Colombia cyclist Rigoberto Uran is a superstar despite no Tour de France wins : NPR

GIRARDOT, Colombia — The gang roared as Rigoberto Urán took the stage final month at Latin America’s largest novice bike occasion. The Colombian bicycle owner universally often known as “Rigo” began his namesake race, the Giro de Rigo, in 2018. It now attracts hordes of cyclists from world wide.

In truth, there have been so many riders on this 12 months’s Giro de Rigo — greater than 5,000 — that when the race started close to the central Colombian city of Girardot, it took about half-hour for all the cyclists to maneuver out of the beginning gate.

On this cycling-mad nation, Urán is each a celebrity athlete and a branding movie star. Apart from his Giro de Rigo, he sells his personal model of biking gear, referred to as Go Rigo Go! and operates Rigo-themed eating places. He is a continuing presence on TV, endorsing every thing from mattresses to cellphones.

In October, Colombian TV started airing a telenovela — additionally referred to as “Rigo” — about his rags-to-riches life story. (It’s now streaming on Amazon Prime).

“Everybody loves Rigo,” says César Betancur, a scriptwriter for the collection. “His stardom transcends sports activities.”

Satirically, Urán has achieved all his success regardless of by no means successful biking’s greatest races.

Different Colombian cyclists, corresponding to Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana and Luis Herrera, have triumphed on the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, that are grueling, three-week races thought of the toughest on the planet. Urán, against this, has gained levels in these races — however by no means general victory. On the 2012 Olympics street race in London, he was within the lead however light on the final minute, ending up with the silver medal.

In an interview with NPR at his Go Rigo Go! workplace within the Colombian metropolis of Medellín, Urán says his near-misses are a part of his attraction.

“I believe a number of folks determine with me as a result of they need to win,” he says, “however do not fairly make it.”

Whether or not he is successful or dropping on the bike, Urán savors the expertise — marveling on the European countryside, joking with riders within the peloton and serving up humorous anecdotes to journalists.

“Most athletes are stressed and do not take pleasure in something,” Urán says. “However driving within the Tour de France may be very particular. Individuals see me on the tour and I am smiling.”

Urán additionally stands out as a result of, in an period of scripted, risk-averse movie star athletes, he sings and dances, consistently makes enjoyable of himself, treats his followers like household by calling them “my little children,” makes beneficiant use of Colombian slang and infrequently lets fly with foul language. That is a far cry from the likes of Tom Brady, Michael Jordan or Roger Federer, all masters of milquetoast in entrance of the microphone.

In a 2014 look on a Colombian speak present, for instance, Urán unnerved the host by describing how, throughout lengthy races, cyclists relieve themselves from their bikes — peeing whereas pedaling 25 miles an hour.

“Have you learnt how exhausting that’s?” he requested amid laughs from the viewers.

Whereas on a group journey to China, he delighted an viewers by busting out his salsa dance strikes.

“His spontaneity carries you with him,” says Matt Rendell, a British journalist who has written a number of books on Colombian biking. “He is irreverent. He swears however in sort of a rustic approach. He pushes the boundaries.”

Andrés Colorado, a college professor in Medellín who lectures on Urán’s transition from biking to enterprise in his sports activities administration course, says that simply as younger basketball gamers within the U.S. need to “be like Mike” — Michael Jordan — cyclists determine with Rigo’s upbeat character.

“Rigo is the lifetime of the occasion,” says Colorado.

Urán’s lust for all times helped him climate a tricky childhood.

He grew up within the Andean Mountain city of Urrao the place, in the course of the peak of Colombia’s guerrilla battle, his father was killed by paramilitary gunmen who typically focused civilians they suspected of collaborating with rebels.

Within the wake of his father’s homicide, “there was this pall of mourning over the entire city,” Rendell says. “And Rigo, one way or the other or different, got here out of that. And that needs to be a sort of genius.”

At age 14, Urán grew to become his household’s breadwinner, promoting lottery tickets, recycling refuse and gathering cash from passengers on an area bus route. His father had inspired him to take up biking and he quickly started successful prize cash in native races. Ultimately, he moved to Europe to journey for a few of the prime professional groups, together with his present squad, EF Training-EasyPost.

He twice completed second on the Giro d’Italia, in 2013 and 2014. In his most interesting athletic hour, he was runner-up on the 2017 Tour de France, behind four-time Tour winner Chris Froome.

“He’s the perfect management determine as a rider I’ve ever labored with, ever,” Urán’s group supervisor, Jonathan Vaughters, advised ESPN on the time. “Rigo is a frontrunner by instance. He by no means reveals as much as a race even a pound obese. He’s all the time 100% devoted to his coaching, his weight loss program, his focus.”

Now 36 and within the twilight of his athletic profession, Urán is considering retiring from aggressive biking after subsequent 12 months’s grand excursions and the Olympics to concentrate on his many enterprise ventures. His annual Giro de Rigo permits hundreds of riders to rub shoulders with their hero — and promotes the subsequent era of cyclists.

At this 12 months’s Giro de Rigo, held in November close to Girardot, Urán was the final rider to start out the race. Though he wasn’t aiming to win, Urán zipped previous almost all the opposite riders, who set free cheers after they noticed him.

Amongst them was John Díaz, a Colombian physician clad in a blue Giro de Rigo jersey.

“If you happen to ask anybody in Colombia who’s the most well-liked bicycle owner,” he stated, “it is Rigo.”