Interview Carolina Vargas

Colombia is already doing very well in men's cycling for decades, but now also the girls are coming. Carolina Vargas is one of the young talented Colombian woman who wants to make the step to the world level. She's already one of the most promising talents on her continent and she already took part in her first European grand tour. The 21 years old rider dreams of winning a grand tour in the future, but you can already get to know her today through this conversation.

You are currently one of the most talented cyclists in Colombia. How does it feel to live in a country that is so passionate about cycling?

I think it is very nice to see that Colombian men's and women's cycling is growing a lot, that it is more and more supported and that we have great representatives at international level; that there is a lot of support for this sport in Colombia, which is very important for us cyclists and motivates us to keep working and improving every day.

Colombian men have already won grand tours, would you like to become the first Colombian woman to do so?

Yes, the truth is that I would like to win one of the grand tours, it is my dream, last year I had the opportunity to race La Vuelta with the ENEICAT CM team, and to be among the best in the grand tours is one of my goals.

What are your ambitions in this sport?

In addition to being in the three grand tours, I also dream of becoming worldchampion and Olympic champion.

How did you get started in cycling?

My father was also a professional cyclist and from a very young age, I used to accompany him to some races. I loved watching him compete and win. When I was 11 years old I started skating and I complemented it with cycling, I started to realise that I enjoyed it a lot more and when I was 15 years old I dedicated myself completely to it.

Where can we cheer you on this year?

This year we have several important races with our team here in Spain such as La Vuelta, Itzulia, and Burgos, we will be representing not only our team but also my municipality, my department of Antioquia and also the country.

You have participated mainly in stage races, would you also like to participate in big classics?

I would also like to be part of big classics. Hopefully this year our team will have the opportunity to have that nice experience.

Do you think there is a difference between European and South American cycling culture?

I think yes, there are some differences between European and South American cycling culture. I think that because of the advances and technology in Europe, European cycling culture is a bit more controling, more measured, a bit more predictable. When it comes to racing, you can take into account the winds before a race, the weather, everything is much more precise. So I think that influences the differences between these two types of cycling quite a lot.

What is your biggest passion outside of cycling?

Outside cycling I am a psychology student, it is a profession that I really like, and that I want to practice when I finish my sporting career helping athletes to have a good mental health.