Rigoberto Uran TDF Cheering Section--SPOILERS, maybe...

[Bici-Sonora]

In the TDF thread, someone asked why we were talking so much about Rigoberto Uran when it seems like a Slovenian coronation is close at hand. I agree that his odds of overcoming Slovenian hegemony in the GC look long, but here are a few of the reasons I'm cheering for him:

1. Rigo's other nickname is Mick Jagger for those of you who didn't understand the Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" youtube links on the TDF thread.
2. Rigo is 33 years old, and probably doesn't have many more chances to win a grand tour. We probably have at least a decade to watch Pogacar and Roglic go at it.
3. Rigo has overcome great adversity in his life. His father, who introduced him to cycling, was assassinated by a paramilitary group when Rigo was 14. Rigo had to sell lottery tickets to help support his family. Also, Rigo's crash in last year's Vuelta was a bad one--I thought we might not see him racing again after that.
4. Rigo is funny and a mentor to the younger Colombian riders. Follow him on Instagram to listen to him lead Higuita in a meditation and tell stories about Medellin in the EF van. He speaks with a wonderful Columbian accent that is good for Spanish language learners.
5. He is riding the TDF without a HR monitor or power meter "Solo banano por la carretera." :banana::banana::banana:

[prototoast]

Mr. Uran has had a remarkably successful career with almost no wins. 2x 2nd in the Giro, 1x 2nd in the Tour, 2nd in the Olympic road race, 3x 3rd in Il Lombardia. And yet, I don't think he's ever won a one-week pro race, and his one-day wins are all pretty minor. For someone who's been so close, so often, I think it's natural to want to see him finally get that big win.