Zipaquirá (Colombia) (AFP)

At five o'clock in the morning, they began to gather in the main square of Zipaquira. Between pride, emotion and impatience, the inhabitants of the city where Egan Bernal grew up were waiting for the return of their hero, the first Colombian to win the Tour de France.

"I think I'm going to cry with joy when I go to see Egan, I'll thank him." Dressed in the typical dress of Colombian peasants with long black hair, 60-year-old Rosadelia Pachón woke up at dawn to "reserve" her place in front of the stage that will host the new nugget of cycling.

The 22-year-old rider arrived in Colombia on Monday. From Bogota, he joined his stronghold, located 46 kilometers from the capital, aboard a police helicopter. At an ostentatious parade in the streets of the commune of 126,000 inhabitants, the winner of the Great Loop preferred a simple platform in the Plaza de los Comuneros, where it is expected around 15:00 GMT.

On the program: thanks to the fans, exchanges with the media and handing over a replica of his yellow jersey to the Colombian cycling federation and the original of his best young white jersey to his first coach, former rider Fabio Rodríguez .

Born in Bogotá to a modest family, a vigilant father and a working mother in a flower plantation, Bernal grew up in Zipaquira. Despite his commitments abroad, he remains very attached to his land. He lives near his parents' home, prepares his shopping in the nearby mountains and rolls with his little brother.

- The old glories present -

While in Zipaquirá many claim to be near or far away from the cyclist or say they saw him train, only one can boast of having witnessed his ascent to the heights of world cycling: his paternal grandfather.

Bald skull and skin wrinkled by the sun and years to grow corn, Álvaro Julio Bernal, 75, wanders in costume to the area reserved for guests, where we meet the ancient glories of Colombian cycling, Lucho Herrera, Patrocinio Jiménez and Mauricio Soler.

"It's a very good story for Colombia and for the whole country," says Alvaro, biting his lips to contain his emotion.

Rosadelia Pachón is also struggling to hide her joy. "We have to thank God in particular, he's the one who gave him these abilities, this talent, we are very happy and we hope he will continue to raise the colors of Colombia even higher."

The story of Egan Bernal is in progress and is already confused with the great story. The country celebrates on Wednesday its champion and ... 200 years of independence.

© 2019 AFP