Snow and weather were main protagonists of the final training camp day in Torbole sul Garda (Italy) for Claudio Corti’s Colombia Coldeportes. The cold spell investing Italy has finally reached Lake Garda’s banks, so the technical staff opted for an active-rest day with trainers sessions on schedule.

“It’s still good this way, we feel ready – DS Valerio Tebaldi underlined – weather allowed us to work on distance a lot over the last few days, and some rest ahead of the season opening won’t definitely hurt.”

Despite the unfavorable weather is risking to disrupt the GP Costa degli Etruschi, scheduled on Saturday February 4th, the team is getting ready to leave Torbole after a very good, hard working week, in which the Team managed to progress from both the conditioning and overall team blend points of view.

Along with General Manager Claudio Corti and Sports Directors Valerio Tebaldi and Oscar Pellicioli, 10 riders will travel to Tuscany for the Escarabajos’ very first race. The starting athletes for GP Costa degli Etruschi are: Robinson Chalapud, Fabio Duarte, Juan Pablo Forero, Javier Gonzalez, Felipe Laverde, Wilson Marentes, Frank Osorio, Dalivier Ospina, Victor Hugo Peña and Jeffry Romero.

With Donoratico’s race being one that usually favors the sprinters, still the Team is extremely determined to try and go for a good result right away: “This race doesn’t exactly match our characteristics – DS Tebaldi stated – but we’ll rely on sprinter Juan Pablo Forero to play our chances in the finale, as a bunch finish seems on cards. During the race, experienced Peña and Laverde will protect him, while Marentes and Osorio will be in charge to bring him into good position in the final 2 km. Finally, Romero will be the lead-up man.”

“Forero rarely used a lead-up train in his career: he’s a tricky sprinter, able to stay in other team’s wake. Nevertheless, having a rider like Duarte, who also has some pop in sprints, means we also have a chance if the race is decided from distance,” Tebaldi explained.

Photo: the team can’t wait to get the season started