Like every year, Giro del Trentino Melinda (April 21-24) will stage the challenge among some of the best climbers of the moment in one of the most mountainous regions of Italy, and after Fabio Duarte’s overall fourth place last year,Team Colombia-Coldeportes will be at the start of the 2.HC race with the ambition of equaling, or possibly improving, that performance.

The race will feature four stages: after the opening team time trial, the queen stage will be on the agenda for the riders on April 22nd, with the uphill finish to Brentonico after the dreadful climb to Monte Velo. The third stage, Ala-Fierozzo, will offer another uphill finish, while a medium-mountain stage from Malè to Cles will wrap things up. 

Guided by Sports Directors Valerio Tebaldi and Marco Corti, a climbers’ line-up will take the start in Arco, withRodolfo Torres looking at the GC and Fabio Duarte looking to rebound after a sub-par early season and a couple of weeks training in Colombia. Joining them will be Walter Pedraza, Brayan Ramirez, Darwin Pantoja, Cayetano Sarmiento, Miguel Angel Rubiano and Camilo Castiblanco.

“Giro del Trentino Melinda is a beautiful race, that suits our characteristics and brings back several good moments, such as our first success in 2012 with Darwin Atapuma on the Pordoi Pass,” recalls Sports Director Valerio Tebaldi. “We think we have what it takes to make a good race, and try to battle with a number of strong opponents who will come to Trentino as a final setup for the Giro d’Italia.”

The same 8-man line-up will also start the Giro dell’Appennino on Sunday April 26th.

Line-up:

Camilo Castiblanco, Fabio Duarte, Darwin Pantoja, Walter Pedraza, Brayan Ramirez, Miguel Angel Rubiano, Cayetano Sarmiento, Rodolfo Torres.