Colombia - Coldeportes

[Escarabajo]

Re:

It is highly unlikely the team still exists after this season.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/colombia-team-on-the-brink-of-closure-due-to-funding-problems/

http://www.eltiempo.com/deportes/ciclismo/el-team-colombia-tiene-las-horas-contadas/16400628


No money. They are looking for a sponsor.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

It is highly unlikely the team still exists after this season.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/colombia-team-on-the-brink-of-closure-due-to-funding-problems/

http://www.eltiempo.com/deportes/ciclismo/el-team-colombia-tiene-las-horas-contadas/16400628


No money. They are looking for a sponsor.

“I’m waiting for a final decision from the Minister for Sport but the Colombian government does not have the same finances available to invest in the sport and especially in the team for 2016. They’re also preparing for the Rio Olympics and building new stadiums, so there’s less for the team. However I can’t continue to run the team with any less than we do now.”

Can anyone explain why the Colombian government are building stadiums for the Rio olympics?

 

[bp92]

I don't think they're related.
Colombia is hosting the 2018 Central American and Caribbean games, so that might be what the stadiums are for.
EDIT: Colombia's also hosting the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

I don't think they're related.
Colombia is hosting the 2018 Central American and Caribbean games, so that might be what the stadiums are for.
EDIT: Colombia's also hosting the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

They certainly aren't related and it's the Government committing money to upgrading its stadiums in Colombia and the reference to Rio was money going to its athletes.
Sad to see the team folding but if it means Claudio Corti is gone then it's not all bad

 

[bp92]

Yep, that too.
Agreed in that it's better that Corti's gone. When you get money from a contract, you're normally supposed to reach a set of goals, which the contractor will then proceed to evaluate. Changing the goals into something so vague that simply can't be evaluated is ridiculous, and it's unbelievable that the Colombian government somehow allowed him to get away with it.

 

[slosada]

This year they spent huge amounts for the National Games (Ibagué and Quibdó), And they also sent a rather big delegation to Toronto Panamerican Games, and they still had budget for this team.
Colombia will also host Bolivarian Games in Santa Marta in 2017 (the Central American and Caribbean Games '18 will be held in Baranquilla), also the BMX Worlds 2016 will be held in Medellín and a new track was inaugurated last weekend.
There are always one or two games every year in the olympic cycle: Nationals, Bolivarians, Southamericans, Central Americans, Panamericans and Olympics...
The country also hosts international events every year... Hence, it looks like an excuse.

Truth is, there are more people interested and vocal about this contract and the results are far from convincing.
Government wants the private to invest in cycling but they haven't found a partner... The only one is Postobon and it sponsors one team (manzana) and the national team... Almost all others have national or regional institutions behind.

 

[Escarabajo]

It is impressive to see how Ardila Lülle has been a firm believer of cycling since the 90's.

He should have had a WT team long time ago.

 

[hfer07]

Re:

This year they spent huge amounts for the National Games (Ibagué and Quibdó), And they also sent a rather big delegation to Toronto Panamerican Games, and they still had budget for this team.
Colombia will also host Bolivarian Games in Santa Marta in 2017 (the Central American and Caribbean Games '18 will be held in Baranquilla), also the BMX Worlds 2016 will be held in Medellín and a new track was inaugurated last weekend.
There are always one or two games every year in the olympic cycle: Nationals, Bolivarians, Southamericans, Central Americans, Panamericans and Olympics...
The country also hosts international events every year... Hence, it looks like an excuse.

Truth is, there are more people interested and vocal about this contract and the results are far from convincing.
Government wants the private to invest in cycling but they haven't found a partner... The only one is Postobon and it sponsors one team (manzana) and the national team... Almost all others have national or regional institutions behind.

History has proven over and over that "Private Investing & Sponsorship" are the ones accountable for the greatest achievements in Colombian cycling i.e. Varta, Cafe de Colombia, Postobon (even if in the creation of Cafe de Colombia, the president Belisario Betancur intervened to make it happen) whereas the National Sponsorship always fails due to the - lets say- Colombian "modus operandi" of financial & logistical matters- per say.

Hopefully one of the big economical groups steps up to the rescue and continue the team- otherwise I cannot foresee the creation of a similar -or a new one in a near future.

 

[search]

Re:

This year they spent huge amounts for the National Games (Ibagué and Quibdó), And they also sent a rather big delegation to Toronto Panamerican Games, and they still had budget for this team.

well, apparently the riders didn't get a salary for the past four months - and it's not the first time we hear about things like that. Whether this is down to mismanagement from Corti or lacking funds from the Colombian Federation is a different questions of course.

 

[slosada]

Re: Re:

well, apparently the riders didn't get a salary for the past four months - and it's not the first time we hear about things like that. Whether this is down to mismanagement from Corti or lacking funds from the Colombian Federation is a different questions of course.

EVERY year Corti did the same thing (retaining riders' salaries)... Coldeportes puts 75% at the start of the contract, 20% after the contract execution is 50% (racing days? Calendar days?... not specified) certified thru a report that should be accepted by the hiring institution, and 5% when it reaches 95% of execution.
-----------------------------------
That article was translated to English (same website, you might need to try twice):
http://larutadelescarabajo.com/more-on-team-colombia/

And there is another analysis on the Coldeportes-COC contract (in Spanish)
http://larutadelescarabajo.com/que-dice-el-contrato-de-coldeportes-sobre-el-team-colombia/

 

[slosada]

It's about to blow in Twitter:
- Cyclists are returning to Colombia this week. And were called to return bikes and implements (only that this things appear in the contract as paid by Coldeportes).
- Riders are promising to talk but after they get paid.
- Nalini uniforms were from the lowest quality.
- Italian coaches don't know how to use the power meters
- Corti invited riders to end the 2016 contract in mutual agreement.
- Race rosters were defined upon personal preferences from the Italians (Avila was not liked, some riders only raced once or twice in one year)

 

[MatParker117]

Folded

 

[Benotti69]

Sorry to see this happen.

 

[Escarabajo]

Want to see where Daniel Martinez end up.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Re:

Want to see where Daniel Martinez end up.

Same here, its unfortunate Etixx is already full I think he could have ended up there otherwise. Matxin was talking about someone with huge potential in Avenir who he didnt name but it sounded like someone they (etixx) couldnt sign (and Martinez had a contract for 2016 I assume). I think he was talking about Martinez there, and with Gaviria and Contreras going there it could have been a nice match.

 

[SergeDeM]

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.alpsandes.com/posts/2015/10/11/chronicle-of-a-death-foretold
http://www.espn.com.mx/blogs/index?entryID=2502016&name=georginaruizsandoval

Man, that's a sad story. The most telling tidbit is "El cuerpo directivo nos trató despectivamente, en sus ojos todos éramos indios. Sí, yo creo que racismo es una palabra que acompañó sus actitudes para con nosotros." Translating to "The directors treated us with contempt, in their eyes we were merely savages. Yes, I think that "racism" is one way to explain the attitude that the directors had toward us."

The riders basically wasted their years being Corti slaves.

 

[slosada]

Re:

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.alpsandes.com/posts/2015/10/11/chronicle-of-a-death-foretold
http://www.espn.com.mx/blogs/index?entryID=2502016&name=georginaruizsandoval

Man, that's a sad story. The most telling tidbit is "El cuerpo directivo nos trató despectivamente, en sus ojos todos éramos indios. Sí, yo creo que racismo es una palabra que acompañó sus actitudes para con nosotros." Translating to "The directors treated us with contempt, in their eyes we were merely savages. Yes, I think that "racism" is one way to explain the attitude that the directors had toward us."

The riders basically wasted their years being Corti slaves.

yep, and there has been a number of interviews and opinion articles.
Urrego and his Mundo Ciclístico have, for the most of it, remained silent. Only published an article titled "the true protagonists talk" but it brings Torres, Rincon and two politicians, and their (usually censored) comments are not buying that story.
While most of the 2015 riders don't want to talk (they are afraid and everyone is perplexed), some former riders have backed Goga's reports (Peña, Camacho, Chalapud, Ospina).
Other journalists have reported that this is true.
There is a 1 hr long podcast from La Cadenilla with more details.

But what Andrés Botero has said is plainly stupid: Delays in salaries is because of Vuelta a España expenses were not forecast (The organization manages all of that, isn't it?)... (and isn't it a major goal to participate in a GT to exclude it from a budget?) (why is a sponsor, that has already paid between 75 and 95% of the contract, held accountable of wages of a team?)

But, if you want a serious laugh, he said that Tour 2017 is considering starting or finishing in Colombia:
http://www.wradio.com.co/escucha/archivo_de_audio/la-idea-no-es-enterrar-al-team-colombia-es-hacer-una-pausa-en-el-camino-andres-botero/20151014/oir/2969598.aspx

They mysteriously changed the goals of the team from "competing at the highest level" to "promote young riders" to "promote tourism to Colombia"

Now, interviewing Corti is a test of patience, he almost invariably ends attacking the journalists... So I sympathize with riders, if every question or request from the cyclists ended in such a bash.

 

[SergeDeM]

Re: Re:

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.alpsandes.com/posts/2015/10/11/chronicle-of-a-death-foretold
http://www.espn.com.mx/blogs/index?entryID=2502016&name=georginaruizsandoval

Man, that's a sad story. The most telling tidbit is "El cuerpo directivo nos trató despectivamente, en sus ojos todos éramos indios. Sí, yo creo que racismo es una palabra que acompañó sus actitudes para con nosotros." Translating to "The directors treated us with contempt, in their eyes we were merely savages. Yes, I think that "racism" is one way to explain the attitude that the directors had toward us."

The riders basically wasted their years being Corti slaves.

yep, and there has been a number of interviews and opinion articles.
Urrego and his Mundo Ciclístico have, for the most of it, remained silent. Only published an article titled "the true protagonists talk" but it brings Torres, Rincon and two politicians, and their (usually censored) comments are not buying that story.
While most of the 2015 riders don't want to talk (they are afraid and everyone is perplexed), some former riders have backed Goga's reports (Peña, Camacho, Chalapud, Ospina).
Other journalists have reported that this is true.
There is a 1 hr long podcast from La Cadenilla with more details.

But what Andrés Botero has said is plainly stupid: Delays in salaries is because of Vuelta a España expenses were not forecast (The organization manages all of that, isn't it?)... (and isn't it a major goal to participate in a GT to exclude it from a budget?) (why is a sponsor, that has already paid between 75 and 95% of the contract, held accountable of wages of a team?)

But, if you want a serious laugh, he said that Tour 2017 is considering starting or finishing in Colombia:
http://www.wradio.com.co/escucha/archivo_de_audio/la-idea-no-es-enterrar-al-team-colombia-es-hacer-una-pausa-en-el-camino-andres-botero/20151014/oir/2969598.aspx

They mysteriously changed the goals of the team from "competing at the highest level" to "promote young riders" to "promote tourism to Colombia"

Now, interviewing Corti is a test of patience, he almost invariably ends attacking the journalists... So I sympathize with riders, if every question or request from the cyclists ended in such a bash.

Yeah, it's quite telling that all the comments in that Mundo Ciclístico article are clearly calling *** on it. Nobody believes a word the "journalist" wrote.

Will this be enough to kill that site's credibility? The internet works in mysterious ways...

 

[jens_attacks]

Bah i blame the riders too. When you act like a lamb, support the consequences..

 

[SergeDeM]

Re:

Bah i blame the riders too. When you act like a lamb, support the consequences..

Too harsh. They're young, completely sold on the Team Colombia fantasy, and bullied by older and more powerful men from within the team, in the media and even from the government. I see their cunnundrum: Quit and probably never make it back to Europe, or stay and pray things will get better somehow. If you've always dreamt of being a pro, what would you do?

 

[hrotha]

Anonymously leak the info to the journos way sooner.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Re: Re:

Bah i blame the riders too. When you act like a lamb, support the consequences..

Too harsh. They're young, completely sold on the Team Colombia fantasy, and bullied by older and more powerful men from within the team, in the media and even from the government. I see their cunnundrum: Quit and probably never make it back to Europe, or stay and pray things will get better somehow. If you've always dreamt of being a pro, what would you do?

Agree there. Just becos someone is timid and meek doesn't give others the right to exploit them. It is presumptuous of Corti to say that the others didn't have fighting spirit when he didnot properly train them

 

[SergeDeM]

Re:

Anonymously leak the info to the journos way sooner.

There were reports of delayed payments for years, and it was never a secret that Corti had them training in Italy in February. But, to be fair, I agree that they should've spoken out against Corti's antics long ago.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Their first win in 2015 is also probably their last one ever:

 

[Max Rockatansky]

He wasn't riding for Colombia.