In the team almost exclusively consisting of the exceptional climbers, the figure of Juan Esteban Arango has to appear as a one of very few exceptions. In 2013, the former track racing specialist has completed his first season as a road cyclist, sporting the outfit of UCI Pro Continental Team Colombia.

At the age of 27, satisfied with his track racing results including silver medal won at the World Championships held in Denmark in 2010, and encouraged by Australian and British examples of skills drawn from the track being successfully transferred into impressive achievements on the road, the Colombian decided to try his luck following the path of Sir Bradley Wiggins.

"I started racing on the track about 6 years ago in China, and at that moment I realized that I adapted very well to this discipline ," Arango begins to explain .

"During my career on the track I managed to live through most satisfying moments of my life as a professional sportsman, and this experience has proven to be very useful also while being  transferred into racing on the road -  especially in the type of road races held in America, the points race and scratch helped to develop skills and responsiveness necessary to stay in the group, on the road as well."

Arango had a strong start to his first season as a professional road cyclist, debuting in the demanding Tour of Turkey, and then proving to be a highly capable rider while successfully finishing his first one-day classic – la Fleche Wallonne. Even so, Team Colombia manager  Claudio Corti, after consultations with sport directors, made a decision to postpone the debut of 27-year old Colombian in the Grand Tour, in order to protect his slow but well-oriented development.

"This year I have followed the action of Giro d’Italia in TV, including appearances of my team-mates, and I hope to experience those feelings by myself. If the Giro organizers decide to put the trust in our time once again, I'll put greatest possible effort to convince the coaching staff I deserve to get the opportunity to participate,” Arango said about his biggest objective for upcoming season.

However, putting his developing career on the road aside, uncommon Colombian from Medellin has in his sights another crucial event taking place in the upcoming season: the Track Cycling World Championships, since the event will be held in Colombia, and more specifically in Cali, between 26 February and 2 March next.

"Right now I'm working to prepare myself ahead of the World Championships," he explains

"This year I target a podium position especially in Omnium, which over the years has become my favorite discipline. The first attempts after I went back to track racing turned out very positively, since the titles won in the National League and the Bolivarian Games have given me great confidence and I am motivated to do my best . "