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18-10-2024 | Yda Smets

Tried and tested: cycling in in Colombia

On September 1, I fly to Cali, Colombia for the Women's Under 20 World Cup. At the last minute, I decided to pack some cycling gear. Whether I get to ride will depend on how well the Orange girls perform. Fortunately, they advance past the group stage, and we have to travel to Medellín for the round of sixteen. This city is nestled in a valley, surrounded by high mountains on all sides—a perfect training ground for mountain goats, and one I am eager to explore.

Safe and well-maintained roads in cycling country Colombia
Photo: Safe and well-maintained roads in cycling country Colombia. © Omar Rubiano

I arrange a five-hour guided ride with Altos Cycling. Their shop is located beneath a large Specialized store in El Poblado, the coziest neighborhood in Medellín. I meet Daniel Botero, director of Altos Cycling, and Omar Rubiano, guide and photographer. I’m not their first Dutch customer—two national riding heroes came before me. Daniel tells me about his friendship with Annemiek van Vleuten (there's a recommendation video of her on the Altos Cycling site), and Omar proudly shows off his LSRF cycling pants, sponsored by Laurens ten Dam. He knows Ten Dam from the ultrarace Transcordilleras, which Omar won in its first edition.

A tough start

Omar had already warned me about the first part of our ride. To get out of Medellín, we have to climb 15.6 kilometers over the Alto de las Palmas. After 10 kilometers, I feel so dizzy and nauseous that I have to sit down. Is it the heat, the heavy traffic, the lack of sleep, or the meager breakfast that's getting to me? It's probably a combination of all these factors. I try to eat and drink something, then get back on the bike. Fortunately, we only have a few more kilometers to climb before turning off towards the town of El Retiro. On the descent, I cool off, and at a roadside stand, I regain some strength with an empanada and a Coke. Omar gives me a special tour of El Retiro, passing the cathedral at the main square, before we settle down at a coffee roastery for a well-deserved cappuccino.

Exhausted after the climb on Alto de las Palmas
Photo: Demolished by the man with the hammer on the Alto de las Palmas. © Omar Rubiano

A Coke and an empanada do wonders
Photo: A Coke and an empanada work wonders. © Omar Rubiano

After this coffee stop, the ride keeps getting more beautiful. We enter a rolling area with hardly any traffic and stunning tropical vegetation. Omar keeps riding ahead to take photos in picturesque spots. I only now realize that he has a motor in his frame to make cycling with a heavy camera a bit easier. If only I had known that earlier—at least mentally, I might have felt a little less bad on that first climb.

Scarab Cycles

On the way back, we stop in El Retiro for a tour of Scarab Cycles. Here, steel bikes are hand-built to the specifications and measurements of the future owner. It turns out that quite a few Europeans and Americans have already ordered bikes from this team of young and enthusiastic craftsmen, and I see some magnificent examples on display. 

After a short climb, we begin the long descent back to Medellín. Empty but satisfied, I say goodbye to Omar and Daniel, hoping to join another multi-day riding adventure through the coffee plantations.

Tourist tour in El Retiro
Photo: Tourist tour in El Retiro. © Omar Rubiano

Scarab Cycles' motto: 'Embracing the beautiful nonsense of cycling'
Photo: Scarab Cycles' motto: “Embracing the beautiful nonsense of cycling.” © Omar Rubiano

Annemiek van Vleuten's recommendation on the site does not seem to be an exaggeration: Colombia is a fantastic country for riding, with good, safe roads and incredibly friendly people. In any case, I took home a nice souvenir from this special day: since I hadn’t packed my CycloWorld shirt, I had to buy a light blue one from Safetti/Altos Cycling.

Note: That same evening, the Netherlands defeated France in the round of sixteen, earning them a place in the quarterfinals against Colombia. It turned into a nail-biting match in a packed stadium, with the Netherlands eventually bringing Colombia to their knees in extra time through penalties.

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