The day after the disappointment for Giro d’Italia’s wild card decisions, Team Colombia-Coldeportes’ riders clearly wanted to send out a signal, for themselves and for all those supporters who follow them with huge passion all the season long from everywhere in the world. That signal came, and it was Rodolfo Torres to make it, being just a few metres off success in the first uphill finish of the season, in Tour de San Luis stage 2, La Punta-Mirador del Potrero.

Argentinian Daniel Diaz (Funvic) landed the spoils after joining forces with Torres in the attack that splintered the favorites’ group, managing to get clear of the 27-year-old Colombian from Busbanzà (Boyaca) only inside the final 500 mt. Torres closed with a 6-second gap, leaving behind big names like Daniel Moreno (Katusha, 5th) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar, 7th) both losing 27 seconds to the winner. Torres is now runner-up in the GC as well, 6 seconds behind Diaz.

Torres was not the only Escarabajo to shine in Tuesday’s stage, 185 km on a nervous route until the final uphill drag to Mirador del Potrero. After trying in several occasions in the debut stage, Carlos Julian Quintero finally managed to get in the day’s breakaway, along with Mauricio Muller (San Juan), Seba Tolosa (Buenos Aires), Lucas Haedo (Jamis) and Romain Guillemois (Europcar), giving his teammates the opportunity to sit in the field until deep into the stage. Quintero certainly put in the biggest effort among the escapees,  showing a good early-season condition, as well as the determination to leave his mark right away in the new season, when he hopes to make another quality leap.

The group led by Katusha and Movistar got back to the escapees on the last climb, just before Diaz and Torres opened a gap, showing brilliancy on the 6.8% slopes. In addition to Torres, Miguel Angel Rubiano also provided a solid display, finishing 12th, 57 seconds behind the winner.

“In his second year as professional, Torres showed right away what a difference an intense season of experiences and races, including the Giro d’Italia, can make," General Manager Claudio Corti explained. “This time, he faced the winter season with a different mentality and awareness, making sure to be ready from the start, and he proved just that. His progression is still underway, and hopefully this will be the start of a very good season for him. He won’t miss the chances, starting with San Luis.”

Tomorrow, Wednesday, the sprinters will have another opportunity in stage 3, Concarán – Juana Koslay (176 km): a lumpy route will lead to a finish where Leonardo Duque might look for his chance after Monday’s unfortunate crash.