Vuelta a Colombia

Cycling race infobox
name = Vuelta a Colombia


date = August
region = Colombia
english = Tour of Colombia
localnames = Vuelta a Colombia"' es icon
nickname =
discipline = Road race
competition = UCI
type = Stage race
organiser =
first = 1951
number = 57 (as of 2008)
last =
firstwinner = flagicon|COL Efraín Forero Triviño
mostwins = flagicon|COL Rafael Antonio Niño (6 wins)
mostrecent = flagicon|COL Giovanny Baez (2008)

The Vuelta a Colombia (Spanish for "Tour of Colombia") is an annual cycling road race, run over many stages throughout different regions in Colombia and sometimes Venezuela during the first days of August. It is organized by the Colombian Cycling Federation. [cite web|url=http://www.ciclismodecolombia.com/index.cfm?doc=Pag_menu1&idmenu1=13|title=Federacion Colombiana de Ciclismo es icon|publisher=Ciclismode colombia|accessdate=2007-08-06]

The first Vuelta a Colombia was held in 1951. It was a 1,233 kilometers race which was divided in 10 stages which included three rest days. [cite web|url= http://www.jet.com.co/ingles/eventos_vuelta_colombia.htm|title=History of the Vuelta a Colombia|publisher=Compania Nacional de Chocolates|accessdate=2007-08-10] Thirty-five cyclists lined up for the race and of which thirty finished the race. [cite web|url=http://members.fortunecity.es/pedalear/Vcol/Vcol1951.htm|title=1a Vuelta a Colombia|accessdate=2007-10-19] The first champion of the Vuelta was Efraín Forero Triviño who won seven stages of the race. [cite web|url= http://www.ciclismodecolombia.com/index.cfm?doc=contenido&idmenu2=3&idseccion=43|title=Vuelta a Colombia Histoia 1951|publisher=Ciclismo de Colombia|accessdate=2007-08-11] For the second edition, the race was increased in stages to 13 and was around 1,670km in length. It was held from the 12 to the 27 or 28th of January 1952. It appears that 60 cyclists lined up for the race. [cite web|url=http://members.fortunecity.es/pedalear/Vcol/Vcol1952.htm|title=2a Vuelta a Colombia|accessdate=2007-10-19] The 3rd edition of the race was the first edition to have 15 stages that covered 1,750km. [cite web|url=http://members.fortunecity.es/pedalear/Vcol/Vcol1953.htm|title=3a Vuelta a Colombia 1953|accessdate=2007-10-19] Over the years there has been severe serious accidents and even deaths during the race. Some of these cyclists who have had very serious and career ending accidents include Conrado "Tito" Gallo, Gilberto Achicanoy, Felipe Liñán and Ernesto Santander. [cite web|url=http://members.fortunecity.es/pedalear/Vcol/Anecdotario.htm|title=Anecdotario de la Vuelta|accessdate=2007-10-19] In 2005 there was a tragic accident in the Vuelta where Sports journalist of local radio station RCN Alberto Martinez Prader died while transmitting the race. Martinez was traveling in a jeep with José Fernando López and Hector Urrego when, descending from La Linea peak towards Calarcá, the jeep lost control on a curve and fell into a ravine. [cite web|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200507/28/eng20050728_198755.html|title=Sports journalist dies in accident in Tour of Colombia|publisher=People's Daily online|accessdate=2007-10-19]

It is currently a fifteen stage race that is regarded as one of the toughest races in cycling. The mountain passes that the peloton encounters are hundreds of metres higher than any of the passes used in the Tour de France.

The latest edition was won by Giovanny Baez of the UNE Team ahead of former winner Hernán Buenahora of the Loteria de Boyaca and teammate Mauricio Ortega. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2008/may08/colombia08/colombia0814#gc|title=Stage 14 - May 25: 96 km|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-05-29]

Past winners

References

External links

* [http://www.esciclismo.com/especiales/vuelta_colombia/ Esciclismo Vuelta a Colombia es icon]
* [http://members.fortunecity.es/pedalear/Vcol/indexvcol.htm Year by year stage results and general classification 1951-2006 (not all year files work) es icon]