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| The Italian-based Colombia-Coldeportes Team will be back for another season |
Colombia-Coldeportes
The Colombia-Coldeportes Team officially announced Thursday that it will be back as a Pro-Continental squad for 2013. The Colombian Cycling Federation (FCC) and the Colombian Government decided unanimously during a 4 hour meeting last week that the team, and it's Continental developmental squad Colombia-Claro (formerly Colombia-Comcel), will receive not only the financial funding, but their complete support for the 2013 season.
In recent days the team also announced five new signings. Alexis Camacho (1990) and Edwin Ávila (1989), both promoted form Colombia-Claro, and Dúber Quintero (1986) and William Valencia (1988), will be stagiares for the Italian based Colombian squad. The fifth rider to join Claudio Corti's team is sprinter Leonardo Duque (according to L'Equipe). The 30-year-old leaves Cofidis after seven seven seasons. These five reinforcements will join the twelve returning members: Fabio Duarte, Esteban Cháves, Darwin Atapuma, Robinson Chalapud, Wilson Marentes, Frank Osorio, Dalivier Ospina, Jarlinson Pantano, Michael Rodríguez, Jeffry Romero, Juan Pablo Suárez and Carlos Quintero.
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| Leonardo Duque winning the 2012 GP Cholet Pays de Loire |
Juan Pablo Forero, Javier González, Luis Felipe Laverde, and veteran Víctor Hugo Peña have left the team, with the latter retiring, but continuing in a coaching position.
With 17 spots filled, there is one more position open. It has been widely rumored that it will be filled by a European rouleur to help the team in the flat during stage races.
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| Esteban Chavez presents Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, with a Leader's Jersey from the 2011 Tour de L'Avenir |
The team's main goal continues to be a wild card invitation to the 2013 Giro. Interestingly enough, directeur sportif Claudio Corti was invited to the presentation of the 100th Edition of the Tour de France in Paris. Corti will be accompanied by 22-year-old 2011 Tour de L'Avenir winner Esteban Chavez. It's yet to be seen if this invitation is a foreshadowing of a possible invite to the Tour in years to come.
Movistar Continental
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| 2012 was the last season for the Movistar Continental Team based in Colombia |
Sadly, while two Colombian teams asure their future, one disappears. After the end of the Clásico RCN, Moviestar director, Libardo Leyton, made official what many already knew: General Manager Eusebio Unzué decided to end their Continental Team experiment. The diverse team, including riders from Colombia, Venezuela, México, Bolivia, Uruguay and Panamá, have released all their employees.
Miguel Ángel Rubiano Chávez
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| Who can forget Rubiano's smile on the podium of the sixth stage in this year's Giro? |
During this year's Giro, not only did Colombian Miguel Ángel Rubiano Chávez win the sixth stage, but he held the virtual Pink Jersey for much of the last half of the day ending in Porto Sant’Elpidio. The 28-year-old has signed on for another year with Italian/Venezuelan team Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela. This renewal gives him a chance to repeat his feat from last year, since Gianni Savio's team was the first wild card invited to the 2013 Giro.
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