Toward a New World Tour-der: Nairo and the Future of South American Cycling

The problem: The majority of South American talent seems to be fed into the workhorse pipeline. Case study: The Henao Brothers, Egan Bernal, Jhonathan Navarez and Ivan Ramiro Sosa, are all prodigiously talented, South American riders who have potentially foregone their early career and (in the case of Henao the elder, who has since jumped ship) their peak years, to be a part of the Sky Machine. This does not necessary preclude personal glory, and in fact probably affords them a handsome paycheck at the expense of personal ambition, but it does sufficiently dampen the opportunities.

This is not just a Sky problem. Movistar, who is probably heralded as the champion of South American talents, effectively sidelined Costa Rican talent Andrey Amador after only one successful campaign, relegating him to a super-domestique role. I’m anxious to see if they can manage to bungle Richard Carapaz, the young Ecuadorian, perhaps as the 4th, 5th or 6th option in an 8-pronged GC assault. Elsewhere, Rhestrepo, Atapuma, Pantano are all riders who maybe simply don’t have the chops but have definitely been limited in their opportunities. In fact, I can think of only two South American riders since the dark ages who have been given significant leadership roles and support: Nairo Quintana and Rigoberto Uran Uran.

Excepting Gaviria, Hodeg, and to some extent Amador, the South American stars generally come in a carbon copy varietal. Climbing prowess, limited by time trialing liabilities, perhaps seen as frail and shifty when it comes to bike handling. This is a mold that one might view as custom made to be a mountain lieutenant in the grand tours, which may have something to do with why they all are mountain lieutenants in the grand tours. Of course, there is some self-fulfilling prophecy here: "Forgot about time in the wind tunnel, Johnny, we need you out there on the mountains."

Another slightly more nefarious argument, that I don’t want to get into too deeply, nor do I have any data to verify, is the economic realities of the world might dictate that some of these guys just want a paycheck and can be easily bought off as cheap labor, mortgaging any personal ambition and success for a few prime years on the front of the peloton working for someone else. Which is fine and a personal decision and probably a bigger indictment of the financial inequality in the pro peleton/world. Whatever the case may be, there seems to be a trend of promising South American talent either squandered or festering on the mountain trains, but at the very least not winning very many big races.

The Solution: Nairo Quintana is a fiercely proud, patriotic and loyal Colombian. He is still extremely well liked in Colombia, a country that really really likes its cycling. He is a family man. He likes to train at home. And most importantly, he is in the last year of a tumultuous contract with Movistar. A contract that saw him rise to the very tippity-top of cycling, that saw him win two grand tours, have a streak of top-5s in 7 straight grand tours for which he toed the line and won countless week-longs, before inexplicably having to defend his own team leadership from the old classics star and the new guy who was at best slightly less talented. His time at Movistar has been, to say the least, uncomfortable.

Colombia as a nation (and South America as a continent) is on the better side of a talent renaissance, continually producing the talents listed above, authoring a very competitive, very fun early spring race, and is without a World Tour Team. This is not to discredit the very talented Manzana Postobon squad, a pro continental team that holds its own in the European races to which it earns invites, and even went so far as to find a home for Jhonathan Restrepo, but as of yet has not been wildly successful.

I’ve been saying this for a few months in the comments, but the time is right and the stars are aligned for Nairo’s next project: a South American World Tour Team. A competitive, fostering group, led by South Americans, populated by South Americans, supported by South Americans and the world. If managed so, it could be an environment in which South American talent is provided guidance and learning and most importantly opportunities for individual success that just don’t seem to be coming with the status quo. With appropriate funding (and with very little continental competition), it could potentially afford to provide top South American talent with living wages, provide a Spanish-speaking, culturally friendly environment, and still be competitive.

I don’t know the logistics of starting a world tour team but I assume you need money. With star power in the chamber, and a country/continent that absolutely loves the sport, I have to assume there’s money to be had. A bigger logistical issue I think would be convincing the WT powers that there’s room on the stage. Despite being called the World Tour and despite outwardly talking about true international inclusion, pro bike racing is still pretty European. Such a South American all-star team might have to cut its teeth as a pro-continental team. But the invites will come. Grand Tours will have to send invitations or be outwardly accused of ducking the competition, at which point it will be put-up or shut-up, and I can’t help you there. A little success there and the ball is rolling for a great, feel good inclusive invitation to the World Tour. A New World Tour-der.