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Giro team revives Colombia's passion for pedalling | Giro team revives Colombia's passion for pedalling |
(4 days later) | |
Colombia's cyclists are back competing on the world stage - more than 20 years after they last rode to glory. As an all-Colombian team takes part in the Giro d'Italia, BBC Mundo's Arturo Wallace looks at the country's passion for pedalling. | Colombia's cyclists are back competing on the world stage - more than 20 years after they last rode to glory. As an all-Colombian team takes part in the Giro d'Italia, BBC Mundo's Arturo Wallace looks at the country's passion for pedalling. |
Spending a Sunday in Bogota would convince anyone that, for Colombians, cycling is quite special. | Spending a Sunday in Bogota would convince anyone that, for Colombians, cycling is quite special. |
If the sun is up, hundreds of thousands of people jump onto their bikes to take advantage of the "ciclovia" - the capital's car-free day. | If the sun is up, hundreds of thousands of people jump onto their bikes to take advantage of the "ciclovia" - the capital's car-free day. |
Among the crowd you can always be sure to see more than a few riders wearing the T-shirt of Cafe de Colombia. | Among the crowd you can always be sure to see more than a few riders wearing the T-shirt of Cafe de Colombia. |
The all-Colombian professional cycling team, sponsored by the Colombian coffee growers' federation, enjoyed success between 1985 and 1990. | The all-Colombian professional cycling team, sponsored by the Colombian coffee growers' federation, enjoyed success between 1985 and 1990. |
Showcase | Showcase |
It was under the team's colours that Luis Herrera won the Vuelta a Espana in 1987, as well as three stages of the Tour de France, in which he was twice crowned "King of the Mountains". | It was under the team's colours that Luis Herrera won the Vuelta a Espana in 1987, as well as three stages of the Tour de France, in which he was twice crowned "King of the Mountains". |
The performances of "Los Escarabajos" (The Beatles), as the Cafe de Colombia riders were affectionately known, helped cement their country's love affair with the sport. | The performances of "Los Escarabajos" (The Beatles), as the Cafe de Colombia riders were affectionately known, helped cement their country's love affair with the sport. |
Eventually, the money ran out - to a large extent because of a dramatic drop in the international coffee prices - forcing the team off the European circuit in 1990. | Eventually, the money ran out - to a large extent because of a dramatic drop in the international coffee prices - forcing the team off the European circuit in 1990. |
But more than 20 years later, and thanks to the support of the government, another all-Colombian professional team is taking part in one of three Grand Tours. | But more than 20 years later, and thanks to the support of the government, another all-Colombian professional team is taking part in one of three Grand Tours. |
Team Colombia-Coldeportes has been given a wild card for the 2013 Giro d'Italia, which starts on Saturday. | Team Colombia-Coldeportes has been given a wild card for the 2013 Giro d'Italia, which starts on Saturday. |
From the government's perspective, the objective is clear - it wants cycling to do for Colombia what it once did for its coffee beans. | From the government's perspective, the objective is clear - it wants cycling to do for Colombia what it once did for its coffee beans. |
"We want it to promote the country," says Andres Botero, the director of the Administrative Department of Sport, Recreation, Physical Activity and the Use of Free Time, also known as "Coldeportes". | "We want it to promote the country," says Andres Botero, the director of the Administrative Department of Sport, Recreation, Physical Activity and the Use of Free Time, also known as "Coldeportes". |
"We want to showcase the changes that Colombia has undergone over the last few years." | "We want to showcase the changes that Colombia has undergone over the last few years." |
That is not to say the Colombia-Coldeportes riders - who earned their invitation to the Giro d'Italia with a strong performance during the 2012 Europe Tour - do not have clear sporting ambitions. | That is not to say the Colombia-Coldeportes riders - who earned their invitation to the Giro d'Italia with a strong performance during the 2012 Europe Tour - do not have clear sporting ambitions. |
"This year's squad is more balanced, stronger than last year's. We have gained experience," says the team director, Carlo Corti. | "This year's squad is more balanced, stronger than last year's. We have gained experience," says the team director, Carlo Corti. |
"And while I don't feel I can guarantee we have among us a future Tour de France winner, we do have young riders that can still improve and get some great results," he adds. | "And while I don't feel I can guarantee we have among us a future Tour de France winner, we do have young riders that can still improve and get some great results," he adds. |
Mr Corti's stated objective is for his squad to quickly obtain ProTour status, the highest level of registration of the International Cycling Union (UCI). | Mr Corti's stated objective is for his squad to quickly obtain ProTour status, the highest level of registration of the International Cycling Union (UCI). |
Youth development | Youth development |
But, for Mr Botero, it all boils down to one thing - having a Colombian team back in the Tour de France. | But, for Mr Botero, it all boils down to one thing - having a Colombian team back in the Tour de France. |
"That's next year's goal, that's the dream - to have an all-Colombia team in the world's greatest race," he says. | "That's next year's goal, that's the dream - to have an all-Colombia team in the world's greatest race," he says. |
However, the dream does not seem too far-fetched. | However, the dream does not seem too far-fetched. |
This South American country has never lacked good cyclists, as the silver medal won by Rigoberto Uran in the Men's Road Race at the 2012 Olympic Games in London proved. | This South American country has never lacked good cyclists, as the silver medal won by Rigoberto Uran in the Men's Road Race at the 2012 Olympic Games in London proved. |
And Uran, currently a member of the UK's Team Sky, is just one of several Colombians plying their trade with European outfits. | And Uran, currently a member of the UK's Team Sky, is just one of several Colombians plying their trade with European outfits. |
According to the Colombian Cycling Federation (FCC), some 17,000 people participate in some version of the sport, 3,000 of them at a professional level. | According to the Colombian Cycling Federation (FCC), some 17,000 people participate in some version of the sport, 3,000 of them at a professional level. |
"And among so many riders, it is easy to find good ones," Mr Corti says. | "And among so many riders, it is easy to find good ones," Mr Corti says. |
For the president of the FCC, Jorge Gonzalez, the recipe for both success and enthusiasm has been working with young cyclists. | For the president of the FCC, Jorge Gonzalez, the recipe for both success and enthusiasm has been working with young cyclists. |
"We have national competitions for cyclists of all ages, and we've done so for more than 30 years," he says. | "We have national competitions for cyclists of all ages, and we've done so for more than 30 years," he says. |
He points out that Eddy Merckx, Belgium's five-time Tour de France winner, said no other country did youth development in cycling like Colombia. | |
Mr Gonzalez, meanwhile, believes that seeing an all-Colombian team at the Giro d'Italia could do for new generations what Cafe de Colombia did two decades ago. | Mr Gonzalez, meanwhile, believes that seeing an all-Colombian team at the Giro d'Italia could do for new generations what Cafe de Colombia did two decades ago. |
"Colombia's biggest radio station has said it will broadcast [the race] live, like they used to do 20-plus years ago," he says. | "Colombia's biggest radio station has said it will broadcast [the race] live, like they used to do 20-plus years ago," he says. |
This suggests that, in the not so distant future, people in the Ciclovia might sporting different T-Shirts - those of Colombia-Coldeportes. | This suggests that, in the not so distant future, people in the Ciclovia might sporting different T-Shirts - those of Colombia-Coldeportes. |
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