An intense stage-race schedule goes on for Team Colombia: the Escarabajos are packing for a long journey to Colorado, where the USA Pro Challenge will take place from August 19 to 25.
The route of the spectacular American race will mainly twist through the Rocky Mountains area, providing mountains and high altitudes to whet the appetites of the Escarabajos, who are coming to the US with a strong and competitive line-up.
After a stretch of solid outings, including the outstanding Team Colombia’s first World Tour win at the Tour of Poland, Darwin Atapuma will lead the team in Colorado. El Puma will be supported on the mountains by three more riders who have raced the Giro earlier in the season and, more recently, tested themselves on Vuelta a Burgos’ climbs: Fabio Duarte, Robinson Chalapud and Jarlinson Pantano. After showing a very strong condition in the Spanish stage race, Edwin Avila will go for results in sprinters’ and mixed routes, while Alexis Camacho and Juan Pablo Suarez will play a key support role on every terrain.
Sports Director Oscar Pellicioli, who will be guiding the line-up from the team car, shows confidence in his group of riders: “We are travelling to Colorado with a strong and motivated team, looking to stretch our good momentum. Atapuma and Chalapud provided some strong performances, and Avila really impressed me at the Vuelta a Burgos, holding his own even on climbs. We will try to be on the frontline through the whole week, and there’s the right terrain to do that.”
Line-up: Darwin Atapuma, Edwin Avila, Alexis Camacho, Robinson Chalapud, Fabio Duarte, Jarlinson Pantano, Juan Pablo Suarez.
