Rigoberto Urán, one of the most prominent figures in Colombian cycling, once again expressed his concern and sadness regarding the current state of cycling in Colombia. Urán’s statements were given to the Colombian website “Semana” and honestly reflect the decline of cycling in the South American country in recent years.
“This messed us all up,” Urán stated bluntly, referring to a crucial aspect that deeply affected Colombian cycling: Egan Bernal’s accident in early 2022. On that occasion, the Tour de France champion was involved in a serious collision, an incident that, according to Urán, had a devastating impact on the morale and performance of Colombian cyclists.
The crisis is even more evident when recent results are analyzed. Colombia managed to finish in the top 10 in the Grand Tours in 2023 only with Santiago Buitrago in the current Vuelta a España.
In the interview with Semana, Urán identified Egan Bernal’s fall in 2022 as a turning point in the trajectory of Colombian cycling. Urán lamented this event and expressed his concern about the lack of Colombian cyclists competing in the Grand Tours.
“If we look at who was the last Colombian to win a Grand Tour, we have to go back to 2019 with Egan Bernal, who won the Tour de France,” Urán said. “Unfortunately, we face difficulties, such as Egan’s fall, which affected all of us. In addition, the issue of Nairo and Superman (Lopez), they are very strong cyclists who could be in Europe winning races, representing Colombia.”
