• Mikel Landa. "We work to make a great Tour"

The Colombian government extended this week the period of sanitary emergency until August 31, which, among other measures, supposes the total prohibition of international flights. The concern, of course, immediately spread among the coffee cycling figures, led by Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana, Miguel Ángel López, Rigoberto Urán and Esteban Chaves, who now must resort to a special permit to travel to Europe.

The Colombian Cycling Federation (FCC) confirmed that it will request the Executive, chaired by Iván Duque, an authorization so that its best cyclists can comply with the obligations of a new calendar marked by the start of the Tour, which set August 29 as their new departure date.

"We began contacts with the president, the Minister of Transport Angela, María Orozco, and the Minister of Sport, Ernesto Lucena, so that cyclists can travel to Europe in a timely manner and intervene in the races prior to the Tour," revealed Mauricio Vargas, president of the FCC. "We will coordinate the government and the teams, there will be no problem," Vargas said.

Doubts about August 1

A few weeks ago, the International Cycling Union (UCI) approved a WorldTour calendar that would start on July 28 with the dispute of the Tour of Burgos. However, doubts about the viability of this new agenda and the possible consequences of the pandemic still persist.

It must be remembered that the Colombian Government had already granted a special license to 111 professional cyclists so that they could train without restrictions. Among all of them stands out the case of Bernal, champion of the Tour 2019, who returned in March from Monaco and settled in Zipaquirá, his native town, where he received a permit from the mayor to exercise on the roads.

For his part, Quintana has prepared himself thoroughly to try to validate his spectacular start to 2020, where he conquered important victories at Mont-Ventoux, Col d'Eze and La Colmiane. The leader of Team Arkéa-Samsic will participate in the Grand Boucle following an invitation from the organization.

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  • Egan Bernal
  • Colombia
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