A perfect week in Colombia

You couldn’t have drawn it up any better than this. 

When it was all over in Colombia, the EF Education First Pro Cycling team had won three stages, the overall title with Sergio Higuita, the award for best-placed team, and honors for the best young rider. Rigoberto Urán made his return to racing after last season’s crash and the team finished 1, 2, 3 on the final podium — all in a home race for their three Colombian riders. 

“Last year I was riding for another team in Europe, but I was dreaming that I would one day race in front of my home country,” Higuita said. “Last year it was only a dream to one day win this race. It’s an incredible feeling to cap off all the hard work the team did this week.”

And it all happened in a country that turns out for bike racing as if it were a Tour de France stage, welcoming an international bunch of teams with a warm enthusiasm. 

“It’s been such an awesome week the way the race has unfolded and the way the team has worked relentlessly for us has been phenomenal,” said Dani Martínez, who won the final stage. “I can’t thank Rigo, Tejay van Garderen and Lawson Craddock enough. What an amazing way to start the season and it makes it all the more special that it’s my home country.”

On the general classification, Martínez finished second, and Ecuadorian Jonathan Caicedo finished third. Adding to the celebration was the fact that it was the team time trial win that paved the way to the overall victory. Across the Atlantic at the annual EF Pro Cycling full team camp in Girona, Spain, riders, staff, and partners got to savor the moment together.

“What we saw today was incredible. Incredible teamwork by the team in Colombia, incredible effort by the riders. I’m so happy for Dani on the stage win and Sergio taking the overall,” CEO Jonathan Vaughters said from team camp. “That was instinctive, impressive racing all week in Colombia.”

“We have three Colombians on our team and they must be really proud racing in front of their home crowd. It’s surprising how many cheers I get here,” Tejay van Garderen said. “I’m not Colombian, but they just have such a passion for cycling that anyone racing here, they will chant for you.”