The city of Medellín plays host to the 2015 Colombian National Championship, with the hills around the suburbs being the route for the Road Race. The Puncheurs in the peleton will be the favourites here for sure.
One of the largest peletons in the National Championships, over 30 riders lined up on the start line. With a long list of favourites, it could be tight race ahead with lots of attacks. Watch out for the likes of Acevedo, Anacona and Soler at the finish.
A two man break formed just after the 5km mark, with Cayetano Sarmiento and Fabio Montenegro represented.
CRASH! Janier Acevedo, Julian Arredondo and Darwin Atapuma hit the deck on the descent of the first climb. The Alpina team are on hand for Acevedo, as the entire team drops back to bring him back the main group.
With the favourite back in the bunch, Alpina hit the front of the peleton with Vesuvio to begin the chase of the escapees. The gap to the break is just 1’30” with 32km to go.
Half of the race done, and the first meaningful attacks start. Sergio Henao and Nairo Quintana jump across to the break, adding extra impotence to their fight to stay off the front. In fact, the pace was too much for Sarmiento, who is instantly dropped.
10km to go, and it is down to just Quintana and Henao in the break. Countless accelerations were too much for Montenegro, and he was soon back in the peleton. Closing in the climb to the finish line, Michael Galindo and Acevedo made their move in a bid to catch the leading pair.
The Vesuvio man makes contact on the lower slopes and instantly hit the front. He is looking tired, but incredibly strong. He sets a pace on the climb, and slowly drops the others! Quintana, Henao and Acevedo could do nothing to react!
What a ride from Galindo! He caught and dropped the lead group all within 6km, and takes the National RR Title! In the battle for the podium, Acevedo outsprinted Quintana for Silver, and Henao had left too much behind on the rest of the route to challenge.
In one’s and two’s the rest of the peleton come home. Only two riders, both from Alpina, came in outside of the time limit.
Yesterday, we had a great battle in the Road Race, and here is to another in the Time Trial. William Rodriguez Parra and Jaime Suaza were the clear favourites pre-race, with Sergio Henao and Pedro Herrera as outside bet for a podium place.
Jamie Suaza was the first of the clear favourites to hit the route, and looked strong over the opening stages, setting the fastest times at the first two checks.
Last out the gate was Rodriguez Parra, and the Alpina man was looking to really perform out on the route. Just a couple seconds down on Suaza, he was going to be running it close.
Is this going to be a shock podium for Juan Pablo Forero? After a slow start, he builds to a strong finish, and sets the fastest time with a handful of riders behind him – 1h12’53
Off camera, Jaime Castañeda crosses the line two seconds quicker than Forero, before Pedro Herrera smashes both of their times. The Sancor man comes home over 1’21” quicker than Castañeda and will be confident that it could give him Gold – 1h11’30
Jaime Suaza has had a disaster of a second half to the route. Could it be a mechanical? Could it be that he set off too hard? Only he will know. Either way, he comes home over 1’46” down on Herrera, and might end without a Top 10 finish -- 1h13’16
Only Rodriguez Parra can stop Herrera from taking Gold. At the last time check, he was down by 23” so had a battle on his hands. Crossing the line, almost catching Suaza, he is 11” too slow and takes Silver! -- 1h11’41
It was fantastic day at the Colombian Championships, and an outsider takes the victory. Pedro Herrera takes the win, with William Rodríguez Parra and Jaime Castañeda rounding off the podium. The big talking point was the downfall of Suaza…
Michael Rodriguez Galindo
