The president of the Colombian Cycling Federation, Mauricio Vargas Carreño, announced in an interview with the Antena Dos Radio Network a possible creation of the Colombian Track Cup for 2024, while referring to the arduous work that has been carried out to improve the results in the different modalities and to be able to compete head-on with the powers in the different competitions.
“We are looking to strengthen the youth calendar that allows us to have more races. We are going to look for a way to create more regional competitions so that athletes have the necessary training not only for road and track cycling but also for BMX, Mountain Bike and paracycling, which we seek to strengthen from the base for the benefit of Colombian cycling.”
Is it true to create a permanent track selection?
That is the interest of the Federation and the Ministry of Sports. We are talking with Dr. Bibiana to find a way to obtain better results and win more places in the Olympic competitions, giving continuity to the process that has been carried out.
What can be done so that the track has a calendar throughout the year?
We plan to create the Colombia Track Cup, just as it is done in BMX and Mountain Bike. It would start in Medellín, go through Pereira, Bogotá, Boyacá, Santander and close in the city of Cali. We are going to institutionalize the track cup so that athletes have continuity throughout the year.
How can the achievement of this Colombia Track Cup be ensured?
We are going to try to get some sponsors to support the different leagues in these six track events. We have thought about providing financial support guaranteeing the participation of the main athletes.
How is obtaining new support going?
It has been difficult to find new sponsors since the private company hides behind the financial collapse that the pandemic left them with. The idea is to renew the economic contributions with Postobón, Suarez, Sura, GW Bicicletas. Likewise, we hope to reach out to Alpina and Mapei with a view to obtaining the resources to continue with these programs. We are going to continue fighting so that cycling continues to grow and our athletes have better support, especially from the base.
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico