Not only the discussion about the possible effects of the tax reform proposed by the government of Gustavo Petro has “turned inside out” in Colombia in the past week. A platoon of 157 women pedaled for six days on a 540-kilometer journey on highways in three departments: Cundinamarca, Boyacá and Santander. Cyclists from Colombian teams and five other countries overcame climbs and descents, faced the wind and fought for the title of the seventh edition of the competition, one of the most demanding in all of America.
Diana Peñuela, who won the national road championship in February after suffering broken collarbones for the previous two years, won the title this Sunday. At 35, she led from start to finish, becoming the first Colombian to win four consecutive stages: the first three totaling more than 325 kilometers, a distance greater than the metro network of Madrid (Spain ), and an individual time trial of 21.3 kilometers in 39 minutes and 40 seconds. “Teamwork means a lot for a good result. With good conditions and colleagues who are pursuing the same goal, you can achieve the extraordinary,” says the athlete, who was born in Caldas, in the coffee region.
How women cyclists see cycling as a life: balance is important, there are ups and downs, falls that require getting up and believing in yourself is essential. “Often the rival is inside, not outside,” is one of his convictions. Peñuela is part of the USA DNA Pro Cycling team. He rode the World Tour in Europe with Alé Cipollini of Italy in 2019 and competed in European events such as the Tour of Norway, La Course and the Madrid Challenge.
The Tour of Colombia meets the standards required by the International Cycling Union (UCI), the global governing body of cycling. The high participation of women cyclists not only confirms the importance that women have achieved in sport, but also the importance of crucial support so that they can walk this path with dignity. “Before there was no competition. Now there are better structured teams and international training,” says Rocío Parrado, former professional cyclist and leader of the Ministry of Sport-backed team Tierra de Atletas.
“A few years ago only small races were held. With the creation of the Vuelta a Colombia and its inclusion on the UCI international calendar, women’s cycling has grown,” explains Mauricio Vargas, President of the Colombian Cycling Federation. In its early days it only had about 50 registered. Live broadcasting on open national television has been a key element in attracting fans and sponsors, which is yet to be done in women’s football, for example.
Despite the development, there are challenges such as strengthening private support for national teams, not only in Colombia but also in Latin America. The economic gaps in football are repeated in cycling. Recognitions are up to 13 times or higher for men’s teams than women’s teams in local and international competitions.
The sixth and final stage of the Vuelta a Colombia took place this Sunday in Bucaramanga. The country regained the title after three years in which it was among the foreign drivers: Aranza Villalón from Chile; Miryam Núñez from Ecuador; and Lilibeth Chacón of Venezuela. The first three editions were won by Colombian Ana Cristina Sanabria. This year, participants from countries such as Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, the United States, Ecuador, Canada, Japan and Venezuela competed in a total of 29 teams.
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