Tour Colombia, the biggest party in the country of the bikes that finally won a Tour

Egan Bernal, recovered from the heavy blow he suffered in the Colombian Championship, a week ago, is the great star of the Tour Colombia that starts Tuesday in Tunja, capital of the department of Boyac.

It is not ordinary to have the winners of the last editions of the Tour of Italy and the Tour de France, the Ecuadorian together in competition Richard Carapaz and the Colombian Egan Bernal. Better that they militate in different teams, not both in the Ineos, but that's another story. His presence is one of the strengths of the Tour Colombia that was presented this Sunday at the Tunja stadium.

But they are not the only celebrities who paraded in the stadium of the 'Olympic Park' of Tunja. The french Julian Alaphilippe He is the most considered European together with his Luxembourg partner in the Deceuninck-Quick Step, Bob Jungels. The Movistar Team, with Carlos Verona, try to give more game with your cyclists of this land: the veteran Carlos Betancur and the new Juan Diego Alba and Einer Rubio. The Colombians Rigoberto Urn, Daniel Felipe Martnez, Sergio Higuita -the three of Education First- are also at the top of the cycling landscape of recent times, in addition to Esteban Chaves, that run in a Colombian team, since the team that pays him does not participate in this race.

CYCLIST ENVIRONMENT

There was not full in the presentation, but the vibrant atmosphere of the local fans. When the first of the six scheduled stages begins on Tuesday, a 16-kilometer team time trial will trigger the expectation. This is a unique race that rene runners, fans, landscapes and figures. In its two previous editions, it has established itself as an appointment that has a tradition – because cycling is a very obvious one in Colombia – and sports effervescence. Talking about the best in the world in cycling races by stages forces many Colombians to date today.

A strange circumstance is the absence of Nairo Quintana. He lives in Tunja and grew up just five kilometers from here, in Cmbita. He has been present in the two previous editions, the first in the Coffee and Cali Axis (Gold and Peace), and that of last year in Antioquia. But he has changed teams, now militates in the French Arka-Samsic and instead of running near his countrymen he will do it in the Provence Tour The previous weekend could be in the National championships and gave his best: silver in the chrono and fourth in line. As a tribute for the emptiness he leaves in this edition of the Tour Colombia in which he participated advising tours.

STRATOSFRICO FINAL

There is a lot of level stage, but

the key is to assimilate the altitude

, which never goes down 2,500 meters and reach the last goal of Sunday at 3,290. Scar Sevilla, the indefatigable manchego-Bogota of 43 years, says that he at 2,600 of his region supports them well, but that over 3,000 be more complicated.

The first stage on Tuesday, with 16.7 kilometers of team time trial around Tunja should benefit the WorldTour, mainly Ineos, EF Education First and Deceuninck-Quick Step. The second Paipa-Duitama has 152 flat kilometers. The third day of 177 kilometers also favors mass arrival, although it has two fourth-category ports halfway between Paipa and Sogamoso. On Friday, a broker from Alaphilippe's profile is expected on arrival at Santa Rosa Viterbo and on Saturday he returns to the plain, always with the hardness of altitude. The last stage decides everything: from Zipaquir, the city of Egan Bernal, to Alto Verjn, a final climb of 9.4 kilometers, with 532 meters of unevenness and an average of 5.6%. Altitude: 3,290 meters. A final stratosfrica.