A 2,700 meters high time trial measures the forces of Tour Colombia

Today begins (18.00, Eurosport) the Tour Colombia with a time trial by teams of 16.7 kilometers with departure and arrival in Tunja (2,701 m altitude),

• Colombia Tour
  

  Major party in the country of the bikes that finally won a Tour
  

• Colombia Tour
  

  The team of the Sheikh of Manchester City that sweeps
  

The inaugural stage does not present much more difficulty than the altitude, which maximum reach 2,790 meters mediated the route. It is disputed with conventional bicycles, not specific to chrono. “It's fast and there shouldn't be big differences,” says the Colombian sprinter lvaro Hodeg, from the Deceuninck-Quick Step, one of the favorites for the win with Julian Alaphilippe and Bob Jungels in their ranks. Rivals will be in Education First and Team Ineos.

The American team takes the two Colombian champions on their train (Daniel Felipe Martnez, chrono, and Sergio Higuita, online) and the 'father' of all these winning generations and a good time trialist, Rigoberto Urn, who still has the left hand with very reduced mobility for the accident he suffered in the Tour of Spain. “I am the animator of this young team, my personal goal is to recover the mobility of the hand a little and create good atmosphere“said the anti-blockade of Urrao yesterday.

The Ineos has been harmed by the falls in the Colombian Championships a week and a half ago: Ivn Sosa broke a thumb and Leonardo Basso has urgently replaced him, who has not had much time to acclimatize to the altitude of the department of Boyac. The leader of the training is Egan Bernal, winner of the last Tour, which also fell and was damaged when he was looking for the national title. It tells us that it is already frankly recovered. My favorite seems to be Richard Carapaz, which comes from his home in Ecuador, at more than 3,000 meters of altitude.

The stellar season start by the UAE Emirates It does not have to darken in this Tour Colombia, although the time trial is not going to give him, presumably, his best day. They have a high level partner for packaging, Max Richeze and Juan Sebastin Molano -which is boyacense- and for the mountain to Sergio Henao, Cristian Muoz and … Fabio Aru? We have seen the Italian lively after an unfortunate season. We are told on the team that he has been psychologically unlocked and that his recent fatherhood has helped him. “I've found myself well and we have trained in altitude, here in Colombia, since January 27. And we have a big block. “

MOVISTAR TEAM SALE AT 18.48

Differences today will be scarce and should be maintained, bonuses through, during a week with more sprint forecast than to fight for the general. That fight will take place in the last stage with a goal at the top of El Verjn, an unknown scenario for most Colombian cyclists despite being on the outskirts of Bogot. The 3,290 meters of altitude to which a narrow asphalt belt takes final sentence.

The draw to determine the starting order placed the team Vini Zabu-KTM, from the second ProTeams division, as the first time trial participant. They will have jumped to compete 14 sets of second and third categories when the first of the WorldTour, Israel Start-Up Nation led by Colombian Edwin Vila.

The Movistar Team, with a Carlos Betancur who in his team are focused on the front of a young sextet, debut at 18.48 European Central Time. His Colombian compatriots Juan Diego Alba and Einer Rubio dream of good performances together with the young American Matteo Jorgenson and veterans Eduardo Seplveda and Carlos Verona.

The Mexican team Canel's be the last to participate, with scheduled departure at 19.18, when the winner of the first stage is surely already defined.