Nairo Quintana: Colombian Cycling Champion

 

Last year, with the World Cup just weeks away, it was pretty difficult to get Colombians thinking about any other sport: it would have seemed impossible, but for the amazing Giro d’Italia win by the then 24 year old Boyaca cyclist, Nairo Quintana. Football is a national obsession, but there is one other sport which attracts almost the same level of attention: cycling. Cycling has been one of Colombia’s favourite sports since the country’s glory days in the 1980s, when Colombian riders enjoyed previously unprecedented international success. The country is perfectly designed to train and nurture quality cyclists, with high-altitude terrain and winding mountain roads; and it seems like these conditions have produced another incredible Colombian cycling talent in Boyaca’s Nairo Quintana, whose second ‘second placed, finish in the Tour de France, at just 25 years old, seems to have confirmed that Colombia will, before very long, have a first Tour champion. OK, so we called him ‘Champion’ in the title, but that’s because he is to so many Colombians: Nairo has become a new national hero and he’s a champion to millions of Colombians!

 

 

For those of you who don’t know (which can’t be many), Quintana is the Movistar-sponsored 25 year old reigning Giro d’Italia champion, whose first place finish in the Tour was the first ever victory for a Colombian, or even a Latin American. A Colombian has only ever claimed a Grand Cycling Tour victory on one occasion prior to last July, so now Nairo has a place in the country’s history books, whilst his recent 2nd place finish in the Tour de France behind only Chris Froome suggests that he might be around for some time to come.

Quintana’s background was a tough one. He was born in Tunja in Boyaca department, and his family struggled to make ends meet. When Nairo was 15, his father saved up and bought him a 2nd hand bike to allow him to make the 16km round-trip to school each day. This clearly paid off, and Nairo signed his first pro-cycling contract in 2009. Since then he has been garnering international plaudits for his ability, and slowing developing to become one of cycling’s most feared and respected competitors..

 

 

Quintana also won the young riders classification, taking home the White Jersey, which just highlights what he has achieved at such a young age! Sporting achievement is fast becoming an essential way for Colombian’s to show off the beauty and improvements of Colombia: whether it’s Nairo cycling like a hero, so many Colombian footballers playing well and earing big-money moves, or the wonderful achievements of Colombia’s Women’s soccer team. In short, these incredible young athletes are doing their country proud, and exposing the rest of the world to a side of Colombia that they might not otherwise have seen. Major newspapers abroad are even featuring articles about exploring the areas where Quintana learned to ride, where previously they might have ignored them.

 

 

The country has been intensely interested and passionate about the Tour de France: even in England, where cycling is of a high standard and people care, I have never seen anything quite like it. Almost every bar, shop, and restaurant I have been in to over the past couple of weeks has been showing non-stop cycling, and it has been almost the only topic of pub-talk as well. People here are so proud of Nairo, and so are we at See Colombia Travel. Every little bit helps when it comes to showing the world the beauty, passion and pride of Colombia and it’s people, and these cyclists have done more than a little!

Chris