This Will Be 2023 for Colombian Cyclists

2022 was not the most fruitful year for Colombian cycling. However, whenever a new UCI season begins, the expectations of seeing a coffee grower win a Grand Tour, or a stage, or wear a jersey, be it mountain, points, youth or combative, they are tall. This is the news with which Colombian cyclists receive 2023.

Nairo Quintana

The former Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España champion is going through difficult times in his professional career today. He is without a team and hopes to return to racing in 2023, after the cancellation of the contract with Arkéa Samsic due to the scandal over the use of tramadol during the last Tour de France, in which he was disqualified by the UCI.

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Egan Bernal

The former champion of the Tour de France, Egan Bernal , hopes to have revenge this 2023, after some difficult years because of the accident he suffered with a bus in Bogotá. A few days ago he had nose surgery, but from which he has already recovered and is riding the bike again. The native of Zipaquirá (central Colombia) will begin his preparation with the Vuelta de San Juan in Argentina, where he will compete against Remo Evenepoel, one of the international figures.

Miguel Angel Lopez

Another who faces an uncertain future is the one born in Pesca, Boyacá (center), Miguel Ángel López. His team in 2022, Astana, decided to cancel his contract after allegedly discovering a connection between López and Dr. Marcos Maynar (accused of drug trafficking). “Superman” (as he is known), has not hesitated to denounce his dismissal and describe it as unfair, and is in the process of suing.

Rigoberto Urán

While the one born in Urrao, Antioquia (northeast), is already thinking about what comes next with his EF Education EasyPost team for 2023. Urán is in Europe with his compatriots Diego Camargo and Esteban Chaves.

Calendar 2023

This year, the cycling calendar begins with the long-awaited Tour Down Under in Australia from January 17 to 22. While winter touches its most difficult days in Europe, the calendar begins in the south of the planet, where it is still summer. The competition will return after 2 years of cancellation due to the pandemic.

Later, the traditional ones of Paris-Nice will arrive (5 to 12 March); Tirreno-Adriatico (March 6-12); Milan-San Remo (March 18); the Volta a Catalunya (20 to 26 March); Tour of the Basque Country (3 to 8 April); and the Tour de Romandie (25 to 30 April); among many others..

Then, the first grand tour, as usual, will begin with the Giro d'Italia, between May 6 and 28. Later, after the Critérium Dauphiné (June 4-11) and the Tour de Suisse (June 11-18); The Tour de France is coming (July 1 to 23).

Already for the second semester of 2023, there will be the Clásica de San Sebastián (July 29); Tour of Poland (from July 29 to August 4); among others, as a prelude to the Vuelta a España (from August 26 to September 17). The UCI calendar will then close with the II of Lombardy (October 7) and the Gree-Tour Guangxi (October 12 to 17) in China.