If we analyze it taking into account the current riders we could say that the
Vuelta a Espana of the Colombians has been positive. Juan Sebastián Molano got a great stage win in a mass sprint, Santiago Buitrago got into the top 10, Einer Rubio was present in breakaways and Egan Bernal managed to finish another grand tour after having the most complicated year of his life.
This positive outlook, however, contrasts with what we have recently experienced in Colombia, which makes us miss the times when they were elite in the grand tours by stages: Nairo Quintana winning the Giro and Vuelta and hurting Chris Froome in the Tour, Rigoberto Urán getting a podium in the Grande Boucle, Egan Bernal winning the Tour and the Giro, Miguel Ángel López winning the big climbs?
All these incredible successes, the greatest in the history of Colombian cycling, are now far away. Thus, Molano's stage win in a Grand Tour with a low level of sprinters cannot hide the reality of the South American country at this time with respect to the world's elite.
Santiago Buitrago and Einer Rubio managed to win stages in the Giro d'Italia, but with a superior participation in the Vuelta they have not even come close to scratching a victory. Sergio Higuita, on the other hand, has been far from showing the freshness of other years in a very complicated 2023 for him in which he has failed to make the grade.
Egan Bernal, who has managed to finish the Vuelta after having done the Tour de France, is a case apart. There is no doubt that no one could have asked for anything more from the rider from Bogotá. Right now, unfortunately after his accident, he is very far from being the cyclist he was and we do not know if he will be able to return to a similar level;
And little else. As we say, it has not been a horrible Vuelta a España for Colombian cycling, just another grand tour in which its new reality can be appreciated.
