In the last few years, Colombia have established themselves in the hearts of many cycling fans with their aggressive riding. However, it has all come to an end as the Colombian Ministry of Sports Coldeportes decided to shut down the team for the 2016 season.

"I'm sorry but not being able to complete the budget would give us no chance to carry on the work as we should,” manager Claudio Corti told Tuttobiciweb. “This year there was no lack of results that would help to keep up the enthusiasm of those who have invested in the team but it is not easy to have a team of only Colombians. It is not enough to be born in Colombia to go fast and, after the first two seasons where we launched the best talent, we missed something.

"The biggest regret is to put an end to a cycle that was started with enthusiasm and high hopes, after having earned the respect from everybody. I regret not to be able to bring the Colombian flag to the start of the Tour de France: I think that the time was now ripe to reach this milestone. The path of the Escarabajos ends with 11 wins, two participations in the Giro d’Italia, one Vuelta a Espana, four editions of Il Lombardia, two Sanremo, one Liege, two Tirreno-Adriatico and many other prestigious races.”

Asked about the best memory, Corti refuses to point to a specific event.

"This team has been something more than just a cycling project,” he said. “The value of this team is not to be based on the pure sporting results, but the impact that it has had on the image of the sports scene in Colombia and elsewhere, on the promotion of their identity, culture and tourism. Colombian Sport has proved itself to be professional and able to compete at the highest level and this is the most important goal. The way our Colombian athletes have been welcomed around the world has paid tribute to our team, and demonstrates the value of what we have done in these seasons.”

"The highlights are the invitation to the Giro, the Vuelta, the first mountaintop victory on the Pordoi in the Giro del Trentino with Atapuma, the first WorldTour win in the Tour of Poland also with Darwin. I still have the pride of seeing Chaves and our other guys like Pantano excel in WorldTour teams. Unfortunately, the final decision of Coldeportes was communicated to us only in mid-October, depriving us of the opportunity to take action in respect of the UCI and to give more opportunity to the entire team that has worked with us during the last year. Special thanks go to Wilier for their support over the years with their bikes at the highest level. To all those who took part and contributed to this project over the years, I offer my sincere thanks, also to the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and the Director of Coldeportes Andres Botero who have strongly believed in this path. "

Colombia may have folded but Corti still has a future I cycling.

"First, I want to close what is left from this, to protect my image and keep my word to those who have worked on this project,” he said when asked about his plans. “It's no secret that we are waiting for money from the government to cover salaries for the last months. I have had guarantees but it takes time. Then I want to return to cycling. I will seek sponsors to return with a team of companies that can do well for the whole movement.”