{"id":6948,"date":"2017-04-02T22:28:39","date_gmt":"2017-04-02T18:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/colombian-spring-in-old-europe\/"},"modified":"2017-04-02T22:28:39","modified_gmt":"2017-04-02T18:28:39","slug":"colombian-spring-in-old-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/colombian-spring-in-old-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"A Colombian Spring in Old Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plenty has happened on the old cycling continent, but something like this I don’t remember, nor do I think anyone else will. And how could you remember something that has never happened before?<\/p>\n

Well, once upon a time there was and there wasn’t \u2014 what could be better than God?! Nothing at all… Another spring, the spring of 2017, arrived. Little by little the cycling world began to wake from its winter sleep. First it warmed its old bones on the green continent, then, deciding that wasn’t enough, it gave itself over to enjoying Arab hospitality, and so, dragging its feet, it finally unpacked in good old Europe!<\/p>\n

Ah, who’s going to let you rest here, brother? This is a different cycling dimension, a different war. The chosen ones have already spent a century fighting these wars! Yes, a century! The breeze of the Monuments and Classics was in the air \u2014 what breeze, it’s a whirlwind! It blew, and a fierce war flared up!<\/p>\n

Before the year’s first Monument (Milan\u2013San Remo), there are Paris\u2013Nice, known as the Race to the Sun, held since 1933, and Tirreno\u2013Adriatico, known as the Race of the Two Seas, held since 1966. Both one-week races are highly valued in the cycling community. The chosen ones battle here for the general classification, but in both pelotons there is always a solid group of riders for whom the main task is preparing for La Primavera. Still, if something comes their way, no one looks the other way, and they gladly add a stage win here to their list of cherished victories.<\/p>\n

What could possibly happen here that we hadn’t seen before? Could these races, with their thousand adventures behind them, still surprise us? Yes! For example, the appearance of a Georgian in either peloton would be quite astonishing. Just an appearance \u2014 even talking about anything more brings a smile. Sadly, though, this belongs to the realm of fantasy and is, for now, a dream that is truly hard to imagine!<\/p>\n

At one time, every Colombian enthusiast of racing on motorless two-wheelers would surely have written the same. At one time they would have, yes \u2014 but in recent years we’ve been talking about far more than Colombians merely appearing!<\/p>\n

In the spring one-week races they have not only appeared \u2014 they have already notched up victories, and what victories they were. First, in 2014, Carlos Alberto Betancur G\u00f3mez \u2014 now lost and scattered in Movistar’s constellation, but back then a rising star racing in the ranks of AG2R \u2014 won the general classification of Paris\u2013Nice for the first time in the history of Colombian cycling, adding two stages to boot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

28 September 2014
Road World Championships (Ponferrada, SPAIN)
Men Elite
BETANCUR Carlos Alberto (COL) ag2r – La Mondiale
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The following year, also for the first time in the history of Colombian cycling, one of the brightest stars of Movistar’s constellation \u2014 then as now \u2014 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas claimed the general classification of Tirreno\u2013Adriatico. Back then, Nairo secured the Race of the Two Seas against the most serious rivals with a brilliant win on the legendary snowy stage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

15 March 2015
50th Tirreno – Adriatico
Stage 05 : Esanatoglia – Terminillo
1st : QUINTANA Nairo Alexander (COL) Movistar
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

In last year’s two races, others were in the spotlight, though Sergio Henao tested his strength in the French race and, given team tactics, took a fairly high sixth place \u2014 first place, after all, went to his teammate Geraint Thomas. As it turned out, last year’s effort did not go to waste.<\/p>\n

2017 arrived, and spring in old cycling Europe turned Colombian!<\/p>\n

On March 5 and 8 respectively, Paris\u2013Nice and then Tirreno\u2013Adriatico got under way.<\/p>\n

If we had looked at the start list of the Race to the Sun and spent even a little time on a less-than-detailed analysis of the stages, the legendary El Pistolero (Alberto Contador, Spain) would have seemed the main favorite from the outset. However, Alberto’s main target this year is the French Grand Tour, and no one expected him to fly in the mountains just yet. And yet no other rider of his rank could be found in this peloton, and it was crystal clear that he would still try to act according to his rank. It must be said that in such a situation every small detail matters enormously, and just such a detail slipped by on the very first stage. That day the route ran around Paris. A short distance and a gentle profile were joined by bad weather; nevertheless the race started at its usual rhythm. A breakaway group formed and had gained an advantage of almost six minutes by kilometer 50. Naturally, the sprinters’ teams wouldn’t accept that, and FDJ and Quick-Step raised the pace of the chase.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

5 March 2017
75th Paris – Nice
Stage 01 : Bois-d\uff95Arcy – Bois-d\uff95Arcy
Peloton
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A crosswind split the group and an echelon formed. As became clear by the end of the race, it was precisely at this moment that the small detail mentioned earlier slipped past Conta: he himself was left in the dropped part, while the future champion was comfortably settled in the chasers’ fast train. The chasers achieved their goal, and FDJ took the stage thanks to Arnaud D\u00e9mare’s effort, while Contador conceded almost a minute to the future winner. I won’t go through the race stage by stage. I’ll just say that although Alberto tried hard \u2014 one could say he gave his maximum for this time of year \u2014 he still couldn’t overtake the leader in the general classification and had to settle for second place.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

11 March 2017
75th Paris – Nice
Stage 07 : Nice – Col de la Coutllole
CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) Trek – Segafredo
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The winner over the eight stages \u2014 remember, the one who had jumped onto that fast train in time and didn’t fall asleep when it mattered \u2014 turned out to be the Colombian Sergio Luis Henao Montoya. With the help of his team he defended himself brilliantly and beat the legendary El Pistolero by just two seconds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

12 March 2017
75th Paris – Nice
Stage 08 : Nice – Nice
Final Podium
1st : HENAO Sergio Luis (COL) Sky
2nd : CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) Trek – Segafredo
3rd : MARTIN Daniel (IRL) Quickstep Floors
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A far more serious line-up gathered in Italy. Just a look at the constellation of Classics riders in the peloton there was worth it \u2014 mentioning the reigning Olympic and world champions alone was enough to see the charm of this year’s Race of the Two Seas.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

9 March 2017
52nd Tirreno – Adriatico
Stage 02 : Camaiore – Pomarance
SAGAN Peter (SVK) Bora – Hansgrohe
VAN AVERMAET Greg (BEL) BMC
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

I’ll add right away that the Olympic champion didn’t get anything out of it, while the world champion added two different stages to his already very rich collection.<\/p>\n

It was clear that the general classification of this year’s Tirreno\u2013Adriatico would be decided on the fourth, mountain stage \u2014 unless someone again let a small detail slip. Although the race opened with a team time trial, won by the undisputed leader of the genre, BMC, the stage was short and the favorites’ teams didn’t lose much time. Looking at the results, you could see even without a magnifying glass that BMC had won the stage, but the leader among the riders fighting for the general classification was from a completely different team.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

8 March 2017
52nd Tirreno – Adriatico
Stage 01 : Lido di Camaiore – Lido di Camaiore TTT
1st : BMC
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

I must certainly highlight the racing wisdom of one of the world peloton’s outstanding stars, the greatest Colombian, Nairo Quintana \u2014 though for fairness I must also add the exceptional quality of his unique team, Movistar, something many big names lack. First of all, the aforementioned Alberto Contador. If Nairo is wise, he also has a great army backing him, and this will surely show in the big races in the future too. For now I’ll only say that both Quintana and his team raced brilliantly, and the Colombian won the general classification of this race for the second time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

11 March 2017
52nd Tirreno – Adriatico
Stage 04 : Montalto di Castro – Terminillo
1st : QUINTANA Nairo Alexander (COL) Movistar
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Be that as it may, the result was a Colombian spring in old Europe! For the first time in history, a Colombian won the general classification of both races in the same year!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

14 March 2017
52nd Tirreno – Adriatico
Stage 07 : San Benedetto del Tronto – San Benedetto del Tronto ITT
Final Podium
1st : QUINTANA Nairo Alexander (COL) Movistar
2nd : DENNIS Rohan (AUS) BMC
3rd : PINOT Thibaut (FRA) FDJ
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just a few years ago, who would have imagined this?! Do you think I’m trying to say something? No, what are you talking about \u2014 a few years won’t be enough for us; even a few decades is doubtful… I’ll be the first to be glad if I’m wrong!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Featured image: Yuzuru SUNADA<\/em>\/www.yuzurusunada.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Inside post thumbnail image:\u00a0Yuzuru SUNADA<\/em>\/www.yuzurusunada.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Special thanks to the Japanese photographer Yuzuru SUNADA<\/a> for permission to use his works in our publications.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Translated from Georgian with the assistance of Claude (Anthropic), reviewed by the Velorbola editors.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Plenty has happened on the old cycling continent, but something […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[347],"tags":[370,424,425,427,426],"class_list":["post-6948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-road","tag-alberto-contador","tag-nairo-quintana","tag-paris-nice","tag-sergio-henao","tag-tirreno-adriatico"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/sample-QUINTANA-Nairo-Alexander069p.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6948\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velorbola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}