"His confidence in his own abilities is constantly increasing" - Bahrain DS on the growth of Santiago Buitrago as GC leader
Cycling
Last week's Volta a Comunitat Valenciana offered a highly enjoyable battle for top placings with Santiago Buitrago coming out on top with superb performances. After mediocre 2024 season, it's good news for Bahrain - Victorious who could once again stand to their name thanks to the Colombian climber.
Did sports director Roman Kreuziger expect Buitrago to arrive at such phenomenal shape to Valenciana? "Yes, because we gave him some freedom in December: he didn't come to the altitude with us, he stayed in Colombia in his environment. In January he was with the team for only a week before going straight up to Teide," he tells Bici.pro.
"I followed his training and I saw that he was ready: he was doing important numbers for the first part of the season," The individual preparation back in South America clearly paid off as the 25-year-old went on to win two hard stages along with the general classifcation.
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Kreuziger is pleased to see the young rider grow also a leader: "Physically he continues to improve, but his real advantage is that since he was not a leader when he was young, he is growing slowly, learning year after year. His confidence in his own abilities is constantly increasing and he is also maturing as a person."
"Before he was more shy, now instead, when he feels good, he does not hesitate to call his teammates on the radio, to keep them closer during the race. Even in the pre-race meetings he asks for more things. This is fundamental, because a leader must motivate the whole group around him."
What's on Buitrago's plate for 2025? Some assumed he has grown to be in the contention for a nice result at the Giro d'Italia but Bahrain - Victorious will instead allow Buitrago to take on the Tour de France once again, hoping to improve his 10th place from last year.
"He already had a first taste of the Tour last year, racing Paris-Nice and then the Dauphiné before starting the Grande Boucle. He finished the Tour in the top 10, an excellent result for his first experience. This year we will repeat a similar program just to see how far he has arrived, but without putting pressure on him."
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