Yonathan Monsalve: A Latin voice amid the popularity of cycling in China
The Venezuelan Yonathan Monsalve, former runner in the Giro d'Italia, spoke exclusively for LatinAmerican Post about the growth of this sport in the Asian country
The Republic of China continues to show its global growth, and one of its major current references is the evolution of sport as a business. One of its beginnings was the hiring of great figures of football to make this discipline more popular in that nation. Now, it exhibits it with the development of another discipline such as cycling that, based on a checkbook and a lot of work, begins to gain admiration and recognition.
Leer en español: Yonathan Monsalve: Una voz latinoamericana sobre la popularidad del ciclismo en China
For more than six years, the Asian giant, with the birth of some important races, decided to professionalize road cycling. The process fullfill the endorsements of the International Cycling Union (UCI) based on the organization of events, sponsorship, logistics and the presence of teams with competitive corridors from all over the world, including the always brave representatives of Latin America.
That is why, from LatinAmerican Post, we took the task of speaking with one of the Latin stars that are part of Chinese cycling, to understand a little more about this innovative sports business.
Presence of important runners
For Yonathan Monsalve, a Venezuelan Olympic cyclist who left European cycling a few years ago to sign as leader of the Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team, the appereance of Chinese route pedaling is undeniable and is due to some important reasons.
"In the first place, we must understand that, although it is not very named in Latin America, pedaling in China and all of Asia is very good, and in which not only runners of this continent participate but some of the best representatives from all over the world. For example, the last Tour of Qinghai Lake was attended by professional and continental teams with cyclists from many countries including Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela and of course Colombia, among others, which ended with an important victory for the Colombian continental team Manzana Postobón. "
Profitable business
Surely the most remarkable for the practice of this sport in Chinese territory, is the injection of capital that is held in this country unlike many others. This is the main reason that leads many runners with no opportunity in Europe to compete there.
"We must clarify that cycling, unlike other sports such as football, baseball, basketball and stop counting, is not a discipline that pays well anywhere. Therefore, for the good salaries and awards that are here in China, our representatives want to come, and of course we are the ones who give more passion to their skills " explained Yonathan, who among other achievements, in 2017 was the winner of the Tour Quingai and now is preparing to play the China Tour 1 and 2.
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One of the less developed points of cycling in the Asian continent unlike the European one, and that Monsalve knows very well, is the professionalism that is seen in the old continent, which neither in Asia nor in any other place is seen.
"I have run almost all over the world, gyros, great classics, Olympic cycle races, in Latin America of course, and in China now, and nowhere is there the professionalism that exists in those competitions in Europe. Here you can still say that he is amateur in many areas. However, it is going to make the pattern imposed by Europeans, and the fact that there are technicians, brokers, and professionals who have been in Europe, is giving them that level that will continue to grow. Even last year a criterium was made here with the presence of Alberto Contador and Chris Froome, and that is something very valuable ".
Finally, Yonathan, encouraged the new cyclists to continue fighting for their dreams, and placing Asia as an alternative for those who can not break IGNORE INTO the "Old Continent". The Venezuelan assured that one can grow as an athlete, and guarantee an economic future in the family. "Thanks to LatinAmerican Post for the interview and for following in the footsteps of the Latin athletes, it is very important that we all continue to support each other as representatives of this continent."
LatinAmerican Post | Freddy González
Copy Edited by Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz
