Rock Racing riders participating in the upcoming Vuelta a Colombia arrived Thursday evening in the country's capital, Bogota. The national tour through the South American country will start on Saturday, June 6 and includes 15 stages for a total of 1,900 kilometres.
The American team led by directeur sportif Rudy Pevenage will be at the start of the opening team time trial in Bogota with Spanish riders Oscar Sevilla and Paco Mancebo, both former doping offenders. Mancebo has high hopes for the stage race itself, but also wants to prepare himself for further events.
"I want to find my form with a view to the Spanish Championships, the road as well as the time trial event, which will be held in the end of June in Cantabria," he said. "In Colombia, I will try to help Oscar Sevilla to win the overall, and if there is an opportunity for a stage win then I will of course take it, too."
Mancebo has been good value for his Rock Racing team after taking three victories already this season: a stage win at the Tour of California, one stage as well as the overall victory at the Vuelta a Asturias. The next races for the Spaniard, who was linked to Operación Puerto and never openly denied his involvement, will be the Spanish Championships, the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid, the Prueba de Villafranca, the Circuito de Getxo and the Subida a Urkiola.
