Colombian cycling will have another special event this November 16th, when more than four thousand cyclists will ride the roads of Cundinamarca alongside Egan Bernal. The event, named Gran Fondo El Origen x Egan, sold out on November 4th and is establishing itself as one of the largest cycling events in Colombia and Latin America.
More than a competition, it will be an experience to discover the roads where the legend of the Tour de France champion was born. Bernal wants his fans to relive, from the saddle and with the scenery as a backdrop, what his first pedal strokes were like on the roads of his hometown of Zipaquirá.
A Country Passionate About Cycling
Of the 4,000 registered cyclists, 67.5% are men and 32.5% are women, a proportion that demonstrates the growing presence of women in amateur cycling in the country. But beyond the numbers, what’s truly impressive is the map of participants’ origins: they’ll be arriving from Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Manizales, Cúcuta, Bucaramanga, Armenia, Pereira, Pasto, and Villavicencio, as well as 90 other municipalities.
For weeks, thousands of fans have been fine-tuning their bikes and training their legs to ride alongside the champion who, in 2019, put Colombia atop the Tour de France podium.
The setting couldn’t be more symbolic. Zipaquirá, Egan’s hometown, will be the meeting and starting point. The streets of the town, which have witnessed his development since childhood, will welcome the participants with the enthusiasm of a community that has become synonymous with pride and overcoming adversity.
The Gran Fondo El Origen x Egan will offer two routes: the Gran Fondo, 134 kilometers, and the Medio Fondo, 105 kilometers. Both will start in Zipaquirá and follow a circuit that passes through Cajicá, Chía, Cota, Tabio, Tenjo, and Cogua—municipalities that combine natural beauty, physical challenge, and safe conditions for cyclists.
Egan Bernal’s magnetism has crossed borders. Therefore, the Gran Fondo will also feature international cyclists from Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.
In just two editions, “El Origen” has managed to project itself beyond the local sphere. For visitors, it will also be an opportunity to discover one of the country’s most emblematic regions, where the Andean landscape intertwines with the salt-mining tradition and the warmth of its people.
Although the Gran Fondo has the competitive edge that identifies major amateur cycling events, its essence lies elsewhere: in sharing a story. Bernal wants those who accompany him to understand that the triumph was not born in Paris, but in the cold mountains of Cundinamarca.
Source: www.elespectador.com