Miguel Ángel López is still on fire at this start of the 2023 season. After the title of the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentinathe Team Medellín cyclist became national individual time trial champion in Bucaramanga.
Great performance and consistency from Superman, who was the penultimate to start at the roundabout of Carrera 30 with Calle 14 and, after 43.2 kilometers of travel, he stopped the stopwatch at 52 minutes and 59 seconds.
The last to start was the one who arrived as defending champion: Daniel Felipe Martinez. However, a puncture in the first kilometers of the journey towards the Alfonso López stadium handicapped the Ineos Grenadiers rider, who finished fifth.
Walter Vargas, also from Team Medellín, was the second in this time trial with a time of 54’11”, while the podium was closed by Rodrigo Contreras from Colombia Pact for Sport, 2’08” behind the winner.
Superman’s first consecration in the national cycling championships, in which he had been second in the time trial in 2019, while his best result in the road test, in which he is one of the candidates for this Sunday, was eighth place in 2015.
Gómez, from gold en route to glory in a time trial
The winner of the under 23 route in 2022 was once again consecrated this year, but in the time trial mode. Germán Darío Gómez (GW Shimano Sidermec) clearly won the time trial with a time of 48’03”.
The tight battle was for second placesince Elkin Malaver from the Maglia Tecnosilva Bembibre had a time of 48’38”, only three seconds better than Juan José López who closed the podium.
Hernández defends title and López consecrates himself in Sub 23
The 2023 national cycling championships began with the sub 23 women’s time trial, in which Gabriela López took the gold with a time of 41 minutes and 20 seconds. The Women’s Antioquia Orgullo Paisa cyclist surpassed Laura Rojas (Boyacá League) by 17 seconds, while the podium was closed by Carolina Vargas (Eneicat CM Team) with 41’55”.
Then it was the turn for the elite ladies. Lina Hernández arrived as the defending champion of this category, after four sub 23 titles between 2018 and 2021, and in Bucaramanga he defended the crown. The Colombian Pacto por el Deporte cyclist stopped the clock in 39 minutes and 33 seconds, beating Diana Peñuela (DNA Pro Cycling), champion of the last edition of the Women’s Tour of Colombia by 16”. The bronze went to Ana Cristina Sanabria of the Santander League with 40’11”.
What’s next in the Bucaramanga nationals?
This Friday, February 3 from 9:00 a.m. will begin the road tests in the Bucaramanga national cycling championships with the female branch, both for the elite category and for the sub 23, with a route of 118.5 kilometers.
Saturday will be the time for the under 23 men, starting at 8:00 am with departure and arrival at the Alfonso López Stadium. And on Sunday the 5th of this month this edition of the contest will end with the 237 kilometers for the elite male category, in which Sergio Higuita goes for the title defense against great challengers like Superman, Martínez, Nairo Quintana, Iván Ramiro Sosa, Esteban Chaves, Harold Tejada, Einer Rubio and Winner Anacona, among others.