In an exciting and very busy finish, Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan) was victorious in the second stage of the Tour of Colombia 2024, after riding 168.6 kilometers between Paipa and Santa Rosa de Viterbo, in an undulating day that had three categorized passes.
The climber from Huila, who took the lead of the race, was the strongest of the breakaway and won ahead of Italian Andrea Piccolo (EF Education – EasyPost) and Spanish Óscar Sevilla (Team Medellín-EPM), who came in 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
At the end of the fraction, the winner expressed his satisfaction for what he did today. “First time I won with the World Tour. I tried to save myself all day, with the experience gained in Europe, in the end we saved ourselves and were able to win the stage, which is important for the team,” said Tejada.
In the early stages the main group remained compact. Attempts to form the breakaway failed, however, before reaching the first sprint of the day six men jumped out of the peloton. The sextet worked together and managed to distance themselves from the bunch.
The first breakaway of the day consisted of six men: Mexican Efrén Santos (Canel’s Java), Ecuadorian Esteban Villarreal (Ecuador National Team) and Colombians Javier Jamaica (Team Medellín-EPM), Bernardo Suaza (Forte Petrolike – Androni Giocattoli), Daniel Méndez (Nu Colombia) and Freddy Ávila (Colombia Potencia de la Vida).
The gap, which was always controlled by the peloton, led by NU Colombia, did not exceed three minutes. With 85 kilometers to go, the breakaway was neutralized by several men who jumped from the bunch, who caught up with the escapees.
Then followed a crazy phase with multiple attacks that caused several groups to form. The sprinters began to form the ‘Grupeto’, which was left far behind by the constant hills.
Meanwhile, in the lead of the race were 17 riders: Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan), Robinson Chalapud (Team Banco Guayaquil), Andrea Piccolo (EF Education – EasyPost), Juan Diego Alba (Selección Colombia), Aaron Van der Beken (Bingoal WB), Cesar Guavita (Colombia Potencia de la Vida-Strongman), Rodrigo Contreras (Nu Colombia), Javier Jamaica (Team Medellín-EPM), Efrén Santos (Canel’s Java), Yeisson Reyes (Team Sistecrédito), David Santiago Gómez (Team Sistecrédito), José Ramón Muñiz (Forte Petrolike – Androni Giocattoli), Hugo Rodríguez (Colombia National Team), Byron Guama (Ecuador National Team), Brandon Rojas (GW Erco Shimano), Óscar Sevilla (Team Medellín-EPM) and Edgar Andrés Pinzón (GW Erco Shimano).
With 10 kilometers to go, two experienced riders set the pace: Óscar Sevilla (Team Medellín-EPM) and Robinson Chalapud (Team Banco Guayaquil), who changed the pace, but with two thousand meters to go, six men came from behind.
In the final, Yeisson Reyes (Team Sistecrédito) tried to surprise his rivals, but could not let them go and in the end Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan) was the strongest, taking his first victory with the Kazakh team.
The Tour Colombia will continue this Thursday with the third fraction, a circuit in the capital of Boyacá of 141.9 kilometers, which includes three special sprints and no categorized mountain prizes on the route.
Stage 2 | Paipa – Santa Rosa de Viterbo (168,6 km)
| 1 | Harold Tejada | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 4:02:07 |
| 2 | Andrea Piccolo | EF Education – EasyPost | ,, |
| 3 | Óscar Sevilla | Team Medellín | ,, |
| 4 | Rodrigo Contreras | Nu Colombia | ,, |
| 5 | Edgar Andres Pinzon | GW Erco Shimano | ,, |
Ranking General
| 1 | Harold Tejada | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 7:13:35 |
| 2 | Óscar Sevilla | Team Medellín | 0:01 |
| 3 | Andrea Piccolo | EF Education – EasyPost | 0:05 |
| 4 | Rodrigo Contreras | Nu Colombia | 0:11 |
| 5 | Cesar David Guavita | Colombia Potencia de la Vida – Strongman | ,, |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico