On the ground in Colombia: A fountain of talent ready to overflow

Egan Bernal
Egan Bernal waves to the crowd during the team presentation at the Tour Colombia 2.1 in February (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Colombian cycling reached a zenith last year when 22-year-old Egan Bernal climbed to the top of the final Tour de France podium in Paris, taking the ultimate step on a path to international success that started half a century earlier with Martín 'Cochise' Rodríguez – a world champion on the track, the first Colombian to enter the World Championship road race and a winner of multiple stages at the Giro d'Italia in the early 1970s. 

But the story of Colombian cycling talent is really only just beginning, as a thriving grassroots scene pumped to full volume by the current generation of stellar riders – and now a Tour de France champion – could unleash a tidal wave of talent on the European cycling scene for decades to come. 

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Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.