Nairo Quintana negative and critical of Colombian cycling: "Europeans have developed cycling and we are still in the nineties"

Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana, known as the great representative of the golden era of Colombian cycling, has issued a gloomy prediction about the future of the sport in his country. Witnessing the rebirth of Colombian talent in the cycling world, Quintana is quick to express his concern about what lies ahead for Colombian cycling after an era of glory.

During the last decade, Colombia has seen a boom in cycling, with outstanding figures such as Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán, Esteban Chaves, Miguel Ángel López and Egan Bernal, who have shone in the grand tours and have taken the Colombian flag to the top on the international stage. However, Quintana warns that what was experienced during those golden years may not be repeated in the near future.

In an interview, Nairo Quintana expressed his concerns about the state of Colombian cycling and the challenges it faces. He noted that while there is talent and passion for cycling in Colombia, there is a lack of investment and adequate development in the sport, especially in the training processes. While European cyclists have experienced solid development, Colombian cycling has been left at a disadvantage, using empirical methods and outdated techniques.

"We have been seeing that the Europeans have developed in cycling and we are still empirical. They stayed in the 90s: no shakes, no technology, no monitoring, just accelerate and take the heart to the maximum and with that they are already happy. The training must be specific and work more on the seedlings. If we don't do it, we will be thirsty for cycling for more than a decade", warned Nairo Quintana.

The cyclist also emphasized that the successful past decade is not the norm and that it is necessary to focus on cultivating and developing new generations of cyclists in Colombia to maintain relevance in world cycling.

"We are used to a decade where it has been too successful; 10 years have passed and although I don't look so old, I already have gray hair and the years are coming. A Rigoberto Urán with 15 seasons or a little more. So a new generation has to come. In 2015 or 2016 we Colombians made six podiums in the grand tours and it seemed that it was going to be like that all our lives and at that moment I told them, 'this is an episode that is happening, that is not normal, we have to enjoy it and we have to think about sowing for the future because this is not going to be seen again'," added the cyclist.

Nairo Quintana's call is clear: it is necessary to act with vision and strategy to ensure that Colombian cycling continues to be successful in the future. If the right measures are taken, the country will be able to maintain its legacy as a cycling power and continue exporting talent to the world, keeping alive the spirit and passion for cycling in Colombia.