and in the Vuelta no champion has repeated, that indicates how balanced. In addition, it has been seen that good cyclists have come out, like those who have gone to Europe”, assured José Julián Velásquez, DT of Team Medellín.
Pira does the course in that Spanish squad of the second category of world cycling and with great expectations to go on to the World Tour.
Diego Camargo’s theme is exceptional. The boyacense cyclist won the Vuelta in 2020, when he was 22 years old and that was the springboard to jump into cycling in Europe.
“The young people have shown themselves in the Vuelta, because it is an important race in the area, very demanding and that gives them the opportunity to shine,” said Velásquez.
Camargo joined the same squad as Caicedo, the EF, and alongside Rigoberto Urán has matured and has earned a place in the headline.
In that same 2020, Camargo won the Vuelta de la Juventud, so those two titles were the stamp of his passport to go cycling in the old continent.
Diego Camargo is 22 years old today and has already experienced what it is like to run a Tour of Spain and this year the Giro d’Italia.
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Lisandro Rengifo
Editor of THE TIME
@lisandroabel
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