Daniel Martinez (EF Pro Cycling) repeated his time trial win at the Colombian national championships Thursday, beating 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) and Arkea-Samsic's Nairo Quintana over the 41.4km course in Pesca.
The 23-year-old covered the route in 48:02, 28 seconds faster than Quintana and 32 seconds better than Bernal. The victory over quality competition is a good sign for Martinez going into the 2020 season, when the young rider hopes to focus on the Tour de France.
Martinez missed the Grand Boucle last year after breaking a wrist and thumb in a crash while training in June. He returned for the Pan American Games in August, winning the individual time trial, and then took on the Vuelta a España, finishing 41st overall after nailing down a top-10 in the stage 10 time trial.
Bernal also equalled his Colombian time trial result from 2019, when he finished third behind Martinez and Astana's Miguel Angel Lopez.
"I think I should be happy with the result," Bernal said in a statement posted on the Team Ineos website. "This is my first race of the season and I think that, looking at my numbers, I did a really good time trial. I should be happy because my first big goal will be Le Tour de France. I can’t be at 100 per cent in the nationals, but it’s a good test ahead of the next races."
Team Ineos neo-pro Brandon Rivera was fourth on the day, 1:51 behind Martinez, while Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) was fifth at 1:57. Lopez, third last year, did not participate.
The Colombian national championships continue Sunday with the road race, a 217km test in Tunja, which will also host the opening time trial for the upcoming Tour Colombia 2.1 stage race from February 11-16.
