After the brilliant seasonal debut at Tour de San Luis (Argentina) with Rodolfo Torres overall runner-up – the best performance ever in Team Colombia-Coldeportes’ 4-year history in stage races - the Escarabajos will be in the action at Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise in France, a traditional event of early season, on Sunday February 1.

Two days later, Claudio Corti’s team will take part in the first stage race of the European calendar, still in France, at Etoile de Besseges (February 3-8).

In France, the riders led by Sports Director Valerio Tebaldi will find a blend of routes suitable to sprinters and puncheurs like Leonardo Duque, Carlos Julian Quintero and Edwin Avila, the latter at his seasonal debut, as well as five new Colombia riders: Brayan Ramirez, Carlos Ramirez, Camilo Castiblanco, Walter Pedraza and Sebastian Molano.

“We have picked up a good mix of experience athletes and new entries," Tebaildi explained. "We’ll look to show up in the breaks and good placements with our sprinters, Duque and Avila”.

GP La Marseillaise (February 1)
 

Line-up: Edwin Avila, Camilo Castiblanco, Leonardo Duque, Sebastian Molano, Walter Pedraza, Carlos Julian Quintero, Brayan Ramirez, Carlos Ramirez.
 

Etoile de Besseges (February 3-8)

Line-up: Edwin Avila, Camilo Castiblanco, Leonardo Duque, Sebastian Molano, Walter Pedraza, Carlos Julian Quintero, Brayan Ramirez, Carlos Ramirez.