Sao Paulo – As if to prove that this is his favorite specialty and that no one like him has won so many Pan American Road Championships, the Colombian Walter Vargas became this May 23 the five-time champion of the individual time trial, after covering the 35 kilometers and 400 meters of the race in 42:44 minutes.
For the second place of the modality, disputed from 8:00 in the morning in a beautiful circuit and with little wind, was the Panamanian Franklin Archibold (43:50), while the bronze was won by the Venezuelan Olympic qualifier, Orluis Alberto Aular, who rode the course in 44:14 minutes, 1:29 behind the winner.
“This is a triumph that may have been easier than in other opportunities, but that does not diminish its value, because all the runners prepared for it. The weather helped because there was not so much heat and I congratulate the organizers because the circuit is wonderful for this competition”, said the Team Medellin-EPM rider, who climbed to the top of the podium, in São José dos Campos, with an average speed of 49.68 km/h.
The statistics left more rejoicing for Vargas, who reached five golds after those achieved in 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023 in this specialty during continental appointments, something that only the American Amber Neben files among women after being crowned on Tuesday.
“It’s a victory that makes me very happy because I’ve had a good season so far and whenever I go out to compete in a time trial I always do it thinking about winning. And the most important thing is that Colombia won,” concluded the 32-year-old from Antioquia, who turned 32 on April 16.
Campeonato Panamericano de Ruta – CRI (Categoría Élite)
Sao José dos Campos – São José dos Campos (35.4km)
| 1 | Walter Vargas | Colombia | 42:44 | 49.687 |
| 2 | Franklin Archibold | Panamá | 1:14 | 48.282 |
| 3 | Orluis Aular | Venezuela | 1:29 | 48.018 |
| 4 | Kaden Hopkins | Bermuda | 2:11 | 47.271 |
| 5 | Conor White | Bermuda | 2:16 | 47.184 |
| 6 | José Luis Rodríguez | Chile | 2:34 | 46.857 |
| 7 | Diego De Jesús Mendes | Brasil | 3:06 | 46.325 |
| 8 | Jonathan Caicedo | Ecuador | 3:13 | 46.207 |
| 9 | Jason Andrey Huertas | Costa Rica | 3:36 | 45.824 |
| 10 | Anderson Arboleda | Colombia | 3:42 | 45.728 |
| 11 | João Pedro Rossi | Brasil | 3:56 | 45.486 |
| 12 | Abner González | Puerto Rico | 3:59 | 45.445 |
| 13 | Agustín Alonso | Uruguay | 4:36 | 44.857 |
| 14 | Jefferson Cepeda | Ecuador | 4:41 | 44.770 |
| 15 | Ignacio de Jesús Prado | México | 5:05 | 44.395 |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico