A group of 174 runners representing 25 teams were pre-registered with the Colombian Cycling Federation to participate in the 74th edition of the Return to Colombiawhich will take place from June 14 to 23, on the roads of Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Tolima, Risaralda, Caldas, Valle and Antioch.
He Team Medellín-EPM will have to Wilmar Paredesrecent bronze medalist in the elite long-distance event of the Pan American Championships; Javier Jamaica, third overall in the Vuelta al Tolima and the Vuelta Bantrab in Guatemala; in addition to Victor Ocampo, Robigzon Oyola, Brayan Sánchez and Cristian Tamayo.
He Nu Colombia will be commanded by the champion of the Tour Colombia 2024 and runner-up of the Vuelta in 2023, Rodrigo Contreras and by Sergio Luis Henao, champion of the Vuelta a Colombia in 2010, who has just won the Vuelta a Antioquia; runners who will be accompanied by Daniel Méndez, Óscar Quiroz, Cristian Muñoz, Heberth Gutiérrez and Rafael Pineda.
In the race that is part of the UCI international calendar in category 2.2 they will be present six foreign squads; five with continental category, among which are two Ecuadorian teams, two Mexican and one Panamanian, in addition to the Pío Rico Cycling Team of Bolivia, of regional category.
He Forte Petrolike – Androni Giocattoli from Mexico, will be led by the Ecuadorian Jonathan Caicedochampion of the Bantrab returnof the Return to Táchira and third overall Colombia Tour, in the current season; winner of the race in 2018 and who had just run the last five years in the WorldTour with EF Education. Next to Caicedo will be the Colombians Diego Camargo, Omar Mendoza, Bernardo Suaza, Nelson Soto and Cristian Ricoas well as the Mexican Edgar Cadena.
In it Movistar Best PC from Ecuador the boyacense will be competing Juan Diego Albachampion of the International Cycling Tour of Costa Rica in 2023, and the presence of Ecuadorians also stands out Jimmy Montenegro and Bayron Guama.
For its part, in the Team Saitelalso from Ecuador, the roster will be made up of three Colombians: Carlos Andrés Parra, Diego Ochoa and Cristian Tobarand four Ecuadorian cyclists, three of them Sub-23.
Likewise, it will be in competition, the Panama is Culture and Valueswhich will have on its roster the recent Pan American time trial runner-up, Franklin Archibold, in a squad that will have five elite runners and two Under-23 runners; he Canel’s Java of Mexico, which will have the Colombian on its payroll Heiner Parrathree Costa Rican runners, one Chilean, one Irish and one Mexican.
In the national platoon, which will have 43 runners in the U-23 category, and 98 in the elite, there will be several experienced cyclists who will seek to be protagonists of the race, among which the current national road champion stands out. Alejandro Osoriowho will be on the payroll of GW Erco Shimano; Wilson Pena of the Team Sistecreditoand Alexander Gil and Johan Colonof the Paisa Pride.
The official schedule will open next Thursday, June 13 with legalization of registrations, accreditations, verification of licenses, and delivery of authorizations, radios, numbers and chips, on a day that will take place between 9:00 and 12:00 noon, at the Gauthoc Social Club (Carrera 6 # 10-46) in Party, Boyacá.
From 1:00 to 2:00 in the afternoon the Technical Congresswhile from 2:00 to 3:00 pm, the organization’s meeting will be held with police representatives, commissioners, photographers, cameramen and drivers, activities that will also be carried out at the Guathoc Social Club.
The official presentation of the 25 teams that will participate in this edition of the race will take place from 5:00 in the afternoon, at the Guateque Main Park.
The Return to Colombia 2024 can be seen live through the main signal of the RCN Channelas well as on the channel in Youtube of RCN Sportsand can be followed on the social networks of the Colombian Cycling Federation with the hashtag #VColombia2024.
List of runners pre-registered to compete in the Vuelta a Colombia 2024
*With information from Fedeciclismo
