Remarkable participation in the Vuelta de la Juventud!
Sergio Granados finished top-10 in the points classification and top-20 in the GC in the 54th edition of the Vuelta de la Juventud. Congratulations to him and the rest of the team around him for this great achievement.
There were seven days of competition. Seven stages that crossed four departments of Colombia: Norte de Santander, Santander, Boyacá and Cundinamarca. Mountains, rivers, flatness, moors. A spectacular trip! A staff of professionals in different areas and a group of bike rider, who become a team thanks to group cohesion, committed to the cause.
Luis Mario Marmolejo, Sergio Granados, Diomedes Velandia, Nico Borrás, Santiago Vélez and Óscar Blanco, both Vélez and Blanco were participating in this competition for the first time. All were worthy representatives of the jointed squad FUN Esteban Chaves – Team INCA. The six completed the race, a huge merit for them and for the team.
Sergio Granados achieved 18th place in the GC, 7:50 minutes behind the champion, Juan David Peña. The podium was completed by Didier Merchán and Germán Gómez. The three bike riders from Colombia Tierra de Atletas. Congratulations to them!
Because of his regularity, the third place in the fourth stage -a historic event for us- and the fourth in the seventh, Granados finished in the ninth position of the points classification. «A worthy top-20 and a top-10 are the result of the work and a development that Sergio has been doing», said Wilson Sandoval, FUN Esteban Chaves sports director and one of the coaches of FUN Esteban Chaves – Team INCA for this race.
These were the positions of the rest of the team bike riders:
82 – Velandia (+1:08:52)
106 – Marmolejo (+1:24:50)
134 – Blanco (+1:50:10)
141 – Borrás (+1:57:00)
148 – Vélez (+2:09:06)
Voices
Jairo Chaves, FUN Esteban Chaves General Manager: «We are very satisfied with everyone’s work. Completing the race with all six bike riders is very important. This is one more step towards the goals that each of them have and it contributes them to keep growing as bike riders and «.
Louis Faure, Team INCA Sports Director: «Thank you to all the staff and the bike riders for their commitment and dedication in this competition. We will keep working, believing in these young bike riders and supporting them on their path through their dreams».
Nico Borrás: «I am very happy to have finished my first seven day’s race. It was not easy. At all stages we learned something. This experience helps us to be in shape for the season in France. I want to thank all the staff for their support».
Luis Mario Marmolejo: «It was a very tough race. There were difficult stages that brought out the best of us. Thank God we finished this Race. Thank you to the team and the staff for everything».
Sergio Granados: «I am very happy to have achieved good results. The idea is to keep improving and get to Europe in the best shape. Thank you so much to everyone, my friends, my family and the FUN and INCA organizations for their support».
Diomedes Velandia: «It has been a pretty hard race, hilly stages and a lot of mountain. Thank God we completed it. I had a great experience. I grew up as a bike rider and as a person. Thank you to the staff and especially to my family who always supports me».
Santiago Vélez: «It was a very challenging race, with a lot of suffering. I went through some setbacks: I got sick with congestion and I fell, but I finished the race. Not in the best positions, but with an experience that adds to my development and that leaves me calm and happy. Let’s go for more!”.
Óscar Blanco: «The balance is very positive. I finished my first Vuelta de la Juventud with good feelings and giving my best. I am very happy and grateful with the members of FUN and Team INCA. Important things are coming. I will keep fighting».
Relationship with Team INCA
Together with Team INCA we are working specifically on the development of the under-23 category, participating in high level races like La Vuelta de la Juventud. Additionally, we have established an internship program for U-18 bike riders of the FUN Team.
The bike riders who participated in these race are part of the French team’s squad, but they were part of the FUN Team’s U-16 and U-18 categories. Both organizations are united to give keep the sports process of this young riders.
Thank you all for making La Vuelta de la Juventud a special experience, which unites us as a family and reinforces a sports project from the promotion of values and principle. Let’s get some more!
📷: Anderson Bonilla