Colombian climber and time-trial specialist's bespoke fixed-wheel training bike
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The bespoke bike once belonged to Botero, and includes the Team Telekom logos of the team he rode for in 2003(Image credit: eBay / cyclingthings)
A 2003 Telekom Pinarello Pista track bike, which once belonged to Santiago Botero, and is signed by the now-retired Colombian rider(Image credit: eBay / cyclingthings)
Botero signing the bike in 2010(Image credit: eBay / cyclingthings)
Santiago Botero signs an autograph at the 2004 Tour de France, and he's signed his 2003 Team Telekom Pinarello Pista track bike that's available to buy on eBay, too(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Including in the sale is this signed banner of Botero riding for Rock Racing, as well as some Rock Racing kit(Image credit: eBay / cyclingthings)
It's quite an unusual item that we've found for this edition of eBay Finds: Santiago Botero's 2003 Team Telekom Pinarello Pista track bike, which he signed before passing it on to the current owner.
This week, there's already been another pink Pinarello making the headlines, after Giro d'Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) was presented with a special bike in London.
This aluminium track bike from 2003 is perhaps not quite as desirable as Geoghegan's state-of-the-art machine, although the seller's certainly convinced that it's still worth a pretty penny.
The story on eBay is that Botero was given this Pinarello Pista as a training bike – and whether he'd use it as a fixed-wheel bike on the road or put it to use on the track is unclear – but after using it for a few years, the Colombian sold it to the current owner in 2010.
Santiago Botero signs an autograph at the 2004 Tour de France, and he's signed his 2003 Team Telekom Pinarello Pista track bike that's available to buy on eBay, too (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
It looks as though that might have been the moment when Botero signed the frame – and the stem, too – and it's apparently remained unused since then.
The Colombian enjoyed a long and successful career, with notable victories along the way including three Tour de France stage wins – a lone win in Briançon in 2000, and the Lorient time trial and another solo victory at Les Deux Alpes in 2002 – as well as a stage win at the 2002 Vuelta a España and the 2002 World Championships time trial title in Zolder, Belgium, at the end of the season.
Following that successful 2002, Botero finished seven years with Spanish team Kelme to join Team Telekom for 2003. He then moved on to Phonak for 2005, but was fired from the Swiss team when his name came up in the media as being linked to the Operación Puerto doping investigation in Spain, although he was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the Colombian cycling federation.
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Botero rode for the Colombian UNE Orbitel team in 2007, and then raced the 2008 season for renegade US squad Rock Racing, which included participation that year in the Tour de Georgia, the Vuelta a Colombia – where he won the prologue time trial in front of his home crowd – and the Tour of Britain.
He then raced for another Colombian team, Orgullo Paisa, in 2009, ahead of announcing his retirement in mid-2010 after winning the South American Games time trial in his hometown of Medellin that March.
Botero's Pinarello for sale here is certainly a beautiful bike, boasting the Team Telekom logo (the squad became T-Mobile in 2004) and the famous black-and-pink colours, but the US-based seller is certainly seeking a big Santiago Botero fan with the US$4,399 (£3,335) asking price.
They are, however, willing to throw in a signed banner of Botero in action for Rock Racing in 2008, as well as a Rock Racing team kit.
We're constantly on the lookout for unique and rare cycling relics on eBay. If you have any suggestions or leads, please send them to cyclingnews@cyclingnews.com with 'eBay Finds' in the subject line.
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