Julian Andres Santa
With a record number of 550 participants in two events, Santa Rosa de Cabal excelled in the organization and logistics of what were the National Cup Valid and the Pan-American Mountain Biking Championship, held this weekend in the municipality of the Araucarias.
Colombians, the great hosts
In the three main categories of the Pan American Mountain Biking, the Colombian cyclists shone with their good performances and became champions, highlighting the participation of Mónica Calderón, from Risaraldense, who competed in this event for the first time and had the personal attraction of being able to win gold in her department.
“Mission accomplished”
Mónica stated this: “I am happy, it is my first Pan American, I have come from a year with very good results and this victory for the record is also something very beautiful and I value it very much. The race was very hard because I really didn’t know what the level of the other runners was, the start was very fast, they were quite steep ascents but these races are also about not despairing and leading your own race, I saw that I could do it and have that medal and here I have it”.
About the requirement of the route
“In the end the temperature increased a lot, you were already going with the latest and there is more desire and that ability to suffer that you have, that race was very long. Now national championships are coming at the end of July, then I travel again with the team to Spain to compete in the World Cup”, the Risaraldense pointed out.
elite male champion
For his part, the elite male champion was also Colombian Juan Fernando Monroy. “Happy with this victory, I had been preparing very well because we come with a very competitive cycle this year, there have been countless races in which we have been at an international level and this year, which is the National Games, we have brought great preparation. The course was very demanding, runners with a lot of experience, a great background and for me it is a pride to be able to represent Colombia, my team, my family and in each race I am always thinking of them”.
Final results
female elite category
1. Monica Calderon. Colombia selection
2. Adriana Molina. Ecuador
3. Carolina Mojica. Colombia
E-Bike category
1. Andres Felipe Rueda. Colombia
2. Jorge Eduardo Sanchez. Colombia
3. Luis Miguel Gutierrez. Colombia
elite male category
1. Juan Fernando Monroy. Colombia
2. Jonathan Botero. Colombia
3. Sebastian Gesche. Chile
Opine Jhoan Stiven Gómez, Risaraldense winner of the junior category
“The route is very demanding, very complete, both going up and down. It felt really good, since I am from here in Santa Rosa, that is my training area, so we felt very comfortable with the course. We have very tough rivals who also made it difficult”.
Give your opinion Freddy Restrepo, champion of the Master C category
“Happy to come from La Ceja, to represent Colombia and Antioquia here and thank God to be able to win. A very nice route, congratulate Santiago Robledo for this beautiful event, some very hard climbs but that’s what mountain biking is all about”.
Opine Salomé Cortés de Tocancipá, champion of the junior category
“It was a pretty hard journey, at first some of my colleagues started very hard so I was a little worried because what was left was quite hard, especially at the end but I can regulate and go with her and at the end I took my step and left and already at the last thing, to get there, he slowed down a bit and I looked and I was the first, so I came there well”.