As they say, you never forget your first World Championship: anyway, Team Colombia’s Carlos Julian Quintero got rid of any doubt, putting away 190 good reasons to remember his first experience at the Worlds, today, September 28th, in the road race in Ponferrada, Spain.

Michal Kwiatkowski took over the scene in the finale, becoming the first ever World Champion from Poland with a great solo move into the last 10 of the day’s 254 km, but early on it was Team Colombia’s two representatives, Miguel Angel Rubiano and Quintero himself, to kick things off.

“Miguel’s and my job was to start the breakaway in order to keep our leaders sheltered. Miguel tried first, then it was my time. And it worked out well for me,” Quintero said.

Along with Quintero, Oleksandr Polivota (Ukraine), Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania) and Matija Kvasina (Croatia) made the breakaway, spreading the gap over 15 minutes while rain was pouring from Ponferrada’s sky, in a day with variable weather but no sun.  The peloton’s comeback was pushed by Poland first and then, with decision, by Italy, bringing it back to a one-minute distance by the start of the 11th lap.

At that time, Quintero accelerated to try to follow on his own, but only to be joined some kilometres later by Visconti (Italy) and Kennaugh (Great Britain) and then by the strong men group, after 190 km in the race lead.

“Actually, 190 km in the break was not a bad way to debut,” Quintero said, “I feel happy because I managed to do what I was required to, and really what I wanted to. Even after being caught by the bunch, I tried to spend my final energies in support of my teammates: I did my very best to deserve the trust Colombia put in me.”

“The World Championship is a really peculiar race, with lots of tension. It reminds me of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege for the public and the distance, but today’s circuit was by no means as demanding as the Belgian classic. In the finale, we had Uran and Chaves in good condition, but making gaps and breaking the bunch was hard: Kwiatkowski really made a great move.”

Among many new things, Quintero found in Ponferrada an important familiar element: Team Colombia’s technical and support staff.

“It was so important to have our own staff for this experience, not only for their professionalism, but for the actual personal friendships that binds us. They did a huge job for all the Colombian selections here, and I wish to say a big ‘thank you’ for their excellent work.”

Next up for Quintero is an intense season finale in Italy: Milano-Torino, Giro di Lombardia, Coppa Sabatini and GP Beghelli.

“Condition is there, and I think I demostrated it: hopefully we can close this season on a high,” Quintero stated.