Team Colombia Coldeportes to make debut at Strade Bianchi and Tirreno-Adriatico

Only a few days are left to Colombia Coldeportes’ debut in the WorldTour circuit at Tirreno-Adriatico : the whole Team is giving it all to set up their first fixture on the most important world cycling showcase.

Meanwhile, on Saturday March 3, the “Strade Bianche” will provide a tasty anticipation of world-class cycling on the roads of Toscana, Italy. 

A race by RCS Sport the same organizer of Giro d’Italia and Tirreno-Adriatico the “Strade Bianche” will be run on a 190 km distance characterized by long dirt road stretches (that’s’ the meaning of “strade bianche”) that will make the difference among those fighting for the finishing line in Siena and rapidly become one of the most cherished fixtures in the European calendar.

Led by Sports Director Oscar Pellicioli, Colombia Coldeportes will line-up in Gaiole in Chianti with a strong 8-man team : veterans Felipe Laverde and Victor Hugo Peña will race alongside Robinson Chalapud, Jarlinson Pantano, Wilson Marentes, Frank Osorio, Carlos Quintero and Juan Pablo Suarez.

Oscar Pellicioli is aware that only one of his rider has first-hand racing experience on Tuscany’s dirt roads, but is confident his guys will be well prepared for this challenge : “Only Felipe Laverde made this race before, but Victor Hugo Peña knows it, and Carlos Quintero trained on these roads as an amateur. 

Riders like Osorio and Marentes have a right structure for this kind of race, and Pantano and Chalapud are also looking pretty good at the moment.”

Felipe Laverde has a great responsibility in showing his team mates all the secrets of this race : “I remember taking part to the very first edition of this race, back in 2.007 : the teams had no idea of how the race would unfold, and packed their line-up with climbers. 

As a result, the peloton was down to 40 riders after only one dirt stretch. 

From the following edition on everything has changed, and I think it is now a tougher race, and one of the most strived early season fixtures.”