With the visit to the Comitè Olimpico Colombiano (Colombian Olympic Committee) on Wednesday December 12th, the first training camp of Claudio Corti’s Team Colombia came to a close, after seven intense days of training in Zipaquirà, within close distance of Colombian capital city Bogotà.

After visiting the enchanting Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirà on Monday afternoon and the final training in altitude on Tuesday, at 3.400 metres a.s.l. in Paramo de Guasca, on Wednesday morning the whole team was welcomed in Bogotà by Antonio Arias, Technical Area Director of the Colombian Olympic Committee.

Arias sounded appreciation for the Team’s work and organization over the debut season, and encouraged the Escarabajos to give their all and make the best of the opportunity they have earned with great effort, leading Colombia’s name and tradition to the top all over the World. “Do not forget – Arias said – that 40 milions of people are backing and inciting you: you got the opportunity and the responsibility to make them happy.”

For sure, Team Colombia’s riders are not lacking motivation, as they looked committed and concentrated as ever in the first training camp. That’s great news for Claudio Corti ahead of a season in which the Team is willing to earn its first Grand Tour participation. “The training camp was really good, and gave us plenty of valuable indications. The riders made the best of last year’s experience, and reporting to the camp already fit and in good condition. The new guys also made an impression right away: they are very focused and talented guys, and will definitely help us to improve as a team as we are going to face bigger challenges in the upcoming season.”

“All the backing institutions – starting with Coldeportes and the Colombian Olympic Committee – showed us confidence, and that’s a major boost to keep on the good work on the way to our big goals. I am confident we will enjoy a good season, in which we hope to debut in three-week races: we are up and ready for the challenge,” Corti stated.

On Wednesday afternoon, the riders travelled back to their homes, where they will keep on the pre-season preparation according to the individual training schedules set up by Team Doctor Massimiliano Mantovani. The Escarabajos will get back to Italy in January, and will debut at the GP Costa degli Etruschi – Donoratico on February 2nd, 2013.

Photo: The whole Team and COC Technical Area Director Antonio Arias in front of the Colombian Olympic Committee